The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ghana

  • No Nigerian died in Ghana protest – FG

    No Nigerian died in Ghana protest – FG

    The Federal Government has said that no Nigerian died during the Aug. 20 protest by Ghanaian.

    Ghanaian were protesting over an alleged stabbing of a Ghanaian man by a Nigerian in Accra Region on Aug 18.

    According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, the reports which claimed that five Nigerians were killed the protest was not true.

    The ministry however said that some Nigerians sustained injuries and properties were damaged.

    “There was no death recorded of any Nigerian national as the result of the alleged incident, the Nigerian is still protective custody of the police in Ghana,” the ministry stated.

    The ministry urged Nigerians to be law abiding and should desist from actions that would tarnish the image of the country.

    The ministry gave the assurance that Nigeria would continue to cooperate with the Ghanaian authorities.

    The ministry had explained that a report from the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana indicated that a Nigerian lodged a complaint at the police station about a deceased Ghanaian, regarding a theft in his residence.

    The ministry said:“While investigations were ongoing, the deceased Ghanaian had crept into the Nigerian’s apartment and attacked him for reporting the case to the police.

    “However, the deceased Ghanaian was overpowered by the Nigerian who in self defence stabbed him on the head and the Nigerian was subsequently placed in protective custody by the Ghanaian police,” it stated.

    The ministry said that the report from the high commission stated that when the news however filtered into the streets of Accra that a Ghanaian had been killed by a Nigerian it led to a riot.

    The ministry stated that the High Commission ascertained the circumstances of the alleged attack and the latest reports from the Mission indicated that the Ghanaian Police intervened promptly.

  • Badminton: 11 countries for 3rd Lagos Badminton Classics – Chairman

    Badminton: 11 countries for 3rd Lagos Badminton Classics – Chairman

    The Lagos State Badminton Association (LSBA) has said that 11 countries would feature in the 3rd Lagos International Badminton classics from July 26 to July 29 at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

    The association’s chairman, Francis Orbih, told a news conference on Thursday that the Gov. Akinwunmi ambode has also increased the tournament’s prize money to 20,000 dollars.

    With the increase, the competition becomes biggest ever to be staged in Lagos and in Africa.

    “A total of 20,000 dollars have been set aside as the total prize money for the entire competition.

    “The competition will also have Nigeria’s best players compete among quality international ranked players and get a chance to be ranked as well,’’ Orbih said.

    According to Orbih, the international athletes will Israel’s Misha Zilberman who is ranked 68 in the world.

    Others will come from Sri Lanka, Portugal, Republic of Benin, Egypt, Italy, Cameroon, Uganda, India and Ghana.

    He said that Nigeria’s Habib Temitope ranked number 512 in the world will lead the challenge by the national players.

    Meanwhile, Deji Tinubu, the Chairman, Lagos State Sports Commission, has extolled the brilliance and the dedication of the LBSA as one of the best associations working hard.

    Tinubu said the association would always get the backing of the sports commission to carry out their objectives because over the years, it had shown commitment in developing youths through badminton.

    “It is good to know that the classics are back and I want to agree that it is indeed back for good.

    “We at the sports commission are happy about how the LSBA has carried itself and the sport’s fans,’’ he said adding that the governor remained an ardent fan of the game.

    “This is why we have once again partnered this edition and also gone ahead to raise the prize money.

    “We hope at the end of the tournament that Nigerian youths can gain from the international players in the areas of mentoring and maintaining a good relationship,’’ Tinubu said.

    The winner of the Men and Women’s Singles will earn 2,000 dollars each, while the second place winners get 1,500 dollars and the second runners-up 650 dollars each.

    The doubles and mixed doubles winners will get 725 dollars each, while the runners-up and the second runners-up take 400 dollars and 175 dollars respectively.

    He noted that the prize monies would be given as directed by the International BVadminton Federation.

  • NIS repatriates 450 illegal immigrants from Edo

    NIS repatriates 450 illegal immigrants from Edo

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) on Tuesday, said it arrested and repatriated no fewer than 450 illegal immigrants from Edo in the first quarter of the year.

    Comptroller of Immigration in the state, Mr David Adi, disclosed this at the presentation of a refurbished Hilux van by the Management of Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc to the command, in Benin.

    Adi said that those repatriated were mainly from Niger Republic, Mali and Ghana, adding that they were “irregular immigrants’’ and security risks to the country.

    He said that the affected foreigners had no regular travel documents and credible means of livelihood.

    Adi commended Okomu Oil Palm Company for the vehicle, saying that the gesture would help the command in achieving its statutory duties.

    He said that the success of the raid on illegal aliens’ domain was attributable to logistics support by some companies, including Okomu Oil Palm Company, in the state.

    “The company had sunk a borehole at our outpost station at Iguobazuwa in Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo.

