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e rules and ensure a credible election.
According to one of the spokesmen of the campaign, Kola Ologbodiyan, “Our campaign urged the military hierarchy to ensure that the rank and file operate within the confines of the rules of carrying out the responsibility of internal security.
“What is important is for the military to guarantee a credible poll to our nation. They have the duty of protecting the territorial integrity of our nation and a duty of conformity with the laws.
“The politicians, who are putting pressure on the military should go and engage the people, who will vote; they should go and sell their promises if they will be bought by them, they should stop mounting pressure on the military, they should face the electorate, who should govern them.
“If you look at the political climate of our nation today, you will agree with me that the presidential candidate of our party, Atiku Abubakar, who is campaigning and also talking to Nigerians are marketing policies, promises that he plans into his government, when he is sworn in as president on May 29, as such, we counsel other politicians to stop mounting pressure on the military,” Ologbodiyan stated.
THISDAYLIVE
Report: 5G Subscriptions in Africa to Reach 150m By 2028
), were handling the jobs.
“We are using the same consultants in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Works and the FIRS to make sure that this works for all of us and we can see from the quality of work.
“This is the best framework for delivering infrastructure in the country. We are funding partners. We are development partners and enablers. So, whatsoever the FIRS and the ministry of works approve for us, we will consider from our cash flow and fund them,” he assured.
In his comments, the Director, Roads, Ministry of Works, Folorunso Esan, said through the intervention, the NNPC has been able to improve the pace of the project from 10 per cent to about 40 per cent within a very short period.
“From what we can see, the intervention from NNPC has taken this project from 10 per cent to 40 per cent in a very short time.
“And we have achieved a lot and you can see that the construction is still ongoing and what they have done already is quality work which everyone has attested to. And they are ready to complete this project with the funding available,” he said.
In his remarks, the Oba of Ibereko in Badagry, Israel Okoya, stated that prior to the NNPC’s intervention, motorists spent between two to six hours daily on the traffic in the area, stressing that currently travel time of the road has been reduced to less than an hour.
Earlier in Niger state, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, lauded the initiative and called for closer collaboration among the all the parties involved.
Also, Nami stated that: “This road will facilitate trade, movement of people from one destination to another and ensure safety of lives and property.”
the development objective of setting them up.
“Our ministry, the regulator which is the CBN will review the criteria so that we could strike a balance that would enable the banks to do more where development is much more needed.
“I have also seen reports of the development banks and noticed the uneven disbursement of their loans. We also have to be careful so that the banks would not use the review of the criteria as an excuse.
“For instance, before the current management of the Bank of Ag
riculture took over, the CBN just released funds and gave lists of those to give the monies to without giving us opportunity to scrutinise the beneficiaries.
“At the end of the day, 90 per cent of the facilities failed. We would also involve the National Assembly so that we would strike a balance between the objective of setting up the development banks and the need to make sure that they stay afloat and have a healthy balance sheet to be able to continue to do their work.”
Ahmed added: “Our intervention as a government is limited to our ability to continue to fund them so we make sure that they are healthy enough to also raise funds whether from local or international sources.
“Whatever we lend to them is not enough to make them carry out their objective. We will provide to the Committee, the criteria for disbursing loans, the schedule of shareholding of the federal government in each of the development banks and the list of other shareholders.
“We will also provide how much intervention we had had put in to the banks as a government over a period of time.”
Earlier, Senator Musa said the federal government supported the development banks so that they would not be using the same considerations that commercial banks were using.
He added, “We want to know the conditionalities that are making it very difficult for the MSMEs to access funds from the development banks, there is the need to look at it critically.
“We want to know the criteria being used by the development banks to disbusrse funds because we know that the standards were set by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The criteria should be such that the weak MSMEs would be able to access it.
The Bank of Industry for instance, was set up to industrialise Nigeria. It means every part of the country must be considered.
“The Nigerian economy is being run by the MSMEs because we have about 39 million of them across the country. We need to ensure their survival.”
Also, Senator Ibrahim Hadejia, stressed the need to know the criteria used in the disbursement of the loans.
n and we want to make life good for our people.”
Emefiele added: “It is important for me to say that the cashless policy started in 2012 but on almost three to four occasions we have had to step down the policy because we felt that there is a need for us to prepare ourselves and deepen our payment system infrastructure in Nigeria.
“Between 2012 and now which is about 10 years, we believe that a lot of electronic channels have been put in place that would aid people in conducting banking and financial transactions in Nigeria.
“We have heard people talk about the people in the rural areas, the truth is that even online banking is working even in Daura, I saw a kiosk that has super agents today because of the way we felt that there is a need to deepen payment system infrastructure.
“We have 1.4 million super agents that are all over the country, in all local governments and all villages and I have told my colleagues, we are going to publish all the names of all the super agents.”
According to him, “Having super agents which are different from the banks and different from MFBs other financial institutions, having 1.4 million of them is as good as saying we are having 1.4 million banking points where people can conduct banking services and we think that Nigeria as a big country and the biggest economy in Africa, that we need to leapfrog into the cashless economy.
“We cannot continue to allow a situation where over 85 per cent of the cash that is in circulation outside the banks. More and more countries that are embracing digitalisation have gone cashless and I have said it at different fora that this is not targeted at anybody.”
He said the CBN remained alive to its responsibilities, and would do what was right for the country and Nigerians in general.
He said, “We do not want to make life difficult for them, there is no need for anyone to worry, the CBN is monitoring what is happening.”
