The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • NNPC seeks $13.8b for 2013

    NNPC seeks $13.8b for 2013

    The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation on Thursday asked the Senate to approve $13.8 billion for its expenditure in 2013.

    Group Executive Director of NNPC (Exploration and Production), Abiye Membere, spoke during the corporation’s budget defence before the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) in Abuja.

    The Group Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu sat beside Membere during the budget defence.

    Attempts by Membere to give a breakdown of the budget was resisted by committee members, including Senators Heineken Lokpobiri and Hayatou Gwarzo, who insisted that he should first convert the amount in dollars to its naira equivalent.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Emmanuel Paulker intervened, saying the lawmakers were interested in what the Nigerian government has spent on the corporation.

    This, according to him, constitutes NNPC’s budget and that of the Joint Venture Contracts (JVC) and the Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs).

    “We want to know the totality of what you budgeted for 2012 and tell us how far you’ve gone. That would enable us know how far you’ve gone,” Paulker said.

    Membere said the NNPC got N1, 572 trillion as its budget for the 2012 fiscal year.

    He said the oil giant had initially requested for N1, 917,150 trillion which was turned down.

    Members said: “The 2012 budget request was $12.78billion and $10.48billion was approved for us. In terms of performance, as at September 2012, we have spent $6.386billion and that represents about 61 per cent.

    “It is broken down into different line items with respect to cash call, domestic gas, BRASS, LNG and different elements for which the budget was approved.”

     

  • ‘Nigeria wastes N11bn annually on tomato paste importation’

    The Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Peter Onwualu, said that Nigeria spent more than N11 billion on the importation of 65,809 tonnes of processed tomatoes annually.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Onwualu said this in Gusau at the opening of a one-day capacity building workshop on tomato juice processing and marketing in Zamfara.

    He said the trend would continue until adequate domestic food processing and storage facilities were put in place.

    The director-general said that tomato could be processed into sauce, ketchup and paste, jam, among others, likewise onion and pepper, which could also be canned or dried, respectively.

    He said that utilising local resources through the use of locally developed technologies at lower cost would enhance production and value-addition to the primary and secondary raw materials to meet the needs of the nation’s industries.

    Onwualu said that the council had adopted a strategy to encourage value-addition to local resources, such as fruits and vegetables.

    In his speech, the state Commissioner for Commerce and Industries, Alhaji Hassan Zurmi, commended the council for organising the workshop.

    He said the workshop would sensitise farmers on how to preserve local products to avoid wastages and improve production.

     

  • EFCC fails to arraign Babalakin

    EFCC fails to arraign Babalakin

    The much awaited arraignment of the Chairman, Bi-Courtney Limited, Chief Olawale Babalakin before a Lagos High Court, Ikeja failed to hold on Thursday owing to his ill health.

    Chief Babalakin was to have been arraigned for allegedly conspiring with the former governor of Delta State, James Ibori to transfer N4.7 billion out of the country.

    However, the 2nd defendant, Alex Okoh was in court.

    The court could not take his plea because the charges against him and two companies, Bi-Courtney Limited and Renix Nigeria Limited that were charge along with Chief Babalakin could not be read.

    Although there was so much anxiety over the arraignment, Chief Babalakin’s counsel, Mr. E.O. Sofunde told the court presided by Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo that his client suddenly took ill.

    “My Lord, I want to tender unreserved apology for the absence of the first defendant”, he said.

    Asked by Justice Onigbanjo for the reason for his absence, Sofunde told the court that his client took ill.

    He claimed to have addressed a letter dated November 26, through the registrar, intimating the court that his client took ill and that he enclosed a medical report issued by Dr. Charles Harmound, his medical practitioner.

    “I have been further informed that sometimes last night, because his condition deteriorated, he was rushed to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) where he is presently on admission.

    “So, in the circumstance, I am constrained to request for a short adjournment of proceedings”, he said.

    Although the prosecution led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs did not oppose the request for adjournment, he however told the court that on receipt of a copy of the letter addressed to the court, he immediately contacted his client, the EFCC.

    Jacobs told the court that the EFCC expressed its dismay at the attitude of Chief Babalakin in view of assurances given by the senior counsel, Dr. Biodun Layonu(SAN) that he would be produced before the court.

    Jacobs said that his client were surprised about the fact that on November 26, the date on his medical report, Chief Babalakin was with the EFCC in Abuja.

    Jacobs said that it took the commission about one week before it could get the defendant who was allegedly evading arrest and was made to write a statement same day.

