The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVT

  • Fed Govt votes $5b for gas infrastructure devt

    Fed Govt votes $5b for gas infrastructure devt

    • Project delivery begins 2015

    THE Federal Government will spend between $4 billion and $5billion to develop the gas infrastructure blueprint expected to ensure sufficient supply of natural gas both for domestic use and export, The Nation has learnt.

    The project’s blueprint, which includes major gas pipelines referred to as backbone pipeline network, some of which are ongoing, will also form the foundation and primary source of gas supply for the planned Trans-Saharan gas pipeline spearheaded by Nigeria, Niger and Algeria.

    The Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. David Ige, said the network is a major part of the government’s gas infrastructure initiative, adding that completion and delivery of projects would begin from 2015.

    The network, he explained, includes Escravos-Lagos pipeline system, Obiobi/Oben pipeline and the QIT/Obigbo, Obi 3, Ajaokuta, Kano pipeline. It would not only serve as the country’s gateway to efficient and sustainable domestic gas supply, but will also form the primary foundation of the planned Trans-Saharan gas pipeline project, which Nigeria, Niger and Algeria are major stakeholders.

    The project is planned to ferry gas from the region to the Mediterranean and to Europe, he said.

    Ige told The Nation that on completion, the country would be delivering about five billion cubic feet of gas daily as against the less than two billion cubic at the moment.

    He said: “We are delivering the gas infrastructure blueprint which was approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2008 and that includes the expansion of the Escravos-Lagos pipeline system, the link between the east and the west, which is the Obiobi/Oben pipeline and the QIT/Obigbo, Obi 3, Ajaokuta, Kano pipeline. That is the backbone pipeline we are trying to put together.

    “With that network, we will be in a position to ensure that gas from everywhere can get to the major markets because with that, we will have full connectivity from ExxonMobil to Lagos and to the north and vice-versa, and the cumulative production we are looking at the end of this is about five billion cubic feet per day. Now we are getting close to two billion cubic feet per day, and that shows how rapidly we are moving.

    “For us to move to the next level for big time production, we need this entire infrastructure to come together. When we complete the east west, that will open another volume of production. Our target is to be in a position where we can support at least about four to five billion cubic feet per day and this infrastructure will make that happen. “

    He said the infrastructure would open up access to supply and to the markets. Once we have this backbone in place, we can start expanding to other parts of the country, he added.

    On the cost of the project, he said: “The cost is difficult to determine because it is a combination of infrastructure, but it should be about $5 billion. By the time we have spent that amount, we would have been done with our backbone infrastructure. The delivery of the projects will be between 2015 and 2017. Obiobi/Oben project is expected to be delivered by 2015 and from there, subsequent segments will be delivered.”

  • Boko Haram damages Nigeria’s reputation, says govt

    Boko Haram damages Nigeria’s reputation, says govt

    •UN, UK condemn killings 

    The Federal Government yesterday lamented that the activities of Boko Haram has damaged the country’s reputation.

    It described the killing on Sunday of 44 people in Konduga, Borno State by people suspected to be Boko Haram members as “desperate and isolated.”

    United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon urged Boko Haram to cease further attacks.

    “The Secretary-General strongly condemns the recent violent attacks that have killed scores of civilians in the localities of Mafa and Konduga in Borno state,” his spokesperson said in a Statement.

    Mr. Ban called on all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and other peaceful means.

    “The Secretary-General reiterates his firm conviction that no objective can be attained through such violence,” the spokesperson stressed.

    Britain said the attack is “contemptible and cowardly” in a statement by its Foreign Office Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds, it pledged to “stand with the government and people of Nigeria.”

    Information Minister Labaran Maku said the spate of insecurity being perpetrated by the sect has slowed down the performance of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Maku, who spoke to reporters at the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday, insisted that the insecurity is politically-instigated.

    According to him, but for the insecurity in the land, the Jonathan administration would have made appreciable progress in terms of development in the various sectors.

    “Boko Haram has damaged the reputation of Nigeria. A report of a bomb explosion makes more news globally than commissioning of projects. We have been doing well in an atmosphere of negative reports. This government is the most documented in the Nigeria history,” he said.