On the new banknotes, Emefiele added, “I can assure everyone that it will go round, but let us be calm and be patient. Luckily the old currency continues to be legal tender until January 31, 2023. Both the painted and unpainted ones will be legal tender and by January 31 unpainted ones will not be useful to you.
“At the CBN we have taken more than half a trillion and the banks will also have around half a trillion; what we have done is to move more people into currency processing so that we can process as quickly as possible and from there, banks can move.
“The president says he is happy and we do not need to fear anybody and we should carry on.”
In a related development, the CBN has assured bank customers that its cash withdrawal policy would not prevent depositors from having access to their money.
It also urged Nigerians to make use of other alternative channels to transact their business.
The Director of Payment System Management, CBN, Musa Itopa Jimoh, who spoke on Arise News Channel, said it was important to make clarifications to Nigerians that CBN was not preventing anybody from taking their money.
“If you go to a bank to withdraw money, it is possible, we only push a threshold. There are other options by which you can take the money, it is not only cash that you can access your money. It can be accessed also in electronic form.
“Today, business outlets are begging banks to come and deploy PoS terminals. In fact, there are some shop outlets when you go there, they will designate a specific point for cash payment, every other point is electronic payment.
“So, the CBN has not prevented any Nigerian from taking your money from the bank. We are only saying we want to go cashless; we want to build our payment system; a detailed financial inclusion makes our financial system very stable.”
On his part, the Director, Banking Supervision Department, CBN, Haruna Bala Mustafa said the policy wasn’t politically motivated in any way, stressing that the CBN remains apolitical. He maintained that no pressure was being put on the apex bank.
He said the cash restriction policy was in li[...]
ilitary.
According to him, he carried the media along while he was in charge of the war theatre in the north east between 2016 and 2017, by taking them round the hospitals, where wounded solders were being treated, for them to have first hand information on the reality of the terror war.
He said there was no way the Nigerian Army would be involved in such programme, adding that, “We are not unaware of some extra-territorial interests, who do not want us to live in peace.
“I didn’t think I needed to dignify that report. That’s why I did not mention it. Why? I was informed by my officer, the director of Defence Information that he received a mail from Reuters, requesting to have an interview with me. And he gave me a letter written by one Alexandra Xavis, making spurious allegations, many of which have now been published by the same Reuters.
“And when I went through, I asked myself, how could a man be so laden with evil, to contemplate the content of which he wants me to respond? I said, he should go back to the person and if he wants to, that he already knows the military, if he wants to answer he should go ahead.
“But I’m not going to dignify such, because you’re saying the military since 2013, has been engaged in a planned abortion programme. And that, it’s the military that is running that programme. And then, in that letter, he also indicated that it was, perhaps, part of government’s design.
“And in that letter, he indicated 12,000 abortions had been carried out. And then went on and on to say their sources, their sources. And I say which source and, of course, there are people, who have worked in the northeast. So, I think, I mean, the problems that we’re contending with, and I shouldn’t waste my energy for such things.
“Again, it falls within the realm of ‘My mind is made up, don’t confuse me with the facts.’So, since that is the position of Reuters, I didn’t think it was necessary for me to, you know, call them up, and then, to engage in, because that’s is outright nonsense.
“Now, on the report, my name was mentioned that at some stage, I was in charge of the operation. Yes, of course, I was. In 2013, I was not in charge, I took leadership of the operation in northeast in 2016. That I did till the later part of 2017, that is close to two years. And so, let me even confine myself to the time of my leadership of the north-east itself. The allusions they made is news to me.
“It never occurred, I never saw anything like that both from the division of center from Giwa projects down to Malari cantonment, where I lived, where we have seven division hospital that was a major hospital for the treatment of our personnel and their families. And especially, the wounded?
“That again, we had unfettered access by all the members of the media, I recall the engagement I had with the media all through and I take them there, to all the wards except, of course, the mortuary we were trying to build at a time. The whole essence of having to have that kind of engagement was to say, look, this war is real.
“The deaths, and the wounds inflicted on our troops are real. Please, go and see, because we need you to work with us to be able to make… and I’m glad that it paid off. And that is why today, in the north east, sanity, not only has it returned, we have continued to play our path.
“Now, of course, we’re not unaware that there are extra-territorial elements, who really do not want to have us live in peace. Who really do not want us to move forward. I am also aware that, of course, the war economy has affected a good number of people. So, now that we’re making progress, they think we need to return to that status quo ante.”
On activities of some members of the Army, who were sabotaging their efforts, Irabor admitted that there would always be bad eggs in every human organisation.
Thus, while noting that some of the soldiers caught in such unwholesome practices had been arrested and disciplined for various offences, including divulging codified information to the adversaries a[...]
THISDAYLIVE
Buhari Reiterates Commitment to Reviving Agriculture
James Emejo in Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday reaffirmed his determination to achieve food security and agricultural mechanisation through the National Agricultural Lands Development Authority (NALDA).
The president said his commitment to a better Nigeria was not in doubt, having demonstrated it from the inception of his government, adding that, “I will keep demonstrating it until the last day of our service in 2023.”
Speaking while showcasing the achievements of his administration in agriculture through the resuscitated NALDA, he said the role of the authority was beyond just land clearing and preparation.
“Its role, as clearly spelled out in the mandate that established it, encompasses the entire value chain geared towards food security and enough for export.
“Being aware of the importance of NALDA, I reinstated the authority with one sole aim of achieving food security while creating jobs in the sector as additional means of earning foreign. revenue besides oil.”
Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Boss Mustapha, Buhari said, “Within these two years of my bringing NALDA back, I am pleased that NALDA under my watch is achieving results that are directly and positively affecting the people, especially from the rural areas. “In line with my vision of seeing Nigeria lead in agricultural development, I believe that after having resuscitated NALDA, my successors will build on its legacies in order for Nigeria to achieve food sufficiency in no distant time.”
