The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVT

  • Fed Govt pays traders N224b fuel debts

    The Federal Government has repaid $1.4 billion (N224billion) in mostly overdue debts to fuel traders after raising the money via an oil prepayment loan from international lenders, thereby concluding some of the most painful and lengthy debt talks in its history.

    The repayment, which follows a smaller payment to creditors of $400 million earlier this year, will allow Nigeria to halve its fuel debts to $1.7 billion, sources at three trading companies told Reuters.

    It will ease the threat of large write-downs for big trading houses, oil firms and banks, as well as lower the risk of insurance claims and legal action from traders, bankers and insurers against the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Had Nigeria defaulted on these loans it could have restricted the future borrowing capacity of Africa’s second largest economy just as it was preparing to issue a $1 billion Eurobond

    “The fact that this debt was not solved was creating a lot of tensions – both for Nigeria’s desire to put its finances in order and for traders, because a lot of these debts were massively overdue,” said a high-level source at a major trading house.

    The prepayment facility, guaranteed by future oil sales, was led by Standard Chartered and also included BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Natixis and several Nigerian banks.

    The funds were used to settle old debts of state oil firm NNPC’s marketing unit PPMC for gasoline and jet fuel imports made three years ago.

    The loan was okayed in December, but it took six months for the money to be disbursed as the deal structure needed to be validated with multiple stakeholders and the government, sources said.

    Almost all major trading house including Mercuria, Glencore , Vitol, Arcadia and Trafigura, are among Nigerian creditors.

    The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) member is among the world’s top 10 crude oil exporters, but has insufficient refining capacity to meet its domestic fuel needs and is heavily reliant on imports, on which it pays costly subsidies to keep a lid on retail petrol prices.

    President Goodluck Jonathan attempted to end fuel subsidies but backed down after the move sparked wide-spread protests early last year.

    Decades of mismanagement and corruption have left NNPC heavily indebted, several audits have shown.

    The $1.4 billion loan will be repaid over five years with NNPC putting 15,000 barrels per day of oil production as collateral, the source said. Crude will be sold by Nigerian trader Sahara Energy.

    The balance is owed to trading houses as well as oil majors BP, Royal Dutch Shell and Total for supplies of fuel in the last three years.

    Repaying this debt will be more challenging as NNPC has committed most of its available oil flows for the next five years and which can generate additional cash only if oil prices stay much above $75 per barrel.

    “Some more recent PPMC creditors did not get any proceeds from the recent drawdown, and cannot afford to be waiting and financially bleeding for another five years with no clear repayment roadmap,” one source said, adding that a solution could be found via an increase of the allocation of oil for creditors.

     

  • Slain traders: Oyo Assembly directs govt to protest to Fed Govt

    Oyo State House of Assembly yesterday urged the state executive to send a protest letter to the Federal Government on last week’s killing of traders from the Bodija market in Ibadan.

    The House also demanded compensation for the bereaved families from the Federal Government.

    The motion was raised under matters of urgent public importance by Mr. Olusegun Olaleye (Ibadan North) and unanimously agreed by the House.

    Contributing, Mr. Ibrahim Bolomope (Egbeda), reminded the Assembly of a similar incident on May 5.

    He added that it was no longer safe for anyone to travel to the North due to insecurity.

    The lawmaker said the Federal Government’s grains reserve at Kolapo Ishola in Ibadan could be made functional and traders could go there and buy grains.

    Other lawmakers, including Yisau Azeez (Oorelope), Adeshina Adeyemo (Ibarapa) and Waliu Adekunle (Atiba) supported the idea. They expressed fears about insecurity.

    Adeyemo said: “The traders should organise themselves and liaise with the commissioner of police to give them escort when travelling. We use this medium to urge Southwest governors to invest in agriculture. Government should mechanise farming.”

    The Speaker, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu, who presided over the plenary, called for voice votes. The lawmakers voted in its support.

    The state government was, therefore, directed to write a protest letter to the Federal Government and demand compensation.

    A lawmaker in the House of Representatives representing Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Abiodun-Dada Awoleye, described the killing of Bodija traders as the effect of bad governance and lack of security.

    He sympathised with the bereaved families and the deceased’s colleagues.

    The legislator decried the killings and urged Nigerians to condemn it.

  • Govt to scrap BPE, NAPEP, NEIC, 217 other agencies

    Govt to scrap BPE, NAPEP, NEIC, 217 other agencies

    •It’s speculative, says Presidency

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has agreed to scrap the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and 219 other parastatals and agencies. There are about 540 of such agencies.

    Besides, the government is to merge the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

    A “proper investigation of the allegations made by the National Boundaries Commission against the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcations is to be conducted.

