The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MAN

  • MAN faults NERC’s tariff model

    MAN faults NERC’s tariff model

    • ‘It ‘ll raise production cost’

    THE Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has faulted the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (NERC’s) Multi-Year Tariff Order (MYTO), especially the fixed charges.

    Its President, Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs, told The Nation in Lagos, that with the poor supply of electricity, there would be  an increase in the cost of production of manufacturers and this would translate to higher prices of goods.

    He said: “The issue of electricity supply is of great concern to MAN considering that it has been a major challenge to the sector. MAN has contested the various Multi-Year Tariff Orders of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and demanded that fixed charges be removed. We hope and believe that we will achieve it.”

    He explained that the initial analysis made by MAN showed that the removal of fixed charges and the recent increase in tariff under the proposed new tariff order (MYTO 2.3),  will raise the cost of electricity and that of the cost of production.

    The MAN chief argued that the increase in tariff would not be supported with increased electricity supply, and that manufacturers would still depend on self- generation of electricity.

    He urged the government to be interested on how to grow the economy through a robust policy that will make the operating environment conducive to local manufacturers.

    According to him, the manufacturing sector is a huge job creating sector and should be supported instead of stifling them through unhealthy policies which indirectly affect the importers of finished products.

    He however said there is a pending litigation against the increase in tariff by MAN against NERC, adding that any proposed increase affecting MAN members will be subjudice.

    On the foreign exchange (forex) policy of the Federal Government, he claimed the policy adversely affected the manufacturing sector as productivity in the sector contracted greatly last year.

    He, however, praised what he called some noticeable modifications in the various presentations and recommendations by MAN.

    He said the challenges felt in the economy might not be unconnected with the crash of crude oil prices in the international market, adding that as the forex situation improves, further modification of the policy should be undertaken.

    On the discontinuance of allocating forex to Bureau de Change (BDCs), Jacobs asked that it should rather be dedicated to support the importation of raw materials and machinery that are not available locally to grow the manufacturing sector.

  • Man charged with stealing beds for babies

    Man charged with stealing beds for babies

    The police have accused a 22-year-old man, Umoru Haruna, of stealing 13 cribs worth N200, 000 from a warehouse in Lagos Island.

    Haruna was arraigned Monday before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a two-count charge of breaking and entry, and theft.

    Prosecuting Inspector Philip Osijale told the court that the defendant committed the offences at about 2:00 pm on January 4, at No. 39 Oronyimi Street, Lagos Island.

    He alleged that the defendant, of no fixed address and occupation, unlawfully broke into a warehouse belonging to one Obi Obed, and stole the cribs.

    “The defendant was caught in possession of two of the beds by a sales boy working for the complainants. The boy raised the alarm and the defendant was apprehended,” the prosecutor added.
    He said that the offences contravene Sections 285, 305 (b) and 306 (1) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    The defendant denied both charges and Presiding Magistrate, Mr. L.A. Owolabi, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in the like sum.
    The case was adjourned till February 22.

     

     

  • Police arrest four for man’s death

    Police arrest four for man’s death

    Four persons have been arrested in Ondo town, Ondo West Local Government Area for the death of a 48-year-old man, identified as Lawrence Akinsoyinu.

    Ismaila Faith (32), Ajakaye Babatunde (27), Ojo Segun (30) and Daniel Samuel (25) allegedly assaulted the deceased at Abana village.

    Although the cause of the death is yet to be determined, it was learnt that Akinsoyinu, a farmer and father of two, was allegedly returning from the farm when he sighted the suspects.

    They were said to be members of the anti-forestry encroachment task force moving towards his ( Akinsoyinu’s) direction.

    Without knowing their motive, the deceased reportedly ran into the bush and the suspects pursued him.

    They attacked him and left him for dead. Efforts by some villagers to revive him proved abortive.

    He was rushed to a private clinic in Ajue town, which is about three kilometres away from the scene of the incident, where doctors battled to save his life.

    The traditional ruler of Abana, Omolayo Ogundipe, urged the government to investigate the incident.

    The Enuowa Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Kunle Omisakin, confirmed the arrest, adding that one suspect, Obateru Kayode, was still at large.

    He said the case would be transferred to the homicide section for further investigation.

    The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the Ondo State Specialist Hospital morgue.

  • Man’s inhumanity to man

    Man’s inhumanity to man

    • Air Force cadets who manhandled artisan must be brought to book

    The plight of Citizen Dahiru Lawal, an artisan who was manhandled by personnel of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for breaking their car windscreen has once again illustrated the disregard of security men for the laws of the land. It is an irony that men and women paid by the state for protection of the country and people, and ensuring that the laws are given effect by all, are the same people who break the laws.

    Lawal is only one of the many cases recorded daily. The young man who was carrying a load is reported to have broken the windshield under the pressure of the load and, as he explained, out of fright, he took to his heels, realising that the uniformed men would descend on him. True to type, they ran after him, manhandled  him, dragged him on the floor all the way into the car and then locked him up in the boot. Lawal was lucky his ordeal coincided with the return of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State from Agbowa in the state. It took the intervention of the governor to get the boy released.

