Muhammadu Buhari administration has commenced the payment of N5, 000 monthly stipends to the poorest and the most vulnerable people in the country through the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) of its Social Investment Programmes (SIP).
A statement announcing the commencement of the scheme today by the senior special assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on media and publicity, Laolu Akande said that under the scheme, one million Nigerians would receive N5,000 monthly payments as a form of social safety net for the poorest and most vulnerable as budgeted for in the 2016 budget.
Akande said that in the first batch that commenced last week, nine states would be covered, and that many of the beneficiaries had received their first payments by Friday last week, December 30, 2016.
He said that funds for the commencement of the payments in four states were released last week to the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) – the platform that hosts and validates payments for all government’s social intervention programmes. Funds for another set of five states to complete the first batch of nine states would follow soon.
“Though the sequence for the payment of the money would be operationally managed by NIBSS, beneficiaries in Borno, Kwara and Bauchi States have started receiving the money. The other states in the first batch to commence the CCT payments are Cross Rivers, Niger, Kogi, Oyo, Ogun & Ekiti States.
“The nine pilot states were chosen because they have an existing Social Register that successfully identified the most vulnerable and poorest Nigerians through a tried and tested community based targeting (CBT) method working with the World Bank. However other states have already begun developing their Social Registers and would be included in subsequent phases of the CCT implementation.
“Beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer of the Federal Government would be mined from the Social Register, initially developed by 8 States through a direct engagement with the World Bank. Those states are featured in the first batch, with the added inclusion of Borno States where a validated list of IDPS were compiled in addition to the Social Register which is expected to go round the country.
“Working with the World Bank, the CBT process has now been adopted for developing the Social Register in the other States around the country, for transparency, objectivity and credibility in the selection of the poorest and most vulnerable beneficiaries for the programme.”
Akande said that the Federal Government will commence community mobilization for the creation of the Register in more States soon, to expand the scope and reach of the CCT across the country.
He said that Plateau, Jigawa, Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Katsina & Taraba  States have so far complied with the stipulated framework provided, and are set for the community based targeting method for the development of their Social Register within their jurisdictions.
“These States are to be followed by Delta, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Imo and Ogun States. Once the community mobilization, identification and selection processes are completed, the information garnered from the poorest households would be entered onto the Social Register in the states and the National Register at NIBSS, after which the cash transfers would be disbursed to the beneficiaries.
“All the funds approved for the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programmes, SIP, are domiciled with the Ministry of Budget and National Planning. In addition, the payment information and processes for all beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s SIP are hosted at NIBSS, as the Consolidated Beneficiary Register, to ensure and fortify efforts at authentication and verification, as well as for effective and efficient programme management.
“With the commencement of the CCT, the Buhari administration is now implementing four of the Federal Government’s SIP.” [myad]

Nigeria is set to establish a match-making data base for international business inter-connectivity and stress-free investments. The 119 Nigeria missions would serve as one-stop shops to spur investments through information sharing and elimination of bottlenecks.

Foreign Affairs minister, Geoffrey Onyeama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the initiative would enable Nigeria’s products and investors to access the world market easily.

It would also enable foreign investors have unfettered access to informed and genuine information concerning business opportunities in Nigeria.

The minister explained that the scheme is to be implemented through a matching-making data base aimed at promoting exports and enhancing nation’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

According to Onyeama, the design is an economic diplomacy which is a framework to address the severe economic challenges facing Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria has representations in 119 countries and the ministry could leverage on the advantage to deliver concrete economic benefit to the nation.

“It is a pet project. It is a matching making data base, for our Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and export promotion.

“So this data base will essentially enable any Nigerian business to upload to our data base that could be managed from Foreign and affairs together with the ministry of trade and investment,” he said.

He said all the information needed about what they want to export and investment types would be readily available in all the119 countries where Nigeria has presence.

“I felt that when we have presence in 119 countries it is fantastic advantage to push Nigerian products and businesses in 119 countries. So we would like to present a one stop shop to export Nigeria goods.

“And that whenever any business is uploaded in each of their countries they have to seek for partners and match that business person with a partner in that country to put in places a business agreement.”

