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GIJN 2019: If autocrats thought we were going away, they’re in for a surprise

Editorial
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GIJN 2019: If autocrats thought we were going away, they’re in for a surprise

AS more than 1,500 investigative journalists from over 130 countries converge in Hamburg, Germany for the 11th Global Investigative Journalism Conference 2019, discussions on high stakes for an effective and sustainability investigative reporting is at the forefront.

According to the network, the gatherings of the muckrakers in Hamburg would harsh out better processes journalists can carry out investigations using tools available to them through–retooled defiance–considering growing assault on human rights, democratic institutions and the independent press.

David Kaplan, executive director of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN), during the plenary launch session, commended efforts of investigative journalists and their resilient in telling the truth even in dangerous situations.

“Attacks [on journalists] are at near-record levels, even in countries where we thought we were safe. In places like the U.S. and Britain, we’re under assault legally; by presidents who want to be autocrats; [and] online by people who want to make us and our families miserable.

“It’s a tough time for investigative journalists on the front lines. Despite all of this, we’re growing. We’ve got more journalists with better tools going after tougher targets, all over the world,”

“If autocrats thought we were going away, they’re in for a surprise,” he said.

Drew Sullivan, co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, also noted that the cross-border collaborations and tools have since become an initiate that has facilitated speedy and accurate newsgathering with impacts.

However, he warned that with states, companies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) aggregators creating news, it could become harder to sift out the chaffs from the grains. Hence, Sullivan said that it falls on the investigative journalist to “cut through all the misinformation” with the help of tools made available to them.

Although it would seem the most distressing warning was that of Cordula Meyer, National desk editor, Der Spiegel, who said that it had become harder if not nearly impossible for the audience to believe factual evidence from investigative reports.

“If the evidence doesn’t mean anything anymore, we are really lost. About a fifth of our population in Germany don’t trust journalists. Some are lost — we cannot reach them with argument anymore, but some we can still reach: the sceptics.

“We need to offer all forms of dialogue to get news into discussions; we need to go into schools.”

The 2019 conference places more emphasis on data journalism, with 60 sessions dedicated to related subjects and skills. Other areas of focus include business, academic research techniques and sustainability strategies for the growing network of non-profit newsrooms.

(GIJN)

Nigeria Air Force neutralises ISWAP logistics base, training camp in Borno

Amos ABBA
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Nigeria Air Force neutralises ISWAP logistics base, training camp in Borno

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, on Thursday says it has destroyed a major Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, logistics base and training camp at Kusuma settlement in Borno State.

Following intelligence reports that a section of the settlement served as a training camp for the terrorists’, an aircraft detailed by the Air Task Force, ATF, of Operation Lafiya Dole bombed the location putting their activity to a halt.

Ibikunle Daramola, NAF director of public relations and information, revealed this in a statement stating that some buildings within the camp were being used to store fuel, arms and ammunition as well as other logistics supplies.

“The airstrike was executed after credible intelligence reports had established that a section of the settlement was serving as a training camp for the terrorists, while some buildings within the camp were being used to store their fuel, arms and ammunition as well as other logistics supplies.

“The pre-attack surveillance showed scores of fighters attempting to flee the location upon hearing the sound of the attack aircraft. They were engaged by the attack aircraft in successive passes, neutralising many of them. The terrorists’ logistics supply store, which was also hit, was seen engulfed in flames due to the raid,” the statement reads.

ISWAP has carried out a string of attacks in Nigeria in recent months, the northeast is home to two Islamist insurgent groups namely Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, ISWAP, which broke away as a faction in 2016 but conflict is now in its 10th year.

In July, President Buhari had directed the country’s air force and army to begin air patrols and ground operations to hunt down terrorist groups as part of the government’s agenda to provide security in the country according to a report.

Daramola in his statement said NAF would be operating in harmony with ground troops, to sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the insurgents in the north-east.

REA says fact-check on BUK hybrid solar plant is ‘incorrect’—so we took a closer look

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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REA says fact-check on BUK hybrid solar plant is ‘incorrect’—so we took a closer look

THE Rural Electrification Agency, REA, has reacted to fact-check published by The ICIR on Monday, which debunked the claim that it has commissioned  Africa’s “largest off-grid solar hybrid power plant” in Bayero University Kano (BUK).

The claim was made earlier in September by REA’s Managing Director, Damilola Ogunbiyi, and has been repeated by others, including Minister of Power Saleh Mamman.

