The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Seven APM lawmakers defect to APC in Ogun

    Seven APM lawmakers defect to APC in Ogun

    Ernest Nwokolo,  Abeokuta 

     

    SEVEN state lawmakers elected on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) in Ogun State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaker Kunle Oluomo, who read the letters of defection on Thursday during plenary at the House of Assembly, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the legislators in their correspondence noted that they arrived at the decision after consultation with their leaders and constituents.

    Oluomo, who said he was happy to note that things were getting better in the state under the Governor Dapo Abiodun administration, stressed that the seven APM lawmakers had moved to the mainstream politics.

    He urged other opposition members to emulate them.

    The defecting lawmakers are Modupe Mujota representing Abeokuta North State Constituency, Musefiu Lamidi from Ado-Odo/Ota II and Amosun Yusuf from Ewekoro State Constituency.

    Read Also: Ogun Assembly minority leader, six others defect to APC

    Others are Ajayi Bolanle and Ganiyu Oyedeji from Egbado South and Ifo II State constituencies, and Ajibola Sikiratu and Ademola Adeniran from Ipokia/Idiroko and Sagamu II constituencies.

    With the defection, the 26 membership House now comprises 22 APC lawmakers, three African Democratic Congress (ADC) legislators and a member from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The defecting lawmakers hailed their leaders and constituents for the opportunity to serve.

    They said they would continue to give quality representations for the benefits of their constituents.

    The legislators said despite being former members of the opposition party, the Assembly remained united and their commitment was for the benefits of the people.

     

  • I remain Kwara APC chair, says Bolarinwa

    I remain Kwara APC chair, says Bolarinwa

     Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

     

    KWARA State All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee Chairman Bashir Bolarinwa, purportedly suspended by the national headquarters of the party, on Thursday declared that he still remains the chairman.

    He said Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq had wanted to appoint him as commissioner in lieu of the chairmanship position.

    At a well-attended meeting by party supporters, Bolarinwa told the gathering that he and other caretaker committee chairmen in the country were sworn in by the Mai Mala Buni-led National Caretaker Committee, in line with the constitution of the APC.

    He appealed to the members to participate in the revalidation and membership registration.

     

  • Ondo workers agree to collect 50 per cent salary 

    Ondo workers agree to collect 50 per cent salary 

     Osagie Otabor, Akure

     

    WORKERS in the employ of the Ondo State Government have agreed to collect 50 per cent of their salary for November 2020.

    They also agreed to adopt the model in use by the local governments/State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for future salary payment.

    This was because Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu declined to further borrow to augment salary payment.

    The governor was said to have told workers that borrowing to augment payment of salary was no longer sustainable.

    It was learnt that the Labour leaders agreed to the half salary after they were shown realities of the state finances. At a meeting with Ondo Labour leaders on Wednesday, the Head of Service, Oluwadare Aragbaiye, displayed federal allocation receipts for December 2020, but shared this month.

    Read Also: Akeredolu and security in Ondo forests

    The Ondo allocation for last month as shown to the workers was N2.3billion after the deductions of government obligations, whereas total gross salary (Net + deductions) payable to all categories of workers summed up to N5.21billion.

    A statement by Ondo organised labour read: “Flowing from the above reality therefore, it was agreed that payment of Percentage Gross Salary (Net + Deduction) for November 2020 be effected.”

    With the net sum received, the percentage payable herewith is to be augmented from the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by the government to make the payment 50 per cent across board.”

    It was agreed at the meeting that before the payment of December 2020 salaries, the balance of November 2020, which is 50 per cent, must first be paid as a matter of priority.”

    Organised Labour practically in agreement with the government adopted in its entirety the model in use by local governments/SUBEB for salary payment going forward.”

     

  • Rewane, others for vantage forum on entrepreneurship

    Rewane, others for vantage forum on entrepreneurship

    By Collins Nweze

     

    THE Elevation Church (TEC) will be supporting  entrepreneurs and business executives in building lasting businesses during its annual business outlook, Vantage Forum holding on January 30, in Lagos.