    The OSGOF will also be probed for alleged illegal extension of Nigeria’s maritime boundary from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles at $12 million without consulting.

    These are the highlights of the outcome of a review of the White Paper on the report of the Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals and Commissions, which was headed by ex-Head of Civil Service of the Federation Mr. Steve Oronsaye.

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) spent the last three weeks to review the report and concluded the exercise on June 26.

    But Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati described the scrapping of the agencies as speculative.

    “The report is still at the FEC level and the committee was set up to review the White Paper.

    “There is no final decision yet. Anything outside that is mere speculation.”

    The Federal Government in 2011 inaugurated the Oronsaye Panel to restructure and rationalise Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies of the government as part of measures to reduce the rising budget profile.

    After the submission of the report, a White Paper Committee was set up to look at the recommendations of the Presidential Committee.

    The Federal Executive Council ratified the recommendations of the White Paper Committee.

    According to a document obtained by our correspondent, some of the agencies to be scrapped are the BPE; National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP); Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC); Public Complaints Commission (PCC); Nigerian Export Promotion Council; Public Complaints Commission (PCC); National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC); Federal Highways Department; Utilities Charges Commission; and National Economic Intelligence Committee, among others.

    The approval of the EFCC –ICPC merger was in line with the recommendation of the Oronsaye Panel.

    The panel’s report said: “Extant anti-corruption laws should be repealed, while a new one is enacted to accommodate the consolidation of EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau.

    “The establishment of strong departments, among others, in the proposed consolidated structure is desirable as they would handle the following areas: (i) Prosecution; (ii) Investigation (iii) Prevention (Advocacy); and (iv) Asset declaration/ forfeiture. The Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit(NFIU) should be made autonomous.”

    The highlights of FEC decisions are: .abolition of Fiscal Responsibility Commission. Attorney General and Minister of Justice directed to initiate necessary action for the abolition of the Commission;

    .RMAFC is already empowered by the Constitution to carry out the function of Fiscal Responsibility Commission;

    .the law establishing Police Service Commission be amended to make Minister of Police Affairs head of the Commission;

    .EFCC and ICPC consolidated into one anti-corruption agency:

    .a “Sunset Clause” is to be introduced to the BPE to conclude its assignment and wind down;

    . withdrawal of the Military from the Contributory Pension Scheme should be reversed;

    .PCC is to be merged with the Human Rights Commission, which has the capacity to perform the functions of the PCC. The PCC Act to be removed from the Constitution by amending Sections 153 and 315; and

    .the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) is to be abolished and its law repealed. Its functions are to be transferred to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    The government directed that the enabling law of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) be amended to reflect the directive of FIFA that the Organisation should be renamed a Federation.

    “The NYSC will be restructured with a view to developing a framework to cover critical areas of national socio-economic development to which Corps members would be deployed for their primary assignments.

    “The Government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation that COREN should no longer receive budgetary allocation from 2015 Fiscal Year.

    “FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works are to be transformed into an extra-ministerial department. The enabling law of FERMA is to be amended to reflect the change of status

    The government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation for the proper investigation of the allegations made by the National Boundaries Commission against the OSGOF over the funding of two non-existent boundary demarcations as well as the alleged illegal extension of Nigeria’s maritime boundary from 200 nautical miles to 350 nautical miles at $12 million without consulting.

    “The Government directs the Border Communities Development Agency(BCDA) to relocate to the Presidency with its own line budget and be strengthened.”

    The recommendation that NEMA be merged with the National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission was rejected.

    The government accepted the scrapping of NAPEP and directed that the functions of NAPEP be merged with those of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE).

    “The government accepts the recommendation for the abolition of the Utilities Charges Commission and repeal of its enabling law. The government approves the redeployment of Staff of the Commission to the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, provided they are civil servants.

    “The government rejects the recommendation of the Presidential Committee that the National Christian Pilgrimage Commission (NCPC) and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    “The government has also directed that the law establishing Police Service Commission be amended to make Hon. Minister of Police Affairs to head the Commission.”

