The Nation Newspaper

Tag: improvement

  • Improvement in crude production shows our success, says Navy

    The Navy has said improvement in the nation’s daily oil production output from 1.8 million barrels per day to 2.9 million barrels per day is an indication of its success in securing the maritime environment.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command (CNC) Rear Admiral Saleh Usman, spoke at the weekend while inaugurating projects executed by the Navy in Warri and Effurun.

    Rear Admiral Usman also kicked off the Medical Rhapsody, a free health care service for Ekpan community in Uvwie council, Delta State, in commemoration of the Navy’s 62nd anniversary.

    The projects include a rigging store house for shipping equipment and sports facilities, including badminton court and table tennis pavilion, at the base of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta and two staff quarters at the Navy Hospital in Effurun.

    Speaking at the Medical Rhapsody in Ekpan Secondary School, Rear Admiral Usman said besides the huge gains to Nigeria in terms of rising oil production, kidnapping and waterway robbery have reduced in the creek communities since he took office in January.

    “I resumed here in January and you can go and ask the communities how the waterways are between January and now. You can also ask the international oil companies how they are feeling today. Go and check the Internet and find out what the level of production of crude oil per barrels is today.

    “When I came here, the crude oil production per day was 1.8 million, but as we speak today, the crude oil production level per day has gone up to 2.9 million barrels per day.

    “I can also attest to the fact that since I resumed there has not been any major kidnapping incident in the river. There have been attempts but we have equally thwarted them. This is something we want to sustain and we cannot sustain it without the help of the community”, he said.

    Speaking on the Medical Rhapsody, the naval chief said the exercise was not new.

    He advised people in the area to always take good care of their health, stressing that high blood pressure is the No. 1 killer disease killing many before they are aware of it.

    Also speaking at the event, the Commander, Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewu, said the projects were part of the celebration of the 62nd anniversary of the Navy.

    “On the sport facilities that we have inaugurated you all know that health is wealth and we want our men to be medically  fit to perform their duties better. This is why we built a badminton court and a table tennis table. This will enable our men take part in sporting activities after a hard day’s work. Secondly, the sport facilities are not only meant for  the Navy, it will equally serve others too”, he said.

    Responding on behalf of the Ekpan Community, the traditional head of the community, Chief Victor Otomiewo, commended the Nigerian Navy for the free medical service rendered to his people, appealing that the exercise should be conducted more frequently to enable the community fill the impact more.

     

     

  • Obasanjo seeks improvement in power sector

    Obasanjo seeks improvement in power sector

    •Says “We are yet to see the change”
    •New report ranks national infrastructure low

    The former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday said Nigerians are yet to witness the change campaign promises of the current administration.

    Obasanjo disclosed this at the presentation of award to the former Managing Director of Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), Engr. James Olotu, during investiture ceremony of new president of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), in Abuja.

    The new NSE President, Engr. Adekunle Mokuolu, had earlier commended Olotu for his outstanding performance in delivering all the independent power projects and the power injector substations.

    He applauded other distinguished Nigerians who have contributed significantly to the power and engineering sector in the country while Obasanjo made the award presentations.

    But Obasanjo, who was in his cream traditional Agbada attire and a matching cap, quietly asked Olotu on the podium if the projects were actually completed with a response from Olotu.

    Facing the crowd in the Africa hall of the International Conference Centre, Obasanjo said, “If you want to know what I have been asking him, I asked him if all the 10 NIPP has been completed but he said they are 85 per cent completed and the Power Injector Substations have been completed above average.

    “Let’s hope that all the 100 per cent of them will be completed and all of them will be feeding power into our homes. Maybe we will see the change.”

    However, Obasanjo applauded the new president for his commitment and tenacity to developing the engineering sector.

    In his remarks, President Muhammadu Buhari, said the NSE has proven to be good partners to developing the nation’s infrastructure and the economy.

    He said the role of local engineers is imperative to really achieving the National Economic Recovery Growth Plan, thus reason the Federal Executive Council approved new policy plan to promote local content.

