Omoni didn’t fail to thank her Creator for supporting them over the last two decades.
Captioning the video, she wrote: “It’s our anniversary. 23 years down! Forever to go! Thank you, Lord, for keeping us through it all. Love you forever @nnamdioboli”.
Celebrity pop artiste Divine Ikubor aka Rema has set a standard in the Afrobeats genre of music of which he said other artists are emulating.
The ‘Calm Down’ crooner in an interview with Rollingstone, said that despite not getting accolades for a set standard, he was “flattered” by the fact that others are drawing inspiration from him.
He said changing the afrobeats music scene has always been his dream.
Rema said: “I’ve been on the road for 4 years back-to-back; dropping bangers, hopping on stages. It has helped my growth non-stop.
“In as much as vacation is needed, I just don’t like to feel idle. I have so much plans for evolving this sound. I’ve always been that guy who just want to change the guy and change how the game is perceived. From sound to shows, to branding.
“Even though some artists will not give me credit, I know how many people have copied my moves and I am flattered by it.”
Actor Williams Uchemba has warned women to flee from jobless men who are comfortable with being idle and broke.
The father of one stated in a video on Instagram that the primary purpose of a woman is to help and support her husband, rather than being a breadwinner.
He said that while it is understandable when a woman has to take on the role of breadwinner due to life circumstances, a woman who feels comfortable having her husband support her because she works hard ought to run.
Williams Uchemba said: ‘’There is something in a man, some call it ego. There is something that God has put in a man to provide. A man is built to not just protect but provide.
“Ladies, if you are dating someone that is comfortable with being jobless because you have a good job, Run. It is a red flag because when God created Adam, the first thing God gave him was a job and when the job was too much, God said it is not good for this man to be alone. Let us give him a helper.
“One of the primary purposes of a wife is to help, to support what the man is doing, not to be breadwinner or a provider.”
`In a significant development within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), Vice-President Kashim Shettima has pledged to overcome the challenges posed by electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). He aims to establish bilateral electricity sales directly to end-users at the Agbara industrial cluster within the next six months. This initiative will be facilitated through power generated by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) power plants, as reported by JOHN OFIKHENUA`In a significant development within the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), Vice-President Kashim Shettima has pledged to overcome the challenges posed by electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos). He aims to establish bilateral electricity sales directly to end-users at the Agbara industrial cluster within the next six months. This initiative will be facilitated through power generated by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) power plants, as reported by JOHN OFIKHENUA
If Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s assurance holds true, the Agbara Industrial Cluster will soon enjoy a direct power supply from the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) within the next six months. This promising development is expected to alleviate the long-standing challenges faced by industrial customers, who have struggled with the high costs of off-grid power due to the national grid’s inconsistent supply.
The Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) has traditionally relied on electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to provide power to end-users. However, these DisCos have often failed to meet their supply obligations, leaving industrial and residential customers without reliable electricity. Additionally, the efforts of the Federal Ministry of Power to bypass DisCos through initiatives such as the Eligible Customer Regulation and the Meter Asset Provider Regulation faced significant challenges. With the enactment of the 2023 Electricity Act, the path is now clear for states and private investors to enter the power sector, thereby relieving the national grid of its persistent strain.
On October 12, 2023, Vice-President Shettima, who also serves as the Chairman of Directors at NDPHC, led the NDPHC management team to a business roundtable at the Ogun State Property Investment Corporation (OPIC) Industrial Estate in Agbara, Ogun State, marking a significant step toward this transformative initiative. There, Shettima assured industry owners of the determination of the Federal Government to bypass infrastructure obstacles and supply electricity to them through NDPHC in a cheaper and sustainable manner. The bilateral power purchase agreement will ensure that those businesses get power at 60 per cent cheaper than what they currently pay for energy. None of the businesses currently operating within the Agbara industrial cluster consumes energy from the national grid.
