All Posts in "Month: January 2022"

How Africa Can Address Oil Production Decline-Kola Karim

Turning Africa's Oil Production Decline Around | The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News — APO Press Releases — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
Despite being blessed with abundant oil and gas resources, Africa’s production has been on the decline, representing a challenge for the continent as moves to initiate a COVID-19 economic recovery and address energy poverty.
With exploration restricted due to reduced capital for fossil fuel projects and the transition away from hydrocarbons, the continent needs to act now if it is to reap the benefits of its oil and gas.
Kola Karim, CEO and Managing Director of Shoreline Energy International and African Energy Chamber,Advisory Board Member,sheds   more  light on the current situation.
What will this production underperformance in Nigeria and other African countries mean for the continent as a whole?
Underperformance will have a direct effect on the ability of countries to fund budgetary spending. There has been a direct linkage for many years between the oil price and the ability to many African governments to balance the books. The massive slow down with have seen due to covid and the significant economic shocks it has produced coupled with production below capacity will certainly create fiscal pressure. We have seen the oil price rise in the last few quarters to a healthy level, however without the production to take advantage of higher prices, expect to see the usual challenges in funding capital spending. Deficit spending will also therefore depend on the view of the markets on how much damage and for how long countries
What do you feel are the primary reasons influencing production decline in Africa?
I don’t think we can take a cookie cutter approach to identifying where the problems lie. For instance, our production challenges on onshore Nigeria are very different to challenges in other countries that may be more constrained by limited investment in infrastructure or more straightforward operational bottlenecks. Beyond these more systemic challenges,I think also that covid has had a significant impact which has still to be worked out of the supply chain and we will continue to see the effect of this through 2022. We would typically expect a natural 4-5% decline in production in the industry. However, Covid has seen those rates double to 10% over the last couple of years. The massive disruptions in global supply chains has also meant that equipment and maintenance activities such as part replacement has been severely disrupted across the industry leading to significant production delays and production shut ins in the worst cases.
What can be done to turn this around?
We are facing some quite significant headwinds. The Systemic and Covid related challenges I alluded to earlier are significantly complicated by the additional variable of de-carbonisation which continues to create a potential financing gap for both local producers and IOC’s looking to invest in new production. Banks are retreating from lending to Oil and Gas projects, and this creates an uphill task with regard to the key cornerstone of any turnaround which is financing. We need to see additional financing to fix supply chains and allow manufacturing and maintenance inputs to be located nearer to production facilities on the continent and we need more investment in opening up additional reserves to close the production gap as consumption returns.
Online Editor by — January 26, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0
Food Prices Won’t Go Up-CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday assured Nigerians that food prices would not accelerate the way people had anticipated in 2022.
The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele,disclosed answering questions from the press after presenting the outcome of the two-day Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.
The MPC, at the meeting, retained the country’s Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 11.5 per cent and also unanimously agreed to retain all other monetary policy parameters.
The Cash Reserved Ratio (CRR) was, thus, retained at 27.5 per cent, Liquidity Ratio, 30 per cent and Assymetric Corridor, +100 and -700 Basis Points around the MPR.
Emefiele,  said the MPC saw logistical challenges in moving food from farm gates to the market, and also the activities of hoarders and would do everything possible to stop it.
He also said the CBN is looking at the issues involved and will come up with good stories to tell about the trend by the next MPC.
He added:“We found out that prices at farm gates are in line with our expectations because they are somewhat moderated. However, prices at the markets where our statisticians take their survey are high.So, if prices at the markets are high, there is, therefore, some problems between the farm gates and the markets.
“So, we see logistical problems, essentially bordering on transportation, also bordering on maybe destruction of food produce or perishable items from farm to market.
“We are trying to encourage people who are interested in looking at how to resolve the logistical problems of delivering food from farm to market to come in and take advantage of some of the interventions that we have,” he said.
He said the MPC believed that the rise in food prices in December 2021 was temporary hence, the plan to look at it again in its coming meetings.
Emefiele said the MPC was happy about the Anchor Borrowers programme, which started last year, adding that it would help to moderate food prices and stop hoarding.
“Luckily, we started a programme last year where we said for our own repayment of our loans under the Anchor Borrower programs, we will receive the produce into our own silos and our own warehouses and we will dispose them and sell them to the real end-users.
“Whether it’s the rice millers or the feed millers who need them to produce, so that through that mechanism, we can be seem to be competing with the hoarders in the market to moderate prices,” he said.
According to him, it worked well in 2021 because between February and around August 2021, the central bank released on a monthly basis 50,000 tons of maize through those it recognised as feed millers.
The CBN governor also said the MPC had ensured that the Nigerian commodity exchange would come alive.
Emefiele said an independent board would eventually be inaugurated assuring that every support needed to play its role as a large commodity exchange that could hold different produce in the country and compete with hoarders, would be given to it.
He spoke on rice pyramid, and  assured Nigerians that soon they would be buying a bag of rice at a reasonable price.
Online Editor by — January 26, 2022 in Agriculture 0
Buhari Moves Fuel Subsidy Removal To Next Year

