The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • 11,000 indigent Lagosians benefit from cash transfer, says Sanwo-Olu

    11,000 indigent Lagosians benefit from cash transfer, says Sanwo-Olu

    About 11,000 vulnerable persons in Lagos State are benefitting from the government’s Conditional Cash Transfer designed to ameliorate poverty in the state, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said.

    Sanwo-Olu stated this at an interactive session with beneficiaries of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), organised by the Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment.

    He said: “It is an indisputable fact that this Social Investment Programme, comprising the Conditional Cash Transfer, Government Enterprise Empowerment Programme (Tradermoni, Marketmoni and Farmermoni), National Home Grown School Feeding and the N-Power programme, has continued to make positive impacts in the lives of the beneficiaries and the economy across the country.

    “Our administration approved the start and implementation of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme in April 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic to reduce sufferings of the poor and vulnerable persons in Lagos State. Presently, over 11,000 households across 12 local government areas have been enrolled under the CCT programme which would be cascaded to the remaining councils.”

    The governor also promised continued collaboration with the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, and other relevant stakeholders, to ensure that Lagosians receive a fair share of these Social Intervention Programmes.

    Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke hailed beneficiaries of the NSIP for attending the session, saying the programme was the result of the great humanitarian strides and efforts of Governor Sanwo-Olu, and particularly his compassionate heart towards the downtrodden, vulnerable and indigents.

    “For the first time in the history of Nigeria, over two million unemployed youths were engaged by the Federal Government for two years while, in Lagos, over 500,000 beneficiaries benefitted with varying amounts of monthly stipends,” Arobieke added.

  • Lagos shuts school

    Lagos shuts school

    Lagos State has ordered the temporary closure of Chrisland School, Opebi-Ikeja, pending outcome of ongoing investigations into the death of a pupil, 12-year-old girl, Whitney Adeniran.

    It said the probe would look into what transpired before, during, and after her death.

    Commissioner for Education Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo, in a statement yesterday, announced the closure of the school.

    She commiserated with the bereaved family and promised that the government would ensure free and fair investigations.

    According to her, anyone found guilty would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.

    The statement reads: “On behalf of the Ministry of Education, I commiserate with Mr. and Mrs. Adeyemi, parents of Whitney, and pray for the repose of her soul.

    “We also note the impact of this unfortunate event on family, friends, and acquaintance of Whitney, and call for calm as we assure that no effort will be spared in investigating the incident.”

    The government directive came hours after the deceased girl’s father recommended that the school be shut, to allow proper investigations into the girl’s death. He claimed his daughter died of electrocution.

    Dr. Michael Adeniran spoke in an interview with the BBC Pidgin yesterday.

    But, the school management, in a statement yesterday, said the deceased slumped in ‘public view and not under any hidden circumstances’.

    It added that she was rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.

    “Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity to first aid, by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty, administered oxygen and every aid possible on her,” the school’s management said.

  • Chrisland School: Parents demand probe, justice over daughter’s death

    Chrisland School: Parents demand probe, justice over daughter’s death

    • Police: we’ve begun investigations

    Parents of 12-year-old Whitney Odesola Adeniran, a pupil of Chrisland School, Lagos State, who died during the school’s inter-house sports competition in Agege last Thursday, have demanded that her death be investigated.

    They also cried out for justice, and accused the school of negligence and cover-ups.

    Whitney, a year eight day pupil of the school, allegedly fainted during the inter-house sport event and was rushed to the Agege Central Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.

    But another pupil of the school, in a viral audio, said Whitney was electrocuted by a cotton candy machine when she went to buy cotton candy and popcorn.

    According to the unnamed pupil, Whitney’s hand was wet when she touched the machine. ‘She fell to the ground immediately and foam gushed out of her mouth while her veins vibrated violently’, the pupil said.

    Whitney’s father, Michael Adeniran, while narrating their ordeal, said she had no prior health condition nor heart related issues. He added that Whitney was healthy when the school bus picked her up from home that day.

    He said: “To the biggest shock of my life, by 1pm that fateful day, my wife called me that she was informed that our daughter slumped during the inter-house sport and was rushed to a health centre in Agege.

