All Posts in "Day: June 9, 2022"

Why Nigeria Must Probe $800m Ogoni Clean-Up Funds-CACOL

The Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership (CACOL) is supporting calls for a probe into the activities of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the implementing agency of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) recommended for the clean-up of oil-polluted Ogoni land in Rivers State,

Comrade Debo Adeniran, CACOL ‘s chairman, echoed the support in a statement signed by the group’s Director of Administration and Programmes, Tola Oresanwo.

He recalled that the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) recently called on the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), a Federal Government agency saddled with the task of cleaning up the polluted Ogoni environment, to account for a whopping sum of $800million fund meant for the exercise.

Fegalo Nsuke, the MOSOP’s had reportedly made the call in Port Harcourt, Rivers State recently to mark the six-year anniversary of the official flag-off of the Ogoni clean-up programme by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at Bodo on June 2, 2016.

He lamented that there was little or nothing done so far, even as he fingered the agency of corruption and embezzlement.

According to Nsuke, “Not much has been achieved, but corruption, mismanagement and embezzlement. HYPREP has received over $800 million and additional N6 billion for water supplies. What we have seen is bribery and looting of the cleanup funds.”

But,Adeniran regretted that the Ogoniland area of Southern Nigeria is one of the most polluted places on Earth.

The crops are burnt to a cinder, ash and tar smother the land and the wells are polluted with oil, making the water totally undrinkable,he said.

He added:“The entire communities have suffered as their way of life has been destroyed by the oil industry and pollution has become the norm in the community.The effect of pollution on the Niger Delta has been great. As a result of oil spills and industrial waste dumped into the Niger River Delta, fishing as a means of supplying food for the tribe is no longer an option because very few fish remain in the river.

“The groundwater is contaminated and is not safe for drinking. The most immediate threat to Ogoni people is oil spills, which have damaged their land dramatically.At least 100 pumping stations and pipelines crisscross Ogoniland. The pipelines run over farmland and through villages; leaks and spills are a common occurrence.

“The UN says it will take 30 years of effort to clean up the mess. Amnesty International accuses the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, Shell, of turning a blind eye to or even helping the military’s use of rape, torture and unlawful killings amid protests against pollution and poverty back in the 1990s.”

He said that it was a huge relief when the Federal Government decided to implement the UNEP recommended clean-up of oil-polluted Ogoni land by the establishment of the HYPREP under the Federal Ministry of Environment to clean up the Ogoniland and other impacted communities.

He also said that it was so unfortunate that till now, the performance of HYPREP in Ogoniland was nothing to write home about as the agency had not lived up to expectations.

He lamented that the situation in the community had not improved, even with the huge financial resources committed to the agency.

The facts, he stated, were not just embarrassing, but criminally so, wondering how crude oil was discovered in Olobiri in 1955, yet, the area had been left behind by other nations, especially the Arabian countries that were blessed with the resources years after us.

He said :“How can we be proud of our record as the sixth oil-producing country in OPEC yet the people of the oil-rich communities wallow in abject poverty and deprivation worsened by a very inhuman state of environmental degradation?.We at CACOL believe that it is a tragic narration on our nation, Nigeria, that despite the huge resources allocated for projects, when it comes to execution of the project, it becomes a sad story.

“We want to call on the management of HYPREP to account for all the money collected so far and the positive impact they have made in Ogoniland if any.As an agency of government, they must respond to the yearnings of the people of Ogoniland and justify the huge resources they have collected.”

admin by — June 9, 2022 in News 0
Stallion Group, Bayelsa Partner On Youth Empowerment

A business conglomerate, Stallion Group, has expressed interest in partnering the Bayelsa State Government on youth empowerment, sports and agricultural development.

The Regional Head of Stallion Group in Nigeria, Jayesh Shinde, who disclosed this during a courtesy call on the state Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the company was ready to provide technical skills training for at least 200 youths from the state on assembling and repair of tricycles popularly known as “Keke” to boost youth empowerment.

He said that Stallion Group would also work with the state government in the area of developing critical sporting facilities and sponsorship, stressing that his company had on some occasions sponsored the Super Eagles in the past.

