Council of State meeting: Despite hardship, Gowon, Buhari, Jonathan, others back Tinubu’s economic reforms

Favour Ishember and Chidinma  Uchegbu Abuja

Four Nigeria’s ex-leaders,  Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Abdusalami Abubakar and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan have passed a vote of confidence on President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, at the Council of State meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

However, former Military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida and former President Olusegun Obasanjo were absent

The meeting which was the first under the Tinubu administration discussed issues on the economy and security, including the recent nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state,  Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, and Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, who briefed State House Correspondents after the meeting, said the former leaders who were in attendance were briefed on the economy and security situation in the country, in addition to federal government’s response to addressing the challenges.

The meeting which  was also attended by the  Governors, had seven Ministers who made presentations.

The Ministers include those of the Solid Minerals, Trade and Investments, Agriculture and Rural Development, Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Budget and Economic Planning.

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser NSA also used briefed the Council on the recent protests and attempts to forcefully take over government.

Governor Abdulrazaq said the Council unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Tinubu for the way he has governed the country.

He said the Council also expressed satisfaction with the presentations made by ministers on the progress of the economy.

Also, Alake said the council praised Tinubu for resisting a forceful takeover of government, adding that ” the #EndBadGovernance was not a protest but movement.

According to him, the council affirmed that nobody will be allowed to change the government except through the ballot box.

He revealed that seven ministers made presentations to the council on the progress being made on economic diversification and the conomy.

On his part, Wale Edun, updated the council on the progress of the macroeconomic policies being followed.

“The Council resolved that any change of government has to be through the ballot and not by the barrels of the guns or forceful takeover”.

He added that the Council was briefed on details of the economic diversification and transformation.

He said: “We did have the opportunity to present the the former Presidents with an update on the economy, including progress on the macro economic policies in the 8 priority areas of the current administration

“We also looked at the data and in broad terms noted that the economy is growing”.

He however, noted that foreign investors have been supportive of the government, especially in the foreign direct portfolio, even as he stated that though still high, inflation was on the downward trajectory

“We reported that the economy witnessed $55bn exports  recorded last year.

“We also reported that there was good progress being made, indicating an  optimistic outlook”

He said  that the “confidence vote by both the past leaders and the Governors was a sign that the Tinubu administration is moving the nation in the right direction”

 

Meanwhile, The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said the Tinubu Administration has set up the structures to create three million jobs for the Nigerian youth through the 3 Million Technical Talent (MTT) Programme.

 

The Minister stated this in Abuja on Monday at the Nigeria Police Youth Summit with the theme “Enhancing the Nigerian Youth Value for National Security Intelligence”.

 

 

In a press statement signed by Special Assistant (Media)to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Rabiu Ibrahim ,the Minister was represented by the Director General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Baba Ndace, the Minister said the 3MTT Programme, being driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Technology, is an incubator for the education and skills desired to enhance the capacity and value of the youths in national security intelligence.

 

 

“The 3MTT Programme is an affirmation of President Tinubu’s vision of factoring youth development into the overall national development strategy. To lay a formidable framework towards achieving this, the administration is also prioritizing the economic security of Nigerian youths, towards building a more secure and prosperous country,” he said.

 

 

Idris said the enactment of Nigerian Education Loan (NEL) Fund, which is currently providing loan and financial support for Nigerian students, is one of the notable initiatives under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at making significant impact on the educational pursuit of the youth.

 

 

While speaking on the high cost of transportation in the country, the Minister said the introduction of the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) policy by the President, seeks to leverage the nation’s sufficiency in gas to bring down the cost of transportation by about 70%.

 

 

Idris, therefore, enjoined the youth to latch onto government policies and explore them for personal comfort, economic growth and empowerment.

 

 

The Minister also stressed the need for the youth to imbibe the necessary morals and values in order to play their expected roles in national security intelligence.

 

 

“Better still, the renaissance identified with the crucial national security intelligence role for our youths cannot come without the necessary value reorientation. The expected Nigeria’s Values Charter initiated by this administration, spearheaded by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), will serve as a blueprint for a national value system, defining us as Nigerians and strengthening our personality and roles as citizens,” he said.

