Making new public procurement reforms work

Engr. Emeka Ezeh

DOING it right in the award of contracts or procurement inspired the first National Conference on Public Procurement early November in Abuja, where President Goodluck Jonathan directed that only contractors whose records were in the government’s database would be approved for business. Besides, those blacklisted by the World Bank, African Development Bank and other international bodies, are to be barred from public procurement. The presidential fiat will take effect from 2015; and the Bureau of Public Procurement has been ordered to see it through.

PHOTOS: AMERICAN VISIT TO DR. ABATI

Special Adviser Media to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati; Mr. Paulo Rodriguez and Policy Coordination Officer, American Embassy, Ms. Hillary Renner at the State House, Abuja 12/06/2014

Special Adviser Media to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati; Mr. Paulo Rodriguez and Policy Coordination Officer, American Embassy, Ms. Hillary Renner at the State House, Abuja. 12/06/2014

Photos: Federal Executive Meeting 4th June 2014

From left  Vice President Arc. Namadi   Sambo, the  SGF Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,  with President Goodluck Jonathan  at the Federal Executive Council Meeting  the State House Abuja on 4^th June 2014

From left  Vice President Arc. Namadi   Sambo, the  SGF Senator Anyim Pius Anyim,  with President Goodluck Jonathan  at the Federal Executive Council Meeting  the State House Abuja on 4^th June 2014

From left President Goodluck Jonathan Justice Minister  Mohammed Adoke and Agric Minister Dr Adewumi Adeshina  at the Federal Executive Council Meeting  the State House Abuja on 4^th June 2014

From left Labour Minister  Emeka Wogu, Transport Minister Senator Idris Umar, Works Minister of State Amb. Bashir Yugud and Defence Minister Gen Mohammadu Gusau at the Federal Executive Council Meeting  the State House Abuja on 4^th June 2014

From left Supervising Minister of Aviation Samuel  Ortom, Information Minister Labaran Maku,Interior Minister Comrade Abba Moro and Labour Minister Chief Emeka Wogu at the Federal Executive Council Meeting  the State House Abuja on 4^th June 2014

Courtsey: State House Photo

PHOTOS: PRESIDENT KEITA OF MALI VISITS PRESIDENT JONATHAN

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN WELCOMING PRESIDENT MUHAMMADOU KEITA OF MALI AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON SATURDAY (31/4/14).

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN WELCOMING PRESIDENT MUHAMMADOU KEITA OF MALI AT THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON SATURDAY (31/4/14)

FROM LEFT: PRESIDENT MUHAMMADOU KEITA OF MALI;PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN AND THE SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT ON MEDIA AND PUBLICITY, DR REUBEN ABATI DURING THE VISIT OF THE MALIAN PRESIDENT TO THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON SATURDAY (31/5/14)

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (L) RECEIVING A LETTER FROM THE KHALIFAH SHEIKH, AHMED TIJANI INYASS (R) DURING HIS VISIT TO THE PRESIDENTIAL VILLA ABUJA ON SATURDAY (31/5/14) WITH THEM IS THE SON OF THE SHEIKH, AHMED-TIJANI AWALU

 Source: State House Photo

Address to Bring Back Our Girls Campaigners, May 22

Address by
The Hon. Minister of State, FCT
On the Occasion of  Visit by
#Bring Back Our Girls Campaigners
Thursday, 22nd May, 2014
PROTOCOLS
1.          Good afternoon, my dear brothers and sisters.  As the Minister of State of this great City, Abuja and as a mother like some of you, I, on behalf of Mr. President welcome you all home to the seat of the Federal Government.
2.          The Federal Government is appreciative and supportive of the efforts of your group amongst so many other groups around the world, who have taken out time to demonstrate their disgust and solidarity against the wicked kidnapping of innocent school girls and the senseless mayhem of the Boko Haram terrorists.
3.          Many other groups have sent messages of solidarity and support to the Federal Government in writing and we want to use this opportunity to thank them.
4.          For a government that has placed so much premium on addressing major areas of reform and development in the nation, especially the development of women and the girl-child through increased investment in girl-child education and added opportunity for women, this wicked act has been indeed very painful.
5.          Our present world is under the grip of terrorism. Yesterday, a market in China where ordinary people go to shop was bombed. Two days ago, terrorists visited our beautiful town of Jos and detonated bombs killing scores of people.

Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide
FCT Minister of State

6.          The communities of Kano, Maiduguri, Abuja, Nyanya, Madallah, amongst others, have at various times been bombed. Churches, mosques, parks and newspaper houses have not been spared.  Terrorists and their sponsors have brought terrorism to our land. This is sad.  This we must resist.
7.          In the last three weeks, our country has been in the spotlight. Some evil individuals who call themselves Boko Haram abducted our daughters, the future mothers of our nation, and have refused to release them. This evil act has sparked protests all over the world. This is as it should be. There must be a united movement for the release of our daughters and that movement must now be turned into a united action against terrorism.
8.          Government has mobilized available resources, Military and diplomatic in the search for our girls who have suffered so much trauma in captivity by agents of terror.
9.          From the very first day this kidnapping occurred the Federal Government took action, directing our security services to go after the abductors.  The search for our daughters has now assumed regional and global proportion and our nation has received strong support from our neighbouring countries and the international community including the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, among others.
10.     The security forces also reached out to the Borno state government and community members for support and collaboration to bring back our innocent daughters. So far, the campaign to bring our daughters back home is on, and is receiving global support.

Former Aviation Minister, Fani Kayode Meets With President Jonathan After APC Diatribe - PM News, Lagos

There were speculations that Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation and lately, a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC may have decided to return to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party following his close door meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday.

Fani Kayode who had in the past few months written a series of critical articles against the Jonathan administration, met with the President behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday.
At the end of the meeting, the former Aviation minister refused to give details of his discussion with the President in an interview with State House correspondents after the visit.

Attempted jailbreak: SSS to punish errant operatives

The leadership of the State Security Service has commenced an investigation into an attempted jailbreak at the agency’s detention facility in Abuja on Sunday.
Our correspondents learnt on Monday that the investigation was aimed at punishing errant SSS operatives, whose carelessness was said to have been responsible for the incident.
This is as the SSS said on Monday that 16 detainees, who escaped during the jail break attempt, were rearrested.

Presidency moves to stop PDP senators’ defection

The  Presidency has mounted pressure on the leadership of the Senate to persuade aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party senators not to carry out their plan to dump the ruling party for the All Progressives Congress, investigation by The PUNCH has revealed.

A  source close to the Senate leadership said that the Senate President, David Mark, had personally held a series of meetings with  some of the aggrieved senators with a view to making them have a rethink.

Jonathan means well for Nigerians - Abati

In this interview, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, contends that contrary to the position of the opposition that President Goodluck Jonathan administration has failed in meeting the expectations of Nigerians, the president has actually carried the art of governance to a higher level.

He also speaks on what the government is doing about the security challenge, especially the issue of Boko Haram. According to him, government is winning the war on terrorism. He comments  on the controversy surrounding the building of the banquet hall in Aso Rock Villa, the vice president's residence, war against corruption and other national issues. Excerpts:

Reuben Abati

Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) to President Goodluck Jonathan

Reuben Abati photo

Reuben Abati SA Media

PHOTOS: PRESIDENT JONATHAN'S PARTICIPATION AT UNGA

President Jonathan and AU Chairman Boni Yayi of Benin at
an ECOWAS Meeting on Mali held on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly in New York Yesterday.


President Jonathan addressing the UN General Assembly in
New York Yesterday.







President Jonathan being welcomed to a ceremony to mark
Nigeria's ascension to three international treaties at the United
Nations Headquarters in New York yesterday.