    Some of the agencies that survived are Code of Conduct Bureau; Council of State; Federal Character Commission; Federal Civil Service Commission; Federal Judicial Service Commission; Independent National Electoral Commission; National Defence Council; National Economic Council; National Judicial Council; National Population Commission; National Security Council; Nigeria Police Council; Revenue Mobilisation Allocation & Fiscal Commission; Bureau of Public Procurement; Central Bank of Nigeria; Code of Conduct Tribunal; Economic & Financial Crimes Commission & Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to be consolidated into one anti-corruption agency; Infrastructure Concessionary & Regulatory Commission (ICRC); National Pension Commission (PENCOM):; Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC); National Human Rights Commission (NHRC); and National Institute for Sports. The others are Nigeria Football Federation/Nigeria Football Association; Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre; Council for Registered Engineers (COREN); Surveyors Registration Council (SRC); FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works; Office of Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF); National Boundary Commission; Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA); National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies; National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA); National Commission for Refugees; Debt Management Office; Niger Delta Power Holding Company ; National Planning Commission; National Bureau of Statistics; Centre for Management Development (CMD); National Institute of Social and Economic Research; and National Identity Management Commission. There are also Nigeria National Merit Award; Federal Road Safety Commission; Niger Delta Development Commission; New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD); National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA); Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC);National Lottery Regulatory Commission; National Lottery Trust Fund; Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM); Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI); National Centre for Women Development.

    SCRAPPED

    Fiscal Responsibility Commission

    Bureau of Public Enterprises

    Nigerian Export Promotion Council

    Public Complaints Commission (PCC)

    National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC);

    National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP)

    Utilities Charges Commission

    National Economic Intelligence Committee

    PARASTATALS, COMMISSIONS & AGENCIES TO BE RETAINED

    Code of Conduct Bureau

    Council of State

    Federal Character Commission

    Federal Civil Service Commission

    Federal Judicial Service Commission

    Independent National Electoral Commission

    National Defence Council

    National Economic Council

    National Judicial Council

    National Population Commission

    National Security Council

    Nigeria Police Council

    Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre:

    The Centre is to be refocused on moral values and re-orientation

    Council for Registered Engineers (COREN):

    The Government accepts the Presidential Committee’s recommendation that COREN should no longer receive budgetary allocation from 2015 Fiscal Year

    Surveyors Registration Council (SRC):

    Budgetary Allocation to SRC shall be stopped with effect from 2015 Fiscal Year

    Federal Roads Maintenance Agency:

    FERMA and the Federal Highways Department of the Federal Ministry of Works are to be transformed into an extra-ministerial Department. The enabling law of FERMA to be amended to reflect the change of status

    Office of Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF):

    Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA):

    The Government directs the BCDA to relocate to the Presidency with its own line budget and be strengthened

    National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies

    National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA):

    The Government rejects the recommendation that NEMA be merged with National Refugees Commission into one agency to be known as the National Emergency Management and Refugees Commission

    National Commission for Refugees

    Debt Management Office

    Niger Delta Power Holding Company

    National Planning Commission

    National Bureau of Statistics

    Centre for Management Development (CMD)

    National Institute of Social and Economic Research

    National Identity Management Commission

    Nigeria National Merit Award

    Federal Road Safety Commission:

    The Government rejects Presidential Committee’s recommendations that the Act setting up the FRSC should be repealed

    Niger Delta Development Commission

    New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)

    National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (NACA)

    Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC):

    The government rejects the recommendation of the Presidential Committee that the NCPC and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria be abolished and their functions transferred to a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

    National Lottery Regulatory Commission

    National Lottery Trust Fund

    Service Compact with All Nigerians (SERVICOM)

    Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)

    National Centre for Women Development

     

     

  • NUPENG strike: Fuel scarcity hits Abuja, Calabar, others

    NUPENG strike: Fuel scarcity hits Abuja, Calabar, others

    •Union threatens showdown with Oyo over ‘members’ victimisation’

    •Govt: They’re not sincere •Kaduna branch joins warning action

     

    Long fuel queues have resurfaced in most petrol stations in Abuja, the nation’s capital, following a three-day warning strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

    The strike began yesterday.

    NUPENG said it started the strike to press home its demand for what it called unfair labour practices by some oil companies toward its workers.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited some major petrol stations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) yesterday, said there was chaos as motorists jostled to get petrol.

    At the popular NNPC Mega Station in the Central Area, the queue resulted in a partial blockage of the adjoining road and a horrendous traffic hold-up.

    NAN spoke with some motorists at the petrol station. They expressed dismay at the development and urged relevant government agencies to address the situation.

    Mr Pius Adejoh, a civil servant, described the situation as a setback to the Transformation Agenda in the oil and gas sector.

    He said: “I think it’s really very sad that we are back to those days when we had to queue at filling stations to get fuel.

    “The Federal Government needs to step in and meet with the oil unions to find a lasting solution to this perennial problem.”

    Mr Kayode Olagoke, a taxi driver, condemned the sudden queues at the petrol stations.

    He warned that it would lead to an increase in transportation fares, if not urgently addressed.

    The situation was also not different at the Conoil Filling Station in the Central Area, opposite the NNPC Towers. Long queues of vehicles were seen around the station.

    NUPENG President Achese Igwe told NAN that the union called the strike “due to unfair treatment of our workers by some oil companies including Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Limited and Agip Oil Company”.