APC commends Buhari as FG suspends fuel subsidy removal | The Paradise News
The federal government says subsidy of fuel will last for another 18months, pending when an amendment in the Petroleum Industry Act will be forwarded to the National Assembly.
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva,who  gave this indications on Tuesday, while briefing State House Correspondents in Abuja, said President Muhammadu Buhari being aware of the negative implication of total subsidy removal has graciously approved that the time frame be extended, to allow government put necessary palliatives in place.
He added that  the rehabilitation of the refineries are ongoing, while the Dangote refinery is almost coming on stream soon.
He  said:”His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has, following engagements with stakeholders, agreed to an extension of the statutory period for the implementation of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), in line with existing laws.
“The new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) provides for the unrestricted market pricing for PMS from the effective date. However, the PIA also envisaged the potential for supply disruption with its resultant effect on the economy. Consequently, it provides for a window of six months from the effective date for Government to request the services of NNPC Limited as supplier of last resort. This is to forestall supply disruptions and guide market readiness preparatory to migration to the deregulated pricing regime.
“With assent by the President on August 16, 2021, the PMS subsidy removal was therefore expected to take place effective February 16, 2022.
“However, following extensive consultations with all key stakeholders within and outside the government, it has been agreed that the implementation period for the removal of the subsidy should be extended.
“This extension will give all the stakeholders time to ensure that the implementation is carried out in a manner that ensures all necessary modalities are in place to cushion the effect of the PMS subsidy removal, in line with prevailing economic realities.
He said President Buhari assured  that his administration will continue to put in place all necessary measures to protect the livelihood of all Nigerians.
Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in News 0
FIRS To Consider  Digital Economy Taxation

FIRS Priorities Taxation of Digital Economy - Nigerian CommunicationWeek

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said it would give priority to the taxation of the digital economy this year.

It added that it would deploy technological tools in assessing entities that fall within the Significant Economic Presence (SEP) threshold and relevant turnover generated from Nigeria.

Executive Chairman of FIRS, Muhammad Nami, disclosed this while speaking as a special guest at the Pedabo 2022 Annual Public-Private Sector Engagement, also said that the target of FIRS is to achieve 100 per cent automation of all its tax administration processes this year to block revenue leakages.

He  noted that by the amendment to Section 25 of the FIRS (Establishment) Act of the 2021 Finance Act, any person who fails to grant the service access to its information technology systems to connect to its automated tax administration solution is liable to penalties.

“We will seek to achieve 100 per cent automation of all our tax administration processes, which will block revenue leakages and revolutionise revenue generation in the country. We expect your full cooperation in this regard, considering that by the amendment to Section 25 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act in the 2021 Finance Act, any person who fails to grant the Service access to its information technology systems to connect to its automated tax administration solution is liable to penalties,” he noted.

He had said that the Service had leveraged on the amendments to its enabling law to embark on “a major infrastructure overhaul, focusing on the deployment of technology for the automation of its processes and procedures,” thereby deploying its home-grown integrated tax administration system, TaxPro Max.

The FIRS boss in a statement signed by his Special Assistant, Media and Communication, Johannes Wojuola, stated that the service “will focus on compliance and enforcement strategies in 2022, by leveraging on intelligence, strategic data mining and analysis, to enhance audit and investigation functions and implementing the penalty regimes following the laws.”

Nami implored taxpayers, consultants, collection agents and other stakeholders in the tax system to partner the FIRS to make taxation and tax revenue collection a pivot of economic growth and national development

Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in News 0
PETITION BY NIGERIAN WORKERS AGAINST THE PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE PRICE OF THE PREMIUM MOTOR SPIRIT (PMS)

Labour puts members on the alert over fuel price hike | The Natio

 

We convey to Your Excellency the warm fraternal and New Year’s greetings of the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress.

