The Nation Newspaper

Tag: MD

  • NDPHC gets new MD, EDs

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and two Executive Directors for the Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited (NDPHC).

    This was contained in a statement issued by the

    Director (Press) in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Bolaji Adebiyi.

    The new appointees, the statement said, include Joseph Chiedu Ugbo – Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, who has been serving in acting capacity.

    Mallam Babayo Shehu is the new Executive Director (Finance and Administration), and Engineer Ife Oyedele is Executive Director (Engineering and. Technical Services).

    Mr. Ugbo is a legal practitioner and infrastructure regulations specialist with extensive experience in electricity industry reform and privatisation.

  • Neimeth MD gets Award

    Neimeth MD gets Award

    THE Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals Plc Managing Director Dr Ebere Igboko Ekpunobi has won the GSK Inventor Award for two invention patents.

    In statement, the firm’s Corporate Affairs chief, Mazi Okoro I. Nwaka, said the inventions were made during Dr Ekpunobi’s tenure at GSK.  He said Dr Ekpunobi’s inventions are ‘’related to the discovery of compounds potentially useful for the treatment of a rare disease’’.

    He said the award was instituted by GSK Research and Development Centre in Shangai, China, to recognise contributions in taking a molecule through the drug development to its launch.

    GSK’s Senior Counsel, Global Patents, Fang Qian, said the Inventor Award recognises the importance of intellectual property and the contribution of inventors to the patents that are critical to creating value for patients and for the company.

    A graduate of Pharmacy from the University of Nsukka (UNN), Dr Ekpunobi holds the doctorate in Pharmacy Administration of Purdue University, W. Lafayete Indiana, United States.

    She has worked at Burroughs Welcome as Product Manger for Retrovir, US and Director, Commercial Strategy, HIV/Anti-infectives, Glaxo Wecome. In 2010, she pitched tent with CVM/NS Global Franchise, Shangai, China as Head, Research and Development Commercial Heights, from where she joined Neimeth.

  • Hadiza Usman is MD of NPA

    Hadiza Usman is MD of NPA

    The Federal Government  yesterday appointed Ms Hadiza Usman as Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

    The information is contained in a statement by the Director of Press, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Yetunde Sonaike in Abuja.

    Sonaike stated that others appointed were Mohammed Bello-Koko as Executive Director, Finance; Prof. Idris Abubakar, Executive Director Engineering; Dr Sekonte Davies as Executive Director, Marine Operations.

    She noted that Usman was born on January  2, 1976 in Zaria, Kaduna State and has a B.Sc. Business Administration from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and a Post Graduate in Development Studies from University of Leeds, UK in 2009.

    She worked at Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) from July 2000 to August 2004 as Enterprise Officer and hired by the UNDP for the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) from October 2004 to January  2008 as Special Assistant to the Minister on Project Implementation.

    The new NPA boss, Sonaike added, worked as Director of Strategy of Good Governance Group, a Non-Governmental Organisation from  2011 to July 2015 and appointed as Chief of Staff to Governor Ahmed El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, a position she held until the present appointmet.

     

  • NLNG has reduced gas flaring to 20 per cent, says MD

    NLNG has reduced gas flaring to 20 per cent, says MD

    •Firm invests $12m in six universities

    The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), at the weekend, said it has reduced gas flaring from 65 per cent to 20 per cent.

    NLNG added that Nigeria is no longer in the league of top five gas flaring countries in the world.

    Its Managing Director Babs Omotowa spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the inauguration of the NLNG/University of Ilorin Engineering Research Centre.

    Omotowa said through the company’s university support programme, NLNG invested $12 million in six universities in the country.

    Said he:  “One of the reasons why NLNG was established was to reduce gas flaring in the country. When we started, Nigeria was flaring about 65 per cent of its gas. We were the second highest gas flaring nation in the world. Through the construction of the six trains we have in NLNG, we have helped to bring that down to about 20 per cent and today we are no longer the top five gas flaring countries in the world. So we are proud that we have contributed to the environmental improvement in the country and the health implications of that.

    “In addition, we provide a significant source of revenue for the nation and are also today supplying a vast majority of the cooking gas used in many homes in Nigeria today.”

    He listed the benefiting universities under the support programme as Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID) and University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).