    During the event, Economist, Bismarck Rewane, Digital Empowerment, Advocate, Juliet Ehimuan, and Global Influence Consultant, Kunle Soriyan, will join other business and economic thought leaders to share pathways to navigate through the uncertainties of the present times.

    With the theme: ‘Built to Last: Navigating Uncertainties’, Vantage Forum 2021 aims to resource and equip entrepreneurs and C-suite executives to building lasting businesses and navigate unprecedented terrains through strategic insights on economic trends, government policies, and other crucial aspects of running successful businesses in today’s world.

    “As a church, we organise learning and human capital development opportunities such as the Vantage Forum because we believe we have a role to empower people with the requisite skills and expertise required to excel in various endeavours.

    Our vision at The Elevation church is to make greatness common and Vantage Forum is one of the platforms we deploy to actualise that vision,” said Godman Akinlabi, Lead Pastor of The Elevation Church.

     

  • Echostone delivers World Bank certified homes in Lagos

    Echostone delivers World Bank certified homes in Lagos

    By Collins Nweze

     

    AS part of ongoing efforts in bridging over 22 million housing deficit in the country, Echostone Development Nigeria has delivered a 252 WorldBank Edge Certified affordable homes in Idale Badagry.

    Lagos State, which has over three million housing deficit had partnered Echostone in a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at providing 100,000 affordable homes in 10 years with modern-day technology.

    The project starts with the construction of 2,000 housing units in three local govern ment areas of the state, Idale in Badagry; Ayobo in Alimosho Local Government Area and Imota in Ikorodu Local Government Area.

    Speaking at the official commissioning of the WorldBank Edge Certified affordable homes,  Managing Director of EchoStone Development Nigeria, Sammy Adigun, explained that the Affordable Housing Scheme named, ‘Peridot Parkland Estate’, is the first-ever green-certified affordable housing community in Nigeria, and the first to be certified by the internationally recognised sustainability standard from the International Finance Corporation (WorldBank) Edge.

    Read Also: World Bank: Global economy to grow 4%

    According to him, the project is not only the first-ever in Nigeria to be World Bank Edge certified, but it is one of only three in all of Africa to meet the advanced certification level for its significant carbon, energy and water savings.

    He pointed out that the estate is confirmed to a 53 per cent Energy Savings home, 42 per cent Water Savings and 35 per cent Carbon Savings.

    On the importance of the aforementioned figures for Lagos State and the Badagry community, he said that “The Edge recognition puts Nigeria among leading nations in the world committed to meeting the highest standards of sustainability that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG11, Sustainable Cities.”

     

  • Fed Govt to partner OPS on sugar production

    Fed Govt to partner OPS on sugar production

    Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

     

    MINISTER of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo on Thursday expressed Federal Government’s readiness to partner with private investors in sugar production in the country.

    He said this was aimed at accelerating the nation’s economic growth.

    Adebayo said this at the official commissioning of multi-billion naira Nigeria Sugar Institute located in Jimba-Oja town in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    He said that investment already made by the Federal Government and the private sector in sugar industry is capable of creating over thousands of jobs in agriculture and manufacturing sectors.

    Read Also: Fed Govt urged to stop brain drain

    “The government, therefore, recognises the need to deepen the partnership with the private sector to drive access to skills development, research and development in a manner that promotes competition, productivity, profitability and sustainability in the sugar industry,” Adebayo said.

    The minister, who commended the Kwara State Government and other stakeholders in the partnership for the support given to the ministry in actualising the project, pledged to meet expectations of the country in sugar development through sugar master plan.

    Also speaking, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State pledged continued provision of conducive environment for industrial growth, in partnership with both Federal Government and private sectors in the country, for benefit of residents of the state.

    The governor said the state has  the potential of providing enough sugarcane for sugar industries in he country.

  • Manufacturers’ confidence in Nigerian economy declines

    Manufacturers’ confidence in Nigerian economy declines

    By Chikodi Okereocha

     

    MANUFACTURERS CEOs Confidence Index (MCCI) declined to 42.06 points in the last quarter of 2020, from 43.3 points recorded in the third quarter of the year, indicating 1.24 points decline over the quarters.

