The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ASCON

  • Community joins DPR in ASCON Oil’s suit

    Community joins DPR in ASCON Oil’s suit

    Some residents of Lekki Phase 1 in Lagos have joined the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in a suit filed at the Lagos High Court to stop ASCON Oil from building an ultra modern petrol filling station on Block 36, Plot 10 Admiralty Way, Lekki Peninsula.

    The plaintiffs, Chief Rasheed Williams, Chief Kayode Aderinokun,  Alhaji Useni, Mr. Malachy Ezeoke, Mrs. Ogunmokun and Mr. Olajide Kuti said DPR, which allegedly gave ASCON Oil approval to build, did not take into consideration the interests of the residents before the Environmental Impacts Assessments (EIA) were conducted.

    They claimed they were not aware of any EIA carried out or produced on the land by the ASCON Oil before it applied for requisite development permit and approval for the construction of the petrol station.

    They also said there were no time residents were given opportunity to make inputs on the EIA of the petrol station project adding that the assessment was not subjected to public review.

    These responsibilities of DPR, they said, involve monitoring of operations at drilling sites, storage depots, pump stations, retail outlets, any other locations where petroleum is either stored or sold.

    The residents also said DPR has the power to issue permits, licences, and approvals for all activities connected with petroleum exploration and exploitation, storage, marketing, transportation and distribution across the entire oil and gas value chain.

    “In view of the above position and obligations of the DPR, it has become expedient that it be joined as a party to the instant suit to enable the court completely adjudicate and settle all the issues raised in the suit on the propriety or otherwise of the situation of the petrol station,” they averred.

    But other residents insisted that the community needs the petrol station because of the developmental and job creation benefits that will come with it. “The unemployment rate in the country is over 30 per cent and any project that will take the unemployed out of the streets should be encouraged,” Chinedu Okafor, a resident said.

  • Lagos community bickers over ASCON’s filling station

    Lagos community bickers over ASCON’s filling station

    Apetrol station being constructed by an independent oil marketing firm, ASCON Oil, on Admiralty Way in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, is generating mixed reactions from residents of the estate.

    The project sited on Block 36, Plot 10 Admiralty Way, Lekki, has pitted members of the community against one another. The matter has gone to a Lagos High Court presided over by Justice Kazeem Alogba.

    Five residents of the estate: Rasheed Williams, Kayode Aderinokun, Alhaji Useni, Malachy Ezeoke, Mrs. Ogunmokun and Olujide Kuti have asked the court to stop the work.

    They feel the filling station when completed, will cause traffic congestion in the area, especially during fuel scarcity. They also feel it could compromise their safety because of the risks of fire outbreak. The residents are also afraid that the project may expose them to armed robbers who may target the sales from the station and by extension other neighbours.

    They averred that the petrol station would threaten their lives, health and property in the form of pollution.

    But, other residents, acting under the aegis of Concerned Residents of Lekki Phase 1 Estate, have contrary opinions. According to them, the initiative will accelerate urbanisation of the area.

    Its Chairman, Biyi Olumegbon, dismissed fears of congestion, adding that with the project’s selling points, it will not.

    “We are not interested in the firm that owns or operates the filling station. We believe that it will increase commercial activities along Admiralty Way. The establishment of a petrol station to cater for residents is a welcome development and long overdue.

    “ASCON Oil service station told us and our independent investigation showed that there is going to be four double nozzle pumps capable of handling eight cars a time. It is also going to be built on 340 square-metre piece of land. This model of filling station is usually reserved for high traffic stations built on highways like the Lekki Expressway. In addition, about 50 cars can be in the station at any given time. With such operating space it will be rare for traffic to spill over into the major road during normal operations, because they will be using a model that can handle smooth traffic flow for cars on highway,” Olumegbon added.

    Secretary of the group, Patrick Aimiuwa, said the residents of Lekki and adjoining communities in Eti Osa Local Government will benefit from the filling station when completed, adding that the construction was approved by the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other relevant government agencies down to the local government level.