The ICIR found a solar plant in Burkina Faso, also hybrid and off-grid, that has a capacity much larger than that of the recently unveiled project in BUK.

Fabien Cadaut, the Africa Energy Business Area Marketing Manager of Wärtsilä, the company that built the hybrid plant in Burkina Faso, confirmed that the project “is to date the world’s largest solar hybrid project and therefore larger than the one delivered in Nigeria”.

But reacting to the report on Tuesday, Ayang Ogbe, REA’s Director of Promotions (Information and Outreach), insisted that REA’s claim is correct and that the fact-check is presenting a “wrong impression”.

“You cannot say that apple is similar to orange,” the REA said during a phone conversation. “What I’m saying is they have different components. If you go to do any search about solar hybrid plants, you’ll see a thousand and one of them. But what we have in BUK is unique.”

In an email later sent to The ICIR by Ogbe, he said the plant in Burkina Faso does not qualify as a solar hybrid power plant but a “hybrid fuel/solar plant” because solar energy is not the dominant energy source.

“The Burkina Faso Project in question is synched to a 55 MW heavy oil fuel plant which makes it a hybrid fuel/solar plant (according to PV magazine) because heavy oil is the dominant source of energy,” he said.

“It is important to note that in the newest technology for solar hybrid powerplants, the PV component should be higher than any other component, which is provided in the Energizing Education BUK project. We maintain that the 7.1MW BUK project is the largest solar hybrid project with Battery storage in Africa.”

He concluded: “In view of these findings, the report published and twitted [sic.] by ICIR is INCORRECT.”

An email sent on Wednesday to METKA, the company commissioned to build the powerplant, asking if it holds the same view as REA is yet to be replied.

Hybrid solar plant or not?

According to Dr. Thomas Hillig Energy Consulting, experts on hybrid power systems and renewable energy solutions, “Hybrid power plants combine at least two different energy types [and] rather common is the combination of diesel-gensets and renewable energy systems with or without storage.”

“The actual configuration is very site and company-specific,” it added.

The World Journal of Mechanics, in 2019, also stated that “the hybrid renewable power generation is a system aimed at the production and utilisation of the electrical energy stemming from more than one source, provided that at least one of them is renewable.”

We checked PV magazine reports cited by the REA to substantiate its position. PV magazine is a publication that independently reports solar PV news and was launched in 2008 by the international photovoltaics (PV) community.

In its first report about the plant in Burkina Faso published in March 2017, the magazine described the project first as a “15 MW hybrid PV plant”. PV (photovoltaic) essentially refers to electricity derived from solar energy, and so a hybrid PV plant is the same as a hybrid solar plant.

It used the same description in its 2018 report but added that the project, synchronised with a 55 MW oil-driven power plant, “is one of the largest hybrid fuel/solar plants in the world”.

The ICIR has, however, found no evidence to suggest that the extent of solar energy composition in a hybrid plant affects its description.

Larry Edeh, country director of the Nigeria Alternative Energy Expo and director of the Sustainable Energy Practitioners Association of Nigeria (SEPAN), confirmed this during a phone interview on Thursday.

“A solar hybrid power plant”, he explained, is one where solar energy is augmented with other sources of energy, such as backup batteries or generators; and a powerplant can be called that even if the solar component is lesser in capacity compared to the energy source complementing it.

“These hybrid solutions enable fossil fuel generators to operate at lower loads, thereby significantly reducing the costs related to fuel usage, operation and maintenance,” explained Steven Murdoch, sales director at Global Mining. “They generate solar power but once the capacity drops or becomes intermittent, the generators power on to take up the load.”

Comparing composition: Wärtsilä vs BUK plant

On March 16, 2018, Wärtsilä Energy Solutions launched a solar plant with a 15 megawatt (MW) capacity installed for an off-grid gold mine belonging to Iamgold Essakane SA and located in north-eastern Burkina Faso. The mine produces about 400,000 ounces of gold every year.

The plant is hybridised with an existing 55 MW diesel power plant, thus totally a capacity of 70 MW.

According to the company, “The engine power plant provides backup, while the solar farm produces energy during the day. The solar PV plant and the engine power plant are controlled and operated in synchronisation, making it the largest engine-solar PV hybrid power plant in Africa.”

Essakane Solar SAS is composed of inverters and switchgear, a control system, and “approximately 130,000 photovoltaic panels”.

“It is estimated that this will reduce fuel consumption by some 6 million litres per year, while reducing the plant’s annual CO2 emissions by as much as 18,500 tons. This project has generated more than 200 employments during the construction phase and is expected to create 75 permanent jobs during the operation phase,” Wärtsilä announced.

