All Posts in "Day: October 1, 2024"

Independence:Chevron Celebrates Nigeria@64,Assesses Impacts

         Mohammed Shosanya

Chevron has celebrated Nigeria’s 64th Independence Anniversary,saying it’s proud of its partnerships and role in developing its natural resources.

In over six decades of operation, Chevron Nigeria has continued to make significant investments in the country that support social and economic development,the company said.

The Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria and Mid-Africa Business Unit, Jim Swartz, explains Chevron Nigeria’s business perspective: “We strive to build lasting relationships to help enable human progress now and into the future.”

According to Swartz, Chevron is one of the largest suppliers of natural gas to the domestic market and is proud of its continued track record of supplying natural gas that meets the specifications required for the Nigerian domestic market.

He stated that in addition to the production of over 7.5 billion barrels of oil and gas equivalent by Chevron Nigeria Limited’s (CNL) Joint Venture with Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Nigeria, CNL has been successful in leading and investing in four major projects that have added significant economic value and reduced flared gas.

The projects include:

The Escravos Gas Processing facility to reduce flaring and enable the processing of natural gas for delivery to the domestic and regional markets.

The Escravos Gas-to-Liquids facility to reduce gas flaring and produce high-quality products, including diesel and Naphtha.

The ~700km West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP) led by Chevron in partnership with other private and state entities from the Economic Community of West African States, to supply gas to Benin, Togo, and Ghana to boost economic development in the sub-region.

The Deepwater Agbami Floating Production, Storage, Offloading (FPSO) project which has produced over 1 billion barrels of oil.

Chevron also owns nonproducing assets as well as partner with other companies for producing and non-producing fields.

The company commends the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition the oil and gas industry for growth through the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

CNL is committed to operationalizing the PIA and has achieved key milestones, including renewing critical deep-water leases for the next twenty years.  The NNPCL/CNL Joint Venture was among the first companies to convert their leases to Petroleum Prospecting Licenses (PPLs) and Petroleum Mining Leases (PMLs) in accordance with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act.

CNL believes that its business success in providing affordable, reliable, ever-cleaner energy is directly tied to the progress and prosperity of the people we work with and the communities where we operate. For this reason, the company continues to support the Federal Government’s Nigerian Content Development (NCD) policy aimed at building indigenous capacity in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

This policy is driven by the vision of being recognized as the energy company that works best to foster competence and competitiveness among Nigerian indigenous contractors and suppliers by adopting the participatory partnership model.

Olusoga Oduselu, CNL’s General Manager, Policy, Government, and Public Affairs, highlighted CNL’s focus on the development of communities in the Niger Delta through the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU), a community-driven, participatory partnership model for community engagement it pioneered in 2005.

“Through the GMoU, we provided funds to execute hundreds of projects in the communities where we operate in the Niger Delta region. This has led to social investment projects benefitting over 600 communities in the Niger Delta area. We are leveraging our experience with the GMoU in the implementation of the Host Community Development Trust (HCDT) provisions of the PIA”, he stated.

“In 2010, Chevron established the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), a non-profit organization working with partners to complement the GMoU, to build peace and address macro socio-economic issues in the Niger Delta region.  PIND’s programs have continued to create social and economic impacts through the twin pillars of economic development and peacebuilding, leading to increased productivity, jobs, and reduced conflict,” Olusoga said.

Chevron Nigeria’s social investment footprints extend beyond its areas of operation. In the area of health, Chevron built and donated a DNA Molecular laboratory to the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, a facility that supports medical research in Nigeria.  In the midst of the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic, Chevron donated a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory to Warri Central Hospital to support the Delta State Government in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The company has also implemented health initiatives such as the Roll Back Malaria programs, Prevention of Mother-to-Child transmission of HIV/AIDS, and awareness programs on River blindness.

Star Deepwater Petroleum Company Limited (a Chevron company) and its parties in the Agbami field have been investing in fighting tuberculosis (TB) by building and equipping chest clinics to support the treatment and care of TB patients in Nigeria.

Currently, 28 chest clinics fully equipped with standard X-Ray machines, male and female wards, treatment rooms, laboratories and gene expert machines have been completed across the country to support the health system. The Agbami parties have also donated one medical diagnostics laboratory and nine mother-and-child health care centers in Nigeria.

Chevron Corporation has also sponsored global health-related initiatives that impact Nigeria. These efforts include the contribution to the Global Fund against HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB, which has benefitted Nigeria by providing access to lifesaving antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV and providing long-lasting insecticide-treated mosquito nets.

CNL continues to support the development of education in the Niger Delta region and across the country through the development of education infrastructure, capacity building, and scholarships.

