State House screens 3 projects for public - private partnership

The State House, in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National planning has identified and tentatively screened three of its programmes and projects for possible consideration as pilot cases for Public Private Partnership (PPP).

communities had burnt down the only police station at Kaffin Koro when bandits attacked and killed a reverend father sometimes ago. Since then, the criminals have been carrying out their neferous activities without intervention.

When contacted, the Niger State Command’s Police Public Relations Officer PPRO DSP Wasiu Abiodun assured to get the details and get back to our reporter. He was yet to do so at the time of filing in this report.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, stated this, Thursday in Abuja, in his remarks at the First Quarter, 2023 Public Private Partnership Units Consultative Forum (3PUCF) meeting hosted by the State House and organised by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

The three projects, according to the Permanent Secretary, are: the State House Wildlife Sanctuary and |Children’s Park, the State House Medical Centre and the State House, Lagos Facilities.

Towards ensuring the success and sustainability of the initiative, Mr Umar disclosed that the State House has embarked on rigorous strategic human capacity – building of relevant staff of its PPP Unit.

“Four State House staff participated in the Basic and Intermediate PPP Courses at the Nigeria Institute of Infrastructure and Public Private Partnership (NII3P), the training arm of the ICRC.

L-R: Representative of the Vice Chancellor Benue State University Makurdi,Dr John TerTsuwa; Presenting Outstanding Leadership Achievement Award to the CSP Almalohi Odo while her Husband CSP Celestine Odo Looks on during the Commomeration of 2023 International Woman day at the weekend in Abuja

“The State House has also trained three staff on PPP Financial Modelling and Risk Assessment in Accra, Ghana and will leverage on the capacity of officers of the Legal Department who have already enjoyed similar Training on PPP Legal and Regulatory Framework,” the Permanent Secretary said, noting that “additional staff are also being considered to undergo the in-depth MBA training programme on PPP being conducted by the NII3P.”

Giving insight on the Consultative Forum, the Permanent Secretary stated that it provided “a veritable platform for stakeholders in the PPP space to collaborate and exchange ideas on initiatives that are aimed at driving economic growth and development in our country.”

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The National Population Commission (NPC) said it has done all the necessary preparations for a digital census in the country.

The NPC’s Census Manager, Dr. Inuwa Jalingo, stated this on Sunday in Abuja.

“We have created the necessary system that is required to implement a digital census. Starting from our software development, which we have developed for the enumeration area demarcation.

For the success of the census, we have developed systems whereby it doesn’t allow the enumerators go beyond the boundaries in which they are expected to enumerate. So the issue of overlap or under coverage has been taken care of in our planning for this census”.

He added that the commission had enumerated area information of all the 774 local governments in the country.

“We have used various methods to collect the data on all the houses in the country including places where there is insecurity and we are ready to go into those places to conduct the census.”

Also speaking, Dr Isiaka

Yahaya, Director of Public Affairs, said, reports at some quarters that the commission’s lack of preparedness was responsible for the postponement was not true.

He said the commission had had done all the necessary work for an effective census.

He said when a date is fixed, the country won’t start all over for census preparation but will continue.

“It also serves as a unique opportunity for MDAs to share experiences, ideas and best practices on the execution of PPP projects across different sectors,” he further stated. He enjoined the Forum to seek ways that technology can enhance and expedite the delivery of viable projects.

In his remarks , the Director General, ICRC, Joe Ohiare, listed some of the great strides of the organisation regarding transactions involving MDAs like the Federal Ministry of Interior, Nigeria Ports Authority, Nigeria Immigration Service and NIMASA, to mention a few.

Speakership position: Groups dismiss alleged betrayal of APC in Abia

ACoalition of Civil Society Groups has dismissed reports that Rep. Benjamin Kalu betrayed the APC chapter in Abia State during the last general elections.

The groups, comprising the Northern Patriotic Front, South -West Professionals, and Coalition of Arewa Youths Development, made the refutal at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Mr Ali Abacha, Chairman, NPF, dismissed the alleged betrayal as false and misleading.

He said the smear campaign against Kalu was designed to give a false impression of him to the leadership of APC, given his chances in the upcoming race for the Office of the Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives.

“If Benjamin Kalu truly sold the party in the South-east, he would probably not be the only surviving House of Reps member from APC in the entire Abia state with eight federal constituencies.

“His victory is a testament of his hard work to project the party in his state and region.

“If Benjamin Kalu truly sold the party out in the south-east, as being alleged, how come he was the only one whose office was attacked with over 100 bullets, destroying properties with so many lives put at risk in the incident?

“How come he was the only member whose life was threatened by hired assassins who were sent to silence him for projecting the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu. ?

“If these allegations by his traducers are to be taken seriously, how come he was the only one who campaigned publicly for his party APC in Abia State.

“This remains an unfounded allegation against the aspiration of Benjamin Kalu by desperate politicians who lack any moral standing to occupy any leadership position in our nation. ”

He said Kalu, from records, stood high amongst all his detractors as he was already in the House, when most candidates from the south-east rejoined the assembly after their victory in court.

According to him, Kalu has sponsored the highest number of bills among the new members of the House with about 43 bills.

He said some of the bills had received presidential assent while others had progressed from one level of legislative attention.