    NLNG boss added the one of the company’s “approaches is to develop Nigerian human capital and foster technological advancement in our great country. We recognize that universities are one of the critical fertile grounds from which ideas to fast-track Nigeria’s progress will spring from.

    “With this programme Nigeria LNG is partnering with six universities in Nigeria to uplift engineering teaching and research in our tertiary institutions. On its part, Nigeria LNG invested two million Dollars each to build and equip world-class engineering facilities in these schools.”

  • NEXIM MD unveils guidelines for N500b export facility

    NEXIM MD unveils guidelines for N500b export facility

    The Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive, Nigerian Export Import Bank (NEXIM), Bashir M. Wali yesterday unveiled the implementation modalities of the N500 billion Export Stimulation Facility and the N50 billion enhancement on the Rediscounting and Refinancing Facility.

    Speaking at the non-oil export stakeholders’ engagement session in Lagos, he said over the past few months, the NEXIM Bank has been working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to review existing policies and strategies towards increasing funding support and stimulating additional investments in the non-oil export sector.

    He explained that during the course of this review, the bank has also met with various stakeholders, including exporters, commodity associations, bankers, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and other relevant government agencies to obtain strategic inputs and share perspectives towards achieving our common objective of diversifying the Nigerian economy.

    He said the approval of the two intervention funding schemes and release of the operating guidelines by the CBN represent the result of NEXIM Bank’s collective efforts.

    He said with the release of the guidelines and commencement of the schemes, Nigerian exporters and export oriented businesses will now seize the opportunity to expand and upscale their operations towards boosting the current low contribution of non-oil exports, which has remained at about five per cent over the years.

    “Let me also add that besides the issues of availability and access to funds, we have also intensified our collaborations and engagements with relevant institutions and stakeholders towards addressing other challenges affecting the export sector such as the problems of infrastructure, issues of packaging and labeling as well as improving access to market,” he said.

    He said the event was meant to create a forum for discussion of the implementation modalities, the role of all participants and the expected outcomes from the successful implementation of these schemes.

  • NDPHC workers back MD

    Workers of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) have pledged their support to the new Acting Managing Director, Mr. Chiedu Ugbo.

    They denied media reports that they kicked against his appointments.

    The workers at a town hall meeting with Ugbo said they would support the new helsman to ensure effective delivery of projects under the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) superintended by NDPHC to boost power supply in the country.

    According to the General Manager, Communication and Public Relations, Mr. Yakubu Lawal, the workers also believed that NIPP has played a vital role in the power infrastructure development across the country and assured the new managing director that they are ready to raise the bar so that all ongoing NIPP projects will be delivered within schedule and look forward to kick-start the phase II projects of the company.

    Acting executive directors and senior managers who spoke on behalf of the workers told the new managing director that NDPHC relates like a family and urged him to sustain the family ties in the company.

    “We are like a family, these young men and women are ready to work with you and support you,” they said.

    Ugbo requested staff to cooperate with him to sustain and increase the momentum of project delivery for the benefit of all Nigerians.

    s“I know that it may be difficult to adjust to this change considering the fact that everybody is used to previous management but we have work to do and need everyone’s cooperation to deliver the projects to Nigerians,” he said.

    Lawal said at no time did the workers protest or resist government plan to appoint outsiders as replacement for the sacked management of the company. He noted that the reports carried by some media organisations were false and were the reporters’ imagination.

    “The executive directors that removed, were appointed in 2015 contrary to the reporters’ claim of 2013 while the former Managing Director spent 10 years as Chief Executive Officer of NDPHC,” Lawal said.

    As part of the Federal Government’s plan to address the power situation in the country, the executive management of NDPHC was dissolved last week and an Acting Managing Director appointed to manage the company.

  • NBC training centre as good as varsity, says MD

    Managing Director of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Mr Ben Langat, has described the training provided by the firm’s Technical Training Centre (TTC) as good as that of a university.

    Langat spoke last Thursday at the 25th graduation of the centre during which 14 Graduate Engineers and 18 technicians graduated after completing 15 and 18 months intensive training programme.

    Langat said the centre was an integral part of the firm’s success, which he said is doing better than some bottlers of the coca cola products even in Europe.