On the other hand, the BUK plant, built as part of REA’s Energising Education Programme (EEP), is said to have a 7.1 MW capacity and is expected to supply electricity to 55,815 students and 3,077 workers of the university.

Information released after the launch at BUK states that the total capacity of the solar panels is 3.5 MW, as against Burkina Faso’s 15 MW. It also says the total installed capacity of the plant is 7.1 MW as against the other plant’s 70 MW.

Infographic released by REA says the solar panels are hybridised with backup generators having a capacity of 2.4MW. The project is made possible with the installation of 10,680 solar panels, and also, when fully operational, is to save 49,384 tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions and end the use of 16.5MW petrol and diesel generators.

Also, it is noted that the plant’s construction and installation have created up to 182 jobs, the bulk going to labourers and bricklayers.

Verdict unchanged

REA’s Energising Education Project is no doubt unique, particularly in how it also provides street lighting to schools and establishes training centres for students on renewable energy. Available evidence nevertheless contradicts the claim that the off-grid solar hybrid plants introduced under the project are the largest on the continent.

FUOYE shooting victim urges govt to set up investigative panel, bring culprits to book

Editorial
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FUOYE shooting victim urges govt to set up investigative panel, bring culprits to book
By Vincent Ufuoma

ONE of the students injured during a police shooting on September 10 at the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, FUOYE, Azeez Elijah Olawale, has called on civil rights organisations to put pressure on the government to set up an independent body of enquiry.

This to ensure that the victims get justice, he said on Thursday. He also called on the federal and state governments to increase investment in education and address issues that led to the student protest.

Olawale, who is the National President of the Nigerian Library and Information Science Students Association, has spent over two weeks of admission at the hospital, following the violent incident.

He was admitted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) for a surgical operation after a canister hit him on the head but is now recovering.

In his statement, he also sent his good wishes and prayers to the families of Okonofua Joseph and Oluwaseyi Kehinde over the death of their sons.

Two students of FUOYE died from gunshot wounds sustained after policemen opened fire at them earlier in September, following a demonstration against poor power supply. Others, including Olawale, were also injured.

Below is the full text of his message:

I will like to register my condolence to the families and friends of Comrades Okonofua Joseph and Dada Kehinde. Indeed, our country has once again lost icons and potential future leaders to the hand of the deadly Nigerian Police Officers.

The incident of September 10th, 2019 is a clear indication that the concept of fundamental human rights does not exist in this country we call ours.

As a young fellow like many other youths, I have been able to maintain my determination to always make my family proud and always engage in things that will put smile on their faces but for the first time in my life, I watched helplessly many of my family members and friends shed tears seeing me in a critical condition.

Who do I blame? Myself, the unarmed protesting students or Students Union leaders? No! I blame the institutional failure of our nation and the Nigerian Police Force who without conscience took the lives of innocent Nigerians at will.

I have scanned through various newspaper headlines and discovered that politicians have begun their usual practice of using cases like this to attack oppositions and to earn cheap political scores and popularity while appearing to the public as people who care for the masses.

I think it is high time we began to put away political sentiments and pursue justice for those who were murdered, injured and unjustly arrested by the Police during the protest.

I am joining my voice together with other millions of well-meaning Nigerians who have shown keen interest in seeing that the culprits are brought to justice and made to face the wrath of the law.

Over time, I have watched and followed the activities of Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Fayemi and adore her passion for humanity, the poor and helpless and I am convinced that cannot order the killings of innocent Nigerians whose interest she has always protected. This is why I am calling on her to use her position and influence to pursue justice for the slain and the injured in FUOYE.

I am also calling on Human Right Commission and Civil Organisations to prevail on the Federal and Ekiti State governments to set up an independent body of enquiry to investigate this gruesome acts by men if the Nigerian Police in FUOYE and to ensure officers behind this acts are punished with fear or favour.

I want to implore the Ekiti State Federal Governments to give attention to the issue that led to the protest in other to avoid this kind of wanton killings. It is high time the Federal Government addresses the issues mostly raised by students and give priority to the welfare of students in higher institutions in Nigeria. Federal University Oye Ekiti students have only protested against epileptic power supply among many other issues we suffer from.

As the National President of Library and information science students across the country, I can authoritatively say that many institutions including FUOYE which is a Federal University lacks adequate facilities to run this programme effectively. Ours is not exceptional, other courses and programmes do not have a uniform faculty which affects the learning outcomes of students. Many cases of inadequate staff in different institutions among many other issues. This is also similar to other courses.