    The ordeal of Citizen Lawal again illustrated the lawlessness of some members of our security forces. When it is not the police taking it out on hapless citizens, it is members of the Armed Forces. Even the personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps are known to subject fellow citizens to indignity outside the provisions of the laws. This must stop.

    Sixteen years after the return to democratic rule in the country, the security agencies are yet to internalise democratic norms. It is trite that all ought to be equal under the law. The fact that similar cases continue in the land attests to the failure of the authorities to punish erring officers and men. It is to the shame of the NAF that Peters Solomon and Abdullahi Fahad who took the law into their own hands in nearly snuffing life out of the hapless Lawal were mere cadets. In previous cases, very senior officers willfully broke the law. A case in point was that of a colonel found driving on the dedicated lane for the Bus Rapid Transit scheme. It took the vigilance of former Governor Babatunde Fashola to apprehend him and make him face the music.

    In other situations where men of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) had tried to enforce traffic rules against lawless officers, they had been beaten and disgraced.

    We call on the authorities of the Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos, to step into the matter and get the two men tried. The result of their investigations, trial and punishment should be made available to the public. This would serve as deterrence to others who may want to tread the same path. In addition, the arms of the various forces responsible for training and doctrine should begin conscious efforts to enlighten the men and officers at all levels that they are subject to civil laws and authorities.

    The ignorance of Solomon and Fahad in arguing that they merely wanted to take the boy to their base is pitiable. They should have realised that the Air Force Police has no jurisdiction over civil matters even when officers are involved. Besides, how could one excuse men of the NAF bundling a citizen into the boot of a vehicle under any guise?  The Air Force is regarded as an elite force where such ignorance should be strange.

    We note that such man’s inhumanity to man takes place all over the country. While commending Governor Ambode for the action he took in handing the men to the police, we call on all other leaders – governors, ministers, commissioners, legislators and local government agencies to ensure that those who infringe on the laws of the land are adequately punished to rid the country of whimsical breach of laws, rules and regulations.

     

  • Stop funding BDCs, MAN urges Fed Govt

    Stop funding BDCs, MAN urges Fed Govt

    •Manufacturers seek guided deregulation

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has urg  ed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop funding Bureau de Change (BDC) operators.

    Its President, Dr. Frank Udemba Jacobs, wondered why BDCs should depend on official allocation of foreign exchange (forex) from the CBN, instead of exploring alternative funding windows.

    Jacobs also questioned the real functions of BDCs with the kind of arrangement the nation is running. “They act as mere distributive conduit pipes by simply getting forex allocation from the CBN and selling to every Nigerian out of the multitude that need forex thereby making their profits without making value addition,” he said.

    In a statement, the MAN chief said forex allocated to the BDCs should rather be channelled to the productive sectors of the economy, especially manufacturers for the importation of essential inputs and machinery that are not locally available, as well as to the social welfare segment of the society, such as hospitals and schools, among others.

    Dr. Jacobs, who commended the Federal Government for combating the challenges faced by the country as a result of falling oil prices, also advocated the use of guided deregulation of the economy such that the naira would be left to flow freely within a bracket determied by the CBN.

    He said the nation cannot afford to allow the naira to fall freely without any check. “MAN believes that this arrangement will allow the exchange rate to be determined by the market but with some moderation and also leave room for investors to be attracted to invest in the country.

    “This will also assist in checking the ugly situation that took place during the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) era where, as a result of devaluation, over 60 per cent of small and medium scale industries closed down because of inability to sustain their operations,” he said.

    He said restriction on dollar inflow should be lifted but this should not preclude CBN’s duty of investigating sources of such incomes.

    The MAN chief said to avoid perceived abuse of forex allocation and save the naira, the management of forex, which is vested on a Committee chaired by the Governor of the CBN should monitor the utilisation of forex by recipients by remitting funds directly to the beneficiary company overseas.

    On how to grow the economy, he said emphasis should be placed on the productive sector in order to raise and sustain the tempo of industrialisation. He said export of manufactured products and indeed, other finished products should be encouraged in order to make up for the deficit the nation is currently witnessing in the forex market, while exporters should be encouraged to repatriate accrued funds home.

    While urging government to explore other avenues of forex inflow other than oil revenue by giving incentives to exporters, Dr. Jacobs stresed the need to encourage the manufacturing sector to grow in view of the critical role it plays in job and wealth creation as well as technology for skill acquisition.

    He argued that except all these are adhered to, Nigeria’s quest to increase her forex reserve and strengthen the naira may remain a pipe dream.

    While speaking against the subsidy regime, Jacobs observed that a major source of forex wastage in Nigeria is through the on-going subsidy on importation of petroleum products.

    He said the country has no business relying on fuel importation to meet local needs, given the number of refineries in the country, which are currently lying idle.

  • Man kills six over alleged food poisoning in Edo

    Man kills six over alleged food poisoning in Edo

    A middle aged man identified as Onana Osua has been shot dead by a police patrol team after killing six persons over alleged food poisoning.

    Late Osua was said to have left the hospital where he was admitted after he was reportedly poisoned and given five days to live.

