The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dr. Samuel Ortom

  • ‘Upgrade Aper Aku Stadium’

    ‘Upgrade Aper Aku Stadium’

    The Governor of Benue state, Dr Samuel Ortom has appealed to the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung to use his good office to assist the state in the establishment of a national football academy and upgrade the Aper Aku stadium to international standard.

    Ortom stated in an interview that the state lacked such facilities where international activities can take place.
    He said: “We are soliciting that you kindly facilitate our hosting of national and international sports festivals as this will open our state to investors. We propose a partnership with your ministry to host competitions such as schools sports, sports festivals and inter-collegiate competitions. These activities will help in identifying talents, promoting recreation, tourism as well as physical fitness of our young people.”

    In the same vein, Dalung commended the governor for providing good leadership attributes to the people of Benue state despite huge challenges facing the state.
    “I am here to inspect some of your sporting facilities and that of the Federal Government and also to invite your excellency
    to invest more in sports especially those sports like basketball and volleyball which Benue state monopolized back in the days. Benue must come back and take the lead in these two sports so that Nigeria can be represented in these sports internationally.

    The Minister later visited the Macarty stadium which also serves as club house for Lobi Stars, the Aper Aku stadium including the main bowl, the abandoned swimming pool project, dilapidated Tennis and basketball courts, the APC headquarters as well as the NYSC camp at Wannune Benue state.

  • Ortom condemns Gboko violence

    Ortom condemns Gboko violence

    Benue State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Samuel Ortom, has condemned the crisis among rival parties in Tyeku, Gboko Local Government Area, last Saturday.

    A number of people were injured and some property destroyed in the clash.

    Ortom noted that the crisis was unfortunate, as it happened when the leadership of the Mdzough U Tiv and the Prayer Pilgrimage for Peace, convened by Catholic Bishops in Benue State, were asking political leaders to ensure violence-free polls.

    The APC candidate said the leadership of the two dominant political parties in the state – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – Governor Gabriel Suswam and Senate Minority Leader George Akume, had promised peaceful, free and fair elections.

    He said the party leaders spoke last Saturday in Gboko before God, the people of Benue State, in the presence of the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Dr Alfred Torkula and other royal fathers.

    The former minister of state for trade and Investment stressed that the promise was binding on the members and supporters of the two parties and all Benue State residents.

    Ortom said there is need to end hostilities and keep to the terms of the peace deal.

    He urged security agents and law enforcement authorities to identify, arrest and prosecute those culpable to serve as a deterrent to others.

    A statement by Mr Tahav Agerzua, the Media Adviser to Ortom Governorship Organisation, said Ortom sympathised with the victims of the crisis.

    He urged them to leave vengeance to God to judge the matter, instead of resorting to self-help.

     

  • ‘My petitioners are impostors’

    ‘My petitioners are impostors’

    Mr Benson Abounu, the running mate to Benue State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Dr Samuel Ortom, has said party members who petitioned the headquarters for his replacement were impostors.

    He noted that the signatures on the petition were fake.

    Some APC members, under the aegis of APC council Chairmen and Stakeholders, last Saturday protested the nomination of Abounu as running mate to Dr Ortom, the party’s governorship candidate.

    Addressing reporters yesterday at his Makurdi home, Abounu described the petition as self-serving and instigated by someone he said was interested in the office of the deputy governor but lost out.

    He said contrary to the claim by the petitioners that nobody was consulted in Idoma before he was picked as Ortom’s running mate, Abounu said the law stipulated that it is the prerogative of the flag bearer to choose his running mate.

    According to him, Benue State APC went the extra mile to consult with party leaders, including Chief Audu Ogbeh and others.

    Abounu said the party’s Women Leader in Otukpo Local Government Area was Joy Odeh and not Oowoh Okpani, whose signature was on the petition.

    He said: “They are impostors; those who signed the petition. So, the petition lacks merit. Owoh is not the Women Leader; the person is Joy Odeh. The chairman of Otukpo is Abu Eigege; Boniface has since been suspended as chairman.”

  • Minister promises to generate more revenue for projects

    The Supervising Minister of Aviation, Dr Samuel Ortom, has said aviation agencies would continue to generate more revenue to ensure completion of going airport projects.

    Ortom, said in Lagos that generating more revenue had become imperative given the over N174 billion accumulated debt from the third phase of the airports remodeling.

    He said efforts were on to compile a comprehensive report on all ongoing projects to enable the government work out an arrangement to pay the debt and prioritise the implementation of the projects.

    Ortom said the aviation sector would require more funds to fix on-going airport infrastructure.

    He noted that the funding gap in the sector has become wide in view of the various projects that had been embarked on.

    Ortom said the implementation of the aviation master plan is still in place to turn around the aviation sector for enhanced efficiency.