    He said: “Our Technical Training Centre is fundamental to our current business improvement initiatives and a step-change in our processes with an underlying emphasis on efficiency, preserving our quality commitment and mitigating cost drivers in core operational areas,” he said.

    “I remember my first day of coming here, and I said this is a university in the future. When you look at the impact the graduate of this centre has had on our business since they left the centre over the last four years that I have been heading this organisation – you’ve heard from the manufacturing director – that in the lines that we have put in into this business – and it is a lot because we have gone far in this business- all the lines are run by people from this Technical Training Centre only. Nobody else has come from outside this technical training centre.

    “We have had performances that are equal or even above some in Europe in our businesses.  So, which other university do we need?”

    Langat said the success recorded by the centre informed an upgrade of the entry requirement from National Diploma (ND) to HND and the introduction of a separate training for graduate engineers in 2014.

    During the event, the graduate engineers, represented by Tolu Mogaji, presented projects they executed within their training that saved the company millions of naira and expanded its production capacity.

    Head of the TTC, Mr Tope Dada, led Langat and other special guests on a tour of the centre, showcasing various machine parts the technical trainees successfully produced that made the plant run smoothly.

    Erakpoweri Ogaga, a technical trainee, told the visitors how they are regularly challenged to design and fabricate damaged parts of equipment as stop gap measures pending when they are replaced by the manufacturers.

    “Sometimes on the lines, some parts might get damaged.  You don’t need to wait for two weeks for the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) to bring these products.  And you know here, time is money.  So what they do is bring the parts here, we source for the materials locally and we make them.  We do a lot of parts that have been used on the lines.  Like the Styro is the first of its kind.  The design we had initially was too big and expensive.  It was here we derived that if we make it smaller, it is better and it serves the same purpose.  That even gave the OEM a thought.  The new ones they now did are smaller,” he said.

    Corroborating Ogaga, Mr Oyegun Oyetunde, Lighting System Engineer, said: ‘’There are a lot of things they manufacture that help to keep the lines running.  To buy some of these parts from the OEM will run into millions. They are trained to be multi-skilled.”

    The graduates got counsel from various members of the NBC management team, urging them to be determined, hardworking, and adopt the right attitude to work and learning.

    Manufacturing Manager, Mr Anthony Njenga, urged the graduands to go the extra mile in all they do.

    “Never take the easy way out; always find a way to get a learning experience out of every situation,” said Anthony, who also shared how such attitude benefited him as a management trainee.

    Michael Lutz, Manager, Capacity Development, counseled them to continue the legacy set by previous sets of the centre.

    In his speech, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, represented by Dr Ifeoma Igweze-Anyawutaku, underscored the importance of technical and vocational education to economic growth and praised NBC for investing in it.

    “This is indeed a clear demonstration of the company’s firm commitment to manpower development, particularly with regard to local expertise in beverage bottling operations.  By so doing, the company is investing in technical education and training and contributing towards national development,” he said.

    In an interview, Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Mr Olawumi Gasper, praised NBC for designing a training that improves its business directly.

    “They are doing very well.  This is a project-based, challenge based training,” he said.

    Those among the graduands who distinguished themselves during the programme got prizes.  Adikwu Umoru, was the best graduating trainee engineer (male), while Christian Ipuole was the best graduating trainee technician (male).  Mobola Tubi, who already had a masters before coming to TTC, was the best technical trainee graduate (female), while Ogundele David, won an award for the best behaved as Class Representative for the Technical Trainee Set 30.

     

  • 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”.

     

  • Nigeria, other African countries’ assets exposed to risk, says Niger MD

    Assets in Africa including Nigeria’s, are badly exposed to risk due to lack of adequate insurance cover, the Managing Director, Niger Insurance Plc, Kola Adedeji, has said.

    He made this known in an interview with The Nation at the just concluded African Insurance Organisation (AIO) 43rd Conference held in Marrakech, Morocco.

    Adedeji said the Continent, especially Nigeria is underinsured but noted that the future is bright. “The future of insurance in Africa, including Nigeria is bright and it will contribute to the GDP in terms of growth. In Nigeria, what the government has done, apart from providing a more efficient regulatory environment is its inclusion of insurance premium in the budget.”

