All Posts in "Day: December 18, 2021"

Governors Consider Review Of Privatization Of 10 Generating Plants

36 State Governors to review FG's privatization of 10 generating power plants – Nairametrics
The 36 Nigerian governors are to review the proposed privatisation of the 10 generating plants across the country under the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs), by the Federal Government.
The governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) disclosed this in a communique issued in Abuja and signed by its Chairman and Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti at the end of a teleconference.
They made the resolution after receiving a detailed presentation by the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr Alex Okoh.
“The governors resolved to review and communicate through their board representatives, their assessment and position on the privatisation of what they consider critical national assets.
“States currently own a total of 53 per cent equity in NIPPs while the Federal Government owns a 47 per cent stake,” the forum stated.
The governors also resolved to set up a committee to examine  the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSRA) Bill 2021, which has passed its second reading at the Senate.
The development followed a presentation by the Chief Executive of New Hampshire Capital Limited, Mr Odion Omonfoman, on the implications the new bill has for state governments.
“The Forum thereafter set up a Committee comprising the Governors of Edo and Lagos State to scrutinize the new Bill.
“The committee is to advice the Forum on a position that will ensure that the Bill, when signed, will be a tool to strengthen the course of policy direction, design and implementation of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), and address critical issues in the country’s power sector.”
The forum also disclosed that the governors at the meeting resolved to set up state polio transition committees to be chaired by each State Commissioner of Health, “to adapt and facilitate the implementation of the transition plan for their respective states.”
They said that priority would be given for the control of Cholera, “through water and sanitation interventions; as well as the intensification of the vaccination exercise (including the administration of boosters).
This is in addition to existing nonpharmaceutical measures to manage the spread of COVID during the festive season”
The governors also pledged to settle all outstanding pension obligations, through Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), which would be included as part of the social compact with citizens for the removal of fuel subsidies.
“With respect to the required legal and institutional changes required to facilitate a successful CPS transition in all States, State Commissioners of Finance will be mandated to ensure that States meet the guidelines for the implementation of CPS by state governments.
“This include the enactment of a pension law, the establishment of a pension board and the adoption of a transition framework for each state.”
The communique added that members received a presentation on the National Social Register and the Rapid Response Register as critical tools for Rolling out cash transfer programme.
It stated that the presentation was from the National Coordinator of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mr Iorwa Apera.
“Forum members also listened to the World Bank Country Director, Shubham Chaudhuri
“On the rollout of a World Bank financed 800 million dollars facility designed to fund a large-Scale conditional cash transfer (CCT) program in the country, the forum resolved that each State Governor will establish and Chair a Steering Committee to oversee the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) initiative to ensure that the program aligns with the vision of the state government.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in News 0
Haze: NCAA Considers Closure Of Airspace 

NCAA gives official reasons for suspending Azman Air - Vanguard News
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has directed Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) to close down the country’s airspace in case of severe dust haze expected this season, according to weather forecast released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMET).
The agency  in a statement by Capt. Musa Nuhu, its Director-General to all pilots and airline operators, said that the development was necessary in order to ensure safety of humans and equipment in the industry.
It said moderate to severe dust haze, early morning fog especially along the coastal areas, which in some instances can reduce horizontal visibility to less than 200 meters during the period of November 2021 to March 2022, are expected in most areas of the country.
It also warned that within the same period, aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed operating minima and in severe conditions, while dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield lightings over wide areas making visual navigation extremely difficult or impossible.
The agency stated that pilots, operators and Air Traffic Controllers have the responsibility to close the airspace, while it also expected strict adherence to published aerodrome weather minima by flight crews/operators and ATC.
It mandated pilots /flight crew members to obtain adequate departure-route and destination weather information and briefing from NiMet aerodrome methodologist offices and station prior to flight operations and excise maximum restraint whenever an adverse weather is observed.
It also emphasized that operators should ensure that necessary measures are put in place to cushion the effects of flight delay or cancellations on their passengers.
“Flights are bound to be delayed, diverted, or cancelled where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed aerodrome operating minima,” Nuhu said.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Aviation 0
Pan Ocean’s  Amukpe-Escravos Pipeline Comes Alive