He said, “Again, I charged the Chief Executive Secretary of NALDA and his team to pursue this mandate vigorously without any discrimination, fear, or favour being an agency under the presidency.
“Today, I thank the Executive Secretary of NALDA and his team for making these dreams a reality.”
Buhari said the equipment on display which included, spraying aircraft, tractors, combined harvesters, pumping machines, surveillance, and spraying drones among others are credible evidence and a demonstration of his commitment to developing agriculture.
Buhari, therefore, further directed the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Mr. Paul Ikonne, to procure five additional spraying drones in order to have each geopolitical zone covered.
He said the government had procured various equipment for agricultural mechanisation, and, “will keep procuring land preparation equipment until we have enough.”
Further listing the milestones achieve through NALDA, Buhari said “In terms of human capital, several professionals in different fields of agriculture have been trained and equipped to offer services in the needed areas. Similarly, many Nigerians, mostly youth and women, have been trained and empowered in the fields of mechanised agriculture, poultry farming, and fisheries, among others.”
The president further expressed satisfaction that his administration would be bequeathing lasting legacies to the next administration with NALDA being a clear example.
He said, “This is in addition to the recent discovery and commencement of drilling of oil in the north; the gains made in the area of securing lives and property in the country; and my commitment to free, fair, and credible elections amongst many others.
“With our visionary leadership and passion for agriculture, we were able to secure Nigeria before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the entire world which was thereafter hit by the recession. But Nigeria did not feel much of the impact as badly as other countries because there was enough food from our grains reserves to cater for the period.”
He said, “You will agree with me that agriculture is one of the easiest and fastest ways to engage the youth and reduce unemployment. I, therefore, urge corporate bodies, international organisations, and other countries to partner with and invest in[...]
THISDAYLIVE
FG Will Review N500bn Development Banks’ Loan Disbursement Criteria, Says Finance Minister
Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed has said the federal government would review the criteria currently being used by development banks in the country to disburse loans to medium and small scale enterprises (MSMEs) in the country in order to ensure geographical spread.
The Minister stated this yesterday when she appeared before the Senate ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the alleged uneven disbursement of the N500 billion federal government loans currently being given out the MSMEs by the development banks.
The Senate President, following a motion by Senator Ali Ndume, had set up an ad hoc panel chaired by Senator Sani Musa to investigate the matter.
Ndume had claimed that the South-west geopolitical zone in the country, especially Lagos State, had the largest number of the loans’ beneficiaries.
The panel had to summon the chief executive officers of the affected banks like the Development Bank of Nigeria and the Bank of Industry, among others.
The banks’ CEO told the panel that they adhere strictly to the criteria set up by their regulators and not geopolitical considerations in given out loans.
Members of the committee, especially those from the northern part of the country, disagreed with the banks’ CEOs submissions.
The lawmakers insisted that criteria they were using were lopsided, saying the development banks were established to ensure even distribution of wealth across the country.
They demanded that the loans disbursement criteria must be less cumbersome and complex so that MSMEs from all part of the country would be able to access it.
The Senators therefore decided to summon the Finance Minister to address their concerns.
Appearing before the panel yesterday, the Minister pledged to meet with the development banks management and their regulators, the Central Bank of Nigeria, to carry out the review of the criteria for loans disbursement.
Ahmed however, cautioned that such review would not be too flexible to ensure the sustainability of the development banks.
The minister said, “I have been given copies of reports already submitted to the committee by the development bank.
“The criteria to access funds from the development banks are set by the supervising ministry. The Development Bank of Nigeria was set up to enhance the development of the MSMEs across the country but it doesn’t lend directly to the beneficiary businesses. Instead it lends to them through microfinance banks.
“The MFBs also provide criteria for the lenders and do credit analysis. They send their reports to the DBN which would collate the report and approve for disbursement.”
The criteria set by the DBN was reviewed by the regulator and approved by CBN. The Bank of Industry was set up to also stay healthy as a bank. It has done very well in terms of loans repayment. it is the only financial development institution that is giving dividends to the federal government.
“The BoI has also been able, on its own, using its balance sheet, to raise resources from the domestic capital market as well as from the international capital markets.
“It is doing quite well in terms of its performance but we hope it could more and use its exposure to do more.
“Right now we are struggling to reinvigorate the Bank of Agriculture which was also subjected to regulations and criteria, in areas that would make it stay afloat and make some certain level of returns because that is what would provide efficiency in the bank.
“If the government continue to provide intervention funds without adherence to criteria to sustain existence of the banks, it will threaten their continuity.
“I agree that we have to strike a balance between the survival of the banks, their profitability and[...]
THISDAYLIVE
FEC Mourns Second Republic Minister, Paul Unongo
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has observed a minute of silence in honour of Second Republic Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Paul Unongo, who passed on Tuesday.
Shortly before the commencement of Wednesday’s FEC meeting at the Council Chambers of the State House, Abuja, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, announced the passage of Unongo, who was also Chairman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), and called for a minute silence in his honour.
Unongo, who had held several other political and public offices was until his death Chairman of the Board of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)
The FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, resumed the day’s business immediately after the minute’s silence.
Those attending the Council meeting include
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari and National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd).
Some of the ministers physically attending the meeting include Muazu Sambo (Transportation); Lai Mohammed (Information and Culture); Senator George Akume (Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs); Abubakar Malami (Attorney-General and Minister of Justice); Adamu Adamu (Education); Abubakar Aliyu (Power); and Timipre Sylva (Minister of State, Petroleum Resources).
