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Tag: Abuja

  • Supply shortfall cause of fuel scarcity – Kachikwu

    Supply shortfall cause of fuel scarcity – Kachikwu

    Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, says the major cause of the fuel scarcity currently being witnessed across the country is shortfall in supply of petroleum products.

    Kachikwu, who stated this in a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja, however, said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) was making efforts to ensure that queues at filling stations disappeared in a couple of days.

    “Presently, queues in Lagos have reduced. We know that Lagos, Abuja, Benue, Port Harcourt were among the worst-hit areas.

    “Benue has been dealt with; Port Harcourt is quite moderated. Apart from these areas, other places in the country are probably liquid.

    “The major problem is the gap in terms of volume, because NNPC is the only one importing the product to the country,” he said.

    The minister assured that there was adequate storage facility for imported products, adding that emergency measures were in place to ensure that the products were available during the Yuletide and post-January.

    He said that four vessels laden with petroleum products would “berth in a few days and a total of 20 cargoes are also expected with petroleum products’’.

    Kachikwu said that the NNPC had, as at Wednesday, discharged products at its depots, adding that emergency supply, quick truck delivery and stricter monitoring were measures adopted to ensure that queues disappeared.

    He added that NNPC would use additional trucking to major cities using strategic reserves from Suleja, Minna, Gusau and Gombe.

    This, he said, would help to service Abuja, Kano and Sokoto axis to feed the North-West, North-East.

    “I have asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency to ensure stricter sanctions on any station that refuses to abide by the rules.

    “They need to take a firm action to ensure that we get quick results,’’ he said.

    Kachikwu further assured that the market would be flooded with more products to cushion effects of over-subscription through Kaduna refinery production, adding that Port Harcourt was expected to start producing 2.1 million litres of petrol per day.

    He said that it was expected that with the adopted strategies, the queues would “slide down’’ in one week.

    On long-term strategy, he said that ultimate result would come when the refineries resumed optimal production.

    The minister said that work would commence effectively in the refineries in January.

    Executive Secretary of DPR, Mr Modecai Ladan, said that many sanctions awaited filling stations found compromising the dispensing process, warning that the stations would be shut down or charged N275 per litre.

    He said that any station found hoarding products would either be sealed or its product auctioned or dispensed free-of-charge to consumers.

    Ladan added that depending on the offence, defaulters may be shut down for six months or blacklisted.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a drive round Abuja metropolis and highways revealed that only a few filling stations were opened for operation, serving long queues.

    NAN

  • Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    Restructuring: Northern senators, governors to meet in Katsina

    The Northern Senators’ Forum and the 19 Northern governors would on Monday converge in Katsina for a three-day retreat to deliberate on the agitations for restructuring of the country.

    Chairman of the forum, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, said in Abuja that the retreat would also focus on how to improve the security situation in the country.

    Adamu said that the Forum had written letters of invitation to the 19 governors, leading traditional rulers, top politicians and ex-senators from the region to make presentations at the retreat.

    He said that the gathering would enable the senators, as the peoples’ representatives, to take a common position on restructuring.

    “Northern governors will be attending in solidarity and very eminent traditional rulers, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, will attend.

    Read also: Masari presents N211.4bn appropriation for Katsina

    “Essentially, we will be discussing the impact of budget in the north, the issue of restructuring which is now the main issue in politics.

    “The issue of restructuring that the Senate can develop a position on. It is part of preparing ourselves to face that challenge.

    “The issue of security will also be discussed,” Adamu said.

    He pointed out that as representatives of the people, it would be expected that with the retreat, they would be better educated, better placed to consider issues related to the subject-matter.

    “We will be better prepared to face the matter and legislate and make laws over them for the good governance of Nigeria.

    “We believe we are there to educate ourselves to be better informed, to exchange ideas on the subject matter, because we make laws, we don’t make laws out of ignorance.

    “We have to be better informed on anything we are talking about,” Adamu said.

    He explained that meeting in Katsina was not necessarily because of the economic impact it would have on the city and state or how it would energise Nigeria’s politics, “but for some sort of our presence will make’’.

    “There hasn’t been this retreat over time. We are trying to bring back the culture.

    “It makes us have touch with our bases; people who elected us and feel our pulse, we will relate with them in a better way,” he said.

    NAN

  • Turai Yar’Adua’s N10b Abuja cancer centre abandoned

    Pesidents of Abuja have called for a revamp of the cancer centre project that was championed by former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s wife Turai for health delivery to the vulnerable in the country.