Thus, Shetima promised that NDPHC, which is jointly owned by the three tiers of government (federal, state and local governments) will give them needed power within the next six months. The NDPHC Managing Director, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo noted that the business meeting signified the unwavering commitment and preparedness of the firm, under his watch, in strategic collaboration with esteemed partners to undertake bilateral electricity sales to end-users. According to him, the primary objective of the initiative is to ensure a consistent, reliable and cost-effective supply of electricity from NDPHC’s power plants to the extensive industrial and business clusters in Agbara and throughout Nigeria. His words: “NDPHC is a wholly-owned government company responsible for implementing the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP), which aims at enhancing electricity generation with associated electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, for the benefit of Nigerians.”
NDPHC has successfully constructed eight power plants with a combined capacity of approximately 4,000 MW, as well as various transmission and distribution infrastructures. A significant portion of the capacity remained stranded due to constraints within the transmission and distribution system, distribution losses, gas limitations and the financial burden on the Federal Government’s balance sheet through NBET, the FG-owned primary bulk purchaser of electricity that on-sells to electricity distribution companies in Nigeria.
With the evolving regulatory framework of the NESI and the declaration of eligible customers, NDPHC has identified opportunities to revolutionise the industry through end-to-end solutions that increase electricity access for Nigerian homes and businesses and reduce the financial burden on the Federal Government’s balance sheet. “This event is a public manifestation of the months of diligent work by the NDPHC team and our project partners, devising creative and viable solutions to address power supply challenges in NESI. NDPHC remains at the forefront of the industry in pursuing bilateral power sales and other projects that ensure efficient and targeted power delivery to end-users. We are delighted to witness the incremental results of our collaborative efforts with our partners during today’s events.
“We are grateful for the Federal Government’s support, represented by our Board Chairman, the Vice-President and the state governments, represented by the governors of Ogun and Lagos states. We are fully aware that beyond the celebrations of today’s event, there remains a substantial amount of work to be done to successfully implement this programme and deliver steady, reliable and affordable electricity to Nigerian industrial clusters,” Ugbo said.
He affirmed NDPHC’s unwavering commitment to the successful execution of the project, not only in Agbara but also in various locations across the country. Continuing, he revealed that the company is prepared to distribute power to other industrial clusters in the country. According to him, the step will prune the technical and commercial losses.
The Managing Director said: “Aside OPIC industrial cluster at Agbara, we are ready to supply electricity to other industrial clusters in Nnewi, Port Harcourt, Kano and others. We recently signed an agreement with Ibadan Distribution Company. We will put a system in place that will allow us to collect our tariffs and also ensure the security of supply. Just a few days ago, we signed a framework agreement with Ibadan DisCo to supply power directly to industries around Shagamu. We are equally ready to work with partners in supplying electricity to residential areas directly on a bilateral basis. All it takes is to minimise technical losses, which has to do with poles and wires; commercial losses, which has to do with technology in order to ensure that there is no power theft or that power theft is reduced and of course, eliminate collection losses, which has to do with metering.”
Furthermore, a press statement from the State House on the roundtable noted that Shettima explained that the ongoing power projects to light up industrial clusters across the country are an indication that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration is on a journey of rekindling the flames of enterprise. He added that the Federal Government’s commitment to revamping Nigeria’s infrastructure framework was the much-needed drive in empowering Nigerians and strengthening the country’s economic policies. According to him, while the government has embraced the past as a lesson in mapping a new path for a robust power sector, the historical mistakes that have brought Nigeria to the point it is are rather an inspiration to work harder.
The Vice-President said: “For too long, some of these ventures were forced to pack up, their potential stifled by the persistent energy constraints. Today, we embark on a journey of empowerment aimed at rekindling the flames of enterprise and ensuring that the promise of prosperity prevails over the darkness of past hindrances. We have gone a full cycle in the search for solutions to our energy crisis. We have unbundled and privatized the power assets in generation, transmission, and distribution. We have also implemented the National Integrated Power Project through the NDPHC.”