Others include Otunba Niyi Adebayo (Industry, Trade and Investment); and Umana Okon Umana (Niger Delta Affairs).
Details later…
THISDAYLIVE
2,000 Edo Residents to Benefit from Free Renal Tests
Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city
In order to mitigate the increasing challenges in renal health, not less than 2,000 residents of Edo State would benefit from free renal tests courtesy of the state government.
The Chief Medical Director of the Edo Specialist Hospital (ESH), Professor Ileogben Sunday-Adeoye, disclosed this yesterday when he announced a one-week ceremony called Edo Health Impact Week with the state Governor, Godwin Obaseki, as the special guest of honour.
He said the ceremony was for the entire health space in Edo State to build capacity, improve patients’ care besides raising community awareness and improve community health.
The CMD said: “At the event, we will also have experts come and talk to us about colonic cancer and the reason to treat it early. Cancer of the colon was thought to be a problem of the Caucasians because of their diets but now we are beginning to have it among our people both the young and aged.
“There is a looming crisis of renal disease in the state but the hospital has made provision subject to the governor’s pronouncement that 2,000 people courtesy of the state government can come to ESH and do a urine test to be able to have an idea of the state of their renal health because kidney disease is such that if you pick it early and you listen to the instructions of your caregivers, it will not deteriorate.”
Sunday-Adeoye said the hospital was also adopting telemedicine to check medical tourism, adding: “We have consultants who are in the Diaspora that have indicated interest to partner us with highly subsidised services to our people.”
Also speaking, the Managing Partner, CIUCI, Mrs. Charity Babatunde, said the state government was already mulling extending the PPP initiative to government hospitals in the state.
She said: “I am aware the government is also considering other public hospitals in the state to benefit from the PPP but the pilot is ESH to see how it can work, to see whether it achieves its objectives and then roll out to other hospitals.”
THISDAYLIVE
NUJ Flays Attack on Ebonyi INEC Office
Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned in strong terms Sunday’s attack on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) office in Ebonyi State by yet-to-be-identified arsonists.
The union warned that the state of attacks on INEC facilities across the country, if not quickly tackled, is capable of adversely affecting the conduct of the 2023 general election.
The President of the union, Chris Isiguzo, stated this in Gombe on Tuesday at the opening of a two-day capacity building workshop for journalists and civil society organizations (CSOs) in the North-east zone on ‘Conflict Sensitive-Reporting, 2023 General Election and Countering Fake News’ organized by Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in conjunction with NUJ and INEC.
Isiguzo described the development as totally unacceptable, especially at a time Nigerians are preparing for a crucial election, just as he charged security agencies to rise to the occasion by ensuring adequate security for officials and facilities of the electoral body.
According to him, “I want to condemn the recent arson attack on INEC facility in Ebonyi State. This is totally unacceptable especially coming at a time Nigerians are preparing for a crucial election.
“I want to once more appeal to security agencies to up their game by providing adequate security for INEC officials and their facilities across the country. If there is any time the election management body and media professionals need adequate security, it is now. Anything short of this would adversely affect the 2023 general election.”
Isiguzo, who delivered a paper on ‘The Role of Media in the Conduct of Peaceful Elections’, charged media professionals to take the issue of peace as a cardinal point and ensure that issues and areas that are already volatile do not lead to an explosion or implosion.
“As journalists, we are expected to develop a thorough understanding of the elections and the electoral process, an understanding of conflicts and convey these to citizens in a way that reflect the truth in all their complexities.The proper foundation established by journalists will provide citizens with the opportunities they require to make informed judgments about issues involved and perhaps help the government in taking meaningful decisions,” Isiguzo said.
He however urged media professionals to brace up for the challenges ahead, especially since they are expected to participate in the process of social reconstruction and democratisation by providing a positive and participatory forum for the exchange of ideas, democracy and nation building.
He stressed that journalists, while discharging their duties, should never attempt to deviate from the ethics of the profession, just as he tasked them to maintain the highest possible standards in their practice.
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Emefiele: Cash Withdrawal Limits Subject to Review, Deadline Remains Sacrosanct
nd stealing of ammunitions, the defence chief said some of the saboteurs were yet to be executed, because the magnitude of their offences were considered minor.
He however, warned that the military would not hesitate to apply the rules of capital punishment of death by firing squad if the saboteurs continued in their evil ways, adding that the military had improved on the process of recruitment into the army in order to prevent the engagement of criminals and renegades into the service.
The CDS also seized the opportunity to deny reports that soldiers were targeting some people in parts of the country, particularly, the southeast, for rougher treatment, saying it was possible, because the military was composed of people from all parts of the federation.
His words: “The Armed Forces are peopled by people from 774 local government of this country. And there is no single unit or formation where you have only a group of soldiers coming from a particular part of the country.
“So, what will be the interest? Sometimes, the consciousness of the people is what has been transmitted to their consciousness. Perhaps, it might be necessary to interrogate them and see how we can reconscientise our people to know that. We are in this together.
“What do I stand to gain? Yes, I’m the CDS. I know the officers and men that I lead, I know what we have transmitted into them by the way of training, I know the fundamentals, our ethics. So, it’s what you don’t know that makes illusions.
“And I think I will also join to appeal to you, to reconscientise our people for them to know the apparatus of the state in terms of looking at the issue of security are for the good of the people and not against the people. We are not against the people. So, there’s no way the military will go and shoot people. It’s not possible. We won’t do that and it was not done during ENDSARS.”
