March/April 2021 Nigeria Office Nigeria Press Review 26.03. – 02.04.2021 Welcome to Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung’s Nigeria Weekly Press Review The weekly press review seeks to explore and keep you informed on selected issues relating to politics, busi- ness and economy, insecurity, infrastructure and development, health related issues, new trends and matters bothering on COVID-19 and the situation in Nigeria. Content COVID-19: FG, PTF, Debunk Rumors of Administering Fake Vaccines, NPHCDA Release Latest Figures on Vaccination Exercise Reps Investigate Nigerian Missions Abroad, Senate President Clamors over Presidential Assent of Bills, CBN Governor Appears before Senate over $9.5m Missing Petroleum Profit Tax, NASS set to Approve Supplementary Budget for Covid-19 Vaccine and Security FG Restates Commitment to Natural Gas for Power Generation, Launches Exports Grants INEC Plans Electronic Voting Ahead of 2023 Elections, PDP Moves to Exempt Aspirants under 35years from Nomination Fees, Atiku Blames Insecurity on Youth Unemployment President Buhari Orders Service Chiefs to be Pitiless with Bandits, AU Sends Delegation to Support Internal Security in Nigeria Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. N igeria Office March/April 2021 2 2 COVID-19: FG, PTF, Debunk Rumors of Adminis- further stated, that the absence of the Minister of tering Fake Vaccines, NPHCDA Release Latest Health and Minister of State for Health to object or Figures on Vaccination Exercise provide further arguments, is the reason why bills are rejected by President Buhari. Sunday Aborisade, The Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Punch News (March 31st) reports. Task Force on Covid-19 (PTF), have denied specula- tions of alleged administration and sale of fake vaccines in the country. The Minister of Health, In new reports, the Senate Public Accounts Commit- Osagie Ehanire, revealed that fake Covid-19 vaccines tee has asked the Governor of Central Bank, Godwin destined for Africa have been arrested in China. He Emefiele, to appear before it over the alleged disap- said, “Nigeria is not even taking vaccines from Chi- pearance of $9.5m Petroleum Profit Tax Investment, na, so, there is no way fake vaccines can get into the missing from the Federation Account. The Chairman country because it is only the Federal Government of the panel, Matthew Urhoghide revealed that the that is authorised to import COVID-19 vaccines for Petroleum Profit Tax is related to royalties, rents, now.” The Nation News (March 29th) reports. margins and profit-sharing elements associated with oil mining, prospecting and exploration leases. Meanwhile, the National Primary Health Care Devel- Urhoghide stressed that the governor was to appear opment Agency (NPHCDA), released the latest fig- before the committee to address the alleged disap- ures on the ongoing vaccination exercise across the pearance of the fund. Sunday Aborisade, Punch country. The total number of the eligible population News (March 30th) writes. vaccinated was placed at 638,291. Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna and Bauchi states recorded the highest Meanwhile, the leadership of the National Assembly number of persons vaccinated in the country. The has agreed to expedite the supplementary budget Nation News (March 31st) reports. approval, to procure security equipment and Covid- 19 vaccine presented by President Buhari. The Pres- ident of the Senate, Ahmed Lawan and Speaker of Reps Investigate Nigerian Missions Abroad, Sen- the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at ate President Clamors over Presidential Assent of the State House, revealed to journalists, the National Bills, CBN Governor Appears before Senate over Assembly’s commitment to issues of national con- $9.5m Missing Petroleum Profit Tax, NASS set to cern. Lawan said, “Both executive and legislative Approve Supplementary Budget for Covid-19 arms believe that we should have a supplementary Vaccine and Security budget to provide for funding of the Covid-19 vac- cination in Nigeria, as well as the security, providing The House of Representatives, Committee on Dias- more resources and platforms to our security agen- pora, held a two-day public hearing on Wednesday cies.” Deji Elumoye, This Day News (March 30th) 31, alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and reports. Nigerians in diaspora, to investigate alleged mal- practices in Nigerian embassies and consulates around the world. The committee received a peti- FG Restates Commitment to Natural Gas for tion from a coalition of Diaspora groups in Canada, Power Generation, Launches Exports Grants upon the release of new administrative service sur- charges for the issuance of passport. The Minister of The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Tim- Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, expressed his ipre Sylvia, disclosed at the Pre-Summit