    “My wife attended the event but she was not informed until my child was carried out of the venue. I rushed down to the health center but, unfortunately, I met my daughter dead, with her lips and tongue black. When I asked what happened to her, the school authority could not give me any useful information.

    “I gave my daughter to Chrisland School healthy and vibrant, but the school returned a dead child to me. My entire family is in deep sorrow, but the school authority claimed they know nothing about my daughter’s death; all they know is that my daughter slumped and died.

    “Unfortunately, my daughter was carried to the health centre with the school bus, not a fully equipped ambulance. There were no safety corps at the venue, no paramedics except the school’s quack nurse who later confessed to me that my child died at the stadium but she could not pronounce her dead because she is not a doctor.

    “My question is what happened to my daughter at the stadium? As a father, I demand answers from Chrisland High School. I am in deep pain and sorrow right now. I am appealing to Nigerians to come to my aid. I don’t want my daughter to die in vain.”

    Whitney’s mother, Mrs. Adeniran, in a video posted on Instagram, also accused the school of trying to cover up what happened to her daughter. She narrated how she was at the stadium and went round looking for her child, only to hear from another pupil that Whitney fainted and water was poured on her before the school bus took her away

    She also accused the school of making no emergency arrangements despite gathering over 500 children and more than 100 parents at the stadium.

    Mrs. Adeniran lamented how Whitney was taken to the Agege Central Mosque but the school principal claimed she was rushed to Agege Central Hospital.

    Contacted for reaction on Chrisland’s official telephone number, a woman told reporters she was not in a position to speak.

    She said: “The phone number you are calling is for education enquiries. You may come to the school on Monday for confirmation.”

    Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed the incident, adding that investigations had begun. According to him, the police received a complaint from the deceased’s father and that all parties in the case would be invited for questioning.

  • Woman killed by ‘hit and run’ driver

    Woman killed by ‘hit and run’ driver

    A ‘Hit and Run’ driver yesterday killed a middle-aged woman (name unknown) near the Ifo Police Station on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.

    Ifo Divisional Commander of the Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Adetunji Oyebola, who confirmed the incident, said it happened in the early hours of yesterday.

    He said: “The driver knocked down a woman immediately after the Ifo Police Station inbound Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. The body had been taken to the Ifo General Hospital mortuary by TRACE personnel in collaboration with health officials of the Ifo Local Government Area.”

    Oyebola implored motorists to desist from excessive speeding and reckless driving to avoid mishap on the road. He also advised pedestrians to always be patient while crossing.

  • Kano LP Gov candidate joins APC, meets Tinubu

    Kano LP Gov candidate joins APC, meets Tinubu

    Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has welcomed the Kano gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Bashir Ishaq into the ruling party.

    Tinubu, according to a tweet by Dada Olusegun, a member of the APC Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), met Ishaq in Abuja.

    Those present at the meeting included Tinubu’s running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima, LP Deputy Governorship Candidate, Peter Obi’s Kano State Campaign Coordinator.

    A source familiar with the matter explained Ishaq defected to the APC due to “exclusion of major northern stakeholders in the decision-making process of the party’s campaign”.

    The source added another reason for the defection was the “lack of clear direction on the interest of northern Nigeria”.

  • Ughelli South leaders adopt Omo-Agege as preferred candidate

    Ughelli South leaders adopt Omo-Agege as preferred candidate

    Ahead of the March 11, 2023 governorship election in Delta State, President Generals, Community chairmen, spokesperson, women and youth leaders across all the kingdoms and clans in Ughelli South Local Government have adopted Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege as their preferred governorship candidate.

    The community leaders passed a vote of confidence on Senator Ovie Omo-Agege over what they termed as his superlative performance as Delta Central senator.

    They said that amongst those jostling to govern Delta State, Omo-Agege’s record of service to the Urhobo nation stands out.

    The community leaders, numbering over 1000, unanimously endorsed the APC governorship candidate and promised to reward him with their votes as an appreciation for the great job he did at the Senate.

    The leaders of the different communities in Ughelli South gave the endorsement over the weekend at Ogoni-Olomu during an interactive session with community leaders in Ughelli South LGA of Delta State.