    He accused the oil companies of unfair treatment of Nigerian workers through casual labour and outsourcing of workers, among other matters.

    Igwe said the leadership of the union directed its members to stop loading petroleum products to press home its demand.

    He warned that the union would go on an indefinite action after the three-day warning strike, if government and the relevant authorities failed to address its grievances.

    Several petrol stations in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, were closed yesterday.

    The few that sold in the morning were later forced to close by a Task Force from NUPENG.

    Black market operators took advantage of the situation, selling petrol for between N250 and N300 per litre.

    Fares also doubled as scores of commuters were stranded due to the scarcity of taxis and buses.

    The Oyo State branch of the union has threatened to begin an indefinite strike over what it called the harassment and infringement of the rights of its members by sanitation officers of the Oyo State Government.

    The Deputy National Chairman of the Petrol Tankers’ Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Apata, Ibadan, Comrade Salimon Oladiti, addressed reporters in his office on the ongoing strike.

    He also alleged that members of the Oyo State Traffic Road management Authority (OYSTRMA) have been arresting NUPENG members for committing “minor traffic offences”, which should have been handled by the police.

    According to him, the alleged offenders were not given a fair trial.

    Oladiti said: “After their arrest, they were charged exorbitant fees, which ranged from N250,000 and above as penalty; otherwise, they would be sent to jail.”

    Oladiti assured that the union would soon resolve the matter with the Federal Government.

    He said: “We are also concerned about the bad roads and the incessant oil bunkering, which the Federal Government has failed to tackle.”

    But Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Mr. Lowo Obisesan, alleged that NUPENG was being economical with the truth.

    He said it is a criminal offence in Oyo State to unlawfully park or offload goods between 6am and 6pm, because such actions obstruct traffic.

    Also, the Kaduna branch of NUPENG has joined the three-day warning strike by its national body.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that petrol stations have closed down while tanker drivers have parked their vehicles “awaiting further directives” from union officials.

    NUPENG’s Deputy Secretary General, Adamu Song, told NAN in a telephone interview that the Kaduna branch had set up a task force to monitor filling stations and sanction defaulters.

    Transport fares have, however, remained stable in the city but officials of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were meeting to appraise the situation and consider the possibility of an increase.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Fed Govt workers yet to get group life cover

    Fed Govt workers yet to get group life cover

    • Govt owes 2011, 2012 premium

    Federal Government workers are yet to be covered under the Group Life Insurance Scheme for this year as required by the Pension Reform Act 2004.

    The Act states in Section 9(3) that employers shall maintain life insurance policy in favour of their employes for “a minimum of three times the annual total emolument of the employee”.

    This implies that dependents of deceased government workers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), such as the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Federal Ministry of Education, and Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Power, among others, who die in active service are not eligible to get compensation.

    This is in line with the enforcement of the ‘No premium, No cover policy’ directive of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

    This development, sources said, might have forced the Nigeria Police that have in recent times been recording heavy casualties as a result of security challenges in the country, to opt out of the scheme.

    Although the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is yet to request for life insurance cover for the workers, the Federal Government owes premiums of N3billion and N4billion for Group Life purchased in 2011 and 2012.

    Last year, the Federal Government had directed the former Head of Service of the Federation, Isa Bello Sali, to pay outstanding premiums for last year’s group life assurance scheme. But up till today, the money has not been paid.

    Stating reasons the premiums have not been paid, the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji, said: “What caused the six-month delay in the payment of workers’ insurance policy premium for the 2012 financial year was because my office could not secure on time the certification from the Due Process Office, which was required for the payment.”

    He explained that the process of payment of the group life insurance for the federal workers had changed, adding that it is being handled by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

    According to him, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved payment of insurance premium through the office of the AGF.

    Aji said the Office of the Head of Service had forwarded a letter to that effect to President Goodluck Jonathan for approval and was asked to revert to the earlier approval of FEC for the Office of the AGF to pay.

    He, however, said the government was ready to pay the outstanding N7 billion premium for 2011 and 2012.

    According to him, the government prioritised the welfare of its employees, adding that the insurance cover would serve as an encouragement for families of deceased workers.

    He said the government had to manage available resources in the light of competing demands.

    Speaking on the provision for this year’s life insurance, Aji said: “There will be cover for the workers this year. What we have in the appropriation bill for 2013 insurance cover is N11billion. The total outstanding premium for 2011 and 2012 is about N7billion; that is, N4billion for 2012 and N3billion for N2011.

    “The way it is done is that the Ministry of Finance gives the instruction to Director-General (DG) of the Budget Office and the DG sends it to the Accountant-General’s office; the Accountant-General releases the funds to the HOS and the HOS pays into the respective insurers’ bank accounts and all that.