Conference readiness to address the concerns of citizens in the of the Decade of Gas, that the Federal Government Diaspora. Onyeama said, “Government is listening will continue to rely on natural gas as a transition and set to act immediately.” Omoniyi Salaudeen, fuel for key power generation. Sylvia said, “As a Sun News (March 31st) reports. country, we went in a wrong direction in the oil and gas business since the 1950s but it is not too late.” Similarly, the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, He revealed that despite global shifts to renewables, at the public hearing of the Senate Committee on the country would only pursue renewable for off- Health, expressed the senate’s displeasure, to bills grid power. Mary Izuaka, Premium Times News that are rejected by President Muhammadu Buhari. (March 29th) reports. He attributed the rejection of bills to the wrong advice of ministers and ministry officials. Lawan Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. N igeria Office March/April 2021 3 3 Meanwhile, the Federal Government has launched Ukaibe, Leadership News (March 30th) reports. an export development fund and online grant por- tal. The export expansion facility programme is Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has urged aimed at protecting export businesses from the the Federal Government to tackle out-of-school effects of Covid-19, safeguard jobs and de-risk the children cases. Abubakar, in a social media state- non-oil sector. The Minister of Industry, Trade and ment titled “World’s Highest Unemployment Rate. Investment, Niyi Adebayo, at the event to launch the Time to Help This Government Help Nigeria.” re- programme said, the goal was to increase the coun- vealed that “the insecurity the country is facing is try’s export capacity in the near term and its export the result of youth unemployment.” He advised, that volumes in the medium term. Ayodeji Adegboyega, the government get 13.5 million out of school chil- Premium Times News (March 29th) writes. dren into school to solve insecurity. William Ukpe, th Naira Metrics News (March 28 ) reports. INEC Plans Electronic Voting Ahead of 2023 Elec- tions, PDP Moves to Exempt Aspirants under 35 President Buhari Orders Service Chiefs to be Years from Nomination Fees, Atiku Blames Inse- Pitiless with Bandits, AU Sends Delegation to curity on Youth Unemployment Support Internal Security in Nigeria The Independent National Electoral Commission President Muhammadu Buhari in a meeting with (INEC), has expressed its commitment to deepen the intelligence chiefs, has ordered the security chiefs to bring bandits, kidnappers and their sponsors to use of technology in the 2023 electoral process. The Chairman, INEC information and voter education, their knees. Buhari said that criminals will no longer dictate the pace of engagement. The National Secu- Festus Okoye, said the commission will procure voter enrolment devices (VED), to enroll citizens, rity Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, told jour- clean up the voters register and acquire additional nalists, “I’m sending out a message to anybody who thinks he can continue to pool whatever resources biometric for electronic voting machines. Okoye also added, that the commission is looking forward to at his disposal, to frustrate the efforts of the central government in bringing about peace and security, the amendment of the electoral act to enable e- will have himself to blame.” Terhemba Daka, Guard- voting and that “the encumbrance of the deploy- st ment of full technology in elections should be re- ian News (March 31 ) reports. moved.” Chinedu Asadu, The Cable News (March The African Union (AU), following the current state 28th) reports. of security in the country, has responded to calls Meanwhile, the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP), that sought to promote peace in Nigeria. The Afri- can Union-Economic, Social and Cultural Council National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, has advised the party leadership to give out free (ECOSOCC) cluster committee, was inaugurated on nomination forms to aspirants under the age of 35 Tuesday 27, in Abuja, to promote peace and security years. The Chairman of the Committee and former in the country. Motola Babalola, a member of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, conveyed the AU-ECOSOCC committee said,” AU-ECOSOCC committee’s recommendation. Saraki explained that should lend its voice to calls promoting peace in the recommendation was as a result of wide conso- Nigeria to say that the kidnappings, killings, bandit- lations across party lines in the country. Chibuzo ry must stop.” Adetola Bademosi, Tribune News (March 30th) reports. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. N igeria Office March/April 2021 4 4 Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung e. V. 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