farming : Nigerian govt spends over N9.5 billion on inputs

The Federal Government spent more than N9.5 billion for the distribution of farm inputs to farmers during the dry season farming, an official of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has said.

Ohiare Jatto, the Director, Farm Input Support Services Department in the ministry, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja on Monday.

He said the inputs were distributed to no fewer than 458,498 farmers across 30 states of the federation between December 2016 and February 2017 dry season farming.

Mr. Jatto said the inputs were provided under the governments’ Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme to guarantee improved food production and security.

According to him, some of the inputs provided to the farmers include two bags of Nitrogen Potassium Phosphate, one bag of urea, one bag of organic fertiliser each, 25 kilogramme rice seeds and 20 kilogramme maize seeds depending on the crop value chain.

The director said that the government under the GES usually paid 75 per cent worth of seeds and 50 per cent for fertilisers and pesticides while farmers settled the remaining percentage of the money.

He said the scheme attained 92 per cent success during the planting season.

“The dry season farming was very successful. We targeted 500,000 farmers and we were able to reach 458,498 farmers in 30 states.

“All the northern states and many southern states benefited.  We only reached out to farmers that our funds were able to accommodate,’’ he said.

The director said that the Federal Government was also targeting no fewer than one million farmers to give inputs for the wet season farming.

He said the reason for the delay in the commencement of the inputs distribution for the wet season was due to the delay in the passage of the budget.

Mr. Jatto appealed to farmers to be patient with the government, adding that the inputs distribution would begin as soon as the budget was passed.

He said the inputs were distributed to no fewer than 458,498 farmers across 30 states of the federation between December 2016 and February 2017 dry season farming. According to him, some of the inputs provided to the farmers include two bags of Nitrogen Potassium Phosphate, one bag of urea, one bag of organic fertiliser each, 25 kilogramme rice seeds and 20 kilogramme maize seeds depending on the crop value chain. The director said that the government under the GES usually paid 75 per cent worth of seeds and 50 per cent for fertilisers and pesticides while farmers settled the remaining percentage of the money.

 

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="700"] Over N7 trillion recorded in TSA Nigerian govt[/caption]

Over N7 trillion recorded in TSA Nigerian govt

The Federal Government has recorded over N7 trillion in the Treasury Single Account (TSA) by the end of March 2017, the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, Ahmed Idris, has said.

In an interview with the Economic Confidential in Abuja, Mr. Idris said the amount represents monies belonging to different Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) put in portal in such a way that government can view the entire balance as one.

“When we say we have over N5 trillion in TSA, it does not mean free funds for spending. No! no! no! These monies belong to various ministries, departments and agencies put in a portal in such a way that you can view the entire balance as one.

“The movement is now over N7 trillion. But as I explained earlier, these are not free money. People should not be thinking of why is government borrowing to fund budget. These are budgeted monies for MDAs for projects and developments,” he said.

He said that the federal government through the implementation of the TSA has saved additional N4 billion monthly which could have been held by banks, noting that a total collapse of government activities would have occurred were it not that TSA was in place.

“But let me also make a strong and important point. If not because TSA is in place and now that the recession is here, only God knows what would have happened. A monthly drain of over N4 billion and yet no revenue coming in and leakages continued. It could have been a disaster. It was government’s foresightedness and focus even as TSA was in place before the recession. And that is why we are floating and not sinking, and we will not sink God willing,” he said.

“For instance, why would one university have over one hundred and twenty bank accounts, and some of them even hidden and missing and carrying huge balances. We also discovered that there are costs associated with keeping these multiple bank accounts. Every month the government incurs over N4 billion in maintaining these accounts! Yet Government is borrowing its own money. And to stop government from borrowing its money and for the fact that there was no commensurate returns on such monies, it was double tragedy! This is like a sword with two sides that can cut from any of the sides. Sanity was brought with the introduction of TSA.”

Speaking on the transparency in the disbursement of federation account monthly, the AGF noted that transparency and openness are key to the present administration. He said the government cannot be trusted if it says one thing and does another.