Jayesh said the company would encourage potential female Keke riders from Bayelsa by offering them special discounts and flexible terms of payment to acquire their own tricycles.

In his remarks, Ewhrudjakpo said the state government was excited over the offers made by the Stallion Group, adding that the Governor Douye Diri-led administration would do everything within its reach to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership.

He recalled that just few days earlier, he had told the officials and players of Bayelsa Queens FC that government would shop for sponsorship deals from corporate bodies to sponsor the two state-owned football teams.

Ewhrudjakpo said both Bayelsa United FC and Bayelsa Queens were open to sponsorship in kitting, transport and other logistics, especially now that Bayelsa Queens are going continental.

According to him, the government was ready to provide land and do everything necessary to enable the Stallion Group site one of its regional assembly plants and workshops in Bayelsa.

He said the government would work out all the necessary modalities with the conglomerate for its special three-day technical skills training for youths on “Keke” repair and maintenance.

The deputy governor, who said that the state was endowed with immense agricultural potential, called on the Stallion Group to also venture into agricultural business to create jobs and wealth.

admin by — June 9, 2022 in News 0
Threat: ASUU LAUTECH Dares Makinde, Asks Members To Continue Strike

 

The Ladoke Akintola University Chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has asked its members to continue the ongoing industrial action in the institution.

ASUU said that her members have resolved to forge ahead with the strike and pursue it to a logical conclusion which “is imminent”.

The union in a release jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary Professors Biodun Olaniran and Toyin Abegunrin after their Congress reacted to the threat by the State Governor Seyi Makinde’s threat to stop payment of subvention until lecturers returned to classroom.

According to the union,the government should not see himself or student as target of the strike but as beneficiaries of ASUU strike as the intervention of most state governments in terms of subvention has been used as part-payment of salaries.

The union expressed shock is shocked to hear from the Commissioner of Education during his appearance on a radio station recently said that the state has been paying 100percent subvention contrary to when the University administration’s claim that only 55percent subvention comes from government and the balance of 45percent is sought by the university through Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)

The ASUU leaders stated that the Commissioner’s claim on subvention has created further distrust between the management and the Unions as to who is saying the truth and who is not.

The union claimed that the responsibilities of capital projects has been totally abdicated and surrendered to TETFUND and NEEDS assess projects of ASUU’s struggles.

They further noted that lecturers are very sensitive to the plight of the students but that the government should thank the Union for the struggle which have helped in training its members in human capacity Development through TETFUND grants.

They added :”The congress of ASUU, LAUTECH Branch was held on Tuesday, 07/06/2022. The congress deliberated extensively on the press interview granted to the Honourable Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology by Fresh FM on Saturday 28th of May, 2022 and His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde by BCOS on Saturday, 4th June, 2022, respectively. In the interview, the Honourable Commissioner stated that LAUTECH has been receiving full subvention.

“This position is at variant with the submission of the university administration, that only about 55% of the subvention is provided by the government while the remaining 45% is sought by the university via Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Our union is in darkness of the true situation of things.

Ordinarily, IGR is expected to be used to defray arrears of various allowance owed the workers by the university, but rather, the university administration attributed its inability to defray these outstanding arrears to it having to augment salary with as much as 45% of the monthly subvention to the university. However, the claim by the Honourable Commissioner has further worsened the distrust of our union on the sincerity of the university administration, believing that welfare of our members is being toyed with (with a political game).

“In the interview conducted by the BCOS, His Excellency stated that the lecturers are insensitive to the plight of the students otherwise; the academic workers of the branch would not have joined the strike. We wish to state here categorically, as we have always done that the strike is not targeted any individual or group of individuals or the government of the state.

“The strike is not about Federal or State universities but purely about the University System in Nigeria. The university system is one (as regulated the National University Commission). ASUU too is one. There is only one Chatter of ASUU with several Branches including LAUTECH Branch. Virtually all public tertiary institutions particularly public universities are beneficiaries of ASUU’ struggles in Nigeria. Currently, the responsibility of most state governments in Nigeria to the state-owned universities is limited to part-payment of monthly salaries.