    ”So, it is just a question of electronically instructing the Office of the Accountant-General to pay so that it can reduce the time deployed to process it. But whether the full premium for this year would be paid or not depended on the level of revenue generation and inflow to the Federal Government.”

    President Jonathan, while swearing in Aji at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, noted that the civil service was central to the realisation of his administration’s Transformation Agenda.

    He charged him to work towards curtailing corruption and enhancing discipline in the service.

    He said his government and Nigerians expect Aji to focus on those areas that are most important to the people.

    Octogenarian and industrial giant, Deacon Gamaliel Onosode told The Nation in Lagos recently that the payment of a premium is a contractual obligation.

    His words: “When you enter into a contract, you must discharge your responsibility under that contract to an individual or the public you had a contract with. It does not matter what the contract is but it is designed to deliver some hope to the individual or the public as the case may be. So, if you don’t keep up to the contract terms, then it means you are not being fair to those whom you have entered into the contract with.

    ”The insurance of workers is a matter of contract. If you choose not to go the route of contract but you want to bear the cost yourself, that is your choice. So, if the Federal Government wants to charge the cost of making good the loss or damage a worker experiences and wants to reflect that in his budget rather than the premium to pay to an insurer, those are two choices you must choose from.”

    The Director-General, Nigeria Insurers Association, Mr Sunday Thomas, said the government needs to adjust to the dispensation.

    “This is the first year of deliberate effort to enforce no premium, no cover by NAICOM and all we can hope for is that it should get better in future,” he said.

    The Managing Director, Scib Insurance Brokers, Mr Shola Tinubu, said the law has made it the responsibility of the employer to ensure that his employees are insured for stipulated benefit.

    He noted that if for any reason, the employer does not insure his workers, such employer has contravened the law.

    “But what do we do when government is concerned as the employer in this case and when it had ample notice?

    “The commissioner for insurance had done publicity about ‘no premium no cover’, which is not a new rule. NAICOM did not reinvent the rules, it was the law that was already in existence that they are implementing. NAICOM also set up a forum where its officials discussed with government institutions and desk officers. They told them cover was going to be strictly no premium, no cover in advance and things that needed to be done.”

    According to him, at the end, the private sector responded appropriately because they do not think they are above the law and they know they need to comply.

    “But what can we do if the government institutions refuse to comply with the law also passed by an arm of government?

    “There is really nothing we can do but they are still culpable. They are still responsible because people die in service and they must ensure benefits are paid.

    “As an industry and as a people, we should understand that if we watch a general problem continue and fester because it is not affecting us at that particular point in time, it may become a big problem to us in the future hence the need to address the challenge now,” he said.

     

  • Fed Govt registers 10m farmers, says Minister

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said yesterday that 10 million farmers have been registered this year under the Growth Enhancement Support scheme (GES).

    Speaking during a visit to Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema, Adesina said in Katsina State alone, 196, 000 farmers were registered.

    He said the Federal Government was determined to give the registered farmers fertilisers, chemicals and improved seeds.

    “Government will also provide crop insurance to them in case of drought. In Katsina State, 196,000 farmers have registered for the 2013 cropping season.”

    The minister also said farmers produced nine million tonnes of food between 2011 and 2012, representing 85 per cent above the targeted five million tonnes.

    According to him, the achievement has reduced the proportion of poor people in the country from 19.3 per cent in 1992 to 8.5 per cent in 2012.

    Dr. Adesina also told Governor Shema that Nigeria had met the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 1 target on reducing the number of hungry people in the country by half, three years ahead of the targeted date.

    “By 2015, the Federal Government is expecting that 3.2 million tonnes of rice will be cultivated; 1.1 million tonnes was cultivated in 2012 in 10 states.

    “The Federal Government is also sure that by 2015, over 3.5 million jobs will be created by the sector; 2.2 million jobs were created in 2012.”

    Governor Shema said the state had cultivated 15,000 hectares through irrigation farming, adding that Nigeria would soon become an exporter rather than an importer of food.

    He pledged the support of the government toward enhancing agricultural productivity.

     

  • Govt to panel: find solution to system collapse

    Govt to panel: find solution to system collapse

    The Federal Government has directed the 13-member panel investigating the cause of the frequent system collapses that have resulted in blackouts to find lasting solution to the problem.

    The panel chaired by a retired Director of Electrical Inspectorate Services, Fatai Olapade, an engineer, among other terms of reference, is to review all the system collapses that have occurred from January to date. It is to determine their causes.

    The panel was also directed to review the performance and effectiveness of the grid’s protection system in the period under review and suggest measures to strengthen the protection mechanism, consider any other system collapse related issues and complete its assignment in two weeks.