    On July 18, 2009, she assembled the Nigerian rich and government contractors to a fundraising in Abuja, which was also attended by her usually taciturn husband, who was battling some complicated diseases at the time.

    Financial pledges made by the galaxy of guests to actualise her dream amounted to N6.8 billion.

    The International Cancer Centre, (ICC) Abuja was born.

    But since then, apart from the imposing structure on the Umaru Yar’Adua Express Road, the project is now virtually abandoned, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria  (NAN).

    One of the security guards at the ICC, who simply identified himself as Garba confirmed the abandonment.

    He said there had been no activities to actualise the centre, as envisioned by Turai Yar’Adua.

    According to him, Turai came two times in 2016 to the site. She had not been seen around the area since then.

    “We have not seen her this year, but some people often come around to see the progress of the place,” he said.

    Garba said some bandits invaded the ICC last year to disposess them of their valuables, adding that few items belonging to the centre were also stolen..

    He added that some policemen from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had since been deployed to secure the ICC against further attacks.

    “Six of us were employed to secure this place and we do alternate, but because the bandits were fully armed, they overpowered us and beat the security guards.

    The desolate centre was more palpable at a park for scores of tricycles meant to be conveying patients. Weeds have swamped the tricycles.

    Worried by the delay in completing the ICC, one the residents of Abuja, Mr. Gabriel Oluwabunmi, berated those responsible for the abandoned project, adding that such noble idea that could bring relief to the masses, should have been completed without the usual hiccup.

    He called on the authorities to ensure that the project was resuscitated, adding that such cancer centre would help bring succour to those ravaged by the disease and especially those who could not afford to be flown abroad.

    Miss Ngozi Chukwuma, whose relative is suffering from the cancer, called on the Federal Government to ensure the completion of the centre to enable Nigerians who could not afford overseas treatment to patronise it.

    She said such project would go a long way in assuaging the feeling of Nigerians who could not afford the treatment as a result of heavy monetary demand.

    Mrs. Yar’adua had in her speech during the launch of the centre said the whole idea of establishing the cancer centre was conceived out of her desire to contribute her quota to achieving standard healthcare delivery for the vulnerable.

    According to her, the centre would specifically render services to women and children, especially the rural and urban poor.

    When NAN visited the National Hospital Abuja, which is offering an alternative treatment to cancer patients, the staff appeared so overwhelmed with the huge number of cancer patients.

    A cancer patient who craved anonymity called on the Federal Government to assist in revamping the centre, adding that this would go a long way in decongesting the national hospital from cancer patients with special attention.

    Mr. Mohammed Lawal, an Abuja based businessman, called on the government not to abandon the centre, adding that though it was a private initiative; the government could also intervene to revamp it.

    The ICC, according to its promoter, was meant to focus on four types of cancer that account for most deaths in Nigeria: cervical cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer and throat cancer.

  • $68m Novare Mall begins operation in Abuja

    $68m Novare Mall begins operation in Abuja

    Nigeria’s mall segment of the real estate sector has continued to thrive, notwithstanding the supposed downturn in the industry. This position is further buttressed with the investment of $68 million in the development of Novare Gateway Mall in Abuja.

    The mall, from the stable of Novare Real Estate Africa, which is being inaugurated today, is the third of such retail and commercial development in the country, and it is the firm’s largest in Abuja.

    Other malls in Abuja owned by Novare Real Estate Africa include the 8, 267 square metre Novare Apo Mall, located about 18km from Novare Gateway to the southeast of Abuja. Similarly, in Abuja Novare is developing a 12,508-square metre Novare Central Office park- a mix-use centre consisting retail space and A-grade offices.

    Described as a “modern lifestyle centre offering an enticing combination of shops, restaurants and entertainment,” the Novare Gateway Mall sits on 15,000 square metres of space, accommodating 60 stores, and with the capacity to park over 600 cars. There is also provision for a second phase development, which will see another 10,000 square metres added to accommodate 33 more shops.

    Located on main 10-lane highway between the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, and the Central Business District (CBD),  Novare Gateway can be said to be perfectly situated to meet the needs of the growing Abuja community.

    With Shoprite as the anchor, the mall’s tenant mix includes international and local brands, covering fashion and accessories, restaurants, electronics, health and beauty, furniture, home improvement, telecommunication, entertainment, cinemas, as well as banks and ATMs.