    Comrade Orakata Oviri, President General of Oviri-Olomu moved the motion for the adoption of Omo-Agege as the sole and preferred governorship candidate and was unanimously endorsed by community leaders across the LGA.

    They also gave assurance of their support for Omo-Agege and other APC candidates.

    Omo-Agege tasked the community leaders to look at the records of performance of those vying for elections before casting their votes.

    Deputy Senate President said Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and his running mate Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has lost the moral right to be on the ballot of the presidential election on February 25.

    According to him, the legal and moral options on the ballot of the election are Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP)

    While appealing to the community leaders to shun sentiment in their voting choice, he said that the majority of voters do not belong to any political parties, stating he came to consult and seek their support for his governorship aspirations and all APC candidates.

    He tasked the leaders to write down their challenges as a community with their most pressing needs and forward the same through their President General to him, assuring a Governor he will bring development to communities that have been forgotten by the PDP-led government in the past 24 years.

    He charged them to support him and all APC candidates 5/5, assuring them that when elected as the governor of the state he will ensure that their roads will receive government attention and that communities without health centres will be provided with one.

    He decried a situation where the people of Ughelli South over the years have supported and voted for PDP with nothing to show even when the State under Governor Okowa has received #4.2trn in the past seven and half years.

    He called on the Deltans to vote for him and APC and allow him to take the state from its present state of squalor amid plenty, having tried PDP in the past and they have failed.

  • Nigeria loses $50b to foreign ship owners in four years

    Nigeria loses $50b to foreign ship owners in four years

    Nigeria lost over $50 billion to foreign ship owners between 2018 and 2022, sources at the Federal Ministry of Budget and Planning told The Nation at the weekend.

    Between 2015 and 2017, it was gathered, the country lost about $25 billion to foreign ship owners, while it lost additional $25 billion between 2018 and last year.

    A senior official said over $20 billion was paid as freight for dry and wet cargoes to foreign ship owners in 2018  and 2019 due to the absence of Nigerian-owned fleet plying the international route.

    The official said the trend had been recurring over the years, adding that in 2010, over $9 billion was estimated as opportunity loss.

    According to him, about $9.60 billion was freight opportunity loss from import and export of dry and wet cargoes in 2020.

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the official said, needs to encourage subsidiaries to engage indigenous shipping companies in their businesses.

    NNPC, he said, needs to grant local shipping companies the right of first refusal in crude oil lifting contracts, saying it would help grow the economy and sustain their businesses.

    This, he said, would enable local companies take control of the shipping business which was in line with the  diversification policy of the Federal Government.

    Indigenous fleet owners, he said, needs to enjoy greater patronage and participation in the oil and gas maritime business in the country.

    He said the Ministry of Budget and Planning played an important role in fiscal policy direction of the government.

    An expert, Mr. Gbolahan Adesoji, said for the government to realise its programme, a conducive environment backed by strong political will with incentives to operators, had to be put  in place

     “Since 1996,   there has been a rapid rise in cargo throughput culminating in an unprecedented volume in 2011. It is worthy of note that average cargo throughput from 1956 to 2005 is 14,467,024 metric tons while the average throughput increased from  49,173,324 metric  tons.’

     “The  yearly average cargo throughput of 70,926,939.38 metric tons of cargo from 2006 to 2018 over the  yearly average  of 14,467,024  metric tons  from 1956  to  2005 shows  a percentage increase of 490.26 per cent,‘’ he added.

    This shows the remarkable progress made in our port developmental efforts since the port concession era. The statistics on Table 1 also  shows that  the cargo throughput  increased from  49,173,324 metric  tons,”  Adesoji said.

    A senior official of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA), who craved anonymity  said it was as a result of this that  the Federal Ministry of Transportation through the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, set up a committee for the Nigerian fleet implementation.

    The NIMASA official said there is need for the country to generate more revenue; “there is the need to see if we can expand the Nigeria fleet, the work and the cargoes that they carry.

    “We will be saving ourselves foreign exchange and we would be able to generate funds in foreign exchange as well. So it is very important for the agencies in the maritime industry to come together and create an expansion for Nigerian fleet.