Irabor spoke of the key achievements of the military in the effort to keep the country safe, including more recruitment into all branches of the security services, routing of insurgency and banditry as well as the action to curtail oil theft leading to increase in crude oil production.
He also said over 300,000 people had been freed from the hands of abductors since 2014,while refugees who fled the north east due to insurgency had started to return to their homes.
The defence boss added that former insurgents now being de-radicalised would graduate in February next year before their reintegration into the society.
On the fight against banditry, he said the armed forces had strangulated the bandits’ supply chain and destroyed several hideouts, adding that, the military efforts had averted several communal clashes and restored socio-economic activities in troubled areas, while several criminal elements were arrested including drug dealers, weapon suppliers, kidnappers, cultists and religious extremist.
On crude oil theft, he noted Nigeria’s colossal loses of oil revenue as at 2014 that was about N1.92 Trillion, was because piracy and kidnapping were unprecedented, just as several illegal pipeline connections were used to steal crude oil and illegal entry of unauthorized vessels undetected.
He stressed that between January and July 2022, Nigeria lost about 437, 000 barrels of oil per day to criminal entities, but that, as part of the solution, Falcon Eye Maritime intelligence facility was commissioned in July 2021, offshore Patrol Vessels were purchased, and operational deployments and capabilities were rejigged.
“The President directed the CDS to coordinate the kinetic and non-kinetic interventions to curb oil thefts. Through several joint operations, security operatives destroyed 959 metal tanks, 737 ovens, 452 dug-out pits, 355 cooking pots, 179 wooden boats, recovered 35.8 million litres of crude, 22 million litres of diesel, 25,000 litres of PMS, 207 pumping machine and 12 welding machines,” the CDS explained.
Meanwhile, the Atiku/Okowa campaigns, reacting to Irabor’s comments, said, the military should operate within th[...]
NALDA in order to further develop our agricultural space.
“Having started impressively in this sector, I hereby renew the commitment of this government to the funding and development of agriculture until we have enough for consumption and export.”
stribution, both by marine and trucking, in the next 48 hours the commitments will really start and hopefully we will see a positive environment, away from the difficult situation we are experiencing across the nation,” he stated.
With regards to products, he said all the stakeholders had made commitment to ensuring that the problem is resolved , stressing that the issue of high pricing was discussed at the meeting and had been sorted out.
“This is just to give some comfort to Nigerians that the issue of supply has been addressed,” he stated.
Also speaking, the Chief Finance Officer, NNPC, Umar Ajiya, stated that after the meeting with the DSS, it was important to confirm that there’s still over 1.9 billion litres in stock, adding that the DSS has made further procurement to be delivered in the coming days.
He said all stakeholders resolved to sell at the official price, while curbing the current profiteering within the supply chain and embarking on 24 hours supply without compromising safety and security.
Although there were distribution challenges , the stakeholders promised that the queues will subside in days, assuring that going forward, the situation will return to normalcy shortly.
The stakeholders also resolved that henceforth, marketers will get products directly from the NNPC as opposed to buying at exorbitant prices from private depot owners within the next two days.
The Executive Secretary, MOMAN, Clement Isong, in his comments, said operators would ensure that they implement the decisions reached at the meeting.
“As these decisions are being implemented, the queues will subside. We have committed to work with NNPC to continuously improve operational efficiency in order to achieve operational excellence,” he said.
The Executive Secretary, DAPPMAN, Femi Adewole, said the foreign exchange challenge faced by depot owners was also discussed and efforts were on to address it.
“The challenges to marketers, especially depot owners, were explained and the meeting agreed and actually noted the forex component challenge and its input into our cost, which we should in all ideal cases recover reasonably. That was agreed upon.
“We also agreed that based on the assurances of products given to marketers, provided by NNPC, we will ensure that, going forward, all depots work 24 hours, based on the security risks appraised.
“We will work 24 hours to ensure that the queues in town are reduced. Our retail outlets, spread nationwide, will also ensure that they sell 24 hours based on our security situation appraised. I want to assure Nigerians that going forward, they will be able to get fuel in filling stations without too much hitch or harassment,” he stated.
Also speaking, the IPMAN Chairman, Chinedu Okoronkwo, stated that marketers had been asked not to do anything that would jeopardise their licences, as the association had committed to the resolutions.
He confirmed another resolution that was reached at the meeting was that independent marketers would get products directly from NNPC.
He added: “That will make this product available within this 48 hours that we have been given. And I also want to tell you that NARTO, NUPENG and PTD are in concert with IPMAN to ensure that this product gets to every nook and cranny nationwide.”
THISDAYLIVE
Report: 5G Subscriptions in Africa to Reach 150m By 2028
*Fixed wireless to top 300m
Emma Okonji
Ericsson yesterday released the 2022 edition of its ’Mobility Report’ projects, where it forecasted that 5G subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa would grow from seven million in 2022 to 150 million by the end of 2028, accounting for 14 per cent of total connections at that time.
The forecast came at a time when countries across the globe were fast rolling out 5G network services to further deepen their digital transformation agenda.
In Nigeria, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) last year auctioned two lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum band and offered 5G licence to MTN Nigeria and Mafab Communications. MTN has since rolled out its 5G network in few states, with plans to expand to more states.
The NCC is also in the process of awarding Airtel Networks Limited with 5G licence, after the telecom company emerged sole bidder in the current auction plan of another two lots in the 3.5GHz spectrum band, for 5G rollout.
According to the Ericsson Mobility report, in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), 2G connections still constituted about half of the total mobile subscriptions.
These were projected to decline as subscribers are migrated to 4G and 5G networks. 4G will be the main contributor to new connections up to 2028,accounting for more than half of all mobile subscriptions at that time.