Over 23,000 people have benefitted from the company’s scholarship programs, which include scholarships for postgraduates, the visually impaired, and medical and engineering students in Nigeria.

Chevron and its Agbami parties have continued to invest in education infrastructure, executing 39 Science laboratory complexes and 25 conventional and hybrid libraries nationwide.

They also encourage students to develop an interest in key subjects such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and, ultimately, pursue STEM courses and careers.

The company continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental stewardship through its lower carbon strategy, which is focused on lowering the carbon intensity of its operations by implementing methane detection and reduction capabilities.

This has enabled the company to reduce routine gas flaring by over 97% in its operations in the past 11 years, showing its environmental responsibility.

The company’s mangrove restoration program is another demonstration of its dedication to environmental stewardship and proactive approach to addressing the challenges of ecosystem restoration in the Niger Delta. Chevron Nigeria successfully restored approximately 18 hectares of land at different sites in its Western Area of operations, which suffered fire incidents due to third-party interference.

The mangrove restoration also enabled CNL to impact the community positively by training community women on identifying viable mangrove propagules, raising them in the nursery to transplant thousands of mangroves.”

Besides,Chevron Nigeria, with Chevron Corporation’s support, built and donated the Lekki Conservation Centre (LCC) to the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in 1992.

The 78-hectare facility has become a center of excellence in environmental research and education, reserved as a sanctuary for the rich flora and fauna of the Lekki Peninsula, Lagos.

Chevron is optimistic about the future of the energy business in Nigeria. As the Chairman and Managing Director emphasized, “Chevron remains committed to our partnership in ensuring safe, reliable, and efficient operations in Nigeria’s onshore, offshore shallow water, and offshore deep water while delivering a reliable and ever-cleaner energy supply for Nigeria, the West African region, and the world.”

Online Editor by — October 1, 2024 in Oil&Gas 0
Text Of National Broadcast By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu On The 64th Independence Anniversary  Of The Federal Republic of Nigeria   October 1, 2024 