    “By so doing, we would also be creating jobs for Nigerians. When we expand the fleet we would also be expanding our transport infrastructure.”

    NIMASA, the official said, is working assiduously to ensure the disbursement of the $350 million and N16 billion Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) to boost the efforts of the indigenous ship owners.

    Some of the banks that have shown interest in the disbursement included in the disbursement of the fund are the Zenith bank, Polaris Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA) Jaiz Bank  and Union Bank on Tuesday had a meeting with the management of NIMASA where issues regarding the interest rate, collaterals and requirements were discussed.

    Speaking with reporters on the disbursement of the fund, the Director General NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh informed that the disbursement of the CVFF can’t start without the stakeholders engagement which the agency is currently doing.

  • ‘Database for crude oil transportation tariff coming’

    ‘Database for crude oil transportation tariff coming’

    The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has unveiled plans to establish accurate and reliable data relevant to determining the appropriate tariff methodology for the transportation and bulk storage of crude oil and natural gas in the country.

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Engr. Farouk Ahmed revealed this at the 2022 Petroleum Liquid Inventory Reconciliation Exercise  in Lagos.

    The exercise involved the NMDPRA, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Commission, Crude Oil and Gas Export Companies, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

    Represented by Mr Ogbugo Ukoha, Executive Director, Distribution Systems, Storage, Retailing Infrastructure (DSSRI), Ahmed said the expanded data ecosystem will cover petroleum liquid volumes evacuated by trucking, barging and pipelines.

    Corporate Communications, General  Manager, Apollo Kimchi stated this in a  statement yesterday.

    The statement noted it would also include a data system on terminal receipt volumes and terminal stock records, crude oil inventory records per company, per terminal, quantities delivered to and received into refineries.

    , quantities evacuated to other midstream storage facilities, export permit volumes, as well as actual export volumes per company, per terminal.

    On the reconciliation exercise, the NMDPRA Boss said it was scheduled to establish and authenticate a common data on midstream statistics relating to crude oil, condensates, natural gas and its derivatives.

    His words: “The reconciled data will provide the basis for the administration of petroleum liquid supply license and guide the appraisal of licenses, authorisations and approvals issued in the midstream sector relating to petroleum transportation, storage and exports.

    “This reconciliation will be beneficial to our stakeholders, in that, the dataset will also be of interest for NEITI audit, OPEC questionnaire and Joint Oil Data Initiative. It will also assist the National Assembly in its oversight function.

    “ Similarly, it can be used by security agencies for investigations and the Federal Ministry of Finance for monitoring the repatriation of export proceeds and royalties remittance by exporters of crude oil and natural gas.”

    Ahmed reiterated that the Authority, as the custodian of petroleum products data bank will continue to ensure the provision of credible, reliable data for all petroleum operations in the country.

    The Petroleum Industry Act 2021 (PIA) mandates the NMDPRA to periodically reconcile data on crude oil terminal receipts, exports, refinery delivery, Oil and Gas transportation, and other related statistics that are of interest to

     Federation as this directly affects royalties being remitted.

  • Global pilots training market to hit $20.21b by 2029

    Global pilots training market to hit $20.21b by 2029

    The global pilot training market size is estimated to reach $20.21 biliion in the next seven years – 2022-2029, data from training institutions reveal.

    The value chain is exhibiting a cumulative annual growth rate of (GAGR) of 31.55 percent in the period under forecast.

    The market was valued at $2.35 billion in 2021 and touched $ 2.96 billion in 2022.

    Nigeria as a huge consumer of aviation services – burgeoning number of carriers involved in both charter and scheduled operators is a big player in the value chain.

    Some of its pilots training academies: Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), in Zaria, Kaduna State and the state-run – International Aviation College (AIC), in Ilorin,  Kwara State – are harvesting huge funds from the pilots training market.

    Experts say the launch of technologically advanced aircraft and rising adoption of virtual reality are likely to fuel industry growth. The  market , they say, was negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic due to restrictions on air travel.

    The alarming spike in COVID-19 infections led to the adoption of stringent government regulations on travel and transport. This factor, experts argue, reduced sales, thereby affecting the entire industry during the pandemic.