 

 

The Minister, however, warned the youth on the national security implications of spreading fake news, disinformation, and misinformation, saying this nefarious conduct, is a flagrant abuse of the freedom of expression, which the present administration upholds.

 

 

“Where much is given, much is expected. We must acknowledge that disinformation interferes with significant national security threats, including incitement over anarchy and instability, transnational crimes, terrorism, banditry and their financing, violent extremism, and malicious cyber activity,” he stated.

.As FG  reiterates plan to establish smart schools in every state

 

The Federal Government has reiterated it’s plan to establish one smart school in each state of the federation, as there are currently 26 of them ,while construction work is on-going on the remaining ones.

the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, who disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, while taking a tour of the FCT Smart School in Karshi, in company of the Minister of states for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu,and other stakeholders in the sector said, Nigeria’s education system was currently directed towards technology-enhanced learning to help nurture the thinking and creativity of the students.

According to the Minister:” this is the type of institution we aspire to have in the country that integrates personal learning and takes technology right from the beginning and makes learning interactive for toddlers; learners taking from the foundation and from there to build up to university level.

“It will help to nurture their thinking and creativity. So this is the direction our education is going,” he said.

While describing the pioneer staff of the school as very lucky, he encouraged them to take their jobs seriously, adding that the school will serve as a training ground for other teachers and institutions around them.

This is part of the legacy this government is delivering to Nigerians which is to make provision for a digitalised school system for pupils to be trained in the use of technology right from kindergarten to basic and junior secondary school,” he said.

According to him, the teachers of the schools will not only be involved in the delivery of lessons but development of what the kids would be taught.

“This is one of the unique features of this institution, you have facilities that will allow you to develop the content of what you are going to offer within the Nigerian context, values and national curriculum,” he said.

He further stated that the smart schools will combine conventional and vocational aspects of education so that at completion the students will have skills that can help them in life.

On the issue of security of the facility which is located well in the outskirts of Karshi, the minister said government was aware of security challenges in the country and has put together elaborate security arrangements for all of the smart schools across the country.

According to him, both armed and unarmed security guards are being engaged while partnership with host communities is being forged to give the schools all the necessary security.

He said a strong community engagement was important for both security and for the institutions to impact on the communities.

“Apart from strengthening the economy of Karshi, it’s a learning centre set up for training of teachers and other people within the Karshi area. So there’s this sense of ownership by the community which will help a lot in synergising in many fronts,” he said.

The minister said over 11,000 Almajiris were counted in FCT alone and will be enrolled in different schools across the country by September.

“On ground already we have armed policemen and we are expecting armed civil defence personnel. Besides, we also have vigilantes from the community and we have some programmes we are working on to ensure that this school is perfectly secured.

“We are in collaboration with the community as far as the security of this school is concerned,” the Minister of State for Education said

On his part, Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, threatened to revoke the contract of the company handling the construction work for its smart school infrastructure in Kebbi State and re-awarded it to another contractor.

Sununu disclosed that the construction work of the smart school in Bayelsa State is also undergoing due process to revoke the contract and award it to another contractor, so that no state will be left behind in the smart school application of technology in education.

“The two schools that are lagging behind; that of Kebbi State has been revoked and awarded to another contractor, and Bayelsa is also undergoing due process to revoke the contract and be rewarded so that no state will be left behind in the smart school application of technology in education,” he said.

He also decried the failure of some states whose smart schools have been completed and handed over, to supply the federal government with 75 teachers to be trained so as to run the schools.

He therefore called on other sates to emulate the FCT administration which is already providing roads and hostel accommodation to expand the scope of the smart school in its domain with a full complement of staff.

Sununu also called on traditional rulers and residents of Karshi, to provide adequate security for the facilities as they are the primary beneficiaries of their services before other Nigerians.

The Smart School project was initiated and funded by the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) in collaboration with Korea International Cooperation Agency, KOICA, to increase the capacity of teachers in the development and use of ICT content and to improve the access of teachers and pupils to quality teaching and learning materials