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$22.7bn Loan Request Meant For Infrastructure -FG
The Federal Government has said that the proposed amount of the 22.7 billion dollars requested by President Muhammadu Buhari in the External Borrowing Plan (2016 to 2018) would be invested in infrastructure development and not consumption.
Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Finance, Mrs Zaynab Ahmed and Minister of State, Transport, Ms Gbemisola Saraki made this known in a public hearing before the joint house committees yesterday.
The house committees are Aids, Loans and Debt Management, and Rules and Business. According to the Debt Management Office, Nigeria’s Total Public Debt Portfolio as at June 30 stood at $83.88 billion (¦ 25.7 trillion).
The 8th National Assembly had received the proposed projects for 2016 to 2018 Medium Term (Rolling) External Borrowing Plan put at 30 billion dollars.
The ministers, however, presented the same proposal at 22.7 dollars and gave reasons why the country should have funds as soon as possible.
They emphasised that the loans would promote infrastructure development and job creation.
The Minister of Finance said that the country had a revenue-generating challenge and stressed the need to invest in sustainable projects that would generate revenue. Ahmed said the loan would be “strictly for infrastructure development.
“So that we can address the deficit that we have. We know we must comply with some criteria; every kobo borrowed will be judiciously used,” she said.
Also, Minister of Works and Housing said Nigeria’s debt portfolio and debt service were being considered.
Fashola emphasised that investing in capital projects were needed to help the country achieve a self-sustaining economy.
“As we cannot ignore the concerns about debts, so we cannot ignore the concerns and demands for the provision of life-sustaining infrastructure.
“We have passed a budget of several hundreds of billions, but the reality is that over four years, we have never received full funding for any budget. And the reason is simple, there is a deficit, and we cannot finance it.
“Some of the roads we are investing in will last for upwards of 20 to 30 years if well maintained and not abused. For rail assets, usually, the tracks will last for at least 100 years. Power plants like the Mambilla will be there for many decades.
“So, we will be spending today’s money to secure tomorrow’s assets that will sustain our growing population and growing economy.”
The Minister of State for Transport also said there was the need to complete Kano-Lagos and Niger Delta coast rails.
Meanwhile, t he Debt Management Office says the public debt stock of the country is a cumulative figure of borrowings by successive governments over many years.
The DMO said this in a statement released in Abuja yesterday .
It said that it was not appropriate to attribute the Public Debt Stock to any particular administration.
It, however, explained that President Muhammadu Buhari submitted a request to the National Assembly for approval of the 2016 – 2018 Medium Term External Borrowing Plan for the sum of 22.718 billion dollars.
“This request is not a new one as being perceived but rather it represents those borrowings which have been submitted to the National Assembly but are yet to be approved before the expiration of the eighth Assembly.
“The requests in the Plan are proposed borrowings from multilateral and bilateral lenders.
“The proposed loans are concessional, semi-concessional, long-tenored and are for the purpose of financing infrastructure and other developmental social projects.
“All of which have multiplier effects in terms of job creation, business opportunities and overall increase in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product.
“Also, the benefits are long term and will serve generations of Nigerians.
“The proposed New Borrowing is consistent with the subsisting Debt Management Strategy which seeks to replace short term high –interest cost domestic debt.
“With low interest long term external debt and is one of the measures that is being implemented to moderate the level of Debt Service.
“The achievements in this regard are evidenced in the declining share of Domestic Debt in the Total Public Debt from over 83 per cent in December 2015 to about 68 per cent in June 2019,” it explained.
The statement noted that Nigeria had a ceiling of 25 per cent on the total public debt stock to GDP which is Debt to GDP and it had operated within.
It said that the ratios for Dec. 31, 2018 and June 30, 2019 were 19.09 and 18.99 per cent respectively.
“The Debt Service to Revenue Ratio (Debt Service/Revenue) has however, been higher than desirable and provides strong justification for the current drive to increase Oil and Non-Oil Revenues significantly.
“The debt service to revenue for the years 2017 and 2018 were 57 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.