He vowed to closely monitor the progress of work in the ongoing power projects to light up industrial clusters across the country, with a view to holding every relevant official accountable. “I assure you that, in my capacity as the Board Chairman of NDPHC, I will hold every relevant official accountable and closely monitor the progress achieved in this project. We owe Nigerians this success story,” the Vice-President said.
Senator Shettima reiterated the commitment of the Tinubu administration “to provide the necessary institutional and policy support to ensure the successful delivery” of the project. In his address titled “Lighting the Path to Economic Development,” the Vice-President expressed gratitude to the Governors of Ogun, Lagos and Oyo states where the NDPHC was already developing similar projects, as well as the companies involved. He noted that the partnership between state-owned power companies and the private sector was an embodiment of progress, teamwork and commitment to fostering synergy to enhance the productivity of businesses and institutions.
The partnership, according to him, doesn’t only align with the vision of the Federal Government to transform Nigeria into a premier investment destination but also to serve as an industrial benchmark in Africa. He added that it was an affirmation of President Tinubu’s resolve to revamp the country’s infrastructure framework. Shettima said: “The launch of this strategic collaboration between the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC) and its key partners for the design, development and operation of projects to supply dedicated, steady and quality power to major industrial and commercial clusters in Nigeria echoes President Tinubu’s pledge to reinvigorate our country’s infrastructure framework.
“The choice of Agbara, Ogun State, as the pilot site of this owes to its function as an artery of Nigeria’s industrial structure. This is our resolve to breathe new life into the enterprises that sustain our economy.”
Noting that addressing the supply deficit in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) is an intervention that aims to reverse “the generational setbacks that businesses with immense promise have endured,” Shettima said it was one thing to attract investors to the country and another to make them stay. He further assured that lighting up industrial clusters across the country signposts the beginning of a promised opportunity for Nigeria. “By mobilising private capital, harnessing the generation portfolio of NDPHC, and utilising the existing power delivery infrastructure, we aim to provide a consistent, reliable and high-quality power supply to specific customer clusters with substantial capacity demands.
“This effort has initiated an industrial revival of significant magnitude. In essence, it implies that, after a considerable period, the NESI will experience a substantial increase in supply levels without the necessity of injecting public funds, delivering nearly continuous power precisely where it’s most critical for our economy,” he said.
Senator Shettima described the host community, Agbara, as an archetype of what private sector investment, innovation and entrepreneurship could accomplish in the economic and infrastructural development of a nation, noting that other planned industrial clusters are a manifestation of how private capital could “drive industrial development and foster economic prosperity.”
The Vice-President revealed plans by the Federal Government to ensure the industrial clusters unfolded into a reality. “We are not only committed to providing the institutional and policy support necessary to enable, promote, and sustain this private sector-led initiative but also to paving the way for the emergence of synchronised development in transmission and distribution infrastructure, aligned with the demands of industrial customers. “This infrastructure is designed for the efficient and reliable transmission of power from NDPHC’s plants. We will deploy the appropriate technology to ensure the efficient operation of the networks and to minimise commercial, collection, and technical losses that have plagued the industry,” he said.
Earlier, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun said the location of the pilot phase of the initiative is due to the viability of the Agbara Industrial Area as the most successful industrial estate in the country. He said the initiative aligns with his administration’s drive to provide critical infrastructure in industrial clusters across the state. He thanked President Tinubu and Vice-President Shettima for prioritising the power sector, noting that it will unlock potential in different sectors of the economy.
The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, said the interaction with stakeholders around the Agbara Industrial Estate was part of efforts by the Federal Government to deliver safe and reliable electricity to industrial and heavy-user clusters across the country. He expressed optimism that the initiative to ensure effective power supply to the Agbara Industrial Estate would be achieved and can be a model to be replicated across the country.
The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat said the challenges experienced in the power sector can be surmounted with effective collaboration and partnership as well as adherence to set standards and due process. He urged all stakeholders to be cautious in their comments and opinions about systems and institutions in Nigeria. Aside from the roundtable, the V-P held interactions with representatives of the different clusters in the industrial area. He had earlier on arrival at the Strong Pack premises, the venue of the event, toured the production lines at the factory.