    Buhari, who was represented by the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu said the new policy would be of immense benefit to local engineers.

    “Our engineers are well placed to assist in the realisation of our numerous policy initiatives. The recent guideline on design, planning and execution of projects, programmes and contracts that have science, engineering and technological components is particularly instructive.

    “These policy guidelines which already have been approved by the federal executive council are equipped with great revolutionary potentials of great benefits to the engineers and other professionals in science and technology,” Buhari said.

    Mokuolu in his inaugural speech called for a change in the present procurement process if the nation must be the envy of other countries.

    He said the absence and inadequacy of infrastructural facilities has led most people to migrate to other countries at a risk through the Sahara desert and Mediterranean Sea.

    However, he restated commitment of the NSE to ensure the success of all programmes initiated by the President and his administration.

    Mokuolu disclosed plans to commence initiatives that will increase population of Engineers in the country with special attention on girls to encourage them to flourish in the profession.

    He assured to increase interactions with the Industrial Trust Fund and the Supervised Industrial Work Experience Scheme.

    “We shall introduce competitions in engineering and technology innovations among students in the first quarter of 2018 and facilitate seamless connect between the Academia and Industry,” Mokuolu added.

    In a new report titled, the Nigerian Infrastructure Report Card, distributed at the event, the study rated the nation’s infrastructure system (F1) – Unfit for Purpose.

    According to the report, the F1 rating is a further drop by two points from E2 in the previous rating carried out in 2015.

     

  • Group hails CJN for improvement in judiciary’s performance

    Group hails CJN for improvement in judiciary’s performance

    A 10group, the International Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Society (IHRACS) has commended the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen for his leadership pattern, which it said, has resulted in an appreciable improvement in the operations of the Judiciary.

    IHRAS, in a letter to the CJN, dated July 6 by its President and Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Dr. UdoisongUdofia and Mrs. Plangnan Samuel, expressed delight in the Justice Onnghen’s reported commitment to ensuring the independence of the Judiciary, curb corruption and work for prompt justice dispensation.

    The group said it has witnessed improvement in judicial officers’ commitment to codes of ethics, judicial independence, insistence on the respect for rule of law, promotion of human rights and commitment to anti-corruption efforts.

    It said: “IHRAS wishes to inform you that your policies and actions, since assuming office, are yielding positive changes in the Nigerian Judiciary. Please accept our commendation.

    “This commendation cannot be completed without mentioning the contributions of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for their matured approach to protecting and promoting human rights, anti-corruption and rule of law in Nigeria.”

    The group, which said it has monitored the nation’s major courts for some time now, noted that its assessment of the “Nigerian Judiciary and Judicial officers” showed the Judiciary has recorded “a global credit of 70 per cent in the first and second quarters of the year 2017.”

    IHRAS singled out Justices Nnamdi Dimgba, Adamu Kafarati (both of the Federal High Court, Abuja) and Fatun Riman (of the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa-ibom State) for commendation for having assisted in promoting human rights, judicial accountability and rule of law.

    “These three named outstanding judicial officers should be given a special consideration for their outstanding performances, honesty and promotion of human rights, anti-corruption, judicial independence and rule of law,” IHRAS said.

  • We are building capacity for improvement, says Ibom Power MD

    We are building capacity for improvement, says Ibom Power MD

    The management of Ibom Power Company (IPC) is implementing a Capacity Building Programme (CBP). This programme was created as part of the company’s policy on business continuity and performance enhancement.

    Speaking on the development, the Managing Director of Ibom Power, Dr. Victor Udo said “the CBP is a learning platform to train and develop participants’ competency in electric power business operations. The programme is limited to a maximum of 40 participants at any given time”.

    “The training programme includes internship, apprenticeship, industrial training for Polytechnic and University students along with members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to IPC” he said.

    The MD said that “since July 2014 when the programme commenced, the CBP initiative has been beneficial to candidates from across the three (3) Senatorial Districts in AkwaIbom State”.