“The debt service figures have grown as a result of the increase in the Debt Stock and relatively high domestic Interest Rates.
“Still on the issue of debt sustainability, when compared to a number of countries, Nigeria’s Debt to GDP is relatively low but the Debt Service to Revenue is relatively high.
“The United States of America, United Kingdom and Canada had Debt/ GDP ratios of 105, 85 and 90 per cent in 2017 which were much higher than that of Nigeria.
“But because they generate adequate revenues, their debt service to revenue for the same year were 12.5, 7.5 and 7.5 per cent respectively.
“The case was also similar for Brazil, South Africa, Kenya and Mexico who had higher Debt to GDP than Nigeria (74, 53, 57 and 46 per cent respectively but had lower debt service to revenue of 32.20, 11.4, 13.2 and 13.6 per cent respectively.
“This is clear evidence that Nigeria’s revenues are low. This is further demonstrated by Nigeria’s tax to GDP ratio of only six per cent in 2018 compared to Kenya’s 15.7, Morroco 21.8, Cameroon 12.2 and South Africa 27.5 per cent in 2017″
The statement pointed out that the above figures attested to the fact that Nigeria had a revenue challenge rather than a debt problem.
According to the statement, it is in this regard that all efforts are in top gear to increase revenues through measures such as the Finance Bill and Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative.
“Overall, the justification for the borrowing is that many of the projects in the plan are for the development of infrastructure in the areas of roads, railways, waterways and power which will help to unleash the potential of the Nigerian economy.
“Other loans such as those for the educational sector will contribute to the development of Nigeria’s human capital, while loans for Agriculture will be used to diversify the economy.
“There will also be funding for Development Finance Institutions to enhance access to finance for Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.”
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for an official State visit at the invitation of the Prime Minister, Dr. Abiy Ahmed.
Upon arrival yesterday, Shettima was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Dr. Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.
Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, revealed this in a statement he signed yesterday, titled: “VP Shettima arrives in Ethiopia for official state visit.”
During the visit, Vice President Shettima will participate in the official launch of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.
The programme designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.
In line with strengthening bilateral ties in agriculture and industrial development, the Vice President will also embark on a strategic tour of key industrial zones and integrated agricultural facilities across selected regions of Ethiopia.
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RSG Tasks Farmers On N4bn Agric Loan ….As RAAMP Takes Sensitization Campaign To Four LGs In Rivers
The Rivers State Government has called on the people of the state especially farmers to access the ?4billion agricultural loans made available by the State and domiciled in the Bank of Industry.
This is as the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) of Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), a World Bank project, took its sensitization campaign to Opobo/Nkoro, Andoni, Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.
The campaign was aimed at enlightening community dwellers and other stakeholders in the various local government areas on the RAAMP project implementation and programme activities.
The Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Maurice Ogolo, said this at Opobo town, Ngo, Port Harcourt City and Rumuodumanya, headquarters of the four local government areas respectively, during the sensitization campaign.
Ogolo said apart from the ?4billion, the government has also made available fertilizers and other farm inputs to farmers in the various local government areas.
The Permanent Secretary who is the Chairman, State Steering Committee for the project, said RAAMP will construct roads that will connect farms to markets to enable farmers and fishermen sell their farms produce and fishes.
He also said rural roads would be constructed to farms and fishing settlements, and warned against any act that will lead to the cancellation of the projects in the four local government areas.
According to him, the World Bank and Federal Government which are the financiers of the programme will not condone such acts like kidnapping, marching ground and other acts inimical to the successful implementation of the projects in their respective areas.
At PHALGA, Ogolo asserted that the city will benefit in the areas of roads and bridge construction.
He noted that RAAMP was thriving in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos and other states in the country, stressing that the project should also be given the seriousness it deserves in Rivers State.
Speaking at Opobo town, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, the project coordinator, RAAMP, Mr.Joshua Kpakol, said the programme would reduce poverty in the state.
According to him, both fishermen and farmers will maximally benefit from the programme.
