A lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, has been cautioned to desist from misleading the general public by denying ever receiving the recently distributed official vehicles for members, SaharaReporters has gathered.

El-Rufai, who is the Chairman of the House Committee on Banking Regulations, had appeared on a podcast programme of Channels Television presenter, Seun Okinbaloye, known as ‘MIC ON’; where he denied receiving the SUV.

The lawmaker also said some of his colleagues did not receive the much-criticized SUVs, even though he acknowledged that many of his other colleagues received them.

But in an internal memo leaked to this newspaper on Wednesday, the Deputy Spokesperson for the House, Hon. Philip Agbese, cautioned the Kaduna lawmaker not to “grandstand or pontificate on contentious matters in a way that would bring the image of the parliament to disrepute”.

The leaked memo revealed that “every Member of the 10th House of Representatives has received their vehicle”, even though it said, “these vehicles remain the property of the House of Representatives and are to aid Honourable Members in the discharge of their duties”.

The internal memo addressed to members of the House, which is titled, ‘Clarification on Vehicle Allocation’, reads as follows:

“Our attention has been drawn to a trending video excerpt from an interview, wherein one of our distinguished colleagues, Hon. Bello El-Rufai, claimed that some members, including himself, rejected their operational vehicles allocated to them.

“It has become necessary to state that, this is totally false and inaccurate. From our checks with the House Committee on House Services, every member of the 10th House of Representatives has received their vehicle.

“The House, therefore, cautions Hon. El-Rufai to desist from further misinforming the public or attempting to set his colleagues up for public ridicule. As a House, we are advised not to grandstand or pontificate on contentious matters in a way that would bring the image of the parliament to disrepute. Hence, the need for caution in public discourse, especially now that the 10th House of Representatives is earning the trust of Nigerians.

“We take this opportunity to clarify that all Honourable Members have had their vehicles duly allocated to them. These vehicles remain the property of the House of Representatives and are to aid Honourable Members in the discharge of their duties.

“We also wish to remind all Honourable Members that while you have the liberty to engage with the media and the public as you see fit, it is in the best interests of the House and all members to avoid causing disaffection and raising controversial matters.

“Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

The Benue State government says it is set to establish its own power plant in order to boost socio-economic development in the state. The idea…

The Benue State government says it is set to establish its own power plant in order to boost socio-economic development in the state.

The idea was conceived by the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) following the Federal Government’s recent assent to a bill granting state governments access to own and manage their electricity companies.

The Managing Director of BIPC, Raymond Asemakaha, who made this known at a meeting with a delegation of Remedy Earth at BIPC corporate headquarters in Makurdi, requested the electricity company to set up a pilot plant in the state.

Asemakaha stressed the need for the state to own a power generation plant that would transform the state and stimulate economic activities.

“For us we know that one of the things that stimulate the economy is when you have enough power. So we are looking for options to ensure that the state generates its power and share to its communities.

“We want them to do the plant here and test run it so we can know what they are capable of before we will engage them. Gone are the days that people tell stories, we want to see it before we can recommend them to the governor,” he said.

Earlier, the Remedy Earth delegation led by its regional head Africa, Peace Obichere, assured that the company was ready to execute the pilot plant for BIPC within nine months.

Obichere added that the company had the manpower and technical know-how required to execute the project and would pull the resources to have the plant come to fruition.

Suspension in the Senate means a Senator will not be allowed to attend the plenary and will be prohibited from attending committee meetings and participating in oversight functions. His Salary, allowances and all entitlements will be blocked. He will not have access to his office and he is expected not to be seen within the premises of the National Assembly, until the suspension is lifted. When I publicly disclosed the salaries and running costs of lawmakers, it was the then Senate president who saved me from Suspension. If you talk too much, your bodi go tell you, that is why even opposition no fit oppose too much.

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

NIGERIA OPENS LAND AND AIR BORDERS WITH REPUBLIC OF NIGER, LIFTS OTHER SANCTIONS

President Bola Tinubu has directed the opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger and the lifting of other sanctions against the country with immediate effect.

This directive is in compliance with the decisions of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government at its extraordinary summit on February 24, 2024, in Abuja.

ECOWAS leaders had agreed to lift economic sanctions against the Republic of Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The President has directed that the following sanctions imposed on the Republic of Niger be lifted immediately:

(1) Closure of land and air borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic, as well as ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from Niger Republic.

(2) Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between Nigeria and Niger, as well as freeze of all service transactions, including utility services and electricity to Niger Republic.

(3) Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks and freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger, state enterprises, and parastatals in commercial banks.

(4) Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with all financial institutions, particularly EBID and BOAD.

(5) Travel bans on government officials and their family members.

President Tinubu has also approved the lifting of financial and economic sanctions against the Republic of Guinea.

Chief Ajuri Ngelale

Special Adviser to the President

(Media & Publicity)

March 13, 2024

Border reopening: Nigeria secures $1.3 billion funding for rail link to Niger Republic

The Minister of Transportation, Senator Said Ahmed Alkali has announced that Nigeria has secured $1.3 billion in financing to finish a railway line linking Kano, the northern region’s biggest city, with Maradi in Niger.

Senator Said Ahmed Alkali, the Minister of Transportation, revealed this in Abuja on Tuesday, stating that the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) will fund 85% of the project, with the remaining 15% coming from the Africa Development Bank (ADfB).

This is coming on the heels of the recent directive of President Bola Tinubu to reopen both land and air borders connecting Nigeria to the francophone country, Niger

The statement made available by Special Assistant (Public Affairs) to the Minister, Jamilu Ja’afaru said:

“The securing of $1.3 billion signifies a monumental step forward in the completion of this critical infrastructure.