    According to the power Boss, “thus far, at least 64 individuals have been involved in CBP. When there are openings for employment in the company, some CBP candidates are considered based on their performance”.

    Speaking further he added that “while IPC encourages staff that can be pulled by other plants to remain with the company, the capacity building programme serves as a ‘pipeline’ to train potential replacements for any employee who chooses to take an appointment somewhere else”.

    He concluded by saying “over the years, staff of Ibom power have been recruited by other power companies in Nigeria and the Middle East. With the CBP and our succession plan, we will always have people ready to step-in as the need arises”.

     

  • Being wary about improvement in oil price

    Being wary about improvement in oil price

    Residences can make do with solar energy if the government is willing to provide the right support

    The world is going to have to continue using fossil fuels, whether they like it or not. Oil and gas will still provide about 60% of the world’s energy demands by 2040, even if countries adopt climate change proposals agreed in Paris.—Rex Tillerson, CEO of ExxonMobil.
    This Agreement, in enhancing the implementation of the Convention, including its objective, aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty, including holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2C or 3.6F above pre-industrial levels.—Article 2 of Paris Climate Agreement.
    We have therefore decided to turn the disaster that we inherited into a blessing by diversifying our economy away from the mono-product of oil, leveraging on agriculture, solid minerals as well as culture and tourism among others.—Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information

    Regular readers of this column would remember that three or four years ago, this column carried a four-piece article titled, Petroleum and the Future of Nigeria. Lovers of the easy life created by huge flows of revenue from petroleum wrote to call the author a Cassandra, someone whose ideas about anything or trend analysis should be automatically discountenanced. Now that the price of oil is going up again, it is necessary to warn our political leaders and civil servants who may be victims of short-termism not to do or say anything to suggest dilution of the rhetoric and praxis of diversification that has formed the core of President Buhari’sChange Agenda.

     It is for this reason that I provide the three quotations in italics overleaf. The first one by Tillerson is to encourage those who see petroleum or fossil fuel as synonymous with easy money to remain steadfast in their belief in the concept of oil as money spinner at least until 2040. The second is about the worry of about 134 countries that fossil energy may take life away from our planet if humans do not industrialize in an environmentally responsible manner that can sustain life on our planet. The third by the minister of information is a re-statementof commitment by the Buhari administration to govern Nigeria as if there is no oil in its picture.

    Despite the optimism of Tillerson, the picture of the future of petroleum and other forms of fossil fuel may not be as buoyant as the Tillersons of this world believe. Environmentally responsible leaders of nations are struggling to promote the ascendance of renewable energy and the chances that advances in science and technology can shift attention away from fossil energy are high enough to make serious national leaders more cautious about how they grow their economy. It is instructive that when shale oil emerged a few years ago, the government driven by petroleum under President Jonathan and the PDP belittled development of shale oil by saying that United States of America’s becoming a petroleum exporting country could not adversely affect their sale of petroleum to new customers. Before our very eyes, more petrol than the market could absorbcame to the market,  and the rest is now history. Nigeria’s leaders in the government of change cannot afford to play the Ostrich this time, particularly with the demand for controlling the rise of greenhouse gases and the promotion by advanced countries of renewable energy. We cannot afford to be caught napping again.

    It is reassuring that President Buhari has not wavered in emphasizing the character of Nigeria’s new economy that is to be driven by agriculture and solid minerals. It is also important to accept that what happened to petroleum can also happen to solid minerals later. Hence, the reliance on solid minerals should not be viewed for the long-term as the magic wand to neutralize all of Nigeria’s ills. As for the long-term, emphasis should be on nudging the country in the direction of food security through agriculture and self-reliance in terms of other items consumed by our people should be seen principally through manufacturing. Agriculture in all forms and manufacturing are energy-intensive activities that require constant supply of electricity. The issue of electricity should not be on the second page of the priority lists of the Buhari presidency. No major achievement is likely to be possible in the area of agriculture and solid minerals mining without reliable electricity.