Text Of National Broadcast By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu On The 64th Independence Anniversary  Of The Federal Republic of Nigeria
 October 1, 2024
Fellow Nigerians, as I address you today, I am deeply aware of the struggles many of you face in these challenging times. Our administration knows that many of you struggle with rising living costs and the search for meaningful employment. I want to assure you that your voices are heard.
As your President, I assure you that we are committed to finding sustainable solutions to alleviate the suffering of our citizens. Once again, I plead for your patience as the reforms we are implementing show positive signs, and we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.
Exactly 64 years ago, our founding fathers chose democracy as a form of government and launched the dream of a great country that would lead the rest of Africa out of poverty, ignorance, and underdevelopment, a beacon of hope to the rest of Africa and the world.
Over six decades later, we can look back, and Nigerians worldwide can see how well we have succeeded in realising the lofty dreams of our founding fathers.
The world is witnessing and benefiting from the can-do spirit of the Nigerian people, our massive intellectual capacity, and our enterprise and industry in all vocations, from arts to science, technology to infrastructure.
 The dreams that our founding fathers envisaged are still a work in progress. Every day, we put our hands on the plough, determined to do a better job of it.
While it is tempting to focus on what has been left undone and where we have stumbled as a nation, we must never lose sight of how far we have come in forging and holding our country together.
Since independence, our nation has survived many crises and upheavals that led to the dissolution and disintegration of many other nations worldwide. Six years after independence, our country descended into a political crisis that led to a bitter and avoidable civil war. Since returning from the brink of that darkest moment, we have learned to embrace our diversity and manage our differences better as we continue to work towards engendering a more perfect union.
Despite the many challenges that buffeted our country, we remain a strong, united, and viable sovereign nation.
Dear compatriots,our independence anniversary gives us another chance to reflect on how far we have gone in our journey to nation-building and to renew our commitment to building a better nation that will serve present and future generations of Nigerians.
While we celebrate the progress we have made as a people in the last sixty-four years, we must also recognise some of our missed opportunities and mistakes of the past. If we are to become one of the greatest nations on earth, as God has destined us to be, our mistakes must not be allowed to follow us into the future.
My administration took over the leadership of our country 16 months ago at a critical juncture. The economy faced many headwinds, and our physical security was highly impaired. We found ourselves at a dizzying crossroads, where we must choose between two paths: reform for progress and prosperity or carry on business-as-usual and collapse. We decided to reform our political economy and defence architecture.
On the security front,I am happy to announce to you, my compatriots, that our administration is winning the war on terror and banditry. Our target is to eliminate all the threats of Boko Haram, banditry, kidnapping for ransom, and the scourge of all forms of violent extremism.
Within one year, our government has eliminated Boko Haram and bandit commanders faster than ever. As of the last count, over 300 Boko Haram and bandit commanders have been eliminated by our gallant troops in the Northeast, Northwest, and some other parts of the country.
We have restored peace to hundreds of communities in the North, and thousands of our people have been able to return home. It is an unfinished business, which our security agencies are committed to ending as quickly as possible.
As soon as we can restore peace to many communities in the troubled parts of the North, our farmers can return to their farms. We expect to see a leap in food production and a downward spiral in food costs. I promise you, we shall not falter on this.
Our government has been responding to the recent natural disasters, particularly the flooding in parts of the country. After Vice President Kashim Shettima visited Maiduguri, I also visited to assure our people that this federal government will always stand with our people in their times of trouble.
At the last meeting of the Federal Executive Council, we approved a Disaster Relief Fund to mobilise private and public sector funds to help us respond faster to emergencies.
Our government has also ordered integrity tests of all our dams in the country to avert future disasters.
The economy is undergoing the necessary reforms and retooling to serve us better and more sustainably. If we do not correct the fiscal misalignments that led to the current economic downturn, our country will face an uncertain future and the peril of unimaginable consequences.
Thanks to the reforms, our country attracted foreign direct investments worth more than $30 billion in the last year.
Fellow compatriots, our administration is committed to free enterprise, free entry, and free exit in investments while maintaining the sanctity and efficacy of our regulatory processes. This principle guides the divestment transactions in our upstream petroleum sector, where we are committed to changing the fortune positively.
As such, the ExxonMobil Seplat divestment will receive ministerial approval in a matter of days, having been concluded by the regulator, NUPRC, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA. This was done in the same manner as other qualified divestments approved in the sector.
The move will create vibrancy and increase oil and gas production, positively impacting our economy.
The more disciplined approach adopted by the Central Bank to monetary policy management has ensured stability and predictability in our foreign exchange market. We inherited a reserve of over $33 billion 16 months ago. Since then, we have paid back the inherited forex backlog of $7 billion.
We have cleared the ways and means debt of over N30 trillion. We have reduced the debt service ratio from 97 per cent to 68 per cent. Despite all these, we have managed to keep our foreign reserve at $37 billion. We continue to meet all our obligations and pay our bills.
We are moving ahead with our fiscal policy reforms. To stimulate our productive capacity and create more jobs and prosperity, the Federal Executive Council approved the Economic Stabilisation Bills, which will now be transmitted to the National Assembly. These transformative bills will make our business environment more friendly, stimulate investment and reduce the tax burden on businesses and workers once they are passed into law.
As part of our efforts to re-engineer our political economy, we are resolute in our determination to implement the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy of local governments.
The central concern of our people today is the high cost of living, especially food costs. This concern is shared by many around the globe as prices and the cost of living continue to rise worldwide.
My fellow Nigerians, be assured that we are implementing many measures to reduce the cost of living here at home.
I commend the Governors particularly, in Kebbi, Niger, Jigawa, Kwara, Nasarawa, and the Southwest Governors that have embraced our agricultural production programme. I urge other states to join the Federal Government in investing in mechanised farming. We are playing our part by supplying fertilizer and making tractors and other farm equipment available.
 Last week, the Federal Executive Council approved establishing a local assembly plant for 2000 John Deere tractors, combine harvesters, disc riders, bottom ploughs and other farm equipment. The plant has a completion time of six months.
Our energy transition programme is on course. We are expanding the adoption of the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas for mass transit with private sector players. The Federal Government is ready to assist the thirty-six States and FCT in acquiring CNG buses for cheaper public transportation.
Fellow Nigerians, while we are working to stabilise the economy and secure the country, we also seek to foster national unity and build social harmony and cohesion. Our economy can only thrive when there is peace.
As we work to overcome the challenges of the day, we remain mindful of the next generation as we seek to galvanize their creative energy towards a better future. We lead today with the future we wish to bequeath to our children in focus, recognizing that we cannot design a future that belongs to them without making them its architects.
Considering this, I am pleased to announce the gathering of a National Youth Conference. This conference will be a platform to address the diverse challenges and opportunities confronting our young people, who constitute more than 60 per cent of our population. It will provoke meaningful dialogue and empower our young people to participate actively in nation-building. By ensuring that their voices are heard in shaping the policies that impact their lives, we are creating a pathway for a brighter tomorrow.
The 30-day Confab will unite young people  nationwide to collaboratively develop solutions to issues such as education, employment, innovation, security, and social justice. The modalities of this Confab and selection of delegates will be designed in close consultation with our young people through their representatives. Through this confab, it will be our job as leaders to ensure that their aspirations are at the heart of the conference’s deliberations.
 The government will thoroughly consider and implement the recommendations and outcomes from this forum as we remain resolute in our mission to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and united Nigeria.
Our government is implementing several other youth-centric programmes to give our young people an advantage in the rapidly changing world. We are implementing, amongst others, the 3 million Technical Talents programme (3MTT) of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, aimed at building Nigeria’s technical talent backbone.
We have also enthusiastically implemented the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which provides cheap loans to our students to pursue their tertiary educational dreams. In addition, later this month, we shall launch The Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP).
 It is conceived as a comprehensive suite of interventions at job creation by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5 million jobs, directly and indirectly, on an annual incremental basis whilst simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country.
As is the tradition, the government will soon announce all the beneficiaries of our national honours for 2024.
The Senate President and the Chief Justice of the Federation have been conferred with the honour of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON). The deputy Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives have the honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), while the deputy speaker of the House has been awarded Commander of the Order of Niger (CON).
Fellow Nigerians, better days are ahead of us. The challenges of the moment must always make us believe in ourselves. We are Nigerians—resilient and tenacious. We always prevail and rise above our circumstances.
I urge you to believe in our nation’s promise. The road ahead may be challenging, but we will forge a path toward a brighter future with your support. Together, we will cultivate a Nigeria that reflects the aspirations of all its citizens, a nation that resonates with pride, dignity, and shared success.
As agents of change, we can shape our destiny and build a brighter future by ourselves, for ourselves and for future generations.
Please join our administration in this journey towards a brighter future. Let us work together to build a greater Nigeria where every citizen can access opportunities and every child can grow up with hope and promise.
May God continue to bless our nation and keep members of our armed forces safe.
Happy Independence anniversary, my fellow Nigerians!