PAN OCEAN TO BOOST NIGERIA'S CRUDE EXPORT AS AMUKPE - ESCRAVOS PIPELINE PROJECT COMES ON STREAM - Society Reel News | Nigeria Entertainment News | Nigeria Society News
The 67-kilometre long Amukpe Escravos Pipeline (AEP) has  commenced operations
The company said the develope demonstration of commitment by Pan Ocean Oil Corporation (Nigeria) to deliver results, leading to the commissioning of the facility, making it ready for optimum use.
The AEP was designed to transport crude to Escravos, with access for tie-in by oil companies operating in the Western Niger Delta.
It said:On Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 16:30hrs, Seplat released 3311 barrels of crude oil into the pipeline and ended pushing at 18:00hrs.  Line filling will continue on Friday, December 17, 2021, while the Site Acceptance Test (SAT)- commissioning of the LACT unit is expected to hold at the Escravos end of the pipeline.
The Amukpe Escravos Pipeline was built using the horizontal directional drilling technology, making it tamper-proof, durable, safer for operations, minimising environmental impact, and discouraging bunkering activities.
Pan Ocean’s Chief Operating Officer, Olajide Ishola said:“We are elated at the success of this project, and we owe it to the many hands which have all contributed in one way or the other to bring this to completion.  To our regulators, industry stakeholders and lenders for their support thus far.  The completion of AEP was made possible by the collaboration and dedication of all these stakeholders.”
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Oil&Gas 0
Prophetess Bags 5 Years Over N128m Fraud

Prophetess bags 5 years for N128m fraud – Blueprint Newspapers Limited
A self-acclaimed prophetess, Linda Mabi-Praise, has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison over a fraud of N128 million.
Linda Mabi-Praise’s conviction and sentencing were secured by the Lagos Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), before Justice Sherifat O. Solebo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
Mabi-Praise, who was charged with three counts of intent to defraud, allegedly dishonestly obtained the said sum from a firm, Accelsor Investment Partners Limited, in the guise that her company, Mutano Energy Limited, was an accredited oil and gas dealer and that she was into oil and gas dealership.
She was also accused of issuing dud cheques to offset the funds.
Mabi-Praise pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when she was arraigned in March 2019 prompting commencement of trial.
Prosecuting counsel, Franklin Ofoma, during the trial, called two witnesses and tendered several documentary evidence to prove the case against the defendant.
 Justice Solebo found her guilty of counts one and three bordering on obtaining by false pretense and issuing of dishonored cheques.
She held that the prosecution proved the allegations of obtaining by false pretense and issuance of dud cheques “beyond reasonable doubt.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Crime/Metro 0
COVID-19:More Africans Willing To  Get Vaccinated-Report