“The responsibilities of capital projects has been completely abdicated and surrendered to Tetfund and Needs Assessments Project of ASUU’s struggles. An inventory of buildings, laboratories and workshops equipment in all public universities will confirm this! In recent times, all branches that break ASUU’s strikes have been made to forfeit the benefit/proceed of the ASUU’s struggle.”

admin by — June 9, 2022 in Labour/Human Resources 0
Tinubu Promises Better Deal For Energy Sector

Presidential aspirant and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, says the country’s energy sector would witness robust transformation if he’s elected its next president

The APC presidential aspirant, according to a press statement signed by Bayo Onanuga, Director of Media and Communication,said
his administration will target an electricity distribution goal of 15,000 megawatts across the country and ensure a sustainable 24/7 supply.

“On electricity, I will embark on a renewed action-oriented focus and take immediate and urgent action on resolving existing challenges of power generation plants, gas purchasing, pricing, transmission, and distribution. My administration’s critical goal is to have 15,000 megawatts distributable to all categories of consumers nationwide to ensure 24/7 sustainable supply within the next four years,” he added.

He also spoke on the oil and gas sector,saying there will be no need for a subsidy because the market will be open and transparent.

He said:“Supply will come from local refineries, and the forces of demand and supply will determine the price of petroleum products.My administration will establish a National Strategic Reserve for Petroleum Products to stabilize supply during unexpected shortages or surplus periods. This will eliminate any form of product shortages and prevent wild swings in prices.

He promised to build an economy that will make the nation’s Gross Development Product grow quicker annually for the next four years while also providing jobs for millions of youths in the country.

He will also launch a new National Industrial Policy focused on special intervention to reinvigorate specific strategic industries.

He added:“I will focus on stimulating jobs, which will be my top priority as President. I will get Nigeria to work by launching a major public works program, a significant and heavy investment in infrastructure, and value-adding manufacturing and agriculture.My administration will build an efficient, fast-growing, and well-diversified emerging economy with a real GDP growth averaging 12% annually for the next four years, translating into millions of new jobs during this period”.

He promised to create six new Regional Economic Development Agencies which will establish sub-regional industrial hubs to exploit each zone’s competitive advantage and optimise their potential for industrial growth.

He further promised to formulate a new National Policy on Agriculture to boost food production.

According to him,he would promote the establishment of new commodity exchange boards, while also strengthening the one in Lagos in order to guarantee minimum pricing for agricultural products such as cotton, cocoa, rice, soya beans, corn, palm kernel, and groundnuts.

On infrastructure, Tinubu promised to “Build A New Nigeria (BANN)” by developing a National Infrastructure plan, which will cover strategic roads, bridges, rail, water, power, seaports, and airports spanning the length and breadth of the country.

He said his administration will combine government funding, borrowing, public private partnership, private sector financing and concession to initiate a medium and long-term financial model for the BANN initiative.

Tinubu also spoke about his administrations promise in the area of education, promising to increase the spending on education to 25 per cent of the nation’s budget.

He promised to continue the free school feeding programme of the APC, feeding “millions of primary school children across the country”.

On tertiary education, Tinubu said his administration eradicate strikes by tertiary institution workers by encouraging the tertiary institutions to source for funds through grants and corporate sponsorships, with all the institutions granted financial autonomy.

He promised to increase the funding for health care in the annual budget to 10 per cent.

According to him the National Health Insurance Scheme will be relaunched to grant health insurance cover to most Nigerians.

He promised to improve security by decentralising the policing of the country and creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs simultaneously.

He promised to transform Nigeria into an enviable country and one where there will be justice, peace and prosperity for all, with a “robust economy”.

Titled ‘My Vision for Nigeria’, Tinubu promised in the document, “a nation transformed into greatness, the pride of Africa, a role model for all black people worldwide, and respected among all other countries.

“A vibrant and thriving democracy and a prosperous nation with a fast-growing industrial base, capable of producing the most basic needs of the people and exporting to other countries of the world.A country with a robust economy, where prosperity is broadly shared by all irrespective of class, region, and religion.