    Maku said despite the constant threat of insecurity, the nation’s economy has improved.

    He warned international agencies, particularly the International Monetary Fund (IMF) not to dictate to Nigeria, but should give advice where necessary.

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima was all grief as he visited Konduga yesterday.

    He was told by District Head Zannah Masu Yale that a woman was among the 43 killed. Thirty others, he added were injured in the attack on people at a Mosque. He said 78 houses were burnt.

    The traditional ruler urged the government to deploy more troops.

    The governor, who cut short his trip out of the state, donated N5 million and four vehicles to boost the youth volunteers in Konduga in the fight against insurgency.

    He also donated N250,000 each to families of the 43 dead and N50,000 each to the 36 injured victims who are also to be treated at government’s expense. He also gave N50,000 for rehabilitation while houses burnt will be compensated according to the number of rooms.

    According to him, the amount to be given for each of the burnt houses will be between N100,000 and N400,000.

    Shettima, who was emotionally shaken by the level of damage, told the grief- stricken people who thronged the palace of the District Head in their hundreds that the State Government would always identify with them at all times.

    “What happened to you is unfortunate and you understand that whatever happens to you directly affects us all and we identify with you at this hour of grief” he said.

    He praised the gallantry efforts of the security operatives and the youth volunteers which led to the death of five of the insurgents and the recovery of arms, saying: “you made me proud by your commitment toward the restoration of peace in the State”.

    Shettima inaugurated a Committee headed by the member representing Konduga in the House of Assembly to assess the level of damage and report back to government within the shortest possible time.

    He also raised a committee made up of the chief Imam, the district head, caretaker chairman, leader of the civilian JTF among others to manage the compensation cash.

    The governor commended the courage and perservarance of one of the victims, Mmalam Mairami Makinta, whose house was burnt.

    He also pleaded with the Military Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) and the Police Commissioner to immediately deploy more troops to the Area to check against future occurence and equally implored the people to continue praying until peace is fully restored in the State and the Country as a whole.

    Chairman of the Youth Volunteers in Konduga, Mallam Lawan Ajid, said,the deployment of more Military personnel would help in galvanising the youths to conduct their operations successfully and assured the governor that with the support of the government and the people, the youth volunteers would restore peace in the state in no distant time.

    Interior Minister Abba Moro said the army is making progress in the war against Boko Haram militants, despite the Konduga killings.

    Abba Moro dismissed the attack as “desperate” and “isolated”.

    “The security agencies of Nigeria have been able to push the Boko Haram sect from their major strongholds,” he told the BBC..

    Apart from Konduga, 12 others were killed at Ngom village, close to Maiduguri, according to reports.

    Although Boko Haram has not commented on the Mosque attack, its leader Abubakar Shekau, said in a YouTube video on Monday that his group is responsible for the recent attacks including the one that targeted the police and the military.

    He said this showed that the army’s claims to have inflicted heavy losses on the group were “lies”.

     

  • Ship owners deplore govt’s failure to enforce Cabotage Act

    The Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria(ISAN) has deplored the Federal Government’s inability to enforce the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003 (Cabotage Act) to enable them participate in crude oil lifting.

    Speaking with The Nation in Lagos, ISAN General Secretary Captain Niyi Labinjo urged the government to implement the law to give indigenous shipping companies opportunity to participate in oil business.

    The country, he said, exported about 2.5 million barrels of oil yearly, wondering why indigenous ship owners are not empowered to lift about 1.5 million barrels.

    The banks, the ISAN scribe said, were willing to give them loans if the government could give them appreciable quantity to carry.

    He gave the example of Brazil where the government approves about 700 agencies which issue certificate of compliance on local content.

    Labinjo said about five years ago, the government trained 200 cadets under the National Seafarers Development Programme. He noted that since there were not enough shipping companies to work with, the cadets have been jobless.

    He advised the government to provide enough funds for the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom, to enable the academy to produce skilful cadets for the nation.

    He, therefore, sought proper compliance with Nigerian Content Act and encouragement of the association to participate fully, in the cabotage regime.

