Headline

My ministerial appointment is call to service — Oyetola

Published

9 months ago

August 22, 2023

My ministerial appointment is call to service- Oyetola

Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, the immediate past governor of Osun and the new Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, says his appointment is a call to service.

He spoke on Monday night in Abuja on the sidelines of the reception organised for him by the Osun chapter of the APC and other stakeholders.

The minister, who also said he was challenged to be appointed to head a new ministry, gave an assurance that he would excel in the presidential mandate given him.

Oyetola thanked President Bola Tinubu for considering him worthy of a ministerial appointment.

He also expressed gratitude to the organisers of the event, saying the level of solidarity displayed was encouraging and would propel him to do even more in the interest of Nigerians.

The minister added that he would need the cooperation and support of all stakeholders to succeed in the new ministry.

“I thank almighty God for this wonderful opportunity to serve and the people of Osun for coming all the way from the state to celebrate with me here.

“I am indeed happy seeing people from all walks of life, including traditional rulers, coming to celebrate with me.

“I feel challenged to be made a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because it comes with a lot of responsibilities.

” I pray that the Almighty will see me through.

“Being a new ministry, I will have to start from the scratch, and I trust God Almighty to succeed and deliver on my new mandate,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the immediate past National Secretary of the APC, described Oyetola’s appointment as ” a round peg in a round hole.”

He expressed optimism that Oyetola would deliver on his new mandate.

Chief Bisi Akande, former Interim National Chairman of APC, said Oyetola’s appointment was well deserved, adding that it was an honour for the people of Osun.

Akande, also a former governor of Osun, said the appointment had rekindled the hope of the people of the state in the Nigerian project and in the Tinubu-led administration.

The APC leader, who wished Oyetola a successful tenure in office, thanked the president for the appointment.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyetola had earlier on assumption of duty outlined his vision for a thriving blue economy sector that prioritises sustainability, innovation and economic growth.

The minister, while speaking at his maiden news conference at the Ministry of Transportation on Monday, acknowledged the abundant marine resources existing in the country’s coastal region.

He stressed the need to fully harness the country’s marine resources.

The minister also said he would promote better inter-agency cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority and Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority.

“As someone with a strong private sector background, we shall promote greater private sector inclusion while fostering greater efficiency through specialisation and the effective delineation of core duties between the units.

“We must seize this opportunity to create positive change, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come,” the minister had said.

The reception was attended by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Mr Buki Ponle, Managing Director of NAN, traditional rulers, members of the Osun House of Assembly and diplomats among others.

Headline

EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Desmond Ukafor

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.

The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.

The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira

The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.

The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.

In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.

In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.

The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).

“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.

“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”

The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.

The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.

“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”

Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

3 hours ago

May 11, 2024

Alero Danjuma

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.