“The meagre revenue that has been accruing is being judiciously used and there is fiscal discipline in management of public resources. Let me give you an example, in the previous administration. There was a time state government kicked against savings. Now because what they know and being practiced by government of the day, they have decided to imbibe the culture of savings”.

“What am I trying to say? We have excess Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT). These are excess taxes from petroleum tax. When we get money over and above budgeted figure, the excess is always being saved. If it were before, state governments and other stakeholders would say it should be shared. And this is what has been giving us buffer, especially at this time of recession”.

“Despite the lean resources, we take from it and augment accordingly. And this is being done transparently. All the stakeholders are aware of balances at any point in time. Whatever revenue comes in is shown at National Economic Council meetings including all the governors who will be briefed by the Minister of Finance. They have seen the openness and have accepted what government has put in place and the economic team. This is why we are achieving remarkable success amidst recession”, he said.

On staff welfare, Mr. Idris said “the welfare of the staff of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation is one of my cardinal objectives since I assume office. It is even a core objective I must say as managers of the treasury. Welfare as you may know promotes the best out of the staff apart from making them serve the system very well. There are different types of welfare for the staff of the OAGF. Some border on entitlements, training to enhance the capabilities of the staff. We have also done very well in the provision of brand new staff buses we sourced from public spirited organizations including banks.”

“On the part of the Federal Treasury Academy, we have done very well in building hostel facilities, renovation of infrastructure and provision of generators, furniture for the classrooms and the auditorium and the provision of sporting facilities among others. Right now, there is an ongoing discussion with some real estate developers to build four hundred one bed-room and two-bedroom houses at our land situated at Federal Treasury Academy Orozo, Abuja”.

According to him, “these developments are targeted at lower cadre officers. All these are some of the initiatives we have put in place. We pay the first 28 days to staff on first come first serve basis and each month we set aside the sum of N5 million towards that. Any staff that gets admission to tertiary institutions on part-time basis and would not disrupt his or her job schedule is allowed. So far, we have given approval to such staff almost one thousand, most especially Nasarawa State University and University of Abuja.”

“We train them and also promote them, we maintain facilities here at the headquarters, we maintain and buy new furniture, apart from making the office environment conducive for work. This is part of motivation, this is part of welfare.”

“When we say we have over N5 trillion in TSA, it does not mean free funds for spending. People should not be thinking of why is government borrowing to fund budget. If not because TSA is in place and now that the recession is here, only God knows what would have happened.

 

Dogara cautions Nigerian govt against conducting census before 2019 elections

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="860"] Dogara cautions Nigerian govt against conducting census before 2019 elections[/caption]

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on the people clamouring for conduct of population census in 2018 to exercise patience till after 2019 elections when there will be no political pressure to manipulate its outcome.

This was contained in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, on Monday in Abuja.

Mr. Dogara said conducting population census in an election year may generate unrealistic results, and therefore advised that the next administration should conduct the census at the beginning of its tenure when there isn’t so much at stake.

“I won’t advise anyone to conduct national census in 2018. I said it before that if we are not going to achieve it in 2017, then we should just forget it until after 2019.

“If you conduct census at the niche of elections, there will be so much pressure, crisis and the lure for people to manipulate the figures for political reasons”.

“It is better for a fresh administration to conduct this exercise from the beginning of that administration when we do not have any pressure of elections in sight.”

“I can bet you if the census is conducted in 2018, the outcome will be doubtable.”

“Seriously speaking, because I know who we are and I know the kind of litigations, backlashes, the pressure and we don’t need that now to be candid.”

He said it’s better to empower the agencies to keep building on the blocks that they will leverage on in the future.

He said it’s better to empower the agencies to keep building on the blocks that they will leverage on in the future.

“Doing it in 2018, honestly it is nothing I would advocate.”

The Director General of the National Population Commission, Ghaji Bello, recently indicated his commission’s preparedness to conduct a census in 2018 if necessary logistics are provided.