    “We will continue to press the government. We’ll continue to make our views known about the need for proper compliance with cabotage; about the need for proper compliance with the Nigerian Content Act.” If I have a government that is insisting that this year out of the 2.5 million barrels of oil that Nigeria exports, 1.5 million barrels would be carried by Nigerian and they say ISAN take this 1.5 million barrels, go and carry it, we will gladly go to the bank; the bank will give us money and we will do it.

    “So if you now say what is our expectation then we will now say this year we will struggle to carry the one million the government has given to us and hopefully by next year, we will do 1.5 million barrels. That is the expectation.

    “That is what has happened in the case of Brazil. Their government insists that you must use local content and the government approves about 700 agencies which were issuing certificate of compliance on local content.

    “So if you are producing this locally and it is being used by the oil and gas sector, someone will intend to continue to do it,” he said.

     

  • World Youth Day: Fed Govt begins Sign 4 Peace project

    As Nigeria joined the rest of the world in celebrating the World Youth Day yesterday, the Federal Government has inaugurated some youths for peace campaign.

    At the event, which was held at the SGF Hall of the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan, through his Senior Special Assistant on Youth and Students Matters, Comrade Jude Imagwe, said the gesture was to restore peace in Nigeria.

    He said the project, with the theme: I Sign 4 Peace, was in response to the needed action to restore peace and unity in Nigeria.

    Jonathan said the project was the first of its kind in the country to practically mobilise and re-orientate Nigerian youths towards the restoration and sustainability of peace.

     

     

     

  • Support entrepreneurship growth, govt told

    The government can contribute significantly to the growth of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) if it supports them, the President, Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN), Prince Saviour Iche said.

    Speaking at a meeting of the association in Lagos, Iche said AMEN was determined to reinvigorate entrepreneurs and push its activities, and that it would work with the government to restore SMEs’ confidence.

    One area SMEs require assistance, he said, is in the promotion of local products and this can be addressed by the government and its relevant agencies through the capitalising on the various channels.

    He said small businesses need support to grow.

    According to him, recognition of entrepreneurs as creators of jobs and prosperity should be spread into governance.

    He called for progress in the areas such as more simpler regulatory requirements and access to finance, support of new businesses, adding that this will reinvigorate entrepreneurship.

    He said the association was working to facilitate entrepreneurship among Nigerians by establishing branches across the country.

    He said the association would collaborate with government’s agencies to remove obstacles to genuine entrepreneurs establish a business.

     

  • Fed Govt to provide special incentives for sugar producers

    Fed Govt to provide special incentives for sugar producers

    The Federal Government has said that it would provide special incentives for investors in the sugar industry, especially those that have keyed into government’s Backward Integration Policy.

    The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, spoke during his tour of existing facilities of major sugar refineries in Lagos.

    The refineries are : Dangote Sugar Refinery, BUA Sugar Refinery and Golden Sugar Refinery.

    Aganga noted that the incentives would be similar to what was given to investors who had keyed into government’s Backward Integration Policy in the cement industry, adding that the move would help the country to achieve self sufficiency in sugar production for both domestic consumption and export.

    The minister said: “We are fully aware that the processes of optimising the whole value chain in terms of moving from sugarcane to sugar, take quite some time and require huge investment. That is why we have asked the operators of sugar refineries to provide us with their strategic and detailed action plans on backward integration in terms of what they want to do in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016. In addition, we want to see the practical demonstration of their commitment to the implementation of the policy.

    “So, based on their demonstration of commitment to those things in their backward integration plans as it relates to moving from sugar cane to sugar production, we will give them special incentives. This is similar to what we did during the implementation of the Backward Integration Policy in the cement sector until we got to the point where we saw a significant increase in local cement production and we tied importation to production to bridge gap between supply and demand.”

     

    “By so doing, local production increased and importation was reduced drastically. That was how were able to move from a country that was producing about two million metric tons of sugar to a country that has the capacity to produce 28.6 million metric tons of cement. It is the same principle and approach that we want to apply in the sugar sector.”

    Aganga said the development of the National Sugar Master Plan by the National Sugar Development Council, had opened the sector for fresh local and foreign investments, adding that the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was committed to working together with the state governments and the private sector to ensure the successful implementation of the Backward Integration Policy in the sugar industry.