Covid-19 vaccinations: More than 50 nations have missed a target set by the WHO - BBC News
As the Omicron variant dominates the COVID-19 news cycle,
A new research from the Partnership for Evidence-Based Response to COVID-19 (PERC),  indicates that people in African Union member states are overwhelmingly willing to get vaccinated against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic
Amanda McClellan, Senior Vice President of Prevent Epidemics at Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, who disclosed in a report, said across 19 countries, 78 per cent of people surveyed by PERC indicated that they had been or were willing to get vaccinated.
She, however,  noted that as of November 2021, less than 7 per cent of the African continent had been vaccinated.
“This gap between acceptance and coverage demonstrates a substantial unmet need and underscores the importance of  consistent and predictable vaccine supply as well as increased support for vaccination programs in Africa.
“The latest PERC report considers why global vaccination efforts have been plagued by inequity, as well as the logistical challenges to vaccinating the African continent.
“The report further outlines the continued importance of preventive measures.
“Particularly individual measures such as masking and social distancing—that minimise the social or economic harm that can occur when mobility, economic and social gathering restrictions are imposed,” she said.
The report quoted Dr. John Nkengasong, Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention as saying, “We must work urgently toward equitable access to safe and effective vaccines on the African continent.
“The PERC data show that demand for vaccines is substantially higher than supply.”
The report also noted that as at 78 per cent, vaccine acceptance was higher than in the previous PERC survey fielded earlier this year (67), which may indicate the success of risk communication campaigns.
“In five surveyed countries—Guinea, Morocco, Mozambique, Tunisia and Zimbabwe acceptance was 90% or higher.
“Vaccine acceptance was high among both those who trusted their government’s pandemic response and those who felt COVID-19 posed a personal risk to them or to their country.
“Such high acceptance contradicts media reports suggesting that low vaccination rates across Africa are due to hesitancy,” the report added.
McClellan said that among the 20 per cent of respondents who expressed vaccine hesitancy, the top reasons were: low risk perception (24 per cent ), not having enough information about vaccines (22 per cent ) and lack of trust in government (17 per cent).
She said the reasons for low risk perception were complex, but officials could take concrete action to address them.
She added that offering more and better information to people about COVID-19 and vaccines through trusted sources, particularly health care providers, coupled with consistent and reliable vaccine supply, could  further increase acceptance.
McClellan said that respondents’ top information sources included local health centers, television and radio.
According to her, a  number of bottlenecks have contributed to the failure to achieve higher vaccination coverage.
“Unpredictable supply—in terms of volume, timing and shelf life—threatens countries’ ability to meet demand. When offered, vaccination is frequently inconvenient, requiring people to travel far distances or visit vaccination sites at inopportune times.
“I am heartened by the efforts of the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT) and the COVAX facility to expand vaccine access,”McClelland said.
 “But there is still work to do. Vaccine donations sent too close to expiry dates, for example, leave countries unable to launch effective vaccination campaigns.
“COVID-19 preventive measures remain crucial to mitigate the health impact of the virus.
“PERC researchers analysed what influences support for and adherence to such measures and found that individual actions—handwashing, mask-wearing and social distancing—all garnered support from at least 90% of survey respondents.
“Such high support suggests that these key measures can continue to be effective strategies for reducing COVID-19 transmission ” she said.
McClelland said that preventive measures restricting gathering or movement received less support.
She said that unemployment and food insecurity were widespread among survey respondents and made adherence to restrictive community measures a challenge.
The PERC researchers concluded that such measures should be targeted to specific, high-risk populations as needed to minimise harm.
“Income loss also may have had an adverse impact on access to essential health services. Cost and affordability were cited as the primary obstacles to receiving care.
“Declines in the number of health visits have likely contributed to declines across key health indicators.
“PERC researchers advocate for urgent investment to stabilise health systems and regain progress lost during the pandemic.
“Strengthening health data systems to be better prepared for health threats is critical.
” It is important that investments prioritize epidemiological data, as well as contextual data and data on community perceptions and actions toward countermeasures for disease mitigation and prevention.
“Together with the data itself, timely collection, analysis and dissemination are integral to systems strengthening and emergency response.
“The global community and national governments should invest—to the fullest extent possible—in public health infrastructure and social protection programs that build and maintain resilience, in order to improve health and economic outcomes and reduce the opportunity costs of vaccination and PHSM adherence, ” the reports added.
The PERC survey—the fourth in its “Using Data to Find a Balance” series—was fielded in September, when many countries in Africa were recovering from a third wave of COVID-19 driven by the Delta variant and before the emergence of the Omicron variant.
PERC polled approximately 23,000 people across 19 African Union Member States; compiled social, economic and epidemiological data from a range of sources; and compared results from previous surveys conducted in February 2021 and August 2021.
McClellan said that a French version of the report will be available in January 2022.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in News 0
 CBN Approves Abdullahi’s Appointment  As Chairman Of First Bank Holding

Abdullahi replaces Babalola as First Bank chairman - Tribune Online
 
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has has approved the appointment of Alhaji Ahmad Abdullahi as non-executive Director of First Bank Holding Plc and chairman of the company to replace Mr. Remi Balalola. 
 
The CBN’s Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi,who conveyed this in a statement,explained d that the bank had been duly notified of the resignation of Mr. Babalola, as Chairman of the company.
 
 
 
Congratulating Alhaji Abdullahi on his appointment, the bank’s spokesman described Babalola’s resignation as the chairman of the company as regrettable, especially given the fact that CBN’s regulatory interventions had made positive impact and increased attractiveness of the company to both local and foreign investors.
 
He said the CBN acknowledged the measured achievements recorded by the company under Babalola’s watch, and thanked him for his service, even as the CBN wished him well in his future endeavours. 
 