All of the aforementioned can be credited to the poor funding of schools owned by government either at the federal or state level and until these issues are properly addressed and arrested, the idea of protest which often leads to lost of innocent life of promising Nigerian youth and damages of properties may not be put to a halt.

May the soul of our brothers; Okonofua Joseph and Dada Kehinde rest in perfect Peace.

Did Buhari answer a question incoherently at UN Climate Action Summit? 

'Kunle ADEBAJO
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Did Buhari answer a question incoherently at UN Climate Action Summit? 

SINCE Tuesday, a video shared on Twitter by special assistant to the president on digital and media, Tolu Ogunlesi, has triggered negative reactions, with many accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of not really answering a question asked or even doubting the clip’s authenticity. But checks by The ICIR have shown these allegations to be misleading.

The four-minute-long video shows Buhari’s speech, following a prompt from the moderator, during a panel of world leaders at the United Nations Climate Action Summit held in New York on Monday.

“President Buhari, Nigeria has a very young population. Perhaps you might highlight what a pathway for a resilient future looks like,” the moderator said.

And in his prepared response, Buhari started by saying: “Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. I share the sentiment expressed by the Secretary-General that the world is on the verge of climate catastrophe. Undeniably, Climate Change is a human-induced phenomenon.

“It is now imperative that we must step-up our collective climate actions in line with the request of the Secretary-General. It is in this regard that I wish to reiterate Nigeria’s commitment to its obligation under the Paris Agreement, the aspirations enshrined in our Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and ensure a resilient future that mainstreams climate risks in our decision making.”

He then announced Nigeria’s various plans to tackle climate change, promote afforestation, ensure the availability of potable water, and improve waste management.

Reacting to the clip, a number of Twitter users criticised Buhari for not answering the question logically and rather reading a written speech.

Rights activist and co-convener of the Bring Back Our Girls Movement, Aisha Yesufu, teased Buhari and his supporters in several tweets.

“The WhatsApp meeting has been concluded and BMC has given Buharists their narrative. They are using RESILIENT from the question. They never fail to disappoint just like the incompetent clueless and inept Muhammadu Buhari they defend,” she wrote on Wednesday.

“At the end someone will tell Muhammadu Buhari that he did well and poor man will be feeling cool! Our enemies are usually the people with us who don’t tell us the truth,” she also tweeted. “No need engaging Buharists on their RESILIENT narrative. Let them have fun. It must be a herculean task defending the incompetence, ineptitude and cluelessness of Muhammadu Buhari.”

Saint Xavier (@SaintXavier2) also wrote in response to Ogunlesi’s tweet: “He was asked the place of the Nigerian youth in Nigeria’s future, but he read a readily prepared script that’s on climate change. Down this thread, all I see is people praising him for at least being able to read. That’s how hypocrisy numbs the brain and create mediocrity. Akpor!” His response has been retweeted 106 times and liked by 561 users.

“No connection between the question and the answer or did I miss anything?” Anene Chukwuemeka (@EmexOD) observed briefly.

No, it is not doctored

Checks by The ICIR revealed that the footage is not inaccurate and represents what truly transpired at the UN summit on Monday.

This is evident from a four-hour-long video of the morning session uploaded by the United Nations on YouTube. This version does not have the subtitle and transition included in the video released by the Presidency Office of Digital Engagement (PODE).

Other panellists read prepared remarks as well

The panel where Buhari presented Nigeria’s environment-friendly plans also had in attendance Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji; Mark Rutte, Prime Minister of the Netherlands; Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England; and John Haley, CEO of Willis Towers Watson.

Three minutes was allotted to each speaker for their contribution.

An assessment by The ICIR showed that the moderator’s remarks were not direct questions but simply prompts to introduce the panellists’ presentations as well as their country or organisation’s backgrounds.

In introducing Prime Minister Rutte for example, she had said: “The Netherlands is doing a lot on adaptation and resilience at home and abroad. Prime Minister Rutte, you have the floor.”

And she simply told Willis Towers Watson’s CEO, “Mr Haley, the Secretary-General is delighted that you are here today to launch a private sector-led initiative to strengthen the market for resilient investment. You have the floor.”

Just like Buhari, the Prime Ministers of Fiji and the Netherlands read entirely from pre-written speeches addressing similar questions of what their countries are doing to tackle climate change.