    Aganga went on: “The new sugar policy has opened up the sector for new investors to come in to invest in the sugarcane to sugar value chain .Currently, we have a number of interested investors from Brazil that are partnering with local investors and we already two new green fields in addition to other interested investors that are doing their feasibility studies. This shows that the implementation of our policy of Backward Integration in the sugar is gaining momentum, and is in the right direction.

    “Currently, Nigeria produces only about three per cent of our local demand but our objective is not only to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production but to become a major exporter in the global market. But most importantly, I want to see more commitment of the part of Sugar companies in terms of aggressive implementation of our Backward Integration Policy for the sector which entails moving up in the entire value chain from sugarcane to sugar, production of ethanol and generation of power, among other things. We will do everything possible to assist them to succeed because they are very critical for job creation, revenue generation and economic diversification.

    The minister said the successful implementation of the Backward Integration Policy in the sugar industry would unlock the potentials of the sector in terms of job creation, and wealth generation, stressed that the Federal Government was committed to providing the enabling environment for the growth and development of the manufacturing sector in line with the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan.

    He said: “If we successfully implement our Backward Integration Programme, which is a very important component of the National Sugar Master Plan developed by the Ministry of Industry Trade and Investment , the sugar sector will be able to create more than 20 times the number of jobs they have already created. Today, an average sugar refinery employs about 1, 400 people but if the Backward Integration Policy is well implemented, they can employ an average of about 100,000 people.

    “This is what makes sugar sector different from other sectors of the economy. It is in recognition of the importance of the sector that the government has introduced the Backward Integration Policy for the sector. But for the policy to be successful, we all have t o work today as partners. Our job is to make sure that we create the enabling environment for them to do well through consistent manufacturing friendly policies.”

     

  • Fed Govt okays N400b for PHCN retirees, others

    Fed Govt okays N400b for PHCN retirees, others

    The Federal Government has approved N16 billion for the payment of the entitlements of retirees and pensioners of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in preparation for the privatisation of the power sector.

    This is in addition to the N384 billion earlier okayed as severance package for employees of the power firm before it is privatised.

    The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, who disclosed this in a statement, directed the power distribution firms to resolve the improper billing and metering of electricity consumers.

    He said at the end of the privatisation, Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief as generator importers will soon be pushed out of business.

    The statement said: “The minister has directed the commencement of the payment of severance package to PHCN staff, on which about N384 billion is going to be expended with additional N16 billion to pay other retirees and pensioners of the company.

    “Nebo directed that all issues surrounding metering and unfair billing should be resolved immediately without any Nigerian being short-changed.”

    Nebo said the neglect of the sector was as a result of the wrong notion that classified power as a social welfare service.

    He observed that it was only in 1999, when Nigeria returned to democracy, that the neglect of the sector was addressed.

    Citing an instance, the minister said for 17 years, no engineer was hired in the power sector, stressing that this huge gap in human capacity required to run the sector was being bridged with the ongoing recruitment of young Nigerian engineers.

    Nebo said the country generates over 4,000 megawatts of electricity, adding that before this administration, the country was producing just over 2,000MW.

    “From 2,000MW in 2010 to 4,500MW, is this not an achievement?” he asked.

    The minister, however, stated that all hands must be on deck to improve power generation as the 4,000MW was unacceptable considering the nation’s population and potential.

    Nebo further explained that the government was committed to diversifying the energy generation capacity to include renewable sources, such as wind, solar, coal, biomass and hydro.

    On the previously moribund Rural Electrification Agency, he said the administration had revived it and made it to be more effective in the provision of electricity off grid to rural dwellers.

    He assured that the revolution in the telecoms sector would be a child’s play when compared with what was about to happen in the sector, stressing that huge investments were expected from the privatisation when is completed.

  • Govt urge mothers to practise exclusive breastfeeding

    Mothers have been urged to practice exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a child’s life with no addition of water, herbs or any other drink. This is critical to optimal development,growth,general wellbeing as well as survival of a child. This was stated by the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on public health, Dr Yewande Adeshina at a press briefing to commemorate the 2013 world breastfeeding week held between August 1 and 7.

    She further added that breastmilk possesses anti-infective properties that help to protect infants against diseases and can be easily digested by a baby.