    “The command additionally requested for the company’s assistance in refurbishing the van and the managing director agreed.

    “We appreciate the long-standing relationship between the company and the command.

    “I will definitely pass on this gesture to the Comptroller-General of Immigration Service and I hope other stakeholders will emulate this good gesture,’’ he said.

    Earlier, the Managing Director, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, Dr Graham Heifer, had said that the gesture was the company’s way of fulfilling part of its corporate social responsibility to NIS to enhance its operational efficiency.

    “Immigration service has always assisted us in the area of educating our expatriates to ensure that they do the right thing with regard to immigration laws,’’ Heifer said.

    According to him, we have 15 expatriates from countries such as South Africa, Kenya and America in our company.

    “We ensured they came into the country following approved protocol.

    “It is our obligation as part of our corporate social responsibility, to assist Immigration Service to enhance its operational efficiency.

    “Our company hopes that this refurbished van will improve the service’s operational efficiency,’’ he said.

  • Nigerian firm forms football club in South Africa

    Nigerian firm forms football club in South Africa

    A Nigerian firm based in South Africa, Soldee Group, has formed an amateur football club in that country.

    Doris Solarin, a Director in the firm, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pretoria, South Africa on Friday, that the club, Soldee FC, was formed in 2016.
    The director, however, said that the club had not been registered with the South African Football Association (SAFA).

    “The Soldee FC is an amateur aside that gives room for youths who have skills to play football.

    “The aim is to prepare such players who want to advance their careers in football. Soldee FC is the stepping stone for such talents and we can comfortably say that the team is doing well,” she said.

    Solarin said the players are from different African countries, including South Africans, who want to earn a living through the game.

    “We have players from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and other African countries in the team.

    “We also have a coach who is in charge of the team. They train regularly and are based in Pretoria,” she said.

    The director said that the players would be groomed to get the opportunity of playing for any South African team.

    “For such players who migrated from different African countries, it will be difficult to make it to top flight football in South Africa.
    “We intend to use Soldee FC to groom them and create that opportunity to get good clubs,” she said.

    Solarin also said the club was in the process of being registered with SAFA.

    “We are in the process of registering the club. We want to be sure that we have the right set of people with the necessary qualities and skills and we want to groom them to certain level,” she added.

  • Nigeria set to displace Ghana as top yam exporter, says minister

    Nigeria set to displace Ghana as top yam exporter, says minister

    The Federal Government is strategising to surpass Ghana in the export of yam to Europe and other continents, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Audu Ogbeh has said.

    He spoke when he received the Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme in Abuja.

    Ogbeh said the programme, to be flagged off on June 29, would enable the country earn foreign exchange from agricultural produce to substitute the oil and gas sector.

    According to him, Ghana is exporting yams but we are not, yet we account for 61 per cent of the world yam production.

    “This programme has to succeed; we must sell whatever we produce to the world because we are buying too much. We allowed ourselves to be deceived.

    “I saw the figures of Ghana’s earning from yam export and their targets for the future and it was quite impressive.

    “If Ghana can aim at a few billion dollars a year from yams, there is no reason why Nigeria cannot quadruple that.

    “I want this committee to begin to engage team of engineers anywhere in the world. Can we design a plough that can make the yam heap?

    “We have to mechanise heap making otherwise, in the next five years, because of our aging farmers, you will find out that we do not have yams again and we will get into fresh troubles,’’ he said.

    According to him, the Federal Government is targeting about eight billion dollars as annual foreign exchange from the export of yams to other countries, if its yam export programme succeeds.

    Committee chairmanProf. Simon Irtwangesaid the committee was working with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to train farmers and also improve some yam varieties.

    The chairman said the committee had prepared a four-year action plan for the yam value chain programme.

    He solicited for better funding for the committee, which was private sector-led, to start the programme.

    “We have standards that we are following and they have to do with pytho-sanitary requirements to meet international standards.

    “We have combined the standards of Ghana and Nigeria to make sure our yams are not rejected at the international markets,’’ he said.

    Mrs. Elizabeth Nwankwo, a yam exporter, representing Oklan Best Ltd, listed some challenges experienced by exporters to include inadequate transportation and lack of quality seedlings.

     

     

  • Cooperation among West Africa police ensured Evans’ arrest – Idris

    Cooperation among West Africa police ensured Evans’ arrest – Idris

    The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has attributed the arrest of Chukwujeme Onwamadike, the suspected kidnapper popularly known as Evans, to information sharing and intelligence cooperation among police services in West Africa.

    “Information sharing is crucial to tackling the menace of trans-border crimes in West Africa; it is through such exchange that we were able to nab a Ghanaian/Nigerian kidnapper two weeks ago, after evading arrest for many years,” Idris said on Wednesday.