 

We write to draw the attention of Your Excellency to the recent proposal by the Federal Government to increase the pump price of the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol anytime from now.

 

It is the well-considered view of Nigerian workers as conveyed through the leadership of Organized Labour in Nigeria that the proposed hike if it goes through would induce and impose an unprecedented degree of hardship on Nigerian workers, their families and the generality of the populace. The net and multiplier effects of such socio-economic dislocation especially with regards to decent standard of living, productivity and national security are better imagined than experienced.

 

Nigerian workers understand that government pays out significant amount of money as so-called petrol subsidy. Nigerian workers also appreciate the fact that the monies spent on the so-called petrol subsidy would be totally unnecessary if government is alive to its responsibilities of proper management of critical national assets especially our local refineries. It is the mismanagement of our four public oil refineries over the years by successive governments that have opened the floodgates of mass importation of refined petroleum products and consequently unfurled incessant increases in the prices of refined petroleum products in Nigeria. The fact is very clear – there is no way a country can control the price of what it does not produce. For a critical national security product like petrol and other refined petroleum derivatives, the situation is akin to handing over our national sovereignty to other climes. There is no better description of neo-colonialism and toxic neo-liberalism than this.

Nigerian workers believe that the scourge of incessant hike in the pump price of petrol is self-inflicted and therefore totally unacceptable for the following reasons:

 

1.      Failure to Maintain Nigeria’s Public Refineries and Build New Ones

 

There is no gainsaying the fact that the perennial increase of the pump price of petrol and other refined petroleum products by government is actually a transfer of government failure and inability to effectively govern to the poor masses of our country. Central to this is the failure of government to manage Nigeria’s four oil refineries and inability to build new ones. It is tragic and shameful that Nigeria is about the only OPEC country that cannot refine her own crude oil.

 

Over the years, government has invested billions of tax payer’s money into overhauling our national refineries with no commensurate results. Between 2012 and now, about $9.5 billion has been spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), Greenfield Refinery Projects and even public investments in private refineries, yet Nigeria still imports almost 100% of its refined petroleum products needs.

 

Nigerian workers believe that there is no reason our oil refineries should not be working at full installed capacity. The predatory argument that our refineries are too old for maintenance falls flat in the face. Evidence from around the world shows that refineries that are much older than Nigerian refineries are not only still working at their installed capacity but some of them have been upgraded over the years to current capacity nearly 2000% of their initial installed capacity.

 

An example is the Mina Al-Ahmadi Refinery in Kuwait which was built in 1949 with an initial capacity of 25,000 bpd but has been scaled up to currently process 466,000 bpd. Digboi Refinery in Upper Assam India is reputed to be the oldest operating refinery in the world. The Digboi Refinery was commissioned on 11th December 1901 with an installed capacity of 0.5 million bpd but has over the years been up-scaled to 0.65 million bpd.  The connecting dot between the two refineries is that both are in developing countries with similar colonial antecedents like Nigeria.

 

 

2.     Institutionalization of Importation Price Model as the Template for Price Determination in Nigeria’s Downstream Petroleum Sub-Sector

 

Consequent on the criminal neglect of our local refineries by successive governments, the government has institutionalized through the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) recently signed into law an Importation Price Model. This move while it gives the commanding heights of our petroleum industry to private sector investors amounts to putting the final nail on genuine efforts to recover our capacity for local petroleum refining and for affordable pricing of petroleum products for Nigerians. The surrender of the downstream petroleum subsector to a few private investors is in violation of Sections 16 and 17 of Chapter 2 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.

The challenge with Importation Price Model for refined petroleum products is that apart from being a clog in the wheel of industrialization and self-actualization, it also constitutes a grave national security threat. Crude oil and its derivatives just like other strategic national assets have precipitated international wars as countries are very keen to protect their petroleum industry as it is a key that opens multiple doors of industrial, economic and social development.  This is the reason, virtually all the OPEC countries retain national oil corporations which oversee their hydrocarbons assets. We are amiss why the Nigerian governments chose to outsource our God-given hydrocarbon resource to a few individuals and foreign interests.

 

The same logic applies to the encouragement of private refineries at the detriment of public refineries. While Nigerian workers welcome the investment by the Nigerian private sector in the building of new refineries, we are also cautious to note that the overarching goal of private investment is profit maximization. Given the massive size of investments in private refineries in Nigeria, there are well-founded fears that the absence of optimally performing public refineries would eliminate competition and open the doors for monopolies and cartels and at a debilitating expense for the ordinary Nigerian. Government has a duty to ensure that this does not happen.