    The trend is a strong indication of lack of confidence of manufacturers in the economy in the whole of 2020, as the CEOs confidence oscillated under the 50 neutral points: 44.4 points and 40.2 points in the first and second quarters, respectively.

    According the President, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, Engr. Mansur Ahmed, the trend is also an indication that “The manufacturing sector is indeed, gasping for breath.”

    The MCCI is an index created by MAN to gauge the changes in manufacturing activities quarterly as a result of changes in the macroeconomic ambience and government policies.

    Read Also: Man kills wife, child with shovel in Anambra

    MCCI is, therefore, the barometer used by MAN to garner the perceptions of CEOs of manufacturing companies on the impact of changes in the economy on manufacturing operations.

    MCCI also gauges changes in key macroeconomic indicators including sector specific factors that represent government activities and policy measures in the economy.

    Consequently, the effects of movements in Foreign Exchange, Lending Rate, Credit to the manufacturing sector and capital expenditure of the government were also measured.

    In addition, the index gauges the outcome of changes in business operating environment factors which include over-regulation, multiple taxes/levies, and access to sea ports.

  • Fed Govt generates N1.9tr from petrol sales in one year

    Fed Govt generates N1.9tr from petrol sales in one year

     John Ofikhenua, Abuja

     

    THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) earned N1.9 trillion from sales of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol in October 2019 to October 2020.

    Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Kennie Obateru, in a statement, stated that this was contained in the October 2020 edition of the NNPC Monthly Financial and Operations Reports (MFOR).

    The statement said the report indicates that total revenues generated from the sales of white products for the period October 2019 to October 2020 stood at N1.95 trillion, with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) accounting for about 99.07 per cent of the total sales with a value of over N1. 9 trillion.

    According to the statement, NNPC has announced that its downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), recorded a total of N158.04 billion from the sales of white products in the month of October 2020 representing 92 per cent increase over the N80.15 billion sales in September 2020.

  • Govt to address maritime challenges

    Govt to address maritime challenges

     Oluwakemi Dauda

     

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari  has embarked on  all-encompassing policy at the national level that will holistically address all the  challenges that are facing the  nation’s martime sector to boost the economy, it was learnt.

    Buhari has directed Federal Ministry of Transportation to develop an all encompassing and al-inclusive National Maritime Transpot Policy that will stand the test of time and foster a robust maritime industry that will guarantee sustainable socio-economic development of the country.

    This  was disclosed in Lagos on Thursday, at the Stakeholders Validation Forum on the Draft National Maritime Policy organised  by the Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki.

    Saraki, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Madgalene Ajani said, the key goal of the directive given to the ministry is to actualise a safe, secure, clean, internationally and domestically competitive maritime sector.

  • Load requirement determines energy production, says TCN

    Load requirement determines energy production, says TCN

    John Ofikhenua, Abuja

     

    THE Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Thursday explained that power generation and evacuation are dependent on what the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) request for.

    He said although the TCN can evacuate 8,100 Mega Watts, energy production is still limited to the load the distributors are ready to pay for.

    General Manager, Public Affairs, Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), Ndidi Mbah made this known in a press release at Abuja on Thursday.

    Read Also: Power sector records new 5,520.40MW — TCN

    TCN added that “the fact is that electricity cannot be stored; therefore, power generation, transmission and distribution occur simultaneously. ”

    According to her, *what determines what is put on the grid, is what the distribution companies are ready to off-take, this equally regulates what the generator would generate, which is why the DisCos are required to nominate what they would off-take a day ahead.”

    The statement reads in part: “It is important to note that whatever happens on the donstream network, impacts on transmission and generators. The TCN grid network has the capacity of 8,100MW even as it continues to work towards completing ongoing projects to further increase its capacity.”

    The National Control Centre (NCC), an arm of TCN, according to her, is responsible for ensuring grid stability and its dispatch instructions are guided by the Grid Code, which it strictly adheres to, with clear understanding of consequences to the nation’s grid.