    Idris spoke in Accra, Ghana in a paper titled: “The role of Nigeria Police in national security and its contributions in West Africa”, delivered at an ongoing West Africa international security conference.

    The paper was sent, via email, to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia.

    “For several years, Evans terrorised Nigerians and nationals of many countries across West Africa. Efforts to apprehend him did not yield the desired results until we spread our search net wider”, he said.

    The police chief, who solicited closer ties among security agencies in the sub-region, emphasised the need to improve the method of monitoring and surveillance, particularly among border and coastal police units.

    Idris called for improved communication capabilities among intelligence gathering outfits in West Africa, and called for mutual support to plug loopholes usually exploited by criminals.

    He said that the Nigeria Police Force had 300,000 personnel in 127 area commands and 5303 divisions, adding that the force had consistently contributed to stability and peace in ECOWAS nations and under UN mandates.

    “The Nigeria Police Force trained 250 Liberian Police personnel in 2005 and has consistently offered training slots to police officers from Gambia and Sierra Leone at the Police Staff College, Jos and the Police Academy, Wudil.

    “We also trained 100 police officers from the Republic of Niger on mobile police combat in 1998. At the end of the training, Nigeria donated trucks, riot equipment and tear smoke to the Nigerien government,” he said.

    Idris said that the Nigeria Police Force also helped to stabilise Guinea Bissau in 2012, when the military intervened in its leadership and truncated democracy.

    “Our police personnel remained there until democracy was restored in 2014,” he stated.

    The IGP expressed Nigeria’s readiness to consistently cooperate with police formations in other countries to track down criminals, pointing out that such mutual cooperation had become even more necessary as technology had reduced the world to a small village.

  • UNDP pledges support for Peace Commission Bill passage

    UNDP pledges support for Peace Commission Bill passage

    The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has pledged its support to the passage of the National Commission for Peace Reconciliation and Mediation Bill currently before the National Assembly.

    A statement by Dr. Godwin Ichimi, Program Officer to Sen. Shehu Sani, sponsor of the Bill, in Abuja on Wednesday said Senate Committee of Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters would organize a workshop with UNDP on the bill.

    The bill has passed second reading and has been slated for public hearing.

    According to statement, the workshop will be organised to ensure that the bill enjoyed the confidence and support of citizens through useful inputs by way of position papers, memoranda and presentations.

    It said that workshop had been slated for Monday and Tuesday and was intended to strengthen civic participation.

    It also stated that the workshop would provide opportunity for deepening the scope for conflict prevention, peace building and post-conflict reconstruction and provide framework for a more coordinated approach for promoting peace.

    “The specific objectives of the workshop are to galvanize the perspectives of various key stakeholders in Nigeria on what should be in the contents of the draft bill.

    “This will be done through position papers, memoranda and presentations at the workshop and public hearing.

    “The workshop will also help to collate and analyse the position papers and memoranda presented by key stakeholders in Nigeria.

    “It will also help to organise a forum to share experience on best practice, benefits, and challenges of similar commissions in Africa.

    “It will equally provide an opportunity for the stakeholders to interact with the members of Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and aggregate key issues, concerns, challenges about the Bill.

    “It will further elucidate the benefits of establishing a National Commission for Peace, Reconciliation and Mediation in Nigeria and make useful recommendations to improve on the draft bill.

    “The workshop will include presentations, plenary sessions and syndicate sessions where participants will consider sections of the bill vis-a-vis related Acts of Parliament in other countries particularly Ghana, Kenya and South Africa,” it stated.

    The statement noted that the bill, when passed, would be a bold and pragmatic step towards proffering sustainable and predictable responses to issues that result into conflict and violence in Nigeria.

    It further stated that participants would be drawn from socio-political groups, experts on Peace and Conflict Resolutions, civil society organizations, traditional rulers as well as federal and state governments.

  • Eni starts production from Ghana’s offshore project

    Eni has begun production from the integrated oil & gas development project in the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block, off Ghana’s western coast, two and half years, and three months ahead of schedule.

    According to the Deputy Division Manager, Lagos Liaison Office, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC), Eni’s arm in Nigeria, Tajudeen Adigun, the OCTP integrated oil & gas development is made up of the Sankofa Main, Sankofa East and Gye-Nyame fields, which are located about 60 kilometres off Ghana’s Western Region coast.

    The fields have about 770 million barrel of oil equivalent (mboe) in place, of which 500 million barrels of oil and 270 mboe of non-associated gas (about 40 billion cubic metres). The project includes the development of gas fields whose production will be utilised entirely by Ghana’s domestic market, he added.