 

Currently, under the Importation Price Model for refined petroleum products, Nigerians are being forced to pay for all manner of acquired and transferred costs. These costs include the profit margin of foreign oil refineries, taxes paid by foreign oil companies, international shipping and logistics costs, product handling costs at the ports, demurrage charges, and import duties on imported petroleum products. Ultimately, all these costs are transferred to the end consumer even as government pays a fraction of this cost as the so-called petrol subsidy. Apart from inflicting very harsh financial blows on the pocket of ordinary Nigerians, the retention of the Importation Price Model also fleeces the government of scarce hard-earned revenue.

 

All these price distortions and inflation acquired in the process of mass importation of petrol, including the corollary implication of mass export of potential jobs and mass import of poverty, would be automatically eliminated once our local refineries are made to work at full installed capacity and we revert from the suicidal Importation Price Model to a more realistic, humane and sustainable Local Production Price Template. The other advantages of the local refining include the creation of mass decent jobs both directly and indirectly from new investments by both government and the private sector in the downstream petroleum industry.

 

The Local Production Price Model which drives industrialization for self-actualization would also secure our petroleum industry from the volatilities and sometimes conspiracy prevalent in the global commodities market. We believe that the present scourge of insecurity in different states in Nigeria is primarily fallout of mass unemployment and poverty. This ugly narrative can change if we strategically use our mineral assets to create decent jobs and prosperity for our people.

3.     Incongruities in the Petroleum Sector/Broader Governance Challenges

 

Organized Labour is concerned that the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector is further aggravated by the persisting tumult in the upstream subsector and broader governance challenges. It was recently reported that almost 200 million barrels of crude oil were lost in Nigeria’s petroleum industry in 2021. This was due to crude oil theft, smuggling, ageing infrastructure, poor long-term investment, poor security of our inland waterway, and challenges arising from conflicts with oil bearing communities and communities that host oil facilities. This is very unfortunate. Even more disturbing is the fact that just like the failed TAMs, no major culprit has been arrested and successfully prosecuted. This does not signify commitment on the part of government that savings from the removal of oil subsidies would be invested in developing the economy and improving the lot of the ordinary Nigerian.

 

Furthermore, over the years, there has been very weak and unconvincing commitment and investment by government in developing social and physical infrastructure that can serve as a buffer to the Nigerian people if government withdraws subsidy on petrol. Our public schools and hospitals are still in shambles forcing many Nigerians to resort to high fee charging private schools and hospitals. Our public power supply is still tottering despite recent privatization initiatives forcing Nigerians and businesses to source more than 50% of their electricity needs from generators in addition to paying high electricity tariff and estimated billings. The same is the situation with public transportation in Nigeria as there is hardly any metro system in our urban centers. Nigerians also deal with the challenge of very sparse railways connections and well-developed inland waterways to our rural places.

 

There is a lot of hot air on the part of government that the savings from the removal of petrol subsidy would be ploughed into improving social services and ensuring decent wages for Nigerian workers. Unfortunately, Nigerian workers are far from being convinced. We are particularly bothered with the persisting refusal of many State Governments to implement the national minimum wage and pension which is an Act of Parliament and a binding law with implications for criminal liability. If many state governments are unwilling to comply with a law that demands they pay a national minimum wage and pension to workers and retirees, how would the Nigerian people expect such state governments to use savings from the withdrawal of the so-called petrol subsidy to deliver on genuine dividends of development which though is a constitutional mandate but as of now is non-justiciable?

 

The recent declaration by Nigeria’s Minister of Finance that government was contemplating paying poor and vulnerable Nigerians transport allowance to mitigate the impact of hike in the price of petrol shows that government is aware that the proposed price increase would precipitate hyper-inflation and induce widespread hardship. Even the amount to be paid as transport subsidy outweighs the amount being currently expended as petrol subsidy. This shows that there is no smart way of avoiding doing the right thing. Government should just fix our local refineries.

