2013 MINISTERIAL PLATFORM FEDERAL MINISTRY OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS MID-TERM REPORT ON THE PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN’S ADMINISTRATION A PRESENTATION By
KABIRU TANIMU TURAKI, SAN, FCIArb HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTER- GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS June 2013
His Excellency ,Dr .Goodluck Ebele Jonathan , GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2
His Excellency , Arc. Namadi Sambo , GCON , Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
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KABIRU TANIMU TURAKI, SAN, FCIArb HONOURABLE MINISTER OF SPECIAL DUTIES AND INTER- GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS 4
Mrs . Winifred Oyo-Ita, FCA Permanent Secretary
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VISION To serve as a platform for the effective and efficient delivery of the gains of transformation agenda through the implementation of constituency projects, performance of special duties as assigned by Mr. President and conducting Inter-Governmental Affairs.
MISSION To serve as strategic tool for Grassroots development, effective implementation and monitoring of Government policies and programs for National Development. 6
THE CHOICE FOR CHANGE AND FOR TRANSFORMATION !
Following the election of his Excellency Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan , GCFR in May 2011 as President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Administration initiated the Transformation Agenda to fast track the nation’s development .
INTRODUCTION This presentation is aimed at highlighting the progress and achievements made by the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and InterGovernmental Affairs and Agencies under its supervision, in line with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Administration. 8
INTRODUCTION CONT’D. The Ministry as it is known today was recreated by the government of President Jonathan in February 2013, to amongst other things discharge very special assignments as deemed necessary by the President. The Special Duties arm of the Ministry until February 2013 was hosted by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and had carried out essential National assignments in line with its mandate. The other major arm of the ministry is InterGovernmental Affairs, and was hitherto managed by the Department of States and Local Government, 9 OSGF.
MANDATE Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of Constituency Projects; Monitoring and Evaluation of the implementation of Federal Executive Council approved policies and projects by other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and report back to the President in Council;
Conducting, coordinating, promoting good and harmonious relationship amongst the Three Tiers/Arms of Government and relevant International bodies. 10
MANDATE
CONT’D.
Providing leadership in the development of risk reduction measures and disaster management; Extending Fire Service facilities to the Grassroots; Providing leadership for a safer sustainable and resilient society; Intervening in specific areas as directed by the President, etc. Implementation of Government policies on AntiCorruption Crusade. Handling all functions of Ad-hoc nature; Handling specialized requests for assistance e.g. flooding. 11
ACHIEVEMENTS Currently relevant Experienced Staff have been posted by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to the Ministry ;
Review of unified scheme of service for Local Government employees;
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ACHIEVEMENTS ď ąThe Ministry is presently compiling and updating the list of constituency projects covering several sectors and also determining the status of the Projects already executed by MDAs.
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ACHIEVEMENTS
CONT’D.
Participation at the 7th conference of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) (2013) in Uganda and payment of all outstanding dues
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ACHIEVEMENTS
CONT’D.
Review of Proposed 2013 Amendment of the National Lottery Act; Effective Coordination/Oversight of Parastatals under the Ministry; Re-establishment of relationship with Donor agencies including successful negotiation and signing of agreement in May 2013 with the UNDP on partnership for strengthening of LGAs from 2013-2017. 15
AGENCIES There are currently four Agencies under the
purview of the Ministry, namely: Nigerian National Merit Award
National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons National Lottery Regulatory Commission and National Lottery Trust Fund 16
NIGERIAN NATIONAL MERIT AWARD (NNMA) Primary Responsibility:
To confer the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) on deserving Nigerians by Mr. President . ACHIEVEMENTS
Increment of the Award Prize to N10 million in 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan. Conducted controversy-free selection of Awardees of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) and thus established a global reputation for the Award. 17
ACHIEVEMENT’S CONT’D Established an Electronic Database, a Virtual Library and a Cyber Café for public use as well as an internet facility within the NNMA complex. The Nigerian National Merit Award (NNMA) successfully hosted the 5th Annual Forum of Laureates of Nigerian National Order of Merit.