“It’s EPC+F Model. Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Financing (EPC- F contract). This rail link, a key component of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, is set to enhance regional trade, community development, and cultural exchange, aligning with the administration’s unwavering commitment to national development and a more interconnected African continent.

“The Kano-Katsina-Jibiya-Maradi rail line is a testament to our shared history and ambition for economic advancement. It will create a lasting legacy of wealth and opportunities for Nigeria and the Niger Republic.

“As the project advances, the Nigerian Government remains dedicated to realising a vision of progress and unity. The Ministry of Transportation will continue to provide updates on this transformative venture, marking each achievement as we journey towards a brighter and more connected future.”

What you should know
Earlier, Nairametrics reported that President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate re-opening of Nigeria’s land and air borders with the Republic of Niger.

The disclosure is contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
In July 2023, Portugal’s largest builder Mota-Engil signed an 840 million-euro ($919 million) contract to supply and finance railway rolling stock for the project.

This initiative is part of the federal government’s efforts to construct railway systems throughout Nigeria, aiming to improve the deficient transport infrastructure that has hindered economic development for many years.

Ondo governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, is inching closer to the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket in the state.

Aiyedatiwa, who became the governor of the state on December 27, 2023, following the demise of his principal, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, will be contesting the governorship ticket of the APC at a primary coming up in April.

On Tuesday, he formally declared his intention in an event graced by some elders and leaders of the Ondo State APC.

Those in attendance included former Ondo North Senatorial District Senator Ajayi Boroffice, a member of the House of Representatives Abiola Makinde, members of the state House of Assembly, and representatives of the party’s State Working Committee, among others.

Speaking at the event, Aiyedatiwa said he sought to retain the governorship seat to continue from where his late principal stopped, particularly in the welfare of the people, infrastructural development and security of the state.

His words: “He (Akeredolu) was a courageous and visionary leader who had no time for pretence, and so he expressed this wish at different fora in both public and private.

“My dear people of Ondo State, the gubernatorial primary election is at hand. Your vote is a potent weapon that must be wisely used.

“We must reject those who seek to buy our conscience with money. We must stop those who seek to govern this state with muscles. That is not what our late legends and founding fathers, who once governed this state, handed to our generation.”

In his remarks, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Olamide Oladiji, who spoke on behalf of the majority members of the Assembly, said 18 of of the 26 state lawmakers were ready to support the governor.

“We have about 18 members of the Ondo State House of Assembly here with Governor Aiyedatiwa. The Ondo House is for Aiyedatiwa, even those who are not APC, they are in the same struggle with us.

“My advice to our leaders across the 18 local governments is, go back to your local governments and do the needful. Let the reconciliation continue; come April 24 ( primary), we will deliver for Honourable Aiyedatiwa.

“On behalf of the honourable Ondo State House of Assembly members, Mr Governor, congratulations in advance.”

A member of the House of Representatives, representing Ondo East/Ondo West Federal Constituency, Abiola Makinde, said all the members of the House of Representatives from the state had endorsed Aiyedatiwa as the Governor.

Oronsaye Report: 10 steps Tinubu must take before Implementation

Joe Abah, a former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), has provided ten robust guidelines for the practical and comprehensive application of the Oronsaye report.

The 2012 report, known as the Stephen Oronsaye report, details the overhaul of the Federal Government’s ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).

The report was published during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and a committee submitted the white paper to President Buhari in 2022.

Meanwhile, on February 26, the Bola Tinubu administration announced it would enact “aspects” of the report to lower the cost of governance.

In a report published by Agora Policy, Abah pointed out the difficulty in establishing a direct evaluation method for the report, noting that many agencies had yet to be formed in 2012 when it was first published.

He, however, offered ten different recommendations to the government on how it can seamlessly and practically enact the policy of the report, thus reducing the cost of government.

Below are the recommendations according to Joe Abah:

1. Mergers require time: The government should realise that mergers are complex endeavours that require time, expertise, planning and resources.

2. Mergers Cost Money: Mergers cost money, and a budget is needed for the exercise.

3. Sub-committee for Agencies: In addition to the 10-member committee announced by the government, it would be important to set up merger committees for each agency that is to be merged.

4. Public Awareness: The public needs to be sensitised to what is realistically achievable in the 12 weeks that the 10-member committee has been given.

5. Six months Minimum: It would be prudent to allow a minimum of six months for proper completion.

6. Audit of Assets: All the agencies affected should immediately conduct independent audits of their assets and staff.

7. Review of Agencies: Mandates, management arrangements, and organizational structures should be reviewed to ensure that emerging new organisations are appropriately sized and fit for purpose.

8. Audit of Staff: There is a need to rationalise staffing. This should be done sequentially, starting with redeploying people to other parts of the public service where their skills may be needed. However, it would be better to be upfront with the public and the trade unions that some people would have to go. Efforts should be made to offer enhanced packages for people to go, first on a voluntary basis.

9. Need for Consistency of Principles: The process for subsuming agencies under other agencies, relocating them to new ministries, or abolishing them should use the same principles, including audits of assets, staff audits, and rationalisation of staff.

10. Record Keeping: The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should improve its record keeping, particularly for important reports like the Joda, Ayida, and Oronsaye reports, and ensure that they are posted online for ease of access.

What you should know

There has long been a sustained campaign to cut the cost of governance as a mechanism for economic development and nation-building:

•However, many fear that this approach might result in the loss of jobs, the reduction of bureaucratic involvement in the welfare of the people, and laxity in the regulatory framework of industries and sectors.

•Taking the bull by the horns, the President Tinubu-led administration said it would implement some aspects of the report.

•The administration said 30 agencies will be merged, nine will be subsumed under existing agencies, and four will be relocated from their current ministries.