Alhaji Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, says President Muhammadu Buhari has the final say on FEC members who renounced their political ambitions and stayed in the cabinet.
Mohammed also said the federal government had no plans to ban Facebook in Nigeria over alleged biased reporting of events.
FEC approved N169.7 billion in private sector investments for road infrastructure through the government’s Tax Credit Programme (TCP).
FEC also approved N3, 491,622,340 for the Ministry of Aviation’s Abuja property.
Mohammed told reporters after yesterday’s FEC meeting at State House, Abuja, that he would need to confirm the returning ministers’ status with the president.
He said, “I need more time to tell you about ministers returning or not going. Crosschecking now.
“I need Mr. President to clarify.” Mr. President decides who stays, goes, and returns.
Sources in the Presidency told THISDAY yesterday that President Buhari has asked Attorney General Abubakar Malami and Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele to stay in their jobs even though they wanted to run in 2023. While Malami bought forms to run for governor in Kebbi, rice farmers bought Emefiele’s presidential forms.
Dr. Chris Ngige, Dame Pauline Tallen, Abubakar Malami, and Timpre Sylva rescinded their decision to run for office in 2023.
Tallen and Sylva attended yesterday’s council meeting virtually from Abuja.
Ngige was reportedly in South Africa for an ILO conference on child labor (ILO).
The information and culture minister also discussed the recent meeting between the federal government and Facebook’s management over alleged biased coverage of the country. He said both parties had a productive discussion and the government is not considering banning Facebook.
Mohammed: “Facebook and I had a robust conversation.” Facebook heard us and said they’ll do more. Why ban them if they do that? Bans aren’t random. If lives are threatened and they don’t listen, we ban or suspend operations.”
He said the government could protest some Facebook reports.
“At that meeting, we expressed our displeasure that Facebook was being used to incite violence, killings, burning of government property, and killing of soldiers and policemen,” he said. And that they do more to monitor unsavory content on their platforms.
“The BBC did a documentary on this issue and found that social media warriors in England, France, and other places have been using Facebook to incite violence in Nigeria. We’ve seen the real-life impact of war mongering: a young couple about to marry, murdered soldiers.
Policemen and military barracks were attacked this weekend in Anambra State. We warned Facebook to do more. Their response was positive. They promised to do more.
Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, briefed reporters on the approval of N169.7 billion in private sector investments for road infrastructure through the government’s TCP. He said the program was initiated in 2019 through Executive Order 7, which allowed the private sector to finance public infrastructure instead of tax and offset it over time using tax credits.
The first project FEC approved based on TCP was the 234-kilometer road from Bali to Sheti through Gashaka to Gembu in Taraba State for N95,232,474,010.72. The project will be started with N20 billion from the NNPC Tax Credit Scheme.
Fashola said Council’s second tax credit project covered three roads.
Mainstream Energy Solutions, a major energy player in the country, wants to invest N74, 486,577, 050 in this policy.
Mohammed, who briefed journalists on behalf of his aviation, power, and agriculture colleagues, said FEC approved N3, 491,622,340 for the Ministry of Aviation’s Abuja property. He said the ministry would co-locate with many of its agencies.
The minister said, “This property will let the ministry house many of its agencies.” Many agencies operate from rented properties, which is expensive and hinders activity coordination.
The council approved the purchase after necessary checks and legal research.
The minister also said Council awarded Messrs Sinecou Limited an N553.575 million contract for Advanced Report Generation Utility Engine Web-based Reporting Tools with a 12-month delivery date.
Mohammed also said the power ministry got approval to increase the original contract sum for the 232-kilometer Yola, Song, Gombe, Mubi, Gulako 132 KV double circuit transmission line from $16 million-plus N1.248 billion to $16.698 billion-plus N2,337,643,640. He added that N409 million was approved for the power ministry to replace defective circuit breakers and that a National Agricultural Technology Innovation Policy was approved.
Mohammed said, “Another memo by the Minister of Power sought approval for repairing nine 330 KV, 13 132 KV, and 26 33 KV sets.” Crompton handles Nigerian circuit breakers. Some of these circuit breakers are weak after 35 years, costing N409,088,841. This helps TCN’s network.
The agriculture minister’s memo requesting approval for a national agricultural technology innovation policy was approved. It aims to improve MDA synergy and alignment to improve policy implementation coordination. It addresses mandate fragmentation and MDA rivalry in agriculture. It will help livestock development and support ranches, grazing reserves, and integrated meat and dairy processing.
Reorganizing, unbundling, and strengthening agricultural research and training systems will promote knowledge creation and transfer. The policy will provide tractors and implement rental. It will impact quality extension service delivery, leading to enhanced technology adoption to strengthen the value chain for quality crops, fisheries, and aquaculture.
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning Clement Agba said Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning Zainab Ahmed presented a memo on Phase 3 of the Lighthouse program on the digital infrastructure of voluntary assets and income declaration scheme bids and tax harmonization normalization analytics and application program interface.
- Tags: Muhammadu Buhari, Presidency