Successfully conducted two Award Winners’ Lecture in Lagos and Abuja in 2012. Conferment of the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award on 2012 recipients by the 18 President.
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR REFUGEES, MIGRANTS AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (NCFRMI) Established by Act No 52 of 1989 for safeguarding the interest and treatment of persons seeking to become refugees in Nigeria and persons seeking political asylum in Nigeria and other matters incidental thereto.
Its mandate is to bring operations closer to persons of concern - Asylum Seekers, Refugees, Returnees, Stateless Persons, Migrants, Internally Displaced Persons and Persons-in-need. 19
ACHIEVEMENTS ď ąThe Commission has facilitated the establishment of six assisted voluntary return centers in the Country.
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ACHIEVEMENTS CONT’D The Commission assisted the flood victims of Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, and Oyo States with relief materials to cushion the effect of displacement and also worked with States Government on their resettlement.
President Goodluck Jonathan visits flood victims at Adankolo camp in Lokoja 21
ACHIEVEMENT’S CONT’D Food and essential non-food relief items were distributed in the affected areas and camps hosting Internally Displaced Persons were supported with mobile toilets, water treatment chemicals, medical supplies and other essential things of life .
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ACHIEVEMENT’S CONT’D The commencement of the Health Insurance Scheme for Refugees in May 2012 and the enrolment of 561 persons in two batches in Lagos and Ijebu Ode. Of the Enrollees, 411 Refugees were treated for various ailments from the beginning of the scheme till December 2012.
Five out of the nine bridges that linked Amana to Ituav were repaired in 2012 to ensure access to the refugees in remote areas. 23
ACHIEVEMENT’S CONT’D Six boreholes and hand pump wells were sunk and maintained in Amana and Ituav (both in Cross Rivers State) in 2012.
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ACHIEVEMENT’S
CONT’D The Oru camp which was opened to cater for Sierra– Leonean and Liberian refugees was renovated in 2012 for handing over to the owners of the land.
National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) 25
ACHIEVEMENT’S CONT’D A rise in the Commission’s capital appropriation from N33million in 2008 to N250million in 2011 with 100% budget quotient. In 2012, the Federal Government gave the Commission special funds of about N150 million outside its appropriation to ameliorate the suffering of the displaced as a result of the floods witnessed in that year. 26
NATIONAL LOTTERY REGULATORY COMMISSION (NLRC) Responsible for regulating the operation and business of National/Promotional Lotteries in Nigeria and Setting standards. Established by the National Lottery Act 2005 section 1. Compliance with the regulation regime was in the early days a dodgy business.
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COMPLIANCE IN THE INDUSTRY Many of the licensees had in the absence of a strong regulatory authority been used to marching to their own band.
Government lost potential revenues while those who subscribed to games, were frequently cheated. Currently, any infraction is punished and the law courts are at present dealing with matters of those who fail to comply with the lottery rules and regulations in Nigeria. 28
ATTACKING MISCONCEPTIONS In the past , lottery operation was associated with crude gambling and the odiousness of the underworld. It was seen misunderstood as criminal and impure. In Northern Nigeria , where Islamic orthodoxy prevails, lottery was a matter that evoked great sensitivity. NLRC has established lottery as an honest endeavor, which in other climes, had been deployed for good social causes. In response to the anxieties of the Northern States , an advocacy team visited various parts of that region and was able to reach a consensus with the Ulama on the usefulness of the lottery. The intervention has won the organisation respect. It has also raised subscription levels for lottery activities and promoted the notion of integrity as a 29 governing creed in the industry.
ACHIEVEMENTS BRANDING AND SIGNAGE Complete re-lunch of the NLRC with a new logo and nationally recognizable signage. The opening of offices across the six geopolitical zones between 2010-2012 has increased not only the reach of players to authentic games but also expanded the scope of operations for the licencees.