    “My Lord, they came with a SAN, Dr. Layonu. Because of the respect they had for the SAN, he was released to him and undertaken given that he would be brought to the EFCC on Wednesday or this morning (Thursday).

     

  • Sambo tasks council on investment

    Sambo tasks council on investment

    For the Honorary International Investment Council (HIIC) to remain relevant, it must review its system so as to come up with new ideas in the quest to attract more investors to Nigeria, the vice president has said.

    To Arc. Namadi Sambo the global competitiveness has made it important for HIIC to be more aggressive in the drive for investments through periodic review of the efforts being made.

    Sambo spoke on Thursday at the opening of the 13th session of the HIIC holding at Berkeley Hotel, Central London.

    The theme of the workshop is:”Enhancing Nigeria’s competitiveness with a bias to performance delivery.”

    The HIIC include prominent investors drawn from around the world to advise the Federal Government on matters relating to the country’s economic development especially on how to attract the much needed foreign investors.

    President Olusegun Obasanjo set up the Council in 2004 with the aim of reducing political corruption so as to make Nigeria a big player in the global economy. It meets twice a year.

    Sambo said there is need for the country to review and come up with new systems that will help it achieve greater success in that direction.

    “After about 10 years, there is need for us to review and come up with new systems so that we will be able to achieve greater success in this direction,” he told the gathering.

     

  • ASUU renews call for varsity autonomy

    ASUU renews call for varsity autonomy

     

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Thursday in Abuja renewed its call for autonomy of Nigerian universities.

    The president of the union, Dr. Nasir Fagge, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the call had become necessary due to interference in the running of the institutions.

    “You will find out that circulars are emanating in most cases from the National Universities Commission, interfering in the day-to-day running of the universities.

    “We are also worried that in some situations, you find the vice chancellor summoned by SMS to come to Abuja for issues when they should be allowed to be administering their universities; so we are worried about that,‘’ he said.

    Fagge said the union’s call for autonomy was also enshrined in the 2009 ASUU/Federal Government agreement.

    According to him, the union believes that Nigerian universities should be allowed to run their administrative structures and come up with their curriculum just like the foreign universities.

    “This will encourage effective learning and research and also promote community service.

    “Recently, we had a case where the Federal Government just woke up one day and dissolved the governing councils of the universities.

    “The union had to protest and we are happy to say that the councils were reinstated, apart from some of the universities.

    “Now we are still struggling to get councils for about four universities to be reinstated.”

    Fagge called for the reinstatement of the governing councils of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile ife; University of Benin, University of Jos and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia.

    He said the universities had been operating without a council since the Federal Government dissolved the boards.

    “Things have become very difficult for our members in those universities because most of the things that required the councils’ consideration have been kept pending.

    “For instance, the issues of appointment and promotion have been put on hold so we have been calling on government to act on this but it has not been addressed yet, ‘’ Fagge told NAN.

     

  • Six remanded for alleged pipeline vandalism, murder

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday ordered that six accused persons be remanded in prison custody after they were docked on allegations of oil pipeline vandalism and murder.

    The accused are facing a seven-count charge bordering on the offences, in connection with the vandalism of an oil pipeline and the murder of three engineers of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation.

    Those charged are Joel Inerepamu (25), Rueben Oluwole (60), John Isaiah (28), Ineye Okposa (40), Timi Gunugunu (22), and Olisa Saheed (25).

    Justice Mohammed Idris ordered their remand, pending trial, following an application made by the prosecutor, Mr. Toyin Ibadin.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that he fixed December 18 for commencement of trial.

    Ibadin had told the court that the accused, on September 5, at about 6p.m., at Arepo, Ogun, conspired to vandalise an NNPC oil pipeline located in the vicinity.

    He alleged that the accused had vandalised the pipeline and scooped out large quantities of petroleum products for illegal sale.

    Ibadin said on sighting engineers assigned to the area from the NNPC, to maintain the pipelines, the accused, who were armed with guns, opened fire.

    He alleged that the engineers were shot dead by the accused.

    According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened sections 3(6), 7(a), 7(b), and 17(a) of the Miscellanous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    He said the also contravened Section 319 of the Criminal Code, Cap C 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    However, all the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges

     

  • Oyerinde: Court orders release of Ugolor, one other

    Oyerinde: Court orders release of Ugolor, one other

    A Benin Chief Magistrates’ Court on Thursday discharged and acquitted human Rights activist, David Ugolor, charged with the murder of Olaitan Oyerinde, Principal Secretary to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

    Also discharged and acquitted for the same offence is Willfred Iserhienrhien, who was charged along with Ugolor.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ugolor and nine others were brought before the court for alleged conspiracy, armed robbery and the murder of Oyerinde at his Ugbor residence on May 4.