    He said: “We would have taken side with those clamouring that the filling station be stopped if the construction had not been approved by the relevant government.

    “Are they saying that the Department of Physical Planning Permit Authority that gave the permit in the first place are incompetent or does not know there onions? Or are they saying that they love the state more than the Commissioner of Physical Planning and Urban Development whose purview it is to ensure proper physical planning in the state?

    “Our neighbours in Lekki Phase 1 Estate that are up in arms against the plan to build and operate a mega filling station in the area are few and do not represent the interests of the generality of residents of the estate. As a matter of fact, their activities borders on campaign of calumny calculated to arrest the rapid urbanisation going on in that axis of Lagos.”

     

     

     

    He stated.

    He stated further that the claim by the few residents that the filling station poses fire outbreak risk is spurious and falls flat on the face of logic. As matter stands, whether the fillings station project will see the light of day or not now rests with the courts. This is more so as two cases are now in different courts awaiting adjudication. The first by a section of residents who are opposed to the filling station project led by Rasheed Williams on one hand and the second that was instituted by promoters of the petrol filling station project.

     

     

  • Residents sue ASCON over filling station

    Residents sue ASCON over filling station

    •‘It’s abuse of court process’

    Residents of Lekki Phase One  have gone to a Lagos High Court,  to stop ASCON Oil Company Limited from building a petrol station in the area.

    They are praying for an interlocutory injunction against the firm.

    In a motion brought before Justice Kazeem Alogba, the claimants, Rasheed Williams, Kayode Aderinokun, Alhaji Useni, Malachy Ezeoke, Mrs. Ogunmokun and Olujide Kuti, are praying the court to mandate ASCON to stop work on Block 36, Plot 10, Lekki Peninsula Scheme I in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority and the Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development are other defendants.

    In their statement of claim, the claimants through their lawyer, Osaro Eghobamien (SAN)said the petrol station will pose a great environmental danger to the residents.

    They argued that, despite protests by residents, ASCON has fast-tracked work on the property based on a development permit purportedly obtained from the Ministry of Physical Planning.

    “The first defendant has intensified the construction of the petrol station both day and night with a view towards completing same and commencing operation of the station in a bid to frustrate any opposition to the petrol station.

    “It is the claimants’ contention that the construction and operation of the petrol station on the particular land have serious environmental impacts which cannot be adequately mitigated.

    “The environmental consequences of the situation of the petrol station on the land in issue range from environmental degradation, pollution, fire outbreaks and explosions, health hazards, huge traffic congestion and increased insecurity,“ they argued.

    According to them, an environmental impact assessment ought to have been carried out on the land before the development permit was granted by the authorities for the construction of the petrol station, with a comprehensive report produced to the same effect.

    In its notice of preliminary objection to the claimants’ suit, ASCON said the suit was premature, adding that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the matter, because it is an administrative issue.

    ASCON averred that the case was an abuse of court process since another suit it instituted against the claimants was pending before the same court, urging the court to strike out the matter.

    “There is a strong likelihood of judicial embarrassment if the action in this suit is allowed to co-exist with the action in Suit No: M/83/13.

    “In the premises, the instant action constitutes a gross abuse of judicial process which this Honourable Court lacks jurisdiction to entertain,” the firm stated.

  • ASCON re-strategises at retreat

    ASCON re-strategises at retreat

    The Director-General, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Mr Ajibade Peters, has said the institute plans to be more creative in the ongoing year and achieve its goals despite modest resources from the Federal Government.

    Peters spoke at the Top Management Committee (TOMAC) retreat held at the college’s Badagry premises.

    The retreat had in attendance top members of the faculty and non teaching staff who examined the college’s programmes to identify areas of defects and proffer new ideas to attract more funding, design new programmes and improve curriculum of existing ones.

    Peters said the college hopes to be more aggressive in its training mandate especially in view of government’s decision to restrict training for top civil servants within the country.

    “As a MDI (Management Development Institute), we are looking for better ways of doing our jobs. How can we achieve greater things with little means? We are also conscious of the fact that budget are going down so how can we do better than we have been doing before? And we have put that one in a five- year development plan.