    Since the beginning of last month, the frequency with which the system collapses occur has become embarrassing. Sometimes, it would be total, resulting in nationwide blackout. Some of the incidents were said to have been caused by rainstorm, but most of the time they were caused by technical and human errors, it was learnt.

    The Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, during the inauguration of the panel, highlighted how worrisome the government felt about the problem.

    He said: “The high rate of system collapses in recent times, which has given rise to more than 15 times in the last five months calls for a critical look. The technical investigative panel is, therefore, being constituted to investigate the causes of these collapses and proffer solutions aimed at forestalling future occurrences. Though a technical investigative panel, it is expected that the committee will also address human lapses where found.”

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali, also noted that the constitution of the panel was necessitated by an unsavoury trend of system collapses in the recent past.

    Nebo said: “This event is aimed at putting in place measures to mitigate against the constant system collapses we have been experiencing.

    “The ministry is poised to addressing issues leading to the delivery of safe and reliable supply of electricity, which will be rich in both quantity and quality.

    “The supply of electricity is on a real-time basis because power is used at the same time of generation. Thus, the load demand must always match the generation output.”

    Whenever this equilibrium in supply and demand cannot be maintained, the resultant effect is frequency fluctuations, which could culminate in system instability.

    This equilibrium, to a large extent, is maintained and determined by the strength of the transmission system, which is the link between generation and distribution.”

    He noted that President Goodluck Jonathan, appropriately captured the weakness of the present transmission network at the unveiling of the Power Roadmap in August 2010 when he noted that there was a gap between generation capacity and the capacity of the transmission grid.

    Nebo said the radial nature of our grid system and the neglect of building new infrastructures over the years coupled with the lack of adequate operation and maintenance of the network, among others, have contributed to the weakness of our transmission network.

    Other members of the investigative panel are Jonathan Ogbonna, former CEO Egbin Power Plant; Kingsley Achiefe, former Executive Director PHCN; Imo Ekpo, Vice President International Commission on Dams; Sanusi Garba, Director (Power) and Sam Amadi, Chairman NERC. Also included are Reynolds Dagogo-Jack, Chairman PTFP; James Olotu, CEO NDPHC; Mike Uzoigwe, CEO Egbin; Chris Okaa Akamnonu, CEO Ikeja DISCO; Don Priestman, CEO TCN, Olukunle Olubiyi, President, Network for Energy Reform; and A. Adebisi, Acting Director.

     

  • Lost adjusters to Govt: Build more forensic labs

    The President, Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria (ILAN), Mr Lebi Omoboyowa, has called on the Federal Government to build more forensic laboratories in the country.

    According to him, a situation where only one science laboratory exists in Nigeria affects the quality of work of forensic experts in arriving at accurate judgments following investigations.

    Omoboyowa, who spoke in Lagos, said there is only one forensic laboratory in the country and it is the Science Laboratory at Oshodi, Lagos.

    He noted that in advanced countries, there are other forensic laboratories, such as accounting, engineering and others.

    He said apart from their own professional knowhow, they also consult the forensic experts.

    On the promotion of professionalism among loss adjusters, Omoboyowa said ILAN members have begun to improve themselves by going for local and international trainings while they also network with their professional colleague.

    He noted that the idea of holding meetings in the underwriters’ office has gone.

    “Adjusters must have their own office and necessary equipment so that at the end, an accurate result is produced without time being wasted.

    “I believe that we will surmount all the challenges before us and boost the image of this industry,” he said.

    He added: “The objectives of the institute is to establish and sustain a professional body of practising loss adjusters in Nigeria and engage in activities that will ensure the general welfare and well-being of insurance loss adjusters and to take necessary actions for the advancement of education in the field of loss adjusting in Nigeria.

    “It is being pursued by establishing and maintaining institutions, libraries, schools, and recreation centres for the succour, assistance or education of its members, and the public in Nigeria in loss adjusting.

    “It also includes applying the funds of the institute in the purchase of proprietary or other interests and the establishment of projects the proceeds of which shall be appropriated wholly and entirely for charitable purposes and public wellbeing of Loss Adjusters in Nigeria.”

    He said as part of their code of conduct, a loss adjuster must not accept nor give secret commission in connection with his profession, must not accept any part of the profits or the professional work of a solicitor or any commission or bonus thereon, nor shall he be actively engaged in any firm of insurance broking, insurance agency or underwriting; shall not directly or indirectly accept from an auctioneer, broker or agent, any part or proportion of any remuneration commission or bonus on the charges payable to such auctioneer, broker or agent.