Recall that the NDPHC which manages the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) was conceived in 2004 as a fast-track government-funded initiative to stabilise Nigeria’s electricity supply system while the private sector-led structure of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) of 2005 took effect. It is an emergency intervention scheme to tackle the deficit and expand the power sector infrastructure in the country. The company’s key mandate was to develop 10 power plants with a designed ISO capacity of 5,067MW. It has so far completed eight power plants with a capacity of about 4,000MW.
In power generation, eight of the 10 power plants in the NIPP portfolio, along with associated gas transmission metering/receiving infrastructure projects to support commercial operation, have been commissioned and connected to the national grid contributing over 22,000,000kWh of energy daily subject to the availability of gas. NPDHC has over 3,000MW of generation capacity available for deployment if the grid permits and this represents the best opportunity for the rapid improvement of power supply to the teaming Nigerians. It should be noted that completed power plants include 750MW Olorunsogo II, 450MW (Ogorode) Sapele, 434MW Geregu II, 450MW Omotosho II, 450MW Ihovbor, 450MW Alaoji, 563MW Calabar and 225MW Gbarain. The 225MW Omoku, 338MW Egbema and 530MW Alaoji steam machines would wrap up the total available capacity of the plants to 1,774MW on full completion. Many of the NIPP power plants on the national grid also provide ancillary services like spinning reserves to support the system operations, a contribution critical for stabilising the national grid.
The NDPHC has completed 2,194km of 330kV transmission lines and 809km of 132kV transmission lines. This represents an increase of 46% and 13% respectively over the pre-NIPP status of grid infrastructure. A total of 10 new 330/132kV substations and 7 new 132/33kV substations have also been completed with several other existing substations significantly expanded thereby adding 5,590MVA and 3,313MVA capacity to the national grid. NIPP contributions to the transmission grid system have transformed the hitherto radial 330kV/132kV grid into a more robust grid system with significant provision of alternative power flow routes which now serve as redundancies and have resulted in a more reliable and stable Nigerian grid.
Of note in these respects are the inauguration of the over 220km long 330kV Double Circuit (DC) lines providing alternative thermal power into Abuja and the FCT from Geregu, through a new Lokoja sub-station, a new Gwagwalada sub-station into the existing TCN Katampe and Apo sub-stations with several significant expansion works on existing substation developments along this route.
Those present at the occasion include Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Minister of Power, Commissioners from Lagos and Ogun states, captains of industry from Agbara, Lekki-Epe industrial cluster, Shagamu industrial cluster and traditional rulers from Ogun and Lagos states.
Head, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, said in a statement that goods including key lock/cylinder, decoration fittings, Christmas items, among others worth millions of naira were destroyed.
She said the timely intervention of firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to top floors of the buildings.
Lagos State Government is set to kick off the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine (HPV) immunisation for girls aged between nine and 14 years across the state.
A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Primary Health Care Board, Dr Ibrahim Akinwunmi Mustafa said the exercise, which begins today, will be kicked off by the governor’s wife, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu at the Surulere Local Government Secretariat.
According to Dr. Mustafa, Human Papillomavirus is sexually transmitted, and is the causative agent of cervical cancer and other HPV-related diseases such as skin and genital warts. Nineteen per cent of women who initiate sexual intercourse by the age of 15 years have increased risk of HPV infection (NDHS, report 2018).
He said that schools and primary health centres have been earmarked as vaccination centres for wider and faster coverage.
The permanent secretary, who said the objective of the HPV vaccination was to give all eligible girls injectable HPV vaccine into the arm, for protection against cervical cancer , solicited the support of all stakeholders including parents, guardians, community and religious leaders to ensure all eligible girls were vaccinated during the campaign.
The HPV vaccination is a nationwide campaign targeted at girls aged nine to 14 years, aimed at potentially preventing 71,000 deaths annually. The vaccination at an early age is highly important as it provides the best protection.