    The court had consequently ordered their remand in custody, while waiting for the Director of Public Prosecutions’ advice.

    At the resumed hearing of the case on Thursday, Mr. Afolabi Olayinwola,counsel to Ugolor and Iserhienrhien, told the court that he was in possession of the DPP’s advice dated October 29.

    He said the advice stated that no prima facie case had been made against the accused persons, adding, “and by virtue of that letter, my clients have no case to answer.”

    Chief Magistrate Francis Idiake, who also acknowledged receipt of the DPP’s advice, said that he had taken into consideration the advice in the DPP’s report.

    Idiake said, “There is no prima facie case against the accused persons, it is hereby ordered that the accused persons be released from prison custody unconditionally.”

     

  • ‘FG to reach every child with polio immunization’

    ‘FG to reach every child with polio immunization’

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Muhammad Pate, said the Federal Government had vowed to reach every child with polio immunisation by partnering with traditional rulers and philanthropists.

    Pate said this in Abuja during a roundtable discussion with journalists and executives of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, an NGO, on polio eradication.

    “ There has never been this commitment by the government to eradicate polio in the country, President Goodluck Jonathan sees polio eradication as key to improving health system,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the minister as saying at the forum.

    He said one of the key components of “saving one million lives by 2015” was polio eradication, adding that more than 25 states had not seen polio virus in the last three years.

    Pate said Nigeria would take example from a country like India as it had not recorded any case of polio for the past 22 months.

    He said Indian success story was due to good information system, macro plan, tracking of migrants and ensuring that every new born was captured.

    Pate said the negative perception about the vaccine used as family planning has drastically reduced, adding that in the northern part of the country women network was playing very important role in polio eradication.

    “ The most important thing is that effort is being made to reach every child and I have seen a tremendous process in polio eradication this year.”

    In his speech, Jeff Raikes, Chief Executive officer of the foundation, said eradicating polio in the country was fundamental to reducing other diseases.

    Raikes said the foundation had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kano State government and Dangote foundation to eradicate polio in the country.

    He said the MoU was for three years to improve routine immunisation and primary health care in Kano with a goal of reaching 80 per cent coverage with basic vaccine by 2015.

     

  • Jakande tasks FG on economic growth

    Jakande tasks FG on economic growth

    A former governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, has urged the Federal Government to diversify the economy to reduce Nigeria’s over-dependence on petroleum.

    Jakande told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Wednesday that there was need to develop other sectors to ensure speedy development.

    The former governor, who spoke against the backdrop of plans by the United States to cut down oil imports, stressed the need for government to pursue goals that would favour economic advancement.

    “We are a great country with a large number of people and enormous resources. There are countries that have agricultural resources but not oil resources, some with oil resources but no agriculture.

    “God in his mercies has blessed us with all, it is the duty of our leaders to make the best use of these resources.

    “We have to look after ourselves and it is our duty to spread our tentacles to protect our nation’s interest. Whatever America is doing is in their own interests,” he said.

    According to him, the leaders must rise up to the occasion to develop the economy.

    President Barrack Obama had in 2011 advised the U.S. to cut down its oil imports by one-third over the next decade and encourage internal exploration.

     

  • Ogun suspends 1,024 teachers for certificate forgery

    Ogun suspends 1,024 teachers for certificate forgery

    The Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board has suspended 1,024 teachers for falsification of certificates and other irregularities.

    This is contained in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abeokuta by the Chairman of SUBEB, Chief Mufutau Ajibola.

    According to the statement, the affected teachers are among the 6,531 out of the 19,154 earlier screened in an exercise conducted by a firm of consultants.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that consultants verified the teachers’ claims in the form of statements of result and attestation letters from over 50 higher institutions across the country.

    A final report submitted to the State Government by the CITC Consulting on November 26, indicated that 475 teachers were suspended for possessing forged certificates and not having their attestation letters confirmed by the institutions they presented.

    No fewer than 274 teachers were suspended for not appearing for the screening exercise; 236 for being out rightly unqualified and 12 for exceeding statutory length of service.

    The report also indicated that 11 were suspended for age discrepancies, 14 others were discovered to have died while two of the suspended teachers were considered to be impostors.