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OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS Greater awareness on National and Promotional Lottery Business in Nigeria. Verification of delivery of prizes to winners in any location in Nigeria. Ensuring the publication of an authentic winners’ list in the dailies by both operators and the Commission. Public pronouncements at draw events and prize presentations at relevant public function have gone a long way in regaining the lost confidence of Nigerians in the lottery business. Publication of the list of authentic lottery operators has guided the public on the right games. Ensuring that the winners of prizes get what they have been promised has also increased the credibility in the process and increased participation. 31
NATIONAL LOTTERY TRUST FUND (NLTF) ď ąNLTF is a self - financing agency established by the National Lottery Act 2005 (Section 35) to collect remittances directly from lottery operators and promoters in the country. ď ą By virtue of section 40 of its establishment, the agency promotes lottery funding for projects that seek to bring succor to Nigerians.
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ACHIEVEMENTS OPENING OF OFFICES
ď ąIn order to bring the NLTF closer to the people, supervise intervention projects and collect remittances from lottery operators, NLTF offices were opened in the six geo-political zones of the Country with Headquarters in Lagos, Enugu, PortHarcourt, Makurdi, Kano and Bauchi. ď ąAlso, in a bid to enhance the effective and efficient realization of its mandate and contribute to the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government, NLTF has leased a new Head Office located in Maitama, Abuja. 33
ACHIEVEMENTS CONT’D PROMOTION OF THE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMPONENT
One of the lesser known aspects of the NLTF is social responsibility. According to this protocol, which is observed universally in more developed societies, a percentage of all lottery outlay, is reserved for socially determined causes.
It was under this mandate that the 2012 Olympics were mostly funded as in other climes. Accordingly , the agency developed an extensive ‘data bank’ of over 3,000 Good Cause Projects in sports, education, health and water resources following a comprehensive Needs Assessment Survey that took NLTF officials on field trips across the length and breath of the nation to collect relevant data on areas in urgent need of intervention. 34
CHALLENGES In spite of the achievements listed, the New Ministry is faced with the following challenges: Lack of Sufficient Office Accommodation; Limited Funding; Limited Coverage: operators lack the technology to
cover the entire country and because of prodigious cost can only operate in little coverage areas.
Dishonesty: Revenue leakages due to lack of transparency in the operation of lottery operators. 35
PROSPECTS FOR TOMORROW Capacity Building for Local Government Tier of Governance. Awareness creation of funding channels available through Development partners for Local Governments.
Encouraging Harmonious interface among the various arms/tiers of Government as well as relevant international Bodies to enhance good governance. 36
PROSPECTS FOR TOMORROW
CONT’D
Considering the fact that lottery business can be a gold mine if properly harnessed, we are putting in place modalities to ensure that in the years ahead, we are able to impact and touch the lives of Nigerians positively. This will be through the provision of co-financing for infrastructural amenities in health care, education, water supplies, grass root sports facilities, provision of relief materials to displaced Nigerians in distress from natural disasters such as flood, etc. even if on a small scale. 37
PROSPECTS FOR TOMORROW
CONT’D
Effective Coordination, Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Constituency Projects to ensure full realization of Mr. President’s objectives.
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CONCLUSION Though a fledgling Ministry, we have great potentials to manage issues relating to governance among the three arms and tiers of government so as to ensure that at the end of the day, not only is governance carried out according to the dictates and letter of the constitution, but in such a way and manner that there is transparency, integrity and better service to Nigerians. 39
APPRECIATION The Ministry heartily expresses its appreciation for the support and cooperation from the following; His Excellency, the President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR. His Excellency, the Vice President, Arc. Namadi Sambo, GCON. Leadership of the National Assembly. Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. Honourable Ministers. Permanent Secretaries/Heads of Agencies. Our Development Partners. . Members of the Press. 40