”Currently, 4G represents29 per cent of mobile subscriptions in SSA, with 4G subscriptions expected to rise from 260 million in 2022 to 600 million in 2028. The monthly data traffic per smartphone in sub-Saharan Africa will increase by 26 per cent from 4.6 GB per month in 2022 to 18 GB per month in 2028,” the report said.
Analysing the report at a virtual conference, the Vice President and Head of Global Customer Unit MTN and Customer Unit MTN Africa at Ericsson Middle East and Africa, Hossam Kandeel, said: “Connectivity in Africa plays a critical role in the upliftment of the continental economy. The growth in 5G and 4G network coverage will become a major catalyst for innovation, connection, and opportunity for Africans everywhere. We are proud to be a part of this journey.”
Global 5G subscriptions remain on track to top one billion by the end of this year, and five billion by the end of 2028, despite current and developing economic challenges in many parts of the world. On 5G itself, about 110 million subscriptions were added globally between July-September 2022, bringing the total to about 870 million, Kandeel said.
According to him, ”As forecast in previous reports, 5G is still expected to reach one billion subscriptions by the end of this year – two years faster than 4G did, following its launch. The statistic reinforces 5G as the fastest-scaling mobile connectivity generation.
”By the end of 2028, five billion 5G subscriptions are forecast globally, accounting for 55 per cent of all subscriptions. In that same timeframe, 5G population coverage is projected to reach 85 per cent, while 5G networks are expected to carry around 70 percent of mobile traffic and account for all contemporary traffic growth.”
The report also predicted global fixed wireless access (FWA) connections to grow faster than previously expected. FWA – the wireless alternative to wireline broadband connectivity for homes and businesses was one of the major early 5G use cases, particularly in regions with unserved or underserved broadband markets. FWA was estimated to grow at 19 per cent year-on-year through 2022 to 2028, and top 300 million connections by the end of 2028.
The report further said in the overall, mobile subscriptions were expected to top 8.4 billion by the end of 2022, and 9.2 billion by the end of 2028, adding that most subscriptions are associated with smartphones.
”At the end of 2022, 6.6 billion smartphone subscriptions are estimated, accounting for about 7[...]
THISDAYLIVE
After Investing N621bn in Road Construction, NNPC Plans Another N1trn Release
*Kyari, others begin inspection of 1,804km roads under tax scheme
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) is planning to invest over N1 trillion to revamp selected Nigerian roads, months after announcing the release of N621 billion for a similar purpose, the national oil company’s Group Chief Executive, Mallam Mele Kyari, said yesterday.
Speaking during a tour of roads in the North-central and South-west, along with the Chief Executive of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami and top officials of the Ministry of Works and Housing, Kyari stated that in the coming months, Nigerian road users will experience substantial comfort when commuting.
THISDAY recalls that the programme was being executed under the tax credit scheme which is funded by the NNPC through FIRS and by extension the ministry of works, following Executive Order 007, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Participants under the arrangement were entitled to utilise the total cost, referred to as “Project Cost”, incurred in the construction or refurbishment of an eligible road as a tax credit against their future Companies Income Tax (CIT) liability, until full cost recovery is achieved.
In the first phase, the NNPC was expected to construct a total of 1,804.6 kilometres of roads at a total cost of N621,237,143,897.35, with the North-central getting the highest chunk of N244.87 billion and the South-south emerging the second highest beneficiary of the NNPC roads project with the sum of N172.02 billion.
In addition, the South-west has a total allocation of N81.87 billion; it’s N56.12 billion for the North-east, while the South-east has N43.28 billion allocation. The North-west was allocated N23.05 billion.
Among the roads visited by Kyari were the one in Niger State where he carried out an assessment of the reconstruction of Bida-Lambata road in the state, with a length 124.81km and the Lagos-Badagry expressway along the Agbara junction and Nigeria/Benin border.
As a matter of priority, the reconstruction of the selected federal roads is being carried out by the NNPC in order to sustain a smooth supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
Kyari stated that the NNPC was taking cognisance of the importance of road infrastructure to the development of the Nigerian economy, explaining that it is the reason it is investing massively in roads infrastructure.
He termed the programme a game changer in the federal government’s quest to scale up infrastructure projects in the country, noting that the NNPC will continue to support any effort of government aimed at growing the Nigerian economy.
The GCEO expressed satisfaction with the progress of work so far done in the project sites visited, adding that the NNPC had done its part in releasing all the funds needed for their execution.
“We are very happy about the state of this road development. We are very happy with this intervention across the country not just in this place. We are doing 1,800km across the country. We are taking another set of over N1 trillion of investments in road infrastructure in the country.
“We believe that this tax credit system which Mr President has put in place is the game changer for our country. We believe that in the next 24 months, there will be massive change to the entire road network in this country and this is why NNPC is your company and working for all of us.
“We think that it is the best way to intervene and bring up our infrastructure. We are adding another set of cash, we have not reached the final numbers, but I know it is over N1 trillion,” he added.
Kyari stated that the quality of work was top-notch, revealing that the consultants deployed during Buhari’s stint at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF[...]
THISDAYLIVE
FG Eyes 780MW Clean Energy from Three Hydropower Plants in Niger, Taraba, Gombe
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The national power grid is expected to be boosted by about 780MW when the nearly-completed Zungeru hydroelectricity power project in Niger state, the Kashimbila project in Taraba and the Dadin-kowa dam facility in Gombe begin operation, the federal government disclosed yesterday.