    If our country is to make any impact in the areas being pushed as the core of the federal government’s agenda: agriculture, solid minerals, and tourism, the government has to review its policy on provision of power. It is not surprising that President Buhari had said that the policy on privatization of the power sector will not be reversed. On the basis of the experience of Nigerians with privatization of telecommunication of services in the era of Obasanjo, they are likely to find Buhari’s decision to allow privatization of this crucial sector acceptable. But the way the sector has been handled by its new owners calls for immediate attention from the new administration.

    Apart from the controversy over increase in electricity tariff, the sector has been characterized by underachievement since it has been privatized, to the extent that citizens still refer to electricity suppliers: GENCOS and DISCOS as NEPA, the agency that transformed electricity supply in the country into a trope for inefficiency. As ever, under the new owners of this sector, distributable megawatts have been going up and down from 5,000 to 2,500 and the excuses or reasons have remained the same: no gas to power the turbines, low water in the dams, or too much water in the dams. In addition, even what appears to the average citizen as a simple matter— installation of pre-paid meters in the residential units across the country—has appeared unachievable. Excuses have been about inefficiency of imported pre-paid versus locally produced meters. Now that there is no foreign exchange to import meters, DISCOS should be urged to push for improvement of local pre-paid meters, so as to assure consumers that there is no ulterior motive behind Discos’ inability to supply pre-paid meters.

    It is also encouraging that the minister of power has assured citizens that the government plans to commence soon a special initiative on use of solar energy. This is an area that should receive intense attention from the federal government for several reasons. The solar power technology is advancing phenomenally, to the extent that energy-rich countries such as the United States of America and South Africa have added provision of solar power to the list of their own equivalent ofGencos and Discos. Secondly, we need to be able to leave the inadequate megawatts produced at present to agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and tourism, the sectors that can create jobs for our youth. Residences can make do with solar energy if the government is willing to provide the right support.

    In all the top ten countries in production and use of solar power: Germany, China, Japan, U.S., Spain, Australia, France, Belgium, Italy, UK, and India, the governments provide support for development of solar energy industry and for use of solar power. Such support to users include subsidy and rebates. There is a need to give ourGencos and Discos competition by licensing private solar power company(ies). We started a Center for Solar Energy at Nsukka about 40 years ago, the same time we started a Nuclear energy center at the University of Ife. The governments need to think further now about the need for the country to take advantage of its states with high sun irradiation levels. This effort should not be just to source for cheap solar panels for individuals or approach countries to donate megawatts of solar energy to agencies, but to license solar energy companies for provision of off-grid electricity, to compete with existing fossil fuel energy producersacross the country. Since there are essentially rudimentary energy producers in the country at present, there is no need to worry about big lobby to frustrate a new solar power initiative. Grid electricity companies will be relieved to distribute whatever is available on their system to farmers and manufacturers.

  • 2016 UTME commences with improvement

    2016 UTME commences with improvement

    The 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) started on a peaceful note yesterday in many of the 30 Split 1 centres across Lagos.

    The examination will last for 14 days in 521 centres in Nigeria and eight foreign countries.

    This is the second year the examination is being conducted fully online.

    But for a few hitches relating to candidates not printing out the right e-registration slips containing their centre/registration numbers and temporary network issues, the two-hour 45 minutes examination went smoothly in many centres visited.

    Some of them were the West Midland Communication Ltid Electronic Test Centre, Ikeja (eTC); JKK eTC, Ikorodu road and Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Centre.

    At JKK, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Supervisor, Mrs Fatima Mohammed, said 295 of the 300 candidates assigned to the centre reported early.

    She said there were no problems with the biometric machine, technical equipment, or late coming.

    At YABATECH, which was supervised by Dr Beatrice Okorie, Coordinator of the National Headquarters Lagos annex of JAMB, only one of the180 candidates assigned to the centre was absent.

    However Okorie noted most candidates flouted the rule that stated they should not come to the centre with any item other than their e-registration slips and biros.