Mr. Bello also said the proposed 2018 census will cost an estimated N272 billion.

He said the exercise should have been conducted in 2016 in line with international practice.

“We should have conducted the last census in 2016 but for a variety of reasons outside the control of the population commission, we were unable to do it,” he said.

To meet the UN 10-year benchmark, Mr. Bello said the commission was working for a constitutional amendment that would allow for scheduled conduct of the census.

Mr. Bello also argued that conducting a census in the Muhammadu Buhari administration would give it credibility.

He added that the conduct of the census under the present administration would give the exercise a deserved national and international credibility and reliability.

“We are of the firm belief that if it is conducted under this government, that there will be a lot of international credibility for the exercise,” he said.

“This is given the persona of the president that is there presently.

“And then people take advantage of climes and environment and chances and there are times when everything works in your favour.

“We believe firmly in the National Population Commission that census conducted under President Muhammadu Buhari would go a long way in actually achieving the credibility that we want.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has called on the people clamouring for conduct of population census in 2018 to exercise patience till after 2019 elections when there will be no political pressure to manipulate its outcome. Mr. Dogara said conducting population census in an election year may generate unrealistic results, and therefore advised that the next administration should conduct the census at the beginning of its tenure when there isn’t so much at stake. “I won’t advise anyone to conduct national census in 2018.

 

EFCC: 5 Large Bags of Cash "Seized At Nigerian Airport"

At least five large black bags containing bundles of cash valued at $155 000 were reportedly seized at a Nigerian airport last week.

Nigeria"s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said on its website that the cash, in the local naira currency, was still sealed when it was discovered near the check-in points at the Kaduna airport.

The anti-graft unit said that the bags were found during a regular screening, and the five bags were "unattended and without tags containing fresh bulk items suspected to be money".

The EFCC said that investigations were at an advanced stage, but the owner of the cash had not yet been identified.

"Operatives [of the EFCC] intercepted a sum of 49 million naira in five large black 150kg... sacks following a tip off.

"Upon examination, the bags were found to contain fresh crispy naira notes of N200 denomination in 20 bundles totalling forty million naira and N50 denomination in 180 bundles totaling nine million naira with seal purportedly emanating from the Nigeria Security and Minting Plc (NSPM) as seen in the labeled sealed packs," said EFCC.

This came just a month after the former head of Nigeria"s state-run oil company was investigated after almost $10m in cash was found at a property he owned.

At least five large black bags containing bundles of cash valued at $155 000 were reportedly seized at a Nigerian airport last week. This came just a month after the former head of Nigeria"s state-run oil company was investigated after almost $10m in cash was found at a property he owned. The EFCC said it had seized $9.8m million from a house belonging to Andrew Yakubu.

 

2019 Elections May No Longer Hold, Due To Some Circumstances Beyond Buharis Control

 

Emerging report, have revealed that the same scenario that led to the heating up of Nigeria’s political space, in the build-up to the 2011 and 2015 general elections, are beginning to manifest, as the country advances towards the next polls, in 2019.

Among the factors responsible for this, is the alleged position of some Northern political elements, that Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, a Yoruba man from the South-West, would be rejected from assuming the office of the President, should his boss quit office on account of his ill health.

Expressing his fear ahead of the 2019 elections, a former Governor of Old Kaduna State, Balarabe Musa, said: “Beyond what we witnessed in 2011 and 2015, the present negative state of the country, is a serious issue that must be addressed before the election. It is good that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the timetable about two years to the election. But that will not take away the fact that there could be violence, if the state of the economy is not properly addressed.”

Musa, who said a hungry man is an angry man, and an idle mind is the devil’s workshop, added: “If we take stock of the rate of hunger due to the high cost of living ravaging Nigeria at present, the galloping rate of unemployment, plus the fact that salaries are not paid on time, and pensioners are not getting their pay, pose serious threat to elections.”