Speaking on the fourth day of the Fifth National Council on Power (NACOP) meeting in Abuja, the Minister of Power, Mr. Abubakar Aliyu, explained that the projects which are at least 97 per cent completed would help sort out some of the deficit currently being experienced by Nigerians. The minister noted that the council was formed to enhance the building of synergy in policy formulation and implementation which would catapult the nation to the next level of industrial development.
Aliyu stressed that the power sector was undergoing various reforms that aim at improving the sector, with government presently investing in power infrastructure, most especially in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) through various interventions.
According to him, some of these interventions were being funded by international organisations like the World Bank, African Development Bank and a host of others to strengthen the national grid.
He added that as for government-to-government collaboration, a deal between Nigeria and Germany resulted in a loan agreement which was provided on concessionary terms through Siemens Company to rehabilitate the Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and the value chain in the industry.
“Through the agreement with Siemens, orders had been made for the purchase of 10 morbid power transformers and 10 mobile substations. The 10 morbid power transformers to be situated across the country have started arriving,” the minister added.
The Nigerian government, he pointed out, had also developed the National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Policy with the accompanying vision 30:30:30 which aims at achieving 30,000MW of electricity by the year 2030 with renewable energy contributing 30 per cent of the energy mix.
“Renewable energy is taking the centre stage of the ongoing reforms in the power sector in Nigeria as it is visible from the ongoing and completed projects like Zungeru Hydroelectricity power project which is at 97 per cent completion and it is expected to provide 700 megawatts to the national grid.
“Kashimbila hydroelectricity project is providing 40 megawatts to the national grid and Dadin-kowa dam is providing 40 megawatts to the national grid among others,” he stated.
He called on all participants to appraise recommendations of the technical experts’ submission on various memoranda carefully to enable them arrive at objective conclusion that will improve the activities in the power sector.
Reminding the audience that it was going to be the last council for this administration, Aliyu assured that all the recommendations reached at the event would be forwarded to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval.
In addition, he pledged to ensure the kick-starting of the implementation process of successful approvals before the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’ administration.
In his remarks, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammad Bello, stressed that the importance of power remains at the heart of industrial growth and drives the acceleration of small and medium businesses.
He noted that the current administration’s efforts to boost power supply had led to the growth of the entire value chain of the electricity supply industry.
Calling for synergy between operators and industry players, the minister added that the sector still needed more investment, especially by the organised private sector.
According to him, revamping the Nigerian economy was mostly dependent on an efficient and functional energy sector, explaining that the FCT was continuing to engage private investors to set up shop to assemble solar panels, inverters and other components in the city.
THISDAYLIVE
Fuel Scarcity: DSS Issues NNPC, Oil Marketers 48-hour Ultimatum to Resolve Supply Issues
*Says enough is enough, to begin enforcement
*NMDPRA, NNPC, IPMAN, others meet to clear queues in 48 hours*Downstream regulator insists it has over 30 days petrol in stock
*Marketers to get products directly from NNPC
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
The Department of State Service (DSS) yesterday issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other stakeholders in the oil sector to resolve the ongoing fuel crisis.
Hinting at economic sabotage, it threatened to go after those impeding the supply of the petroleum products if fuel queues persist at the petrol stations after the ultimatum.
Also last night, major stakeholders in the Nigerian petrol supply value chain, met in Abuja, resolving to ensure that in the next 48 hours, the growing queues in parts of the country are reduced to the barest minimum or cleared completely.
Those at the separate meeting included the industry regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the NNPC.
Others were the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), IPMAN, the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), among others. Also present were officials of the Department of State Services (DSS).
Spokesman of the DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya, who spoke at a briefing in Abuja after the Director General of security agency, Yusuf Bichi, met with the stakeholders in the oil industry.
Citing its constitutional mandate to detect and prevent threats to internal security as well as investigate economic sabotage, the DSS said the meeting resolved that “whatever is the issue must be resolved.”
It added: “Nigerians have a right and must have access to petroleum products. We told them (stakeholders) that we will not continue to tolerate the situation”.
Looking at the security implications of the lingering fuel scarcity, Afunanya said: “We were clear and direct that enough is enough. That the fuel supply chain whatever it is must be resolved. They must go beyond what is obtainable now to ensure adequate supply of the products and we will collaborate with them.”
He said the meeting agreed that since there was sufficiency, the product should be made available.
Afunanya said NNPCL agreed at the meeting to make the products available to IPMAN at the official depot price and to improve distribution channels.
“We resolved that MOMAN will review on a daily basis with NNPC to ensure that bottlenecks and issues with distribution chain is resolved and that marketers will lift products while DSS agreed to provide security,”he said
“DSS agreed with others that a solution must be provided within 48 hours. If anybody decides to become an obstacle that it will not be business as usual. Whatever is the issue must be resolved within 48 hours”, he said.
He said the DSS would provide enforcement of the agreement even as its 36 States commands have been activated for enforcement purposes.
“Those who want to use the opportunity of fuel scarcity to foment trouble will not be allowed to do so,” he warned.
Meanwhile, ddressing journalists last night after another meeting at the NMDPRA, the Chief Executive of the agency, Farouk Ahmed, said all parties had committed to ensuring supply and clearing the queues within the given time.
“We’ve heard from all the stakeholders on each of their individual commitments to ensuring adequate supply and distribution of petroleum products. And they reemphasised that the commitment is to take effect within 48 hours.
“So we are hoping that with the efficiency in the di[...]
THISDAYLIVE
A Network for the Protection of Abuja Indigenous People Launched
Segun James
As part of a move to bring the social and political plight of the indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to the fore, two groups, the Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues (NJII) and Lawyers Network for the Protection of the Rights of Abuja Original Peoples (NPRAOP) have been established to promote and defend the rights of original inhabitants in the FCT.