    They were not allowed inside with any of the items.

    At the West Midland Centre in Ikeja, one of our correspondents observed many candidates indeed flouted the rule.

    They were forced to leave their bags and phones with strangers, some of whom were parents waiting for their wards.

    Some of the ‘keepers’ made the candidates part with a ‘keeping fee’ of N100.

    One candidate came 45 minutes after commencement of the examination with a travelling bag, indicating he just arrived from a journey to take the examination.

    Luckily, his father, who did not give his name, was at hand to keep his properties.

    The father said he just came in from Bauchi to take the examination.

    “I work in Lagos and sent money to him in Bauchi to buy JAMB form.

    Only for me to ask about his centre and he told me he chose Lagos. I was shocked! I asked him why he didn’t choose a centre in Bauchi because he is in school taking the IJMB exam.

    “I have been fighting with him since then. He even had to write his final IJMB exam on Thursday. He then travelled from Bauchi to Lagos on Friday.

    “But their bus got spoilt on the way. I got to Berger early this (Saturday) morning to wait for him. He is just coming and we came straight here,” said the father who resides in Iyana Ipaja.

    In Richytorch Computer Institute in Okokomaiko Lagos, candidates most of whom arrived on time, were screened by members of the Civil Service Defense Corps.

    The computer used for verification wasted no time in accessing the 160 candidates that sat for the exam.

    Except one, all candidates who applied at the centre in question were in attendance.

    At Connection Computer Centre in Cele along Ijanikin road, the exam was rescheduled to next Saturday.

    Another centre within the premises of the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education Otto/Ijanikin was also rescheduled.

  • My govt is an improvement on Akpabio’s, says Emmanuel

    Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel yesterday said his administration is an improvement on former Governor Godswill Akpabio’s government.

    Emmanuel, who addressed the residents in a state broadcast marking his six months in office, said the last administration initiated programmes which increased the people’s self-esteem and earned its respect.

    He said: “Those who oppose my administration have claimed that we are an appendage of the last administration. That is not true. We are an improvement on the last administration. The last administration took us out of Egypt to the Jordan River.

    “This administration is taking us across the Jordan River into the Promised Land. There is no perfect administration. But to be fair to the last administration, it initiated programmes, which increased our self-esteem as a people and earned us respect.

    “We have leveraged on this and we have taken our people to new heights of superior performance. This administration is here to lift us up above those people who once underestimated us.”

    The governor told Akwa Ibom residents that despite some court cases against his administration, it was still waxing stronger.

    He said: “We, as a people, are waxing stronger and greater, in spite of the slew of court cases we had. Akwa Ibom people will always win and put those who collaborate with outsiders, who covet our resources, to shame. Akwa Ibomites know which side their bread is buttered. We are not afraid of any rerun, because our people are solidly behind us.”

  • Kogi poll an improvement on previous exercises -INEC

    Kogi poll an improvement on previous exercises -INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday’s governorship election was an improvement on previous exercises conducted in the state.

    Mr. Nick Dazang, Deputy Director of Publicity in the commission, said that though there were few challenges with regard to card readers’ performance, security, accreditation and voting processes were successful.

    He said that there were some minor challenges of the card readers malfunctioning but disclosed that mechanism were immediately deployed to correct them.

    “There was also an incident in Dekina where a ballot box was snatched even when voting had not started,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “There was also one ward, 27, at Anyigba, where ballot and result sheets were torn, otherwise, I think the election went well,” he said.

    Dazang said that the incidence of violence that was anticipated during the polls was not much when compared with the cases in previous elections in the state.

    “In the time past we had situations where our staff were abducted, people were killed.

    “There is no incident of violence at that level; we have not heard about anybody’s death or abduction.

    “There is an improvement compared to previous elections in the state which is considered to be volatile,” he said.

    Dazang added that efficiency of the card reader was above average on Saturday as the use of incident form was negligible.

    “There was one particular area in Dekina where our officials were not proficient in the use of card reader and we are investigating what happened.