    Novare Real Estate Africa Chairman Prof Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), in a chat with The Nation prior to today’s inauguration, said the Novare Gateway Mall “transcends the over $68 million of foreign direct investments and will create over 5,000 jobs through direct and indirect employment from the development stage to completion and commencement of operation.”

    He explained that the investment has shown the firm’s belief in the economy. For him, it is a wise investor that prepares ahead of the market, which he said is exactly what his Group is doing in the Nigerian economy.

    Ajogwu said the inauguration of its third mall in Abuja is a strategic marketing decision considering that some “areas have too many malls servicing them at the expense of some other areas.”

    This strategic marketing positioning of its malls, Ajogwu further revealed, accounted for why its numerous clients go with them wherever they locate their facility. “Our clients (tenants) know we cannot be wrong in our choice of location. They know that we would have done thorough market research before we site our mall anywhere, which they know also translates to good market for their business; this is one reason why they go with us anywhere we go,” he said.

    Novare Real Estate Africa Managing Director, Mr. Jan van Zyl, thanked the firm’s partners and associates in the country for  making the development a reality. Novare, he explained, has built a team with unrivalled expertise in investment management, property development and facility management.

    “Our ability to successfully develop and manage modern retail and commercial facilities is based on a hands-on approach and on-the-ground presence that ensures that we deliver for tenants and investors,” van Zyl said.

    Novare Equity Partners Chief Executive, Mr. Derrick Roper, in a similar vein, expressed satisfaction with the project completion and inauguration. “We’re very proud to have completed Novare Gateway. This is our largest project so far in Abuja, contributing to infrastructure development, sustainable job creation, trade and consumer demand for a modern shopping experience,” he remarked.

    In Lagos, the group developed the 22, 000 square metre Novare Lekki Mall, which commenced trading in August 2016. Novare Lekki was awarded Real Estate Deal of the Year by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) at its 2016 commerce and industry awards last July.

    Novare Equity Partners is the sub-advisor to the group, tasked with sourcing and presenting new development opportunities to the management of the Novare Africa Property Funds. With a strong on-the-ground presence in all countries, where the funds invest, it has managed to source some of the most exciting new development opportunities across the sub-continent.

    Novare Fund Manager is a private equity fund manager, managing investments in the real estate sector, both retail and commercial, exclusively in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa. It manages the Novare Africa Property Fund I and II, domiciled in Mauritius and funded predominantly by South African pension funds. The group has a seven-year track record of successful real estate development in retail and commercial property in sub-Saharan Africa outside of South Africa.

  • ‘Why businesses are leaving Abuja’

    ‘Why businesses are leaving Abuja’

    Firms are leaving the capital city but if the authorities can reduce the taxes, and boost power supply and security, among other measures, investors will reconsider, JIDE BABALOLA writes

    Unnecessary friction between government agencies, corruption and multiple taxation by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) agencies are major discouraging signals for Nigerian and international investors in Abuja, Mr Benson Ezem, an architect, has said.

    According to Ezem, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Architects, whose Cosmobase Nigeria Limited owns investments in hospitality, real estate and other sectors of the economy, it is quite possible for Abuja to adopt a pragmatic plan for change towards attracting more Nigerian and international investors.

    Asserting that an agreeable investment environment can improve Abuja’s chances in competing with Lagos and other states, he stressed that the high rate of youth unemployment that fuels crime can best be addressed by increased private sector investment.

    Among other recommendations, he urges the Federal Government to urgently avert a repeat of the inter-agency friction and confrontation whereby armed men from two agencies threaten a showdown with one another.

    He said, “The EFCC/DSS saga alone sends out very wrong signals abroad, businessmen and countries that are our potential investors are all watching this nation; if there are frictions between two security agencies, that does not send a right signal.

    “How would a potential foreign investor want to go to a place where he is not sure of his security when people naturally feel discouraged about investing in places known for potentially dangerous confrontations or friction?” he asked.

    According to Ezem who is also the proprietor of Jades Hotel in Abuja, the problem of multiple taxation and other charges are big enough to require special government consultation with stakehoders towards redressing various challenges and encouraging more investment in Abuja.

    “We businessman with investment in the hospitality business in Abuja are battling with a complex tax system, from the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) alone, we have almost eight different types of taxes, there is environmental charges from the same office, and you have to pay the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, the Water Board, they give you meter and still they don’t rate you through these meter.