At Ngo which is the headquarters of Andoni Local Government Area, Kpakol said roads will be constructed to all remote fishing settlements.
He said Rivers State is lucky to be among the states implementing the project, and stressed the need for the people to embrace it.
Meanwhile, Kpakol said at PHALGA that RAAMP is a project that will transform the lives of farmers, traders and other stakeholders in the area.
He urged the stakeholders to spread the information to their various communities.
However, some of the stakeholders at Opobo town complained about the destruction of their farms by bulls allegedly owed by traditional rulers in the area, as well as incessant stealing of their canoes at waterfronts.
At Ngo, Archbishop Elkanah Hanson, founder of El-Shaddai Church, commended the World Bank and the Federal Government for bringing the projects to Andoni.
He stressed the need for the construction of roads to fishing settlements in the area.
Also, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state and Okan Ama of Ekede, HRH King Gad Harry, noted that storage facilities have become necessary for a successful agricultural programme.
Harry also stressed the need for the programme to be made sustainable.
In their separate speeches, the administrators of Andoni and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas, pledged their readiness to support the programme.
At Port Harcourt City, the Administrator, Dr Arthur Kalagbor, represented by the Head of Local Government Administration, Port Harcourt City, Mr Clifford Paul, said the city would support the implementation of the programme in the area.
Also, the administrator of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Dr Clifford Ndu Walter, represented by Mr Michael Elenwo, pledged to support the programme in his local government area.
Among dignitaries at the Obio/Akpor stakeholders engagement is the chairman, Rivers State Traditional Rulers Council and paramount ruler of Apara Kingdom, HRM Eze Chike Wodo, amongst others.
John Bibor
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the commencement of personnel audit and skill gap analysis across all cadres of federal civil servants.
The president gave this directive in Abuja, yesterday, while speaking at the International Civil Service Conference, reaffirming his resolve to achieve efficiency and professional service delivery in the civil service.
“I have authorized the comprehensive personnel audit and skill gap analysis across the federal civil service to deepen capacity. I urge all responsible stakeholders to prioritize timely completion of this critical exercise, to begin implementing targeted reforms, to realize the full benefit of a more agile, competent and responsive civil service,” the president announced.
Tinubu further directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to prioritise data integrity and sovereignty in national interest.
He called for the capture, protection and strategic publication of public sector data in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act of 2023.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets within Nigeria and share them internationally recognized as fruitful. This will allow global benchmarking organisation to track our progress in real time and help us strengthen our position on the world stage. This will preserve privacy and uphold data sovereignty,” Tinubu added.
President Tinubu hailed the federal civil service as the “engine” driving his Renewed Hope Agenda, and the vehicle for delivering sustainable national development.
He submitted that the roles of civil servants remain indispensable in modern governance, declaring that in the face of a fast-evolving digital and economic landscape, the civil service must remain agile, future-ready, and results-driven.
“This maiden conference is a bold step toward redefining governance in an era of rapid transformation. An innovative Civil Service ensures we meet today’s needs and overcome tomorrow’s challenges.
“It captures our collective ambition to reimagine and reposition the civil service. In today’s rapid, evolving world of technology, innovation remains critical in ensuring that the civil service is dynamic, digital” the President said.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack in her welcome address told the President that his presence and strong words of commendation at the conference has renewed the morale and mandate of public servants across the country.
Walson-Jack described Tinubu as the backbone of driving transformation in the Nigerian civil service, and noted that the takeaways from past study tours undertaken to understudy the civil service in Singapore, the UK and US under her leadership, is already yielding multiplier effects.
Walson-Jack assured Tinubu that her office, in collaboration with reform-minded stakeholders, will not relent in accelerating the implementation of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, FCSSIP 25.
She affirmed that digitalisation, performance management, and continuous learning remain key pillars in strengthening accountability, transparency, and service delivery across MDAs.
Walson-Jack reaffirmed that the civil service is determined to exceed expectations by embedding a culture of innovation, ethical leadership, and citizen-centred governance in the heart of public administration.