“A nation where its people enjoy all the basic needs, including a safe and secure environment, abundant food, affordable shelter, health care, and quality primary education for all.A nation founded on justice, peace, and prosperity for all.”

admin by — June 9, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0
2023: Amaechi Rallies Support For Tinubu

Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi,has implored other aspirants who contested for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket to come together and work for the victory of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in next year’s general election.

Speaking through his Presidential Campaign Media Committee on Wednesday,

Amaechi congratulated the former Lagos State governor on his victory and his subsequent emergence as the Presidential flagbearer of the party at the just concluded presidential primaries of the APC.

In a statement signed by his Presidential Campaign Media Committee’s Chairman, Kingsley Wenenda Wali, the former governor of Rivers State, urged all the aspirants to put the outcome of the primary election behind them and come together to work for the victory of Tinubu and APC in the 2023 presidential election.

He said:“We acknowledge that his victory follows a highly charged contest, which as expected, could only produce one winner.It is, therefore, our hope that following the emergence of Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as our party’s presidential candidate, all aspirants will now close ranks and work hard to ensure our party’s victory at the 2023 Presidential Election.

“We thank all who in many remarkable ways supported the Presidential aspiration of Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi and urge them to see the outcome of the primaries as a victory for democracy, which signposts the maturity and evolution of the political culture of Africa’s largest democracy, Nigeria.”

Meanwhile,Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,has assured assuring Nigerians that nothing will stop the march to a just, egalitarian society

Addressing delegates and Nigerians shortly after he was pronounced winner of the APC presidential primary, the former governor of Lagos State noted that President Mohammadu Buhari has laid a firm foundation to the country’s march to greatness promising to leverage on the foundation to fight insecurity, reform and grow the economy and fight corruption.

While he acknowledged that the nation has problem, some self-inflicted,he promised that the country’s development is a task that must be achieved, adding that he has the vision and ability to make it happen.

An excited Asiwaju said he was literally intoxicated by the nomination of the party because he never thought he would win.

With the victory, the APC flagbearer will now square up against Atiku Abubakar, standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP),Peter Obi (Labour) among others in the 2023 presidential election

In a delegate election that lasted over 20 hours, Tinubu polled a total of 1,271 votes out of a possible 2223 delegate votes to top 13 other contestants including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Rotimi Amaechi,Senate President Senator Ahmed Lawan etc. for the ticket of the party.

He defeated his closest rival , Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi by a margin of 955 votes. The former Minister of Transport polled 316 delegate votes while Vice President Yemi Osinbajo scored 235 to finish a distant third. Senator Ahmed Lawan,the Senate President polled 152 votes.

Other aspirants and their scores are Dave Umahi (38), Tunde Bakare (0), Ahmed Sani Yerima (4), Sen Rochas Okorocha (0), Yahaya Bello (47), Ben Ayade (37), Ogbonnaya Onu (1), Tien Jackrich and Chief Ikeobasi Mokelu both polled zero. Thirteen votes were declared invalid.

Announcing the result, Convention Planning Committee Chairman Atiku Bagudu said Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu scored majority of the votes and consequently declared him the party’s presidential flagbearer.

Addressing the delegates, Tinubu lauded leaders of the party and urged all the aspirants to join him in the defeating the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming 2023 election describing the main opposition party as a common enemy of the APC that must be beaten back..

He described the the convention as a shining moment in the evolution of the APC and the life of the nation and hailed the party for making him its standard bearer.

” And I humbly accept the nomination of this convention to be the presidential candidate of our enlightened, humanitarian and great party, the All Progressives Congress.

“I also offer my sincere gratitude to President Buhari for his calm and prudent leadership throughout this process. I thank him, also, for his steadfast determination to ensure a level playing field and a free and fair primary process for every aspirant.

“Without him, I would not be standing here today as the new flagbearer of Nigeria’s party. I thank the governors for their invaluable contribution to internal democracy and unity. commend the party leadership and organizers for the conduct of a successful convention.
“Thank you, the delegates, for the confidence you have shown in me. I will prove that your choice was a wise one. You have moved our party and country towards its best future. On your mandate I shall stand.’

admin by — June 9, 2022 in Uncategorized 0