According to Nwanisobi, the regulatory measures taken by the CBN were yielding the expected results in terms of overhaul of corporate governance practices, restoration of confidence in the bank’s brand, increased transparency and due process in transactions as well as improved financial performance. 
 
The  bank’s spokesman said the CBN remained committed to ensuring transparent governance practices at the bank and the continued independence of the chairman and other persons holding key governance positions.
 
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Banking&Finance 0
AfDB Mulls Training Of  Herdsmen, Others On Ranching

AfDB to train herdsmen, others on ranching - P.M. News
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has concluded plans  to train herdsmen and other Nigerians on livestock farming and ranching in the first phase of the initiative to create Special Agro-industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs).
AfDB said the bank and partner institutions plan to raise $520 million for the implementation of Phase 1 of the project
The bank explained that the  initiative is a public-private partnership aimed at developing priority value chains through developing infrastructure in rural areas and finishing and transforming raw materials and commodities.
Speaking on the initiative,Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of the AfDB,said  that livestock farming was one of the areas selected by the states.
The selected states include Cross River State – cocoa, rice, and cassava; FCT – beef and dairy livestock; Imo State – beef and dairy livestock; Kaduna State – tomato, maize, and ginger; Kano State – rice, tomato, groundnuts, and sesame oil; Kwara State – livestock; Ogun State – cassava, rice, poultry and fisheries and Oyo State – cassava, soybean.
He  added that livestock farming and ranching will require training for beneficiaries,
According to him, the eight benefiting states were given the option to identify their top three crops, saying that apart from livestock, some identified cassava, rice, cocoa among others.
He also said that with the processing zones, it is hoped that the era of people carrying cattle about would soon be over.
He added:“So we are hoping that the processing zone will also create the special livestock zone, including ranching, and whenever you see livestock at the heart of it, then you see people making feedstock, veterinary services.So each of them will create significant value chains, solve this problem of insecurity, solve the problem of headers farmers clash, bring harmony to rural communities, raise income and then ensure security,
“So I think it’s a good thing that those particular states have identified livestock.In some places like Imo for example, they want to also do a lot of poultry, so it’s across as I said all the four aspects of agric business, crop, forestry, livestock, fishery.So, we are open to support on all forms, as you know Nigeria is a huge country, and there is no area of Nigeria where you don’t find this kind of resources that we are able to add value to,” he said.
He emphasized that the target of the initiative is the poor and the smallholder farmers, adding that there will be a great deal of advocacy to explain to people the rationale.
“Like I said it is not an optimum solution that people are running around, fighting and killing, so we hope our contribution will also help to solve this problem, so yes, so there will be training,” he said.
He added that the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) which is also a co-sponsor of the initiative, will also contribute to training based on their successes with smallholder farmers.
He said that the AfDB will also be partnering with other Agric-based institutions that have milestones in the requisite fields to contribute to making the project a huge success.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Banking&Finance 0
Fuel Price Hike: We’ll Shut Down Nigeria Next Month-NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says it will resist proposed plans by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of petrol by 2022.
Its  members have been mobilised to be at alert  for a nationwide protest as from 27th January 2021
The labour organisation added that should the proposed price take effect before the date scheduled for the protest, it would immediately mobilise members to shut down services without delay.
This was contained in a communique signed by President and General Secretary  of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, and Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja, issued at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC)/National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Friday in Abuja.
The NEC maintained that any further increase in petrol would “expose Nigerian workers and the generality of the citizenry to acute deprivation, hardship and suffering as it would worsen the already established trend of hyper-inflation in the country;
It added:”That the genesis of the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sub-sector especially as it relates to the petrol pump price regime could be linked to a Policy of Importation Based Pricing Template for Refined Petroleum Products as against Local Production Based Pricing Template;
“That as long as the pricing of refined petroleum products is based on Importation Pricing Template which is heavily dependent on a volatile foreign exchange rate heavily skewed against the Naira, the price of petrol and other refined petroleum products will continue to rise beyond the reach of average Nigerian workers and citizens; and
“That the foregoing informed the traditional position of the Congress to reject incessant increase in the pump price of petrol which is usually disguised as deregulation or removal of fuel subsidy. The NEC, therefore, condemned plans by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of petrol.
Online Editor by — December 18, 2021 in Labour/Human Resources 0