    “Otherwise, I think generally, the election went on well; we have technical teams in all the 239 wards and in all the wards, we have ICT staff moved in to troubleshoot any challenges.”

    He said that the claim of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Gov. Idris Wada, that the card reads were not working and that there were inadequate incidence forms at polling units did not correspond with real situation.

    “I don’t think what he said tallies with what we have seen and what we have monitored.

    “The card reader was much successful; the incidences where we have that failure were very few,” he said.

    The deputy director added that in all the cases where there was card reader failure, there were sufficient incident forms.

    In the area were ballot box was snatched before the commencement of the election, Dazang said the snatcher wasted his time as it would not affect the election.

    “In any case, even if there were ballot papers and he snatched them, the ballot papers cannot be counted when returned.”

    He expressed satisfaction over the election process and said: “our mission is to always improve on what we have done before and there was improvement in terms of elections held in Kogi state over time.

    “The state is noted for volatility and violence but that violence did not take place. Of course, there were few challenges but not the kind of violence we anticipated.”

    He added that the improvement was a mark of rigorous voter education carried out by INEC and other stakeholders as well as the appreciation of the efforts by voters.

    “I think that people have seen the need to do the right thing,” he said.

     

  • Oliseh guarantees improvement

    Oliseh guarantees improvement

    Nigeria SuperEagles coach, Sunday Oliseh has described the 0-0 draw against Tanzania as satisfactory considering it was his first game in charge of the Eagles.

    Oliseh speaking with Supersport seemed relieved that his debut as coach had now come and gone, and called on fans and the media to rally behind the team in their subsequent matches promising better results.

    “I can describe the match as a game of two halves because we struggled in the first half but came back strongly in the second half containing the Tanzanians who also played very well.”

    “We only had two days to train together and I am impressed with the way we played even though the striking was blunt but I am optimistic we will work on those mistakes step by step.

    “Our midfield was not covered properly that is why I decided to do some early changes but I don’t want to point at any players,”Oliseh told supersport.com but obviously talking of Lukman Haruna.

    On keeper Ikeme’s performance , Oliseh was full of praise for the Wolverhampton keeper .”I am very happy with Ikeme’s performance; he was brilliant and he kept the Tanzanian strikers at bay. It was a very important debut for him.”

    Prodded to explain why he decided to replace Haruna Lukman very early in the game and the long time effect on the player, Oliseh was diplomatic in his answer

    “Things did not work as planned that’s why I decided to make the change but I don’t want to be negative because I will have time to talk to the player and see how we can correct the mistakes we saw but if we hadn’t made that early change we would have lost.”

    It is  back to the blackboard for the ex Dortmund man and his new team as they  take on the Niger Republic on Wednesday.

    But first they will be watching with baited breath the cracker between Egypt and Chad later today to see how the Group standing will unfold after the completion of matchday two. Needless to say they will all be cheering for Chad.

  • Garba sees room for improvement in Flying Eagles

    Garba sees room for improvement in Flying Eagles

    Flying Eagles coach,Manu Garba is excited that his team have emerged champions of the Super 6 tournament, but says they still have a lot of work to do.

    The former Golden Eaglets coach has raised what could yet be the greatest U-20 team Nigeria has ever produced as they have continued on their impressive winning streak, beating more experienced and revered teams to emerge champions of the mini-tournament.

    But Manu said despite being pleased with his team,he is not getting carried away with the euphoria, saying they have noticed lapses they must address before the Africa Youth Championship(AYC).

    “We are happy and proud of the boys but we are not getting carried away,we know we still have some work to do.

    “In as much as we have won all our games in the competition,we have noticed some lapses that we must work on before the AYC.

    “We have to improve on our concentration when defending because we have noticed that sometimes we tend to lose some concentration and that can be dangerous, so it is something we must work on.

    “As you have seen also, we create a lot of chances but we don’t always convert them and that is one other area we have to work to ensure we get better,” Manu said.