    His words: “  I  will soon come up with a comprehensive report on all the projects going on currently.

    ‘’This further confirms why we have a commitment of N174 billion! Some of the commitments are on projects that have not even started.

    ‘’As we speak, work is going on in other airports. Some have been completed.  Some of the projects have been suspended due to paucity of funds but you will agree that the 2014 budget has been delayed but it has been signed into law by Mr. President and once the funds are released to us, we will make it available to contractors to resume work.

    ‘’We will make sure we complete all the projects that are ongoing but even at that, we have to prioritise to complete those that are close to being completed.”

    On how to address funding challenges in the aviation sector, Ortom said : “ We will programme the projects based on their current level of execution. Though we have funding challenges, through internally generated revenue, we can achieve a lot. We will strive to generate more revenue and plough it back into the system’’.

    He expressed  confidence in the preparedness of the President Jonathan to assist his ministry saying: ‘’We also appeal to Mr. President for more funding and we are confident if there are funds he could assist us with, he would oblige us. He is very committed to the revamping of the aviation sector. He is the initiator of the transformation in the aviation sector and for the first time a president is devoting this much attention to aviation in Nigeria and committed to revamping the entire 22 airports in Nigeria.

    ‘’I want to assure Nigerians that the projects will be completed. The projects are part of the aviation master plan dully approved by the Federal Executive Council.  Every single project that was started in the remodeling plan in the phase one, two and three will be completed.

    “It is a matter of stepping up our revenue generation. We have massive opportunities. If we are able to close gap, we will generate enough revenue in addition to the federal government funding to execute the projects.”

  • Minister: Aviation will contribute N1tr yearly to economy by 2020

    Minister: Aviation will contribute N1tr yearly to economy by 2020

    •’500,000 jobs coming’

    SUPERVISING Minister of Aviation Dr Samuel Ortom has promised to increase the sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from N200 billion to N500 billion next year.
    In an interview in Lagos, he said the sector could increase its yearly contribution to the GDP from N500 billion in 2015 to over N1 trillion in 2020.

    Aviation, Ortom said, could also generate over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.
    He said: “The aviation sector currently contributes about N200 billion annually to the GDP, but the industry can contribute over N500 billion to the GDP annually if developed further by 2015.

    “This is our target in 2015, perhaps by 2020, the aviation sector should be contributing N1 trillion annually to the nation’s economy annually and support well over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs.
    “The aviation road map as you are aware, is a comprehensive blue print on how to transform the Nigerian aviation industry into a modern, viable, profitable and sustainable one.”

    Ortom said: “The roadmap gave birth to the upgrade of all 22 federal airports, building of five brand new modern international terminals to be located in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.
    “Work on the terminals has started and would be completed by 2015. The roadmap also defined the future of perishable cargo terminals in Nigeria.

    “Already, 14 of those terminals are under construction and most of them, if not all, should be inaugurated by 2015.
    “The roadmap also talked about the concept of aerotropolis – a concept that would turn airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt into business hubs, offering world-class services in travel/tourism, entertainment, commerce/industry and lots more.”

    ”We are hoping they would all be ready by 2015, all things being equal. Besides, the five international terminals, just about 15, out of the 22 are still being done. In fact, out of these 15, five are almost ready for commissioning and the remaining 10 maybe ready before December or thereabouts.

    “Work is in progress on the airports and the 14 cargo terminals. I have started inspecting the progress of work done and the facilities across the airports to ensure the airports are delivered on time and to specification.

    “So far, I have visited Enugu and Owerri. I also visited Kaduna and Abuja. I will also be visiting Lagos and some other states where we have projects ongoing in the coming weeks. We are not leaving anything to chance.”

    Ortom said efforts were on to attract investors, adding that an investment strategy through stakeholders engagement had been put in place to attract private sector players.

    Ortom said: “During those intensive engagements, discussion lines on investments areas were opened and we are continuing engagements on that. I maintain, and you can take this to the bank, we are investor-friendly and no rational mind can discredit our sincerity of purpose.
    He said the merger of aviation agencies would reduce overhead costs and financial waste.

    The Federal Government has considered the proposal for the merger as recommended in the White Paper issued after the Steven Oronsaye report as one of the ways to move the industry forward.
    The government, Ortom said, would not embark on the implementation of any policy with adverse effects on the industry.

  • Fed Govt targets 500 foreign investors at Onne oil, gas fair

    Fed Govt targets 500 foreign investors at Onne oil, gas fair

    The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee for this year’s international exhibitors for oil and gas in Onne Free Trade Zone with a target to attract 500 foreign investors.

    The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, who inaugurated the committee, said the exhibition is slated for between October 24 and 26 in Onne, Rivers State.