He suggested, that Politicians should do something about the situation, “otherwise the unexpected may happen, if we continue like this till 2019.”

Musa contended that the poverty level in Nigeria currently, would create the opportunity for the few rich in the system to dictate how the elections will go saying: “My argument is that if we continue like this, Nigeria will not get free and fair elections in 2019.”

He said there are indices and signs that the economy is not doing well, a situation, which he claimed promotes violence and rigging, before and during the elections.

The National Chairman of Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, added that political actors should desist from making unguarded statements concerning the country stating that: “They must do nothing to plunge Nigeria into fresh political crisis.”

According to him: “Virtually all the political parties suffer one crisis or another; therefore, no Politician or political party, can claim a holier-than-thou attitude. We urge all Politicians to desist from actions and pronouncements that will make Nigerians suffer from the management of their crisis.”

He said that political leaders, especially Nigeria’s past leaders, should play the role of statesmen and fathers of the nation, and refrain from meddling in the internal affairs of other parties undergoing democratic re-engineering.

The UPN Chairman, said it is imperative of the security agencies to ensure the safety of Osinbajo, cautioning that on no account should any adverse thing happen to him; particularly against the backdrop of insinuations that some cabals within the Presidency, are already putting pressure on him to resign.

 

SOURCE POST NIGERIA

Senate On Vengeance After Nigerian Customs Seized Senator Sarakis Bulletproof Range Rover Over Fake Documents

SaharaReporters has learned that the Nigerian Senate’s current war against the leadership of the Nigerian Customs Service has its roots in the fact that Customs officials seized a bulletproof Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) owned by Senate President Bukola Saraki.

SaharaReporters has learned that the Nigerian Senate’s current war against the leadership of the Nigerian Customs Service has its roots in the fact that Customs officials seized a bulletproof Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) owned by Senate President Bukola Saraki

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Our investigators discovered that Nigerian Customs officers in Lagos had on January 11, 2017 intercepted and impounded a Range Rover SUV which carried documents that claimed its  chassis number was “SALGV3TF3EA190243.” Customs sources told our correspondent that the value of the car was N298 million, which meant that customs duty of N74 million should have been paid on the car.

At the interception of the car, its driver claimed that the vehicle belonged to the Senate President and presented a letter from the National Assembly liaison office in Lagos, indicating that the driver of the luxury vehicle was authorized to drive the Senate President’s official Range Rover bulletproof car.

Our sources disclosed that when asked to show evidence of duty payment and an end-user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser—a document required for bulletproof vehicles—the driver presented documents that were found to be fake. The reportedly fake documents provided by the driver indicated that a measly customs duty of N8 million was paid on the car. Customs officials said that, apart from the fact the customs duty was extremely low, they also determined that the presented document itself was fake. They consequently seized the vehicle.

Later the same day, January 17, 2017, the Senate sent a letter signed by one Architect O.A. Ojo acting as the Secretary of Procurement, Estate and Works of the national Assembly, requesting the release of the vehicle, which he claimed belonged to the convoy of the Senate President. In its response, the Nigerian Customs sent a letter signed by its  Othman, A.S. Comptroller, Import and Export, the letter dated January 24 2017, again requested for the end user certificate as well as evidence of proper clearance before the vehicle could be released. Neither Mr. Saraki nor the National Assembly provided the required documents.

Investigations by SaharaReporters showed that the documents used by Mr. Saraki and the National Assembly to clear the car impounded by the Nigerian Customs did not belong to the vehicle. In addition, Senator Saraki and the National Assembly apparently undervalued the car by more than 50% to enable them to avoid paying proper customs duty. When our investigators checked on the website of Range Rover, they discovered that the vehicle whose paperwork was being used to drive the impounded car from Lagos to Abuja was a grey-colored car manufactured in the UK in 2014. The price tag on that car was $142,000, but the importer gave the value as $64,516. The exchange rate at the time of car importation was N155 to $1.