4.     An Agreement Is An Agreement!

 

Nigerian workers through their elected representatives signed an agreement with the Federal Government on 28th September 2020 to freeze further increases in the pump price of petrol. The Memorandum of Understanding with government also agreed to set up a Technical Committee to undertake a review of the state of local refineries in Nigeria. The mandate of the Technical Committee which comprises of relevant officers of government and affiliate unions in the Petroleum Industry was also to monitor and track the fulfilment of government’s promises and efforts in the direction of taking necessary actions to revamp our public petroleum refineries.

 

Unfortunately, after a few weeks of interaction with government on this critical national matter, government suddenly adjourned further discussions sine die. The situation has remained the same for nearly two years now as government treats inquiries and promptings by Organized Labour with levity, disdain and contempt.

 

This is why Nigerian workers were completely taken aback by the sudden proposal by government to increase the pump price of petrol. Coincidentally and curiously, the declaration by the Nigerian government to increase the pump price of petrol came a few days after the same demand was made by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Clearly, the Nigerian government is more interested in listening to foreign vested interests than engaging with the Nigerian people.

 

 

Our Demands

 

 

1.  The Federal Government should announce the withdrawal of its plans to increase the pump price of petrol;

 

2.  The Federal Government should re-engage Organized Labour in Nigeria in discussions in order to find mutually acceptable solutions to the current quagmire in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sub-sector;

 

 

3.  The Federal government should demonstrate seriousness and commitment to overhauling our local refineries as a lasting panacea to mass importation of refined petroleum products, Importation Pricing Model, and a host of lost opportunities, official corruption and self-inflicted dislocations occasioned by mass importation of refined petroleum products into Nigeria; and

 

4.      Governments at all levels in Nigeria should take immediate steps to improve governance and public accountability in order to regain the confidence of Nigerians that the cardinal constitutional mandate of guaranteeing the welfare and security of Nigerians has not been traded off.

 

In Conclusion

 

Organized Labour in Nigeria as a responsible social partner is willing and ready to work with government to find enduring solutions to the crisis in Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector and other areas of challenge in governance. It would be a great relief for Organized Labour if government meets us halfway in this regard.

 

The current protest holding nationwide today, 27th January 2022, is only geared at alerting government on the sufferings that Nigerians are going through and the additional insufferable trauma that Nigerians would be subjected to if the government goes ahead with the hike in the price of refined petroleum products.

 

From our foregoing submissions, there is no reason Nigeria like other nations of the world should not utilize the comparative advantage of crude oil which is our domineering foreign exchange earner as a strategic national asset for improving the lots of the Nigerian workers and the ordinary citizens of our great country.

 

We plead that Your Excellency should use your position as a member of the National Economic Council to convey our foregoing persuasions and demands to the Federal Government. We also warn that Nigerian workers would have no other choice than to down tools once the government goes ahead to force another round of petrol price increment on Nigerians. Nigerians have suffered enough. Enough is Enough!

 

While we look forward to your kind and immediate intervention, please accept the assurances of our highest esteem.

 

 

 

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni,President.          

Comrade, Emanuel Ugboaja, mni,                    General Secretary

Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in Labour/Human Resources 0
Diri Deposes Traditional Ruler Over Kidnap Of Commissioner

Bayelsa commissioner abductors back down, leader's father still remanded
Balyesa Governor,Douye Diri,has  deposed of the Otuokpoti community paramount ruler, Chief A.C.T Wongo  in connection with the recent kidnapping of the state’s commissioner for trade and investment.
Diri announced the sack of the traditional ruler while welcoming back the commissioner,Mr. Federal Otokito,from kidnappers’ den.
The traditional ruler has been replaced by  Chief Rescue Abe in acting capacity.
Diri also announced the sacking of the community’s development committee chairman, Azibalua Amon and replaced him with Jerry Offor in acting capacity while the youth president, Emolem Igue was also removed and replaced with Shedrach Afiemo.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah quoted the governor as reiterating the state government’s zero tolerance to crime and kidnapping.
He warned all those who see kidnapping as a business to desist as his government will not hesitate to invoke the extant laws and make the state uncomfortable for criminal elements.
He called on all community leaders to remain vigilant and ensure that peace prevailed in their communities as government will not hesitate to sanction anyone found wanting in the discharge of their duties.
Governor Diri, who said preliminary investigation revealed that illegal refining of crude was connected to the kidnap, warned all those involved in such business in the state to stop forthwith.
He thanked security agencies and all those who availed the government of useful information that led to the release of the commissioner, assuring that his government will continue to make Bayelsa safe for all residents.
He added : “I like to thank God that a member of the state exco who was kidnapped is now here with us. I like to also thank the security agencies and all other sources that helped in securing the release of the commissioner.
“Investigation is still ongoing. So we appeal to all in Otuokpoti to keep the peace and security agencies will keep an eagle eye on Otuokpoti and environs.
“Bayelsa will not condone crime and criminality. We have zero tolerance for crime. Let this be a warning to all those who have taken that as a way of life that Bayelsa is not a state for them. We have anti-kidnapping laws and they will be invoked at all times. As a government, we will do everything to ensure peace for people of the state.”
The commissioner of Police, Mr. Ben Nebolisa, declared Joshua Abi, Clergy Mabinton, Gift Tebeda and Azin Azin wanted in connection with the kidnap.

Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in News 0
Osun Begins Dredging Of  Streams,Waterways In Councils

Flood: Osun begins massive dredging of waterways, rivers -
The Osun State government has  begun the dredging of streams and waterways in twenty five local government areas of the State.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on sanitation and environment, Rufus Oyegbile,who flagged off the exercise in Edunabon, a town in Ife North local government, explained that the exercise is a proactive measure preparatory to rainy season when incidents of flooding are experienced.
He disclosed that the dredging is being done by the State Government in collaboration with the State chapter of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON).
He noted that the Olumesi stream dredging in Edunabon is the fourth to be executed by the government.
“It is to prevent havoc of incessant flooding as we do have warnings from nimet and so we follow the forecast, and Mr Governor with ALGON decided this dry season dredging so that we can have qualitative and quantitative dredging, the width can be widened and the depth can be dug.
“The essence is to make most of our streams and mini rivers to take large chunk or volume of water so that loss of life and property will not occurs again,” Oyegbile explained.
The lawmaker representing Edunabon State Constituency at the House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunde Olatunji said the fact that the flag off took place in Edunabon shows that the Governor places so much value on his constituency and the State at Large.
He added that the Governor has made his job as a representative of the people of the constituency easier for him in facilitating development and life impacting projects to the area.
“Being a government that is responsible and responsive, and want life to be bearable for the people is why Governor Gboyega Oyetola is embarking on such a project like this. We can see that most of the property along this waterways have been abandoned.
“The last time a project like this was done is almost a decade, so I m excited that today we are witnessing the dredging of Olumisi river, and once it is completed, I m sure things will return to normalcy and people can reclaim the property they have abandoned and it will have ripple effect on the economy of the area.
The Osun State chairman of ALGON, Hon. Samuel Idowu said “this dredging happens to be the 4th in the series and it is targeted towards eradicating flooding in the entire state. It is in preparation towards avoiding flood when the rainy season comes. So, it is a good development and the people must give kudos the the Governor.
Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in News 0
FAAN Accuses Customs Officials Of Security  Breach 

The  Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN),has accused the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)  of breach of security at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.
The agency alleged that the Customs Area Comptroller for Hajj and Cargo Terminal at the Lagos Airport and one Agunbiade, a customs officer on the Area Comptroller’s entourage manhandled Aviation Security (AVSEC) personnel on duty at the Gate 3 of the Security Restricted Area (SRA) of the airport.
Mrs. Henrietta Yakubu, the General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, who conveyed this in a press statement,said that the security breach occurred last Thursday at about 17:45hrs.
She added that AVSEC officers on day duty at Gate 3 were profiling a Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) vehicle that wanted to access the SRA via gate 3, when the Customs Area Comptroller suddenly emerged and pulled off behind the NAHCO vehicle that was being attended to, while one CSC Agunbiade, a customs officer on the Area Comptroller’s entourage later shoved aside the AVSEC officer at the gate.
She also alleged that the customs officers forcefully took over the gate and opened it for the Comptroller and his escorts to forcefully access the Security Restricted Area via the gate.
She  added: “While accessing the gate, the armed escorts to the Comptroller threatened to beat up the AVSEC officers at the gate if they dare resist their assault and breach of security.This blatant abuse of the privilege of bearing firearms by the NCS has become a recurrent threat to the safety and security of our staff and our operations.”
Yakubu, however, said that FAAN was working to resolve all its challenges decisively, but urged all stakeholders to respect its mandate by being of disciplined and professional conduct in the interest of national security and operational safety.
Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in Aviation 0
Osun Governorship: PDP,Adeleke Lock Horns Over Certificate, Names, Age