    “All these are strangulating investment and a five-star hotel chain that I wanted to bring to Abuja to help provide more employment and economic multipliers decided not to invest here after assessing the prevailing tax system.

    “I want to ask the Federal Government, the FCT Minister and other relevant authorities to look into these because the industries in Abuja are not many and some of them are already moving out of Abuja to go and invest in other places.

    “It is time they look into these, with the number of people in Abuja, the government alone cannot employ all, we need to attract investors and industrialists here but they are sending us away, telling us to invest in other places.

    “President Buhari and the FCT Minister should invite the stakeholders here and agencies that are responsible for these multiple taxation on businesses to sit together and find solutions that will also help us curb insecurity and increase youth employment in the FCT.

    The issues about ease of doing business is not just about easy online registration of new businesses; is it easy getting an industrial plot of land in Abuja for development, the answer is ‘No’.

    “We applied for an estate land in 2012 but up till now, no land has been given; instead they expect us to buy the one vendors are selling around for up to one billion Naira and you can’t get direct allocation for industrial purpose while there are lots of plots allocated but lying unused in Idu Industrial area.

    “Such allocations were not going into the hands of people that will use them and provide employment; they were going into the hand of politicians and their agents,” Ezem stated.

     

  • Nigeria housing finance conference for Abuja

    A two-day Nigeria Housing Finance Conference with the theme: ”Impact of Housing on National Economic Development” begins tomorrow in Abuja.

    According to Finance Africa, the organisers, the goals of the conference are to evaluate and deepen understanding of existing structures and policies in Nigeria housing finance.

    It will also showcase global best practices and success stories, generate ideas and recommend policy initiatives and action plans for a lasting solution to financing housing deficit in Nigeria especially for people in the low and medium income brackets.

    The conference is also designed to create networking and investment opportunities for housing stakeholders.

    Apart from creating networking and investment opportunities for housing stakeholders, the conference is also expected to provide linkages for investors, financiers, developers, manufacturers of building materials, infrastructure companies, estate managers, risks underwriters and off takers.

  • Naval personnel advised to be physically, mentally fit

    Naval personnel advised to be physically, mentally fit

    The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Ibok Ete-Ibas, has advised naval personnel to ensure that they are fit at all times, being the key to military profession.

    He gave the advice at the fourth route march of the service at Mogadishu Military Cantonment, Abuja, on Saturday.

    Represented by Chief of Administration, Naval Headquarters, Rear Adm. Tariworio Dick, the chief of naval staff said fitness was the main criterion in military as a profession anywhere in the world.

    Read Also: Navy promotes 78 senior officers

    He added that “every personnel should be determined to be fit and healthy.”

    He explained that personnel could only carry out assigned jobs when they were fit.

    He noted that “it is only personnel who are fit that will be available for deployment to carry out assignments anywhere at all times.

    “So, the route march is aimed at keeping personnel fit and available for deployment at any time.

    The naval chief reaffirmed the continued commitment of the service to protect the nation’s maritime domain against crude oil theft and other criminal activities.

  • How Nigeria can compete optimally in global economy – Moghalu

    How Nigeria can compete optimally in global economy – Moghalu

    Former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Deputy Governor and Founder, Institute for Governance and Economic Transformation (IGET), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu, has called on Nigerians to wake up to their responsibilities and utilise the power of their voices and votes to take control of their future.

    Speaking at the Emerging Political Leaders Summit held at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Center, Abuja, Moghalu harped on the need to address the factors making it difficult for the country to compete optimally in the global market.

    Themed Breaking the Economic and Political Status Quo, the summit was organised under the co-chairmanship of Frank Nweke and Senator Yusuf Datti Baba –Ahmed, which was meant to shine the light on the needs of a country, which in the words of Baba Ahmed, “has basked in its own potential and enormous economic potential while its citizenry have been subjected a vicious cycle of misgovernance for several decades.

    Challenging all emerging political leaders in Nigeria to chart a worldview which will serve as its national philosophy, he said “It is time to give Nigerians a sense of self. It is time to define who we are, to determine our direction and how we intend to get there; a sense that compares us to other societies that we started out with. This is the time to renew our minds and for all Nigerians to understand that development is a state of mind and not a transaction”.

    He concluded by calling on Nigerians to utilise the powers of their office as citizens, saying “it is time for vision, technocratic knowledge and competence in political leadership in this country”.