Carney and Haley appeared to briefly introduce their presentations extemporaneously before moving to read from their written remarks.

Comments ‘horribly wrong’, replies Ogunlesi

In an article published on Wednesday, Ogunlesi accused the Twitter users of “getting things horribly wrong and/or focusing on the wrong things, while completely missing the real/meaningful/actual message”.

The summit, he explained, was convened by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as an opportunity for world leaders to “come to New York on 23 September with concrete, realistic plans to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020, in line with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade”.

The theme of the panel where Buhari was featured was “Towards a Resilient Future” and the rider was, “Announcement of plans to mainstream climate risk in decision making.”

“In other words, panellists were billed to deliver remarks announcing their country/organisation plans to build a resilient, climate-sensitive, future,” the special assistant noted. “President Buhari chose to deliver prepared remarks.

“And the moderator’s question, was, in keeping with the theme: ‘President Buhari, Nigeria has a very young population; perhaps you might highlight what a pathway for a resilient future looks like?’

“The President did exactly that, in his prepared remarks, over the next few minutes, highlighting what a ‘resilient future’ will look like in Nigeria — by focusing on the administration’s policies (the ones already being implemented, like the Green Bonds, and the ones set for implementation, like the new tree-planting campaign, and the energy mix target).

“His prepared remarks were wholly in alignment with the theme of the Panel event, and the question he was asked.”

Ogunlesi argued that it was up to Buhari to choose whether to respond extemporaneously or “to go the prepared remarks way”.

“He chose the prepared remarks way. And most importantly, he touched on the issues re: mainstreaming climate action for the future and for the young people of Nigeria,” he added.

Buhari reads the riot act to coup plotters in Ghana

Nneoma BENSON
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Buhari reads the riot act to coup plotters in Ghana

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to the alleged attempt to subvert the Nana Akufo-Addo- led government in Ghana, says ‘the days of coups and government without votes are over’.

The Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu tweeted the president’s statement on Wednesday.

In the statement, Buhari noted that the only acceptable form of governance in the world’s current dispensation is by democratic election, stating, it’s the only way to install and change an administration.

He said, “Nigeria and Ghana are leading partners in ECOWAS, and Transparency International, and Afro barometer’s Africa Index 2019 attested that both countries have recorded exceptional advances in fighting corruption.

“When you take on powerful and corrupt vested interests successfully, sometimes they seek to push back.  As the saying goes, ‘if you fight corruption, corruption will fight back,” Buhari said.

The president said Ghana is held in high esteem by all African countries as the first post-colonial country to gain independence, and the first African country to hold multi-party elections by universal suffrage.

“Ghana is the first, true African democracy.”

“We in Nigeria hold out – as always – our hands in support and friendship to our brothers and sisters in Ghana,” Buhari said.

On September 23, the ministry of information in Ghana said a joint operation was executed to neutralize an elaborate plot targeted at President Akufo-Addo with the ultimate aim of destabilising the country.

The ministry in a statement said the joint security operation of personnel drawn from Defence Intelligence, (CID) and Bureau National Intelligence (BNI) conducted a successful operation which led to the arrest of three persons with several explosive devices and ammunition.

It stated that the arrest and seizure came after fifteen months of surveillance and gathering of evidence on the activities of the prime suspect, identified as Federick Yao Mac-Palm and two others; Ezor Kafui (a local weapon manufacturer) and Bright Allan Ofosah.

Osinbajo takes legal action against Timi Frank

Lukman ABOLADE
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Osinbajo takes legal action against Timi Frank

THE VICE PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has commenced legal action against the former deputy spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank amidst allegations of N90 billion allegedly released to him by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Frank had alleged that Osinbajo and the presidency are at loggerheads not because of 2023 but because the latter could not give an account of the N90 billion released by FIRS for election purposes.

But the Vice-President on his official Twitter account said he has instructed the commencement of legal actions against Timi Frank and Katch Ononoju, an economist and public affairs analyst.

“In the past few days, spates of reckless and malicious falsehoods have been peddled in the media against me by a group of malicious individuals. The defamatory and misleading assertions invented by this clique have been making the social media rounds anonymously”.

“I will waive my constitutional immunity to enable the most robust adjudication of these claims of libel and malicious falsehood.”

Recall that FIRS’ director of information, Wahab Gbadamosi has dismissed the allegation, saying the service annual allocation was not even up to N100 billion.