    “A loss adjuster must not participate in any benefit from the sale of salvage, the loss on which he will adjust or has adjusted and a loss adjuster who has been instructed by one insurer and ascertains that any other insurers also cover other interests in the same loss, must not make contact with the other Insurers with a view to seeking their instructions to act in connection with the loss.”

  • ‘We need better govt in 2015’

    ‘We need better govt in 2015’

    Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftain Senator Oluremi Tinubu represents Lagos Central District in the Senate. She spoke with reporters on her activities in the Upper Chamber. Group Political Editor, EMMANUEL OLADESU was there.

     

    You are in the Senate now. So, would you say that you are living up to the expectation?

    I am from a political family. There is no time that we are not ready to serve. We have been serving at the state and at the national levels for a long time now, so we have been in the process trying to bring succour to the people and I don’t know how more ready, I don’t know how more ready you want me to be? For one, my husband has been a very visible active player, but if he hadn’t gotten the support from home and the understanding, I don’t think he would have been able to go this far. So, asking me, maybe it took a decision for me to say, maybe I should go in and do this? Is it a familiar or an unfamiliar terrain? It is a familiar terrain for a long time now. We have paid the price to even be here today. I will tell you it’s like maybe this battery that they used to have in the US. that is Eveready, so, it is like where you want to be and what capacity you want to serve. So, I am always ready.

    What is your primary concern in the Senate?

    My primary concern is one, the rate of the poverty level of our people. When we look at the system, we are talking about the structural development, how far have we gone

    This wasn’t the Nigeria that I grew up to love. I keep saying it that I was not from a very wealthy family, but we were comfortable, we were the then middle class, we could aspire, we could dream to be whatever we want to be. I am here today because that dream kept me, but when I look at what we have today, I look at the young people and my concern is for the young, not for the old. What kind of Nigeria do we want to leave for them? A good parent would leave an inheritance for the children but what inheritance, what legacy do we want to leave for the up coming generation? What they see is corruption. We see our children doing a lot of this yahoo-yahoo business, a lot of kidnapping, cultism and I am worried.

    If we go wrong we should be honest enough to say that we have done wrong. The German Chancellor was saying yesterday that her generation had done wrong to the young generation, but look at Nigeria. If Europe is saying they have sinned by accepting that they didn’t create jobs for the young people and we Nigerians are still lying under SURE-Party, we are still lying under Sovereign Wealth Fund. I am concerned and my primary concern is respect for the rule of law.

    My greatest challenge in the Senate is that, out of the 56 committees, opposition, ACN, only has three chairmanships. I am the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity and some people would say, o do labour people who are in the struggle dress the way I am? But I say, this is the new face of labour, and it is in my blood. If you fight for the common good for the people you don’t have to dress in towels and deceive them, but they know who are theirs and you can see me with the rapport I have with the common man and my heart is saying, who is going to give them justice? Who is going to fight their cause? So I wan to see where social security is directed to the young person. I want to see them have access to free health care, to go to school, to have three square meals on the table.

    So, my request is very simple. My request is that people can live like very decent human beings. They don’t have to keep begging for food, they don’t have to sleep under the bridge. That is my concern.

    The two bills concerning social security and another one that prevents women from doing certain jobs.

    What is your position on the bill for a special status for Lagos?

    You know the Senate turned it down they said it cannot be included in the constitution amendment, but by the Grace of God, we will have it. When we have the right government for Nigeria, they will know the need why Lagos should be given that special status as General Murtala Muhammed recommended years ago for Laogs, Port-Harcourt and Kano.

    What is your reaction to the threat by the British Government to cut off assistance to Nigeria on account of the bill prohibiting homosexual marriage?

    I don’t see any reason why any government would talk down on the government of another country. Is it not the freedom of choice? Why should you now breath down a country’s neck and give then ultimatum?? We are Africans and we never ask them to wear some of our traditional clothes. We have culture and we also have tradition and this is according to our tradition and culture. Even their gay rights is even conflicting and now, I don’t know whether they will give us another bible and send new missionaries to us because the bible they left with us says it is wrong and I think in the Koran it also says it is wrong.

    What is the fate of the 2013 budget?

    What can I say? Being in opposition whatever your views are, they are not even respected. To me, that is the way they want to see it because one day, Senate will be crying foul, the next minute you don’t understand what is going on. So, they go and forth with the budget. And the budget that is passed does it translate into anything? At the end of the day, they ended up declaring state of emergency. So, I am just as confused.

    If just one man could transform Dubai it doesn’t take a lot of people to…and that is why Nigerians must look critically on Jonathan in 2015 or whoever PDP chooses.

    Lagos is Lagos today because somebody sacrificed. You all know what Lagos looked like after military government, but we tend to forget. We see the bridge that Fashola has just commissioned and we think that is how Lagos used to be. No, it wasn’t.

