38 days in power: 8 things Osinbajo has done as Acting President [No 1 and 7 will make you love him]

Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Nigeria's Acting President has gained some good popularity among the Nigerian people. Many feel, the state of the nation is so bad, Osinbajo doing a little seems like a lot to Nigerians.

Others have even said they prefer him as president to President Buhari who has been away since Thursday, January 19, 2017. Here are some things the Acting President has done:

1. Food Programme

On January 27, 2017 the acting president held a meeting with the executive director of the World Food Programme (WFP), Ms Ertharin Cousin.

And on Friday, January 24, he promised that the Federal Government was planning urgent relief to poultry farmers in the country to save the industry from collapse.

He also presided over the FEC meeting on February 1, during which the Presidential Task Force on Food Security was mandated to reduce prices of food items in the country.

2. Chief Justice Onnoghen

The acting president, on February 7, sent the name of the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, to the Senate for confirmation.

Onnoghen is however yet to be confirmed or screened by the Senate.

3. Road contracts

On February 8, he chaired the FEC and gave approval of N21 billion for the construction of the Ilorin-Omu Aran-Kabba Road, Section I.

Also on February 15, he approved the award of N126 billion road projects spread across Kano, Bauchi, Adamawa, Kwara, Gombe, Enugu an Kaduna states.

4. Visiting the Niger Delta

Between February 10 and 13, Osinbajo visited Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital in continuation of his interactive engagements with oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta region.

He then went to Port Harcourt, Rivers state, to meet stakeholders of the oil producing communities. During the meeting, he rolled out the framework for the clean-up exercise of Ogoni land.

5. CBN and Forex

On February 16, he presided over the first National Economic Council meeting of the year and directed the CBN to review the foreign exchange policy.

The meeting also resolved that fresh $250 million be injected into the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). The CBN subsequently released about $500 million through the interbank market, where the 23 banks bought $371m.

6. Signed 7 bills into law

On February 17, Professor Osinbajo signed seven bills into law. The bills were: Oaths (Amendment) Act 2017; Defence Space Administration Act 2017; Veterinary Surgeons (Amendment) Act 2017; and others.

7. Lagos airport visit

He then paid an unscheduled visit to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, as part of the 60-day action plan for business reforms in the country.

The visit took many airport workers by surprise. Osinbajo inspected facilities and interacted with airport officials.

Less than 24 hours after his unscheduled visit to Lagos airport, the federal government announced the sack of 10 directors of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

Three new directors and a general manager were also appointed for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

8. Infrastructure

The FEC meeting, Osinbajo chaired on February 22 approved N32 billion for the resuscitation and completion of the 50km dual carriage Kaduna eastern bypass highway.

The Council also approved $39.9 for the construction of the Cameroon-Nigeria border link bridge at Ikot Efiem. The council also approved the Revised National Policy on Environment.

REFERENCE: NAIJ