    He said: “The government’s target is to create 60,000 jobs through Onne Free Trade Zone. The government is concerned about attracting investment into the country, particularly in the oil and gas where we have a comparative advantage.

    “If we attract more investment it will create multiple opportunities for Nigerians in terms of job and wealth creation. We have over 30,000 people working in Onne as a result of the investment in the zone. We are targeting to double the number of job created.

    The oil and gas free zone had contributed significantly to the development of the economy over the years. As the oil and gas industry continues to play dominant role in the Nigerian economy, the free Zone concept would be central and strategic to defining a sustainable transformation of the national economy.

    He noted that since inception, the Onne Oil and Gas free Zone had made tremendous and sustained progress in foreign direct investment (FDI), revenue generation, technology transfer employment and wealth creation.

    The Chairman, Organising Technical Committee of the forum, Mr Chubuisi Onyebuere, said the committee intended to mobilise over 500 investors operating in the zone, as well as investors from all over the world. We are expanding the available space for exhibition by about 30 per cent, he added.

     

  • Fed Govt, SON others launch ‘zero tolerance for substandard products’

    Fed Govt, SON others launch ‘zero tolerance for substandard products’

    The Federal Government has drawn the attention of the public to the implications of substandard products on the economy.

    The Minister of State for Industry, Trade & Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, said the loss in human and material form should be of great concern to all.

    He spoke at a forum organised by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)  in collaboration with the Lagos State Government, and others in Lagos on Sandcrete Block.

    He regretted that in spite of improvement in technology advances, the nation in recent times, has witnessed building failures.

    He said: “Worthy of note is that most of the collapsed buildings are either recently built, or still under construction which underscores the fact that the nation has a lot to do in quality assurance, both in production processes and the application of relevant specifications in applicable standards.”

    He said the Ministry launched the campaign to sanitise the building sector from the stage of material manufacturing to its application in building production.

    He confirmed programmes put in place by SON to promote the manufacturure and distribution of quality products in Nigeria, such as the Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP) for all local goods.

    Ortom said operators in the Sandcrete Block moulding  sector, will not be allowed to operate in all the states unless they adhere to the provisions of MANCAP programme and certification.

  • Nigeria ranks 26th in oil palm production-Ortom

    Nigeria ranks 26th in oil palm production-Ortom

    The Minister of State for Industry Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom, has said that Nigeria ranks 26th in the world production of palm oil and hardly satisfies her domestic demand.

    He made the statement during the stakeholders meeting towards the successful hosting of the 1st International Palm Produce Conference (IPPC) held at the weekend in the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja.

    In his address read by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Dauda Kigbu, Dr. Ortom said that the inability of meeting local demand in palm oil production was a clear indication that the fortunes of the Palm Oil Sub-Sector have declined significantly.In his word, “It is in this regard, that the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) in collaboration with my ministry proposed to organise a conference to serve as a platform for interaction with stakeholders in the oil palm industry globally to review and widen contacts as well as foster development al strategies to address the entire Oil Palm value- chain with stakeholders in order to resuscitate the lost glory of the oil palm industry in Nigeria.

    Ortom said the conference was coming at a time the ministry was setting building blocks in the transformation of the oil palm industry as a catalyst for economic development and prosperity.

    “It is also timely, as the forum intends to send strong signals to investors/stakeholders of existing opportunities in the palm oil industry in Africa with participation of more than 40 countries worldwide:.

    He reassured the stakeholders that the ministry will continue to put in place policies that are needed to facilitate a rapid development of the commodities sector along the value chain in order to restore the lost glory of palm oil industry.

    Ortom urged the stakeholders, government agencies, corporate bodies and others to contribute generally towards the success of this historic occasion which will open up new investment opportunities and a roadmap for tackling the challenges facing the development of the oil palm industry in Nigeria.

    In his remarks, Director, Commodities and Produce Inspectorate, Mr. Joseph Apanishile, charged stakeholders to be committed to the hosting of the international conference which will serve as an avenue to attract investments from the large turnout of investors.

    He recalled that Nigeria was before 1965 the world’s largest producer of palm produce but has ceased to contribute to the world’s export of the commodity since 1974 except palm kernel.

    Earlier, the President, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria, Engr. Henry Olatujoye, had pointed out that the ministry has built a robust support for the association for the development value chain in the sector.

    According to him, “Palm produce is a business in 24 states of the federation. We cannot say we have had a synergy of relationship in the area of cooperation within ourselves to promote and drive the value chain in the sector and we in the private sector were apart. This conference is majorly to bring us together to contribute to the process of policy development by government.”

    He noted that Nigeria produces 1.2 million metric tones which were consumed locally with local shortage of 700,000 metric tones and participation in this conference, he said would enable them to exchange ideas and experience to meet local demand.