    She appealed to mothers to desist from feeding their babies cow’s milk which contains protein that is too high for a baby,clot in the baby’s stomach and cannot be easily digested by the baby.

    “Manufacturers of breast milk substitutes must not have contact with breastfeeding mothers,” she stated.

    Adeshina regarded breastfeeding as one of the most cost effective and impactful tools for poverty alleviation and sustainable development globally.

    She therefore urged the father,inlaws and people in the Society to support women so they can effectively practice breastfeeding.

  • School gets 100 PCs from govt

    THE Anambra State government has announced it is providing additional set of computers to schools in the state, out of which New Era Girls Secondary School, Onitsha would get 100.

    Governor Peter Obi announced this while inaugurating a five-classroom block and library renovated by the state in the school.

    Obi said the high student population in the school required adequate number of computers to enable them to be up to date in Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    He assured that the school will equally benefit from other educational interventions by the government while environmental experts will be sent to the school to assess the threat of erosion for immediate intervention.

    The member representing Onitsha North One constituency at the State House of Assembly, Mr Chugbo Enweuzor, praised Obi for reversing the high level of dilapidation in schools. The principal of the school, Dr Ngozi Agbasimelo expressed gratitude to the Governor for his various interventions which she said have totally transformed the school.

    Dr Agbasimelo recalled that the N10 million released to the school enabled it renovate more structures and facilities.

    She explained that the repositioning of the school is promoting academic excellence as the pupils are now distinguishing themselves in internal and external examinations.

     

  • Why Customs won’t recall retired officers, by govt

    Why Customs won’t recall retired officers, by govt

    There were indications yesterday that the Federal Government will not back out on the controversial retirement of three officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) – Assistant Comptroller Generals Dr. Olusegun Agbaje, M. Jamo and E. O. Offem.

    A source at the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja said the recommendation of a medical body on the health of the officers was ratified by a board chaired by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

    The minister was reportedly making a case for the recall of the officers.

    It was learnt that the board approved of the retirement of the officers following a consideration of their ill-health.

    Comptroller General (CG) Dikko Inde Abdullahi is only the board’s Vice Chairman and could not have singlehandedly decided the retirement of the officers.

    “The board goes beyond the CG. If CG has his way will he not save Jamo if we are to bring sentiment to it? It is not something that he has the choice or the power to do,” said the source.

    Besides, the source said this was not the beginning of such retirement, adding that there was nothing new about it.

    The source said: “If you are saying there’s no going back on the matter, then you are suggesting as if something wrong has happened that needs to be revisited.

    “There’s no update. What you know is the case. It was a medical body that made the recommendation to the board, which was rectified and properly communicated.”

    The board met on Monday, although our correspondent was unable to get details of the meeting.

    But it was learnt that the fate of the retired officers were already sealed.

    Following a petition by the retired officers, that they were unlawfully retired, Okonjo-Iweala, in a memo dated June 30, demanded explanations from Abudullahi.

    She said: “There are several of these complaints; please, let me know what is going on.”

    Copies of the petitions, which our correspondent obtained, indicated that Agbaje claimed to have been issued a retirement letter without the approval of the board.

    He also said he was unjustly retired on the pretext that he was not medically fit.

    There was no evidence that the third person, Jamo, wrote any petition to contest his retirement.

    Responding to questions raised in the petitions, Abdullahi, in a memo, titled: Appeal for Rescue from Continued Persecution and Illegal Retirement, dated July 8 and addressed to Okonjo-Iweala, dismissed the allegations of victimisation against him.

    He noted that the retirement followed due process, contrary to claims by the petitioners.

    The CG argued that any attempt to recall the officers “will warrant recall to service of all previously retired officers”.

    The letter reads: “In the petition by Dr. David Olusegun Agbaje, the officer alleged that he was being illegally retired from the Service, contrary to the decision of the Customs Board. The Coordinating Minister may wish to recall that Dr. Agbaje was presented along with others to the Medical Board in line with the provisions of Section 070312 and 070317 of the Public Service Rules (PSR), which empowers the Chief Executive of an organisation to set up a Medical Board to ascertain the mental and physical fitness of his staff.”