Part of the statement read, “This campaign of calumny and vilifying false claims are entirely libelous, unfounded in fact, irresponsible and a brazen assault on the integrity of the Service as a responsible and accountable organisation and demonstrates an abysmal ignorance of the budgetary and expenditure process of the FIRS.”

Aid agency, Mercy Corps suspends operations in Northeast

Amos ABBA
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Aid agency, Mercy Corps suspends operations in Northeast

ON Wednesday International aid agency, Mercy Corps announced a suspension of its operations in Borno and Yobe States following the closure of four of its field offices by the Nigerian Army.

This development is coming six days after the army closed Action Against Hunger’s office in Borno after accusing the agency of aiding terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province.

“Mercy Corps is suspending operations in Borno and Yobe States, Nigeria, following the closure of four of our field offices by the Nigerian military,” Amy Fairbairn, Mercy Corps head of media and communications, said in a statement on its website.

The conflict in northeastern Nigeria which has lasted for over a decade has led to the death of over 30,000 people and forced two million to leave their homes,  Reuters reports.

“We have not yet received an official reason from the Nigerian authorities for the closure and we are seeking to work with them to resolve this as soon as possible,”  she said.

Adding, that Mercy Corps’ work in other parts of Nigeria would not be disrupted by the temporary setback but would continue uninterrupted.

However, the Reuters reports that unnamed sources at the aid agency and the military confirmed that the army closed down Mercy Corps offices after troops said they allegedly found N29 million in cash being transported to Borno State by a driver who stated the money belonged to Mercy Corps.

The Nigerian Army recently launched Operation Positive Identification an initiative it hopes to use to identify and fish out fleeing insurgents hiding in towns and villages of Borno and Yobe States.

The move is to verify means of identification such as National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ License and Passports or other valid official identification before granting such person passage.

Senate president tasks new committees on pressing problems

Nneoma BENSON
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Senate president tasks new committees on pressing problems

THE Nigeria Senate President, Ahmad Lawal has charged the newly inaugurated Senate committees to tackle challenges of insecurity and unemployment in the country, using the instrument of legislation. 

He gave this charge during the plenary on Wednesday while inaugurating the senate 69 standing committees.

Lawan said though the country is endowed with plenty of solid minerals, Nigeria relies more on revenue from the oil and gas sector resource. 

“Our petroleum industry is almost stagnant and for long needing profound reform. Our oil and gas-related committees are therefore expected to work hard to take the lead in our determination to reform this vital sector,” he said

The Senate said the security architecture of the country had failed to deliver safety to citizens, and the youths have no job despite abundant arable land.

He charged the government to invest more in security as security is a fundamental responsibility of government.

“Our security-related committees are therefore challenged to assess and review both the architecture and structure of our security agencies towards improved efficiency,” Lawan said

The  Senate president wanted the leadership class to address Nigeria’s problems, using her rich resources more strategically.

“We can plan and use our agricultural potentials to achieve not only national food security but also the process for exports. Again, our solid minerals sector is largely untapped and we can exploit those resources through the right policies and supportive legislations.”

He called on the committee to focus on finding a lasting solution to the menace of insecurity, unemployment and other vices decaying the various sector of the economy while discharging their duties.

The Senate president had announced the sixty-nine members of the standing senate committees on July 31.

Buhari submits 2020-2022 budget plan to Senate

Nneoma BENSON
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Buhari submits 2020-2022 budget plan to Senate

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has submitted to the Senate the 2020-2022 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) to facilitate budget preparation by 2020.

The proposed budget expenditure amounting to N9.79 trillion was disclosed by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, upon the resumption of plenary on Wednesday.

The president said the 2020-2022 FSP should be considered a framework to facilitate the 2020 MTEF budget preparation.

Buhari noted that the key developments of the global and domestic environments were taken into consideration in the preparation of the MTEF/FSP.

According to the paper, the government has ensured that the projected revenues were not only realistic but also reasonably challenging in the face of its significantly constrained fiscal space.

It noted that planned spending has been set at prudent and sustainable levels consistent with governments overall developmental objectives as set out in the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

The president in the letter appreciated the commitment and support of the legislators, stating that the preparation towards the submission of the 2020 budget to the National Assembly was progressive.

The current 2019-2021 MTEF/FSP is considered a government investment programme used for linking policy, planning and budgeting over a medium-term.

The MTEF/FSP consists of the macroeconomic model that indicates estimates of revenues and expenditures, fiscal targets, risks as well as government financial obligations, which has established a credible basis for allocating public resources to strategic priorities, and ensuring overall fiscal discipline.

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