    He added: “For the first time in the history of insurance in Nigeria, insurance has been put on the front burner with the emergence of the Committee on Insurance at the National Assembly. We now have members of the House of Representatives and Senators representing and dealing with insurance matters.”

    Adedeji, however, said that the regulatory body, the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) must continue to encourage the Committee because insurance is still not well understood.

  • NDDC spent N9.2b on projects in three months, says MD

    NDDC spent N9.2b on projects in three months, says MD

    The Acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs Ibim Semenitari, has said the commission spent N9.2 billion on projects between January and March.

    Semenitari spoke yestrday on the News Agency of Nigeria’s (NAN’s) Forum in Abuja.

    She said: “As at January 1, our balance was N9.9 billion. Within this period, that is January to March, we received N6.8 billion from the Federal Government and N32 billion from oil firms. So, the inflow was about N48.9 billion.

    “These are the expenses we have made: Recurrent payment, including salary and allowances as well as other expenditure, stood at N7 billion and payment for projects stood at N9.2 billion.

    “There was no accusation of any capital fixed asset within the period under review. So, the expenditure within the period under review is N16.3 billion.”

    The NDDC chief said the cash balance as at March 25 was N32.26 billion.

    She said: “This means that when I make payment this week or next week, it means that has taken to the second quarter.”

    The acting managing director noted that before the commission paid any contractor, it processed the interim payment certificate.

    “The way we pay, we process the interim payment certificate. And then the number of interim payment certificates that has been processed for payment is 153. But we have worked more these numbers.

    “Those that are still in the process, action is being taken on them; some of them have treated 493 interim payment certificates.”

    Mrs Semenitari said the commission paid 642 of 8,600 contractors.

    She said: “Basically, what I am saying is that I have addressed over 600 contractors. In other words, 600 projects have been treated. We have been able to complete about 28 projects within this period.”

    The NDDC chief said the biggest challenge she had,  “was the fact that we are owing so many people”.

    According to her, the commission was owing more than 8,600 contractors between N400 billion and N450 billion.

    She said paucity of funds, coupled with the public perception of the commission, became sources of concern for the management.

    But she said NDDC dealt with both challenges and re-invigorated the workforce.

    Mrs Semenitari said: “The biggest challenge we had, on assumption of office, for me, was the fact that we were owing so many people. We were owing more than 8,600 contractors and we are owing between N400 billion and N450 billion.

    “That’s a lot of money. So, the first challenge was you had so many contracts and you had so much debt: there was a big hole right there.

    “The second was the perception problem. The commission was perceived – rightly or wrongly – as a place you just come, take your share and go. It was also perceived to be a corrupt place.

    “And we also had to deal with the need to professionalise the workforce. Basically, in terms of how you reposition the people. We also had to reinvigorate the workforce so that people would have a sense of freshness and a sense of new challenges because we could get people back on track.”

    According to her, better days will come for the commission by the time its funding partners pay their debts.

    Mrs Semenitari noted that with the payment of the outstanding funds, the projects the commission was handling would become visible.

    The NDDC chief said the late passage of the commission’s budget hampered its proper planning and management.

    She said: “By law, we are funded with three per cent from oil companies; we are funded from the ecological fund and we are funded from money accruable to states.

    “We had a situation where we were owed by our funding partners. The Federal Government, which is our owner, was owing us about N800 billion.

    “Whereas the law provides for specific kinds of funding for the commission, unfortunately the commission had not been receiving its funds as at when due. So, this was one of the challenges I had to deal with.

    “And then, of course, perhaps the last and the critical one is the fact of late budgets. The NDDC budget is always late, and that doesn’t help for planning. It comes so late in the year; indeed, I hear sometimes as late as October, by which time the year is ending. That’s because the NDDC budget, by the budget practice, doesn’t go with all other budgets.

    “For that reason, the budget process of the NDDC begins after and so terminates ridiculously late in the year, by which time, of course, by planning and everything, it makes it almost ridiculous and impossible for management to function within the appropriation act.”

    Mrs Semenitari called for a speedy budget to ensure its smooth operation.

    The NDDC acting MD urged Niger Delta residents to protect contractors handling projects in the region.

    She spoke about the killing and kidnapping of construction personnel working on the Ogbio-Nembe Road.

    Mrs Semenitari urged the people to understand that “we need safety to drive development”.