PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI DIRECTS PROF. YEMI OSINBAJO TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR AGENCIES UNDER HIM

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo to, henceforth, seek presidential approvals for agencies under his supervision.

Under the laws setting up these agencies, the president is empowered to give final approvals but the provisions were not followed during the first term.

The directive to follow due process was issued via a presidential memo on Monday.

Currently, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo is the chairman of the governing boards of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA).

With the new memo, the vice-president will now have to seek approvals for contract awards, annual reports, annual accounts, power to borrow, and power to make regulations, among other key functions.

On Monday, Buhari appointed the Economic Advisory Council (EAC) and disbanded the Economic Management Team led by Osinbajo.

Buhari had appointed Osinbajo chairman of EMT during his first term, although the position was held by ministers of finance under previous administrations.

There are unconfirmed reports that NEMA and National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) will now be moved from the office of the VP to the newly created ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management and social development, headed by Sadiya Umar Farouq.

By law, the vice-president is the chairman of NEMA, NBC and BCDA but the acts also state that presidential approvals are needed for some key decisions and actions.