Osun Election: Adeleke speaks on certificate scandal
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the aegis of Concern members of PDP in Osun State and  Senator Ademola Adeleke, are at loggerheads over his certificate, names and age.
Adeleke, who was the PDP candidate in the last governorship election in Osun State
The  group,in a petition dated  dated 21st of January, 2022 and submitted to the Osun state governorship appeal committee, questioned the documents submitted by Adeleke.
They sought  Adeleke’s disqualification from participating in the forthcoming PDP gubernatorial primaries in Osun State on the grounds of impersonation, discrepancies in the information and documents submitted to the party and INEC.
 Akinloye Adeyi (DSS Officer RTD), who said the petition, said that it will be  dangerous  for the party to field Adeleke, in view of what   happened in the case of Bayelsa state.
The petition said: “That aspirants should be put through and monitored, writing test by the screening test to ascertain their communication skills and proof of veracity of their academic qualification.
“That there is no nexus between Annexures 1-15 as it relates to his name, date of birth, admission number, name of the Institution he graduated from and Party membership number.
“The names on the different documents presented by Senator Ademola Adeleke are different and brandishing certificates and other documents that do not carry his name and using affidavits to assert his ownership of the Certificates and documents (Annexure 1-14) did so in error and fraudulently.
“It is one thing for a person to bear multiple names. It is another however, when it becomes a legal problem when the multiple names appear on different official documents and the effort to explain the contradictory names leads to more contradictions.
“That it may be uncanny for a person not to be sure of his name, date of birth, number of O’ Level Subjects he sat for at WAEC, Admission number and name of the Institutions he graduated from, it becomes an issue of fraud when a man presents official documents bearing conflicting names.
“Mr. Chairman sir and the distinguished members of this Appeal Committee, we have painstakingly weighed the bright chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to win the next governorship election in Osun State, after waiting for 12 years of ACN APC maladministration in Osun State.
“All the sectors of the society are waiting for PDP to rescue Osun State from APC Maladministration since 12 years.
“That the documents presented by Senator Ademola Adeleke from 2017 till date to the Party are marred with severe irregularities as enumerated above, which cannot be glossed over.
“Therefore, it is my humbly request that Senator Ademola Adeleke should be disqualified from participating in the forthcoming gubernatorial primary election in Osun State in the overall interest of the Party and the Osun State.”
But Senator Ademola Adekeke,punctured  the allegations, maintaining that he stands by the various documents he tendered.
According to him,the names in the documents he tendered are his,adding that the petition against him lacks merit.
He said: “I stand my certificate anytime, anyday,” adding that the names in the documents are the names giving to him by his parents.
Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in Politics 0
Ibadan Residents Protest Irregular Power Supply,Estimated Billing

Protest: Ibadan Residents Block IBEDC Office Over Erratic Electricity Supply, Meter Hoarding – Independent Newspaper Nigeria
Residents of Monatan, Iyana Church, Wakajaye, Awotan, Iwo Road, Lalupon and other neighboring communities in Ibadan,have protested erratic electricity in the neighbourhood  by  the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC)
They blocked the entrance of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) located at Monatan area of Ibadan and lamented that the company  has been allegedly exploiting them by supplying few hours of electricity in a month and issuing outrageous estimated bills to them.
Speaking,spokesman of the embattled residents, Mr. Kunle Aworinde, explained that the communities were protesting against erratic supply of electricity, non-supply of prepaid meters and issuance of outrageous estimated bills.
He added that the protest became necessary due to the failure of IBEDC to listen and attend to their demands.
According to him,residents of the protesting communities have been experiencing erratic supply of electricity for years.
He said:”We are protesting erratic supply of electricity in our communities. They are billing us outrageously. They are supplying us little electricity and they are bringing outrageous bills. We demanded for prepaid meters but they are not giving us. We have been experiencing erratic supply of electricity in Monatan, Iyanan Church, Wakajaye, Iwo Road up to Lalupon”.
Also speaking,Oyo State Coordinator, Campaign for Democracy and Workers’ Rights, Comrade Abiodun Bamigboye,while described privatization of the power sector as a fraud.
He added:”What we are saying is that power sector has failed under privatisation. They promised us that once the power sector is privatized, we will be having stable electricity.But, this is not so. Few days ago, we heard that one of the major shareholders in IBEDC is indebted to a bank and AMCON has taken over IBEDC. That means privatization of the power sector is a fraud”.
Online Editor by — January 25, 2022 in Power 0