    Witnesses said Osua went home, took his gun and started going to the homes of people suspected to be responsible for the poisoning and shot them dead.

    The incident occurred at Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area.

    Osua was said to be a chairman of a motor park in Uromi.

    It was learnt that he killed the wife of one of his target when he got to their residence.

    Sources said Osua fled to Ubiaja in Esan South West where he reportedly shot at a patrol team before he was gunned down.

    Confirming the report, Edo Police spokesman, DSP Abiodun Osifo, said three of the victims have been confirmed dead while others are at critical condition in the hospital.

    DSP Osifo explained that Osua shot at a police team who were already aware of his killing spree before the police fired back.

    He said Osua went on a killing spree before the police stopped him.

  • Man electrocuted in Kaduna

    An unidentified middle-aged man was electrocuted yesterday morning while allegedly attempting to vandalise cables at Accra Crescent, near LEA Primary School, Unguwar Rimi in Kaduna State.

    The Dan Iyar Unguwar Rimi, Alhaji Muhammad Gidado, who confirmed the incident, said the suspected vandal’s body had been evacuated by the police from Unguwar Rimi Division.

    He urged law enforcement agencies to increase patrol in the area.

    Investigation by our correspondent showed that the deceased tried to steal 150mm four core up-riser cables at the distribution sub-station on Accra Crescent.

    The Head, Corporate Communications, Kaduna Electric, the operator of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Abdulazeez Abdullahi, enjoined customers to be vigilant and report suspicious activities near power installations, especially at night, to the police.

    He warned criminals to desist from vandalising electricity equipment.

  • Man electrocuted trying to steal electric cable

    Man electrocuted trying to steal electric cable

    An unidentified middle age man was electrocuted at the early hours of Sunday while trying to steal electric cable at a power supply installation in Kaduna.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident happened at Accra Crescent by LEA Primary School, Unguwar Rimi.

    The traditional ruler of teh area, Dan Iyar Unguwar Rimi, Alhaji Muhammad Gidado, confirmed the incident.

    Gidado said that the corpse of the vandal was evacuated from the scene by the police from Unguwar Rimi Division.

    According to him, the vandal was unknown to them in the area and urged law enforcement agencies to step-up patrol as the community has suffered from the activities of vandals lately.

    Gidado explained that the deceased tried to steal the 150mm four core up-riser cable at the distribution sub-station along Accra Crescent when nemesis caught up with him.

    The Head, Corporate Communications of Kaduna Electric, the operator of Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, also confirmed the incident.

    He appealed to customers of the company to be more vigilant and report suspicious movement around power supply installations to the police, especially in the night.

    Abdullahi lamented that the activities of these hoodlums was causing set back to the company’s effort at providing steady power supply to its customers.

    He warned criminal elements to desist from damaging or removing power supply equipment as the consequence could be very tragic.

    Meanwhile, the police said it was investigating the incident with a view to arresting the collaboartors of the act and preventing reoccurrence.

  • Man held for raping seven children in Ebonyi

    Man held for raping seven children in Ebonyi

    Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested a middle aged man, Chinedu Nwoja, for allegedly defiling seven female children at Onueke in Ezza South local government area of the state.

    The state police spokesman, Mr. George Okafor, stated this in Abakaliki Thursday.

    The Command took up the matter following a petition by the Family Law Centre, Abakaliki.

    Narrating their ordeal, some of the victims aged between six and 10 alleged that the man who was a father of three had on several occasions lured them to his vehicle and other isolated places where he repeatedly carried out the act.

    Some of the parents of the children, Mrs. Elizabeth Nweke and Mr. Monday Obaji said they became aware of the development when their children started complaining of pains in their private parts, pointing out that the accused admitted to the offence when confronted by the community members.

    The Chairman of Family Law Centre, Mrs. Elizabeth Nwali, explained that the Centre petitioned the State Criminal Investigation Department following complaints that the accused who was handed over to police at Onueke was discharged same day without proper questioning.

    But the police spokesman said the matter was under investigation, but claimed that the affected families were yet to bring the victims for medical test.

     

  • Man in court over alleged heroin trafficking

    Man in court over alleged heroin trafficking

    A 35-year-old man, Aniecheta Okoli, on Tuesday appeared before a Federal High Court in Lagos, charged with heroin trafficking.

    The accused is facing a one-count charge preferred against him by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge, and his counsel, Mrs Lilian Omotunde, requested that he be granted bail.

    Justice Saliu Saidu, the trial Judge, in response, granted the accused bail in the sum of N10 million with two sureties in like sum.

    The judge ordered that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused.

    He adjourned the case till Feb. 25, 2016, for substantive trial.

    The prosecutor, Mr Fingere Dinneys had told the court that the accused committed the offence on Oct. 5

    He said that the accused was arrested at the arrival hall of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja.

    The prosecutor said that a large wrap of heroin, weighing 45 grammes, was recovered from the accused during the screening of passengers.

    He said that Okoli was consequently arrested and handed over to the NDLEA for prosecution.

    The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 11 (b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence of drug trafficking can attract as much as life imprisonment.