The routine immunization services will also be available at the Primary Healthcare Centres across the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas of the State during the HPV vaccination campaign. The vaccine is free, safe and highly effective.
It should be noted that the flag-off earlier scheduled to be held on the 25th of September, 2023 was postponed for logistics reasons as informed by the Federal Ministry of Hea
Illegal fishing on the nation’s territorial waters and the high seas is adversely affecting the economy. In this report, OLUWAKEMI DAUDA looks at the negative and harmful impacts of illegitimate fishing in the light of the government’s economic rejuvenation agenda.
In August, this year, President Bola Tinubu established a dedicated ministry to drive the development of the blue economy and marine resources in the country.
In a move seen and hailed as visionary and forward-looking, stakeholders in the maritime sector said the creation by President Tinubu was a game changer for Nigeria.
For over three decades, stakeholders in the sector had advocated the creation of a separate ministry to oversee the affairs of the maritime industry like that of aviation. But the advocacy, they said, fell on deaf ears until Tinubu assumed duties and saw the reason to create the special purpose ministry to drive the economy and job creation.
Impacts of marine resources on economy
Findings have shown that oceans have a tremendous impact on the nation’s economy in terms of industrial development, fishing, boating, tourism, recreation, ocean transport and more.
For instance, the United States’ maritime transport carries 95 per cent of the her foreign trade.Therefore, the sector often serve important ecological functions, and, no doubt, provides coastal protection, and critical resources for food, energy, tourism and economic development.
Nigeria is the fourth largest importer of fish in the world after China, Japan and the United States. Yearly, experts said the country loses $600 million to the Chinese and European trawlers through illegal fishing running to 1.3 million tonnes in its territorial waters using the high seas that fall immediately after its jurisdictions.
For example, the Federal Government had explained that the country’s fish production stood at 0.8 million metric tonnes as local demand was 3.5 million tonnes yearlly; with a deficit of 2.7 million tonnes, noting that $1.2 billion worth of fish was imported yearly.
Findings have shown that the vast coastline and the exclusive economic zone of Nigeria possess substantial fish resources which could aid transformation of the country’s economy, if properly utilised by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy
How to monitor illegal fishing
One instrument that could be deployed is a hydrophone. A fishing expert, Bankole Ilori, said a hydrophone is an underwater-listening device that records sounds over a designated period of time.
“This device can be used by our security agents to detect potential illegal fishing vessels and the crude methods, such as bomb fishing.Therefore, the security operatives working on our territorial waters can combine a hydrophone with satellite technology to provide real-time detection of potential illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) activity,’’ he said.
An IUU fishing refers to illegal fishing. It is against the rules and regulations that are in place for that jurisdiction or region. Unreported fish mens catches that are not reported or not reported correctly to the appropriate authorities.
Unregulated fishing: This is the fishing taking place by vessels without nationality, or in areas without any agreed rules or regulations being agreed to by the country or jurisdiction of the fisher.
An IUU fishing is an enduring threat to the sustainability and economic viability of fisheries nationally, regionally and globally.
Why is illegal fishing common on our waters
A good example is fishing that occurs on the high seas, which are international waters that fall between our jurisdictions and of others but belong to no nation.The high seas cover nearly 45 per cent of our planet and is where most illegal fishing occurs.
Costs of illegal fishing
According to the Nigerian Trawler Operators Association (NITOA), Nigeria loses more than $70 million yearly to illegal fishing.The country is not only battling with the great economic loss from illegal fishing, but also from issues regarding maritime insecurity and sea piracy, which the new Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was created to tackle.
Unregulated fishing threatens food security in the country and other parts of the world. However, illegitimate, unregulated and unreported practice has caused the country to have its vessel reduced.
At various fora, experts in the maritime, fishing and agricultural sectors often the negative impact of illegitimate activities on our ocean and sea might be harmful to the blue economy; although they present a workable solution to the Federal Government.