    Further, physical training restrictions hampered market growth.

    However, the post-COVID-19 pandemic phase empowered manufacturers to recommence their business activities and enhance sale.

    Key players in the value chain include : CAE Incorporation ,Canada, Lufthansa Aviation Training , Germany. L3 Harris Technologies Incorporation, United States, Flight Safety International, U.S, Pan AM Flight Academy , U.S, ATP Flight School, U.S , Thrust Flight, U.S, Airbus Flight Academy , France, Indra Sistemas S.A , Spain and BAA Training , United Kingdom.

    By training mode, the market is segmented into flight  and ground training.

    The flight training segment dominated the global market in 2021 due to the demand for flight training from skilled pilots.

    As per type of license, the market is classified into student pilot license, private pilot license, commercial pilot license, airline transport pilot license, and others.

     The commercial pilot segment is likely To grow at with the highest CAGR over the forecast period due to rising air travel demand.

    Based on aircraft type, the market is categorized into airplane and helicopter. The airplane segment is likely to lead due to rising aircraft deliveries.

    Regionally, the market is classified into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the rest of the world.

    Pilot training comprises a flight training syllabus encompassing ground and flight schools.

     It is conducted for 10 to 22 months. Increasing demand for skilled pilots may boost the adoption of advanced flight training methods.

    Furthermore, the rising adoption of safe travels worldwide is likely to elevate the adoption of advanced training systems. Moreover, the incorporation of advanced technologies and virtual reality is likely to elevate training systems’ adoption. Also, the incorporation of innovative technologies in aircraft is likely to boost the demand for pilot training systems. These factors may drive the pilot training market growth.

    However, initial certification costs of pilot training are likely to hinder market progress.

    North America is projected to dominate the pilot training market share due to the presence of key players.

    The market in North America stood at $ 0.74 billion in 2021 and is expected to gain a huge portion of the global market share in the coming years.

    Further, the presence of several airports and well-established training centers is likely to elevate market growth.

    In Europe, the presence of numerous training centers for pilots such as Airbus Flight Academy may elevate the adoption of pilot training.

     Further, the presence of advanced simulator systems may bolster market progress.

  • ‘Poor network affecting use of e-payments by petrol stations’

    ‘Poor network affecting use of e-payments by petrol stations’

    The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) at the weekend lamented that transaction glitches due to poor network by banks were frustrating the use of electronic payments by petrol stations.

    The association called on the government and other stakeholders to address the problem of poor bank network that are associated with the Point of Sale (PoS) and transfer transactions at the retail stations across the country.

    IPMAN National Vice President Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, stated thhse in an interview on the impacts of the cashless policy (POS and transfer) on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) petrol.

    He said: “The challenge we are facing is the network. Someone will buy fuel and transfer the money but the marketer does not get the instant alert. At times, the alert hangs. 

    “Therefore, I think the government should try as much as possible and make the network effective, so  that the transfer alert will immediately hit the account.We are on it.

    “We have told our marketers to start using the POS. They should also try to reduce the charges for it to be only a negligible figure.”

    Despite the extra cost, according to him, the marketers having complied with the use of POS to assist the Federal Government to clear the queues.

    Recalled Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ( NMDPRA) threatened to sanction retail outlets which were rejecting the POS and transfers.

    Asked how the cashless policy has affected the business, Maigandi said: “Actually, there is an extra cost and it is the marketer that pays for it.”

    Maigandi urged the Federal Government to produce an alternative to the POS and transfer.

    He said it is not wet, although there is a marginal increase in supply.

    He said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has started giving IPMAN product directly.

    According to him, the supply to IPMAN is very little to the extent that marketers only get one truck daily.

    He said however, it is an improvement on the previous arrangement where there was a third party.

    He added that the price is now cheaper when the marketers get the product directly from major marketers.

    Maigandi said: “But is very small because in a situation where you have 40 tickets then the end up giving you tow or three and they promised to be giving every marketer one truck weekly.

    “But if you imagine a marketer that has over 50 outlets is given one truck in a week, it means there is no availability.

    “There is reduction in price because if you get it directly the price will be a bit fair while you can sell it at a government rate compare to when we were buying as third party.”