He said that any foreigner who wants to get involve in business in Nigeria not knowing the country should upload on the data base, saying that such people can access all the information about what they might want to deal in and we together with ministry of trade we match them with Nigerian businesses.

He said that the scheme would also save Nigerian businessmen from going through all kinds of bottlenecks and paying all kinds of fees in foreign countries.

“We feel it that way because we have a lot bottlenecks in a lot of Nigerian businessmen trying to do business outside the country, so many bottlenecks. So if we can provide them a very simple access what we call it is market access.

“We have the markets in all these countries, so that our business people and traders have the world at their finger-tips,” he said.

Onyeama said that his ministry was also looking at how to utilise the same method to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Nigeria.

He said that Nigerians in the Diaspora would also be able to utilise the data base to search for partners in Nigeria and other countries.

(NAN). [myad]

Kaduna State governor, Nasiru Ahmed El-Rufai has asked God to put to shame, apostle of violence and division in Kaduna state in particular and Nigeria in general.
In his New Year message to the people of Kaduna State, Governor El-Rudai said: “we invoke the blessings of the Almighty on all our people, that harmony will prevail in our land and that the apostles of violence and division will be shamed. We have high hopes for 2017; that it will be a year of peace and growth for our state, and our country, Nigeria.”
He said that his government achieved some progress in 2016, and admitted that “much more remains to accomplish. Through it all, we have confronted our difficulties with the same decisiveness that has produced results across sectors. We have imposed discipline on the finances of our state, increased IGR and ensured that we pass our budget well before a new calendar year.”
The governor said that amidst many successes which his government has achieved: “we have experienced security challenges in parts of Kaduna State. While we succeeded in degrading the ability and impunity of cattle rustlers and kidnappers in parts of Birnin Gwari, Giwa, Chikun and Igabi Local Governments, sporadic banditry remains and continues to disturb our citizens. We remain committed to bringing these concerns to an end.
“The years of lawlessness and impunity under the guise of religious conduct compelled the State Government to propose amendments to existing legislation that regulates the sometimes reckless conduct of some clerics. And in parts of Jema’a, Sanga, Kaura, Kauru and Zangon Katab Local Governments, communal unrest has emerged once  again that compelled us to take extraordinary security measures. We hope that these will be relaxed as soon as the security situation continues to improve.
“We regret and condemn the loss of lives and property, and the disruption of social order that have been sadly witnessed in those areas. We welcome the assistance of the Federal Government in deploying additional security assets to the area. Through all these, we have been guided by the responsibilities of our oath of office, rather than the media headlines or any pressing need to respond to irresponsible incitement and failure of collective leadership at community level.
“The human toll that our compatriots in parts of Kaduna State have been seized upon at various points as occasions for much irresponsible commentary and intense efforts to fan division by those care least about loss of lives and property. I wish to assure all the people of Kaduna State that we will continue to do our best to uphold security and to promote peace and harmony. That duty also imposes on us an obligation to vigorously enforce our laws, uphold the rule of law, punish hate speech and incitement.”
Governor El-Rufai called on the people in the state to march into 2017 together, upholding harmony and a common humanity and jointly pursuing those policies and programmes that can best enhance the progress and live chances of the people.
“Let us resist the urge to demonise the other or attribute the worst to people whose religion or language differs from ours.
“Let us keep hope alive and work together to make 2017 a better year for all. As we enter this year with cautious optimism, please be rest assured that the State Government will continue to put social justice, consultation and the primacy of public interest as the guiding principles of our governance strategy for the benefit of the majority of our citizens.” [myad]

Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka of the Adoration Ministry in Enugu State has complained loudly that he and other men of God cannot reach President Muhammadu Buhari now for advice on how to run the economy because of those around him.

“We cannot reach him for advice because of the kind of people around him,” he said.

Rev Mbaka made this complain in Enugu on Saturday in his New Year message at the cross over service to 2017.

The cleric stressed the need for the President to consult Church leaders and eminent men of God
to advise him and tell him the truth about the economy.

“Though the President is trying on corruption and security, Nigerians are hungry; they want to see more changes. There is the need to assist businessmen and women in their businesses.”

Rev Mbaka who advised the President to appoint experts who would help him to revive the economy, regretted: “many Nigerians are suffering.” [myad]