    You almost talk like a comrade?

    I am a comrade. I said that this is the new face of labour, it is in the blood. I also came from the trenches. I never talk about June 12. everybody would give themselves all the accolade and I will just look. I paid dearly!

    Why are opposition Senators always desirous of getting juicy committee positions in the Senate, instead of remaining in the opposition?

    If I wanted a juicy committee I wouldn’t be in the Labour, Employment and Productivity committee. I can only speak for myself and I have been a rookie in the Senate and I don’t know about the juiciness of the committees until I learn. I think one of the things that the chairman of a committee gives is to wield more powers to work.

    For me, I am quite satisfied wherever the Senate President has put me, but ACN we want to work.

    You were absent when the Senate endorsed the president’s proclamation of the emergency rule in three Northeast states. I would like to know how you would have voted if you were present given your party’s opposition to the proclamation?

    The state of emergency came rather too late, after security votes had been wasted and could not be accounted for.

    To me, I look and see the pretence, and these are not the things you would want to say.

    It is still the more you look, the less you see and I just pray that a lot of innocent lives are not lost. So, it is still chasing shadows. The problem with Nigeria and terrorism is the level of poverty. Until it is addressed, people are still going to be aggrieved, they are still going to be angry.

    So, my view on state of emergency? I never supported it and I still don’t. I don’t believe in it.

    But the APC Senators voted for it?

    They voted for it for their own reasons, but I didn’t vote and you can count this as my vote.

    Would you agree with the suggestion by the ACN national leader that the work of the legislature should be made part-time?

    Governance truly is expensive. When you look at the national budget it is mainly on paying salaries. If my husband (said that) I think he misses me too (Laughter). If it is part time it would be nice so that credible people can go into the Senate and go back to their daily chores.

    Are you running for the office of governor?

    Even to run for this office, it is this press that started it.

    So, can the press start it again?

    No, don’t start it oh! Truly and truly speaking, it is never my ambition to run for governor of Lagos State. Remember, my husband did it for eight years and I was not outsider to it. It is not a place for the tender hearted, it is a lot of work to govern Lagos and I am not the type that don’t put hard work into whatever I do. I don’t think I have the strength to say that I want to govern the present state of Lagos. There is still a lot of work to be done in Lagos, a lot of work.

    It is not a child’s play. I am still in training as far as I am concerned. My first love is charity work. So, I don’t have such an ambition.

     

  • ‘Fed Govt lied over Benue River dredging’

    Contrary to what was contained in the Mid Term Report on Achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan about the dredging of River Benue, it has been discovered that no provision was made for the implementation of the project in 2013 budget.

    A copy of the document obtained by The Nation in Abuja, showed that the project was at procurement stage.

    It reads: “Procurement processes are on for the dredging of the River Benue and the construction of Makurdi River Port.”

    Stakeholders in the transport sector have expressed disappointment over the non-inclusion of the dredging of the Benue River in the 2013 budget. They accused the government of paying lip service to its promise of dredging the river.

    Investigation by the newpaper revealed that no provision was made for the project as the cost of the project was not reflected in this year’s budget. Therefore, the government only made mere pronouncement with no commitment.

    An official of the government, who spoke in confidence to The Nation, said: “Government promised to make available necessary provisions to ensure that the dredging commences before the end of the first quarter but here we are with nothing. It’s really a sign of un-seriousness on the part of the government.”

    Another source at the National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA), wondered if the dredging of the Benue River will take the Federal Government 30 years that it took it to dredge River Niger.

    However, members of the House of Representatives from Benue State and the executive council of Benue State, have started pushing for the quick implementation of the project, it was learnt.

    During the meeting of the National Council on Transport (NCT) in December last year, the Federal Government promised to embark on the dredging before end of first quarter of this year.

    At the end of the meeting, which involved commissioners of transport and regulatory agencies, a communiqué issued by the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar and Commissioners for Transport from two other states stated that the project would start alongside construction of Makurdi River port.

    Part of the communiqué read: “That the Federal Ministry of Transport should expedite action on the dredging of the Lower River Benue, the Development of the Makurdi River Port, and other Ports and Jetties along the Lower River Niger and River Benue.

    “The Federal Ministry of Transport should encourage Inter-Ministerial and Inter Agency collaboration, to ensure effective utilisation of the nation’s water resources, inland waterways, river basins and others.

    ”In view of the recent incidents of flooding in many parts of the country and their impact on transportation and its infrastructure, that Council should advocate for the convocation of an all-stakeholders’ summit to address the problems of flooding holistically with a view to finding appropriate solutions.”