Decline in Nigeria’s local catch
Investigation indicates that the high cost of automotive gas oil is a big disadvantage to the sector. The AGO, findings have shown, covers over 70 per cent of the sector operational cost and that has led to reduction in the number of local catch.
Operators said there is a steady decline in nation’s local catch and production of fish. According to an expert, Fisayo Atanda, “in 1983, domestic production of fish was predicted to be between 600,000 and 700,000 tons, but now local cash has dropped to 441,337, which is not in the interest of the government and the people living across the country’’.
Efforts by the British and U.S. govt
Worried by this development, the British and the United States governments expressed their willingness to partner the Federal Government to tackle the challenge of illegal fishing on the country’s waters as they believe that fishing would support growth and create job opportunities for youths under the new Marine and Blue Economy Ministry’s plan.
The U.S. delegation was led by Ambassador Jessye Lapenn, the Senior Coordinator for Atlantic Cooperation, while that of the British was led by the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr. Richard Montgomery.
Ambassador Lapenn said in Abuja that the U.S. Government was willing to offer technical support to the ministry to support Nigeria’s economic growth through the sector.
Also, Montgomery expressed the government’s desire to partner the Federal Government to tackle the challenge of illegal fishing. Prior to this, China had offered to cooperate in creating a regional framework in West Africa for constructive engagement with stakeholders to facilitate information sharing in fisheries management, with a particular focus on the operations of foreign-owned fishing vessels and companies in West Africa. The country agreed to share data on fishing and improve transparency to better manage fisheries, especially migratory stocks.
Researchers at the U.S. think tank
Researchers at the United States think tank, Stimson Centre (SC), has identified China as the world’s top sponsor of distantwater fishing vessels in Nigeria and other countries in West Africa.
Similarly, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) said Chinese vessels engaged in illegal fishing with the largest distantwater fleet of about 2,701 vessels engaged in high instances of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the country.
Loss of over 300, 000 work forces
The researchers said further that the arrival of Distant Water Fishing (DWF) fleets with industrial-scale trawl gear had crippled the West African fishing sector, stressing that DWF vessels in West Africa hailed from China, the EU, Russia, South Korea and Turkey. Consequently, more than 40 per cent of fishing vessels in Nigeria alone has been depleted because of the menace of IUU fishing, leading to loss of over 300, 000 work forces.
Threats to blue economy prospects
Last year, the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari licensed 164 fishing vessels as members of the NITOA. But the new licencees complained that over 250 fishing vessels in operations in 1983 have reduced drastically to about 150 vessels. The body said illegal fishing had threatened the nation’s blue economy prospects.
What to do
President, NTOA, Mrs. Ben Okonkwo and other stakeholders said there was the need to establish fisheries terminals in Lagos where about 95 per cent of the industrial fishing operators are based. They also want the government to resuscitate the Export Expansion Grant (EEG) Scheme to make it more workable, transparent and beneficial to operators in the industry. The government needs to support NIMASA and other security agencies in arresting foreign trawler operators and their local collaborators and prosecution to serve as deterrent to others.The government also needs to address the expensive cost of statutory registration and renewals of the particulars of trawlers by the regulatory agencies.
Need to engage NITOA
Also, the Chief Research Officer, Nigerian Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Mr. Akanbi Williams, stressed the need by the government to sit with NITOA to chart a common course to harmonise the processes and procedures to attract more local and foreign direct investment.
Williams noted: “Other areas that the government must look into include high cost of statutory registration and renewals of trawlers’ particulars from the regulatory agencies; occasional pirate attacks at high sea leading to loss of lives and property as well as damage of vessels and machines.’’
No fewer than 100 passengers – mostly women and children – were on board a boat that capsized in the Benue River.
The passengers were said to be returning to Binnari, a community in Karim-Lamido Local Government from Mayorenero fish market in Ardo-Kola Local Government, all in Taraba State, Northcentral.
Taraba has major rivers that form part of the tributaries of the Benue River.