The indigenous peoples who were the first to settle in the FCT some hundreds of years ago complained of exclusion and all forms of repression as well as loss of their ancestral values occasioned by the movement of the federal capital from Lagos to Abuja in 1976 by the military regime and the subsequent loss of most of their land.
The first people lament the displacement and evictions they have been facing and the denial of access to their ancient land to which they have physical and spiritual attachment. The original inhabitants of Abuja are about two million people.
The formation of the networks was part of the resolution at the end of a weeklong training and workshop dedicated to dealing with the plight of Abuja’s original inhabitants, mainly in Gwari, Nupe, Ganagana, Koro, Ebira, Bassa and others that make up the nine aboriginal ethnic groups. The events also led to the establishment of the first Working Group on Indigenous Peoples in Nigeria.
The event was organised by the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education, CHRICED with the support of the John D and Catherine T and the MacArthur Foundation.
CHRICED dedicated the first two days to the training of journalists in collaboration with Journalists for Democratic Rights, (JODER) and the International Press Centre (IPC) while another two days were set aside for expert summit on access to justice.
CHRICED has continued to sustain its
reputation as the country’s foremost human rights group with a distinguished career in promoting sustainable development in Africa.
The organisers said the summits are timely interventions to prevent conflict and ensure peace-building in the FCT.
The weeklong event saw extensive training of journalists on indigenous issues and a peer review by legal luminaries on the various laws that favour or marginalise the original inhabitants. They observed that there is a need to review all the statutory provisions to ensure any future constitutional review is inclusive of the rights of Abuja original inhabitants. Participants urged the Nigerian Government to as a matter of urgent importance create the necessary atmosphere to address the challenges of indigenous peoples, especially the original inhabitants of Abuja, who wish to live in peace in a just and equitable country.
Speaking at the conference, the Executive Director, CHRICED, Mr. Zikirullahi Ibrahim, said original inhabitants in Abuja are enraged against historic injustices, adding that it was important to provide a democratic platform for them to express their views in a peaceful manner to avoid conflict or people taking the law into their hands.
He said dialogue around original inhabitants would aid the stability and prosperity of the country.
Ibrahim said resolutions at the end of the event would be made available to the relevant authorities for prompt action.
In the communique signed by Ibrahim and the Executive Director JODER, Mr. Adewale Adeoye, participants noted that original owners are not alone knowing that the United Nations is concerned about the plight of indigenous people, and since 1982 has provided various conventions and treaties, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 169; the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ECOSOC); the Convention on Biological Diversity (COB); the establishment of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples and the Working Group on Indigenous Issues,
THISDAYLIVE
Katsina, FUDMA Sign MoU on Usage of Health Facilities for Training of Students
Francis Sardauna in Katsina
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between the Federal University Dutsin-Ma and Katsina State
Ministry of Health on the usage of some state government-owned health care facilities for clinical training of the university’s newly introduced Health Sciences programmes.
The MoU, according to a statement issued by the university Public Relations Officer, Habibu Umar Aminu, provides a framework for the students to participate in clinical posting and other related training, which is designed to equip the students of the university with required skills for effective health care delivery.
The training is part of the students’ requirement for the award of Bachelor Nursing Science (BNsc), Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLS) and
Bachelor Radiography (BRad). It is mandatory for each student to undergo a supervised clinical training programme to acquaint them with the current technological development in health laboratories.
Some of the hospitals to be used under the MoU are Gen Amadi Rimi Specialist Hospital Katsina; General Hospital Katsina; Turai Yar’adua Maternal and Children Hospital Katsina; General Hospital Dutsin-Ma, Comprehensive Health Centre Dutsin-Ma, and Primary Health Care Centre, Abukur.
Speaking at the occasion, the university Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Armaya’u Hamisu Bichi, said the university has since commenced the health related courses and desirous of the health facilities to train such students as part of their requirement for completion of their respective programmes.
He said the university is committed to ensuring that the students get the best of clinical training, and shall vigorously pursue it with a view to making the students excel in their academic pursuit.
On his part, the state Commissioner of Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danja, lauded the initiative, which he said would go a long way in boosting health care delivery in the state, especially as it relates to the manpower challenge which is very key in health care service delivery.
He said the state government, through the Ministry of Health, which is the implementing partner, shall ensure that all the terms and agreement are adequately met for the benefit of both parties and the students who are the major beneficiaries.
THISDAYLIVE
FG: Nigerians Should Blame Govs for High Poverty Level
* Says they prefer building flyovers, airports to combating hunger
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The federal government has laid the blame on the high level of poverty in the country on the doors of the state governors, who it said pay more attention to building flyovers and airports rather than improvement of life in the rural areas.
Briefing newsmen Wednesday at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House, Abuja, the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, who made the assertion, declared that 72% of the poverty in Nigeria is found in the rural areas, which he said had been abandoned by governors.
According to him, the governors prefer to function in the state capitals, as the federal government on its part has done its best on poverty alleviation, adding that there is no reflection of the amount of investment that had been done in the area.
He accused state governors of concentrating on building flyovers, airports and other projects that are visible in the state capitals rather than investing in areas that directly uplift the standard of life of the people in the rural areas.
Agba emphasised that while states are in charge of land for agriculture, they do not invest in them for the desired effect on their rural citizens.
He therefore advised the state chief executives to rather than concentrate on the building of sky scrappers, flyovers and bridges, they should focus of initiatives that can pull the majority of Nigerians out of poverty.
Details later…