    Production will be carried out via the “John Agyekum Kufuor” floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), which will produce up to 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) through 18 underwater wells. A 63-kilometre submarine pipeline will transport gas to Sanzule’s Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORF), where it will be processed and transmitted to Ghana’s national grid, supplying approximately 180 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

    Eni Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, said: “Starting production only two and a half years after the approval of the development plan is an extraordinary result and a reason for great pride. It certifies our exploration skills and knowledge, as well as our field development vision, and it confirms the effectiveness of our new operational model, where Eni has a central role in project management, aimed at improving time-to-market. This is a result we are especially proud of, because it fits perfectly into the joint development vision that we have for Africa: we grow when the countries that host us also grow. The launch of OCTP will provide gas to Ghana for over 15 years and the resulting electricity will give a real boost to the country’s development. All of this has only been possible thanks to the unwavering commitment of Ghanaian authorities and of our partners.”

    Eni is the operator of the OCTP block with a 44.44 per cent stake, while Vitol holds 35.56 per cent and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) 20 per cent.

    Eni has been in Ghana since 2009 through its subsidiary, Eni Ghana, and with the startup of OCTP Integrated Oil & Gas Development Project, the company has become one of Ghana’s main operators.

    In 2016, Eni obtained a new exploration license, Cape Three Points Block 4, adjacent to the OCTP Block. If successful, synergies with OCTP will allow a fast-tracked start-up. The drilling of the first exploration well is expected in 2018, in continuity with the drilling of Block OCTP wells. In addition, Eni Ghana is exploring development opportunities in the renewable energies sector. Eni Foundation also has an important social and health programme in the western region, benefiting a population of over 300,000 people.

  • Eni starts production from Ghana’s offshore project

    Eni has begun production from the integrated oil & gas development project in the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block, off Ghana’s western coast, in just two and a half years, and three months ahead of schedule.

    According to the Deputy Division Manager, Lagos Liaison Office, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC), Eni’s arm in Nigeria, Tajudeen Adigun, the OCTP integrated oil & gas development is made up of the Sankofa Main, Sankofa East and Gye-Nyame fields, which are located about 60 kilometres off Ghana’s Western Region coast.

    The fields have about 770 million barrel of oil equivalent (mboe) in place, of which 500 million barrels of oil and 270 mboe of non-associated gas (about 40 billion cubic metres). The project includes the development of gas fields whose production will be utilised entirely by Ghana’s domestic market, he added.

    Production will be carried out via the “John Agyekum Kufuor” floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), which will produce up to 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) through 18 underwater wells. A 63-kilometre submarine pipeline will transport gas to Sanzule’s Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORF), where it will be processed and transmitted to Ghana’s national grid, supplying approximately 180 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

    Eni Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, said: “Starting production only two and a half years after the approval of the development plan is an extraordinary result and a reason for great pride. It certifies our exploration skills and knowledge, as well as our field development vision, and it confirms the effectiveness of our new operational model, where Eni has a central role in project management, aimed at improving time-to-market. This is a result we are especially proud of, because it fits perfectly into the joint development vision that we have for Africa: we grow when the countries that host us also grow. The launch of OCTP will provide gas to Ghana for over 15 years and the resulting electricity will give a real boost to the country’s development. All of this has only been possible thanks to the unwavering commitment of Ghanaian authorities and of our partners.”

    Eni is operator of the OCTP block with a 44.44 per cent stake, while Vitol holds 35.56 per cent and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) 20 per cent.

    Eni has been present in Ghana since 2009 through its subsidiary Eni Ghana, and with the startup of OCTP Integrated Oil & Gas Development Project, the Company has become one of Ghana’s main operators.

    In 2016, Eni obtained a new exploration license, Cape Three Points Block 4, adjacent to the OCTP Block. If successful, synergies with OCTP will allow for a fast-tracked start-up. The drilling of the first exploration well is expected in 2018, in continuity with the drilling of Block OCTP wells. In addition, Eni Ghana is exploring development opportunities in the renewable energies sector. Eni Foundation also has an important social and health programme in the western region, benefiting a population of over 300,000 people.

  • Ghana inflation rises to 13.0% in April in higher transport costs

    Ghana inflation rises to 13.0% in April in higher transport costs

    Higher transport costs helped drive Ghana’s annual inflation rate higher to 13.0 per cent in April from 12.8 per cent the previous month, the statistics office said on Wednesday.

    The government of President Nana Akufo-Addo wants to slow inflation to 11.2 per cent by the end of the year as part of its drive to restore macroeconomic stability under a three-year aid deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

    In a positive for that target, food inflation fell to 6.7 per cent in April from 7.3 per cent a month earlier.

    Non-food inflation, however, accelerated to 16.3 per cent from 15.6.

    “The marginal increase in the index was mainly due to a rise in transport fares which went up by 9.6 per cent last month,” deputy government statistician Baah Wadieh told a news conference.

    Ghana, which exports cocoa, gold and oil, said in April it was committed to reducing inflation, public debt and the budget deficit.

    It was one of Africa’s best-performing economies until 2014, when it was hit by a slump in commodity prices.