Shortly after the seizure of the car, the Nigerian Senate mounted a vigorous attack on the Nigerian Customs Service, demanding that the agency stops any further efforts to confiscate vehicles found to have evaded payment of duties. The senators also summoned the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, to appear before the Senate. In the letter of invitation, the senators specified that Mr. Ali, a retired Army Colonel, must wear the official Customs uniform when he appeared before them. Mr. Ali has so far refused to heed the order to wear the Customs uniform. Impounded Senate Range Rover Side Sahara Reporters Media Impounded Senate Range Rover Sahara Reporters Media

Customs sources told SaharaReporters that the shady practice of importing vehicles meant for personal use with fake documents was widespread among Nigerian public officials, especially senators. The sources suggested that the attempt by Mr. Ali to check the practice had provoked the ferocious attacks against the Customs Service and its leadership. “Some highly placed Nigerians have for many years been evading the payment of proper duties on their imported luxury cars. They want to continue to get away with their habit which denies Nigerians a lot of revenues,” a senior official of the Customs Service claimed.

The Senate has forced Mr. Ali and the Nigerian Customs to suspend the policy of checking automobiles to ensure compliance with appropriate levels of duty. The senators’ stance has been popular with Nigerians who view the Customs as a pest on businessmen and women. However, our investigative findings also expose the fact that the attacks on the Customs have been inspired, and often led, by high profile Nigerians implicated in the use of fake customs papers to import cars and other luxury items into the country. Assessment Valuation Sahara Reporters Media Bank payment receipt for duty Sahara Reporters Media Customs Inspection Notice Sahara Reporters Media Sahara Reporters Media Goods Exit Certificate Sahara Reporters Media Letter from Othman from Customs requesting for further and better documents Sahara Reporters Media Letter from NAtional Assembly claiming vehicle belongs to the Senate convoy Sahara Reporters Media



Our sources disclosed that when asked to show evidence of duty payment and an end-user certificate from the office of the National Security Adviser—a document required for bulletproof vehicles—the driver presented documents that were found to be fake. The reportedly fake documents provided by the driver indicated that a measly customs duty of N8 million was paid on the car. Customs officials said that, apart from the fact the customs duty was extremely low, they also determined that the presented document itself was fake.

SOURCE SAHARA REPORTERS

Immigration-Nigeria to launch new immigration regulation

Nigeria to launch new immigration regulation

The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, will on Monday officially launch Nigeria’s new Immigration Regulations, 2017 to ensure better security and Immigration in the country.

Sunday James, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

He said the Immigration Regulations, 2017 is a vital document that seeks to operationalise the Immigration Act, 2015. ‎ “The honourable Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, (retired) will officially present the Immigration Regulations 2017 to the public on Monday, March, 20, 2017.

“The Immigration Regulations 2017 is a vital document that operationalises the Immigration Act 2015 and provides the legal framework for the effective implementation of the Act,” he said.

He further said the new immigration regulation is a product of robust discourse that involved legal and migratory experts, including serving and retired immigration officers.

Mr. James expressed optimism that the document, if properly implemented, would go a long way in transforming the operations of NIS in line with international best practices. ‎ NAN reports that the Immigration Act, 2015 contains updated structure and functions of NIS in relation to immigration, passports, deportation, visas, resident permits and general immigration offences.

The Act also gives effect in the Federal Republic of Nigeria to the provisions of the protocol against the smuggling of migrants by land, sea, air which supplements the UN Convention Against Transitional Organised Crime. ‎ The Act was enacted by the National Assembly in May, 2015 to the Immigration Act, 2004. (NAN)

He said the Immigration Regulations, 2017 is a vital document that seeks to operationalise the Immigration Act, 2015. Abdulrahman Dambazau, (retired) will officially present the Immigration Regulations 2017 to the public on Monday, March, 20, 2017. “The Immigration Regulations 2017 is a vital document that operationalises the Immigration Act 2015 and provides the legal framework for the effective implementation of the Act,” he said.

SOURCE PREMIUM TIMES