    Other speakers at the event include Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, former sports minister and spokesperson to the All Progressive Congress; Ayisha Osori, columnist, author and Board member of OSIWA, and Senator Babafemi Ojudu, the special assistant to the President on Political Matters.

  • NIPC to partner Niger on development of Tourism, Agriculture

    NIPC to partner Niger on development of Tourism, Agriculture

    The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission ( NIPC ) on Thursday said it would partner the Niger State Government to attract investors into tourism and agricultural sectors of the state

    Ms Yewande Sadiku, the Chief Executive Officer of NIPC, said this when Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger visited the commission in Abuja.

    Sadiku said that the commission would support the state government in profiling investment opportunities that would attract foreign investors to the state.

    According to her, the commission was building a platform for capacity building and profiling investment opportunities; starting with a tool that would help in profiling small and medium scale enterprises (SMES).

    “We are profiling investment opportunities in a way that will be easy to market.

    “By doing this, such profiling will help investors identify specific opportunities. We are happy to work with whatever team you designated first to profile.

    “We have adequate information on different types of profiling that can be used as teasers for our engagement with investors,” she said.

    She noted that the platform would help states with investment projects to market their products.

    Sadiku said that Niger had the potential to feed Nigeria and West Africa if attention were given to key sectors such as infrastructure development in agriculture and tourism.

    She said that the development of infrastructure would help the state close some of the challenges it might face in terms of competitiveness of manufactured goods.

    “Nigeria has three hydro-electric dams located in Niger and power is the foundation for industrial development.

    “Niger is one of the 36 states that is unique due to its proximity to Abuja, this means that the state is already close to the market.
    .
    “We are delighted to work with you in terms of marketing projects and profiling,” she said.

    Earlier, Gov. Bello had solicited the support of the commission in profiling and carrying out feasibility studies on agriculture and tourism sectors in the state to attract global investors.

    He said that the state had structures such as the Baro Port, tourist sites and agriculture potential that had not been adequately harnessed due to lack of proper profiling and feasibility studies.

    “We have tourist sites and agriculture potentials which many investors have shown interest to develop; but we need profiling on these key sectors for foreign investors to know what Niger State can offer them,” he said.

    Bello, however, noted that such potential if properly harnessed would have more impact and generate more revenue and jobs for the people of the state and the country at large.

    NAN

  • AfDB to invest $12bn in power sector in Africa in 4 years – Adesina

    AfDB to invest $12bn in power sector in Africa in 4 years – Adesina

    Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank ( AfDB ), says the bank would invest 12 billion dollars
    in the power sector in Africa in four years with the goal of leveraging on the aviation sector.

    He said this while speaking in Abuja.

    Adesina said the aviation sector was very important to the continent but that it could not operate in the dark.

    He said the sector was very important to Africa because it accounted for about 73 billion dollars in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and created about 7 million jobs across the continent.

    “Without electricity, you really cannot operate any effective and efficient airline industry and so this is one of the top priorities of the bank.

    “We are investing in the power sector 12 billion dollars in the next four years with the goal of leveraging between 45 to 50 million dollars in this sector because I firmly believe that Africa cannot develop in the dark.

    “So we must fast track that and when we have electricity, everything functions, even for the aviation industry and the tourism industry is actually quite linked to the avaiation industry as well.”

    He said the bank had invested over 20 billion dollars on infrastructure in Africa in the last 10 years, specifically one
    billion dollars in the aviation sector.

    Adesina said the bank’s investment in the sector covered building new airports in Ghana, Senegal, Casablanca and building of new infrastructure in Morocco.

    As for Nigeria, he said the government was developing a new aviation sector investment plan, adding that the government was interested in a number of areas.

    “First is we are looking at how to support more investment in airport infrastructure; they are also looking at how to create aircraft maintenance, repair and also overhaul facility.

    “But one of the biggest problems in Africa is we do not have any aircraft leasing facilities and that is one of the things that the government is looking at.

    We are looking at upgrading some of the navigational infrastructure.

    So as a bank, we are very strong supporters of the government.

    “Once the government comes up with its plan and what that really means in terms of the need, then we can play the role that they are asking us to play but we do not make decisions for the government.”

    AfDB is a multilateral development finance institution aimed at fighting poverty and improving the living conditions on the African continent.

    It does this by promoting the investment of public and private capital in projects and programmes that are likely to contribute to the economic and social development of the region.

    NAN