    “Before we just jump into a plan, we should look at how well we have been doing in the previous time. And I want to say we have been doing very well, we want to thank God and the Presidency through the instrumentality of the Head of Service. Every Head of Service have been looking at how ASCON will do better and that is why we are here.”

    “Yes! There are new thing we are going to bring in. I cannot talk of the new things now until we have all looked at it and agreed and there are some that I have even written proposals on them to the board chairman.

    “The Head of Service has announced that training of public servant would no longer be done oversees, that is a big challenge to us. The Head of Service has approached Mr. President that we get the land which was temporarily ceded to Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2006 and for which NIMASA did nothing for seven good years.

    “Mr. President has now approved that we have the land back now. So when you have such resources, you should not sit down and say you will continue to do things the way we have been doing it; so we must devise ways utilising this opportunities to break even with the areas that we felt one should not penetrate. We should now develop cutting edge programmes.

     

  • HoS praises ASCON for fulfilling mandate

    .HoS praises ASCON for fulfilling mandate

    The Head of the civil Service of the federation Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, has praised the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Topo Badagry Lagos for living up to its mandate of providing ‘human capacity development needs of the public service’. He said the Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration which the college started in partnership with the University of Lagos (UNILAG) in 1980, has further strengthened the civil service in carrying out government policies for national development.

    Aji spoke at the inauguration of ASCON Governing Board/combined graduation of the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 sets of the Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration (PGDPA) at the college auditorium last Thursday.

    Giving a background to the PGDPA, Aji recalled the Act that established the college which restricted its activities between 1978 and 1985 to public service alone in order to enable it cope with its human capacity development needs, a situation he added, motivated the college to come up with PGDPA in partnership with UNILAG.

    With the 121 graduands on Thursday, the figure of those that have so far graduated from the programme now stands at 1, 553, Goni added.

    “I must state categorically that the partnership with the academia and people with diverse experiences from the public service in the conduct of this programme has accorded ASCON the credibility of producing graduands of such high quality that would have a positive impact on governance in Nigeria.

    “It is our belief that the PGDPA programme from which participants are graduating today has In no small measure, ensured the production of a crop of public officers with the skills, and attitude required to drive the transformation agenda to greater success. It is also my belief that the graduands of today have received adequate technical training in public administration; and because this training is coming from ASCON, you would have as well been polished in character and refined in attitude for the onerous task ahead.”

    “Itransformation agenda rests squarely with public service and public servants. I have no doubt that ASCON and the University of Lagos are doing everything to constantly update the PGDPA for greater service.”

    For the college Director-General Mr Ajibade Peters, it was appreciation time for governors, traditional rules, colleagues, the college governing board, individuals and other partners for their support for the 41-year-old college. According to Peters, special thanks go the governors of Lagos, Ekiti Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, and Niger states for constantly sponsoring their civil servants for training in the college.

    Peters thanked Bauchi, Niger and Rivers states for further providing spaces for ASCON which the college has since converted to its zonal offices. The best Graduating Student for the 2012/2013 set Babatunde Adeyemi Odunlami told The Nation he owes his success to God, hardwork and the academic environment ASCON provided.

    Odunlami, who made a distinction, said: “I stayed permanently in the college premises for my programme. Here we have 24 hours power supply so I have enough time to study. The proximity to the classrooms is also there. I am also focused.”

    “Above all, it has been the hand of God. When I first came I said: ‘God I want to pass my programme in flying colours. Later I said: ‘God I want to be the Best Graduating Student and He granted it.

     

     

  • ASCON PG students graduate

    The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) will today hold graduation for her second set of postgraduate diploma students.

    The event holds 10am at ASCON auditorium.

    It will be presided by the institute’s Director-General Mr Ajibade Peters.

    Three years ago the institute, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) to run a postgraduate diploma (PDG) in Public Administration.

     

  • ASCON boss urges students to apply training

    STUDENTS in in-service training have been urged to put their training to use in their work place.

    The Director-General, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Mr Ajibade Peters, gave the advice at the graduation of 79 participants for Third Regular Course of the institution in Badagry, Lagos.

    He was represented at the event by the college’s Director of Programmes, Mrs Cecelia Gaya.

    He said: “In the past, I have had cause to remind graduating participants on occasional like this that one of the major challenges participants face after the completion of their programmes is to make deliberate effort to transfer their learning to the work to improve their performance and that of the sponsoring organisations. If they can’t make these efforts, two things will happen; they would lose the opportunity to add value to their organisation and at the same time, lose what they have learned. I therefore urge you to make every effort to put whatever knowledge, skills, insights and ideas that you have acquired from your courses to use for the benefit of your organisation and the country at large.”

    Peters noted that Nigeria faces a lot of challenges. He stressed the government’s determination in a three-pronged agenda, namely, strong inclusive and non-inflammatory growth with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 11.7 per cent; employment generation and poverty alleviation; as well as value re-orientation of the citizenry.

    “As public servants occupying the ‘engine room’ of government’s machinery, we have a very critical role to play, individually and collectively, in the transformation of our dear country. Indeed, as the principal and central organ responsible for the formulation and implementation of government policy, plans, programmes and projects, the success of the transformation agenda rests squarely with the public service and public servants.

    However, for the public servants to provide the requisite support and assistance to government to successfully realise the results of the transformation agenda, it must attain a high level of organisational efficiency and effectiveness with a ‘critical mass’ of highly professional, result-oriented, ethical and accountable public servants. This means that the public service itself needs to be transformed,” he added.

    Two of the participants Mr Babangida Muhammad Akuyan and Mrs Udenze Iheaku Udeaku, both shared their experiences with The Nation.

    While Akuyan is the Operations Manager, Community and Social Development Agency, Bauchi State, Mrs Udeaku is a Public Operations Manager of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Apapa, Lagos.

    “I studied Conflicts and Management Resolutions, he said, adding: “I found the course more interesting because I was made to realise during the course that conflicts is inevitable to mankind. It’s a daily occurrence in organisations and homes. So therefore, one must learn to manage it if it cannot be totally eradicated.”

    For Udeaku, her experience during the field trip, which formed a part of their programme, would remain unforgettable.

     

    “It was heavily raining that day, Udeaku recalled, “we thought we couldn’t do it, but we were encouraged to embark on it despite the downpour. We went to market Road in Badagry and spoke with some entrepreneurs. We interacted with representatives of the Ministry of Works. In the end, it was a successful undertaking.”

    Declaring participants as ‘Asconians’ earlier, Peters admonished them to identify with any ASCON alumni centre closest to their duty posts.

  • ASCON boss urges students to apply training

    STUDENTS in in-service training have been urged to put their training to use in their work place.

    The Director-General, Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Mr Ajibade Peters, gave the advice at the graduation of 79 participants for Third Regular Course of the institution in Badagry, Lagos.

    He was represented at the event by the college’s Director of Programmes, Mrs Cecelia Gaya.

    He said: “In the past, I have had cause to remind graduating participants on occasional like this that one of the major challenges participants face after the completion of their programmes is to make deliberate effort to transfer their learning to the work to improve their performance and that of the sponsoring organisations. If they can’t make these efforts, two things will happen; they would lose the opportunity to add value to their organisation and at the same time, lose what they have learned. I therefore urge you to make every effort to put whatever knowledge, skills, insights and ideas that you have acquired from your courses to use for the benefit of your organisation and the country at large.”

    Peters noted that Nigeria faces a lot of challenges. He stressed the government’s determination in a three-pronged agenda, namely, strong inclusive and non-inflammatory growth with Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 11.7 per cent; employment generation and poverty alleviation; as well as value re-orientation of the citizenry.

    “As public servants occupying the ‘engine room’ of government’s machinery, we have a very critical role to play, individually and collectively, in the transformation of our dear country. Indeed, as the principal and central organ responsible for the formulation and implementation of government policy, plans, programmes and projects, the success of the transformation agenda rests squarely with the public service and public servants.

    However, for the public servants to provide the requisite support and assistance to government to successfully realise the results of the transformation agenda, it must attain a high level of organisational efficiency and effectiveness with a ‘critical mass’ of highly professional, result-oriented, ethical and accountable public servants. This means that the public service itself needs to be transformed,” he added.

    Two of the participants Mr Babangida Muhammad Akuyan and Mrs Udenze Iheaku Udeaku, both shared their experiences with The Nation.

    While Akuyan is the Operations Manager, Community and Social Development Agency, Bauchi State, Mrs Udeaku is a Public Operations Manager of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Apapa, Lagos.

    “I studied Conflicts and Management Resolutions, he said, adding: “I found the course more interesting because I was made to realise during the course that conflicts is inevitable to mankind. It’s a daily occurrence in organisations and homes. So therefore, one must learn to manage it if it cannot be totally eradicated.”

    For Udeaku, her experience during the field trip, which formed a part of their programme, would remain unforgettable.

     

     

    “It was heavily raining that day, Udeaku recalled, “we thought we couldn’t do it, but we were encouraged to embark on it despite the downpour. We went to market Road in Badagry and spoke with some entrepreneurs. We interacted with representatives of the Ministry of Works. In the end, it was a successful undertaking.”

    Declaring participants as ‘Asconians’ earlier, Peters admonished them to identify with any ASCON alumni centre closest to their duty posts.

  • Education, training key to growth, says ASCON chief

    For any human capacity development to be successful, education and training are twin indispensable factors, says ASCON Director-General Mr Ajibade Peters.

    While education equips individuals to cope with life’s challenges, training on the other hand, makes an employee more efficient and productive in the performance of his or her duty, Peters added.

    “This captures essentially the major functions of Management Development Institutes (MDIs) such as ASCON,” said Peters. “In fact, it has been said in certain quarters that the training institutions have been set up to fill the gaps left by universities in terms of skills and competencies which people require to perform specific tasks in the work environment.”

    Addressing the 98 graduands at the end of the regular course of the college on Thursday last week, Peters urged them to realise that the world is fast drifting towards knowledge economy, noting that the only way to guarantee better result is via capacity development which he says, drives the entire process.

    “We (ASCON) are to make meaningful contributions towards the attainment of government’s transformation agenda. Herein lies our pride in ASCON-the ability of the participants to successfully undergo the rigours of the courses these past two weeks is a testimony of the participants’ preparedness for the challenges ahead.

    The gains of the training, according to Peters, include, among other things; improved employee performance and productivity; reduction in accidents and wastages; motivated and happy staff; shorter jobs learning period and the reduced costs that follow; reduce conflicts and stress in work environment; positive work culture; and improved quality of services leading to greater customer satisfaction.

    “The above benefits to individuals and their organisations will certainly translate into more effective and efficient service delivery. Some of the drivers and elements of effective service delivery are responsiveness, accessibility, timeliness, empathy, professionalism and reliability. With skilled, knowledgeable, motivated and satisfied personnel who have cultivated the right attitude to work performed in an organisational and cultural setting, a nation or organisation will already be on the path to effective service delivery and a happy citizenry customers. This is the way for effective transformation.”

    Some of the graduands however lauded the college. One of them, Mrs Rose Eneji Head of Local Government Cross River State, described her experience as ‘wonderful’.

    “This is my first time here, Eneji said, “and everything works including power and water. The resource persons are simply competent; lectures are timely and they showed high level of understanding to us as adult learners. I now have broader knowledge and more sharpened skills in human resources management; and with this, I intend to improve the system when I’m back at my duty post.”

    Assistant Director Administration, Public Complaints Commission Kaduna State Mr Bawa Agan, spoke of what he would be taking home.

    “I am the head of the training unit. I am the type that is usually shy when addressing the crowd. Now this training has given me the prerequisite skills for self confidence. Aside, I can also present well on any given topics.”