 

Online Editor by — October 1, 2024 in Opinion 0
LG Poll:Court Stops INEC From Releasing Voters Register To Rivers Electoral Commission

 

 

 

Mohammed Shosanya

 

 

A Federal High Court Abuja,has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from releasing the voters’ register to the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for the conduct of the October 5, 2024, local government elections in the state.

 

 

Justice Peter Lifu,gave the order while delivering judgment on a suit filed by the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.

 

 

Justice Lifu, had on July 19, 2024, made an ex-parte order restraining INEC from releasing the voters’ register to RSIEC.

 

 

 

The court also restrained the IGP and DSS from participating or providing security for the RSIEC in conducting the election.

 

 

 

The judge also directed all parties involved to maintain the status quo ante bellum and refrain from taking any further steps in relation to the election until the substantive suit is heard and determined.

 

 

 

The APC’s legal team, led by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Joseph Daudu, Sebastine Hon, and Ogwu James Onoja, argued the suit on behalf of the party.

 

 

 

In his verdict,Justice Lifu criticized the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission for fixing the October 5, date without adhering to the relevant laws governing the conduct of the election.

 

 

The court maintained that updating and revision of the voters’ register should have been completed before a legally valid election date could be scheduled.

 

 

 

Besides,the court barred the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) from providing security for the election.

 

 

 

Justice Lifu also held that the Rivers State electoral body breached the provisions of the local government election law by failing to publish the mandatory 90-day notice before fixing the election date.

 

 

 

“Election is a process and all processes leading to the conduct of any election must be transparent and carried out in line with the provisions of the laws.

 

 

 

 

“Rule of law entails mandatory compliance with the law. There should be no secrecy on the issue of conditions precedent in the interest of democracy”, the Judge stated.

 

 

 

 

The court struck down section 60 (2) of the Rivers State Local Government election law signed by former governor Nyesom Wike on January 4, 2018, which prohibits filing of cases in respect of local government election by aggrieved parties or persons.

 

 

 

Justice Peter Lifu said that 1999 Constitution granted access to court for Nigerians aggrieved over any issue adding that on no ground would a local government law be allowed to be superior to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

 

 

The court ordered INEC not to release the certified voters’ register to RSIEC until all legal requirements had been met.

 

 

 

 

Justice Lifu restrained RSIEC from accepting or using any voters’ register from INEC for the purpose of the October 5, local government election.

 

 

 

 

The APC had dragged INEC, RSIEC, Rivers Attorney General, Inspector General of Police and the Department of the State Service DSS alleging irregularities and outright violations of laws in the ways and manners the Rivers state government was handling the election matters.

 

 

 

 

The APC had alleged that the mandatory provisions of law for publication of election notice 90 days before the election conduct was jettisoned.

 

 

 

 

The party also claimed that the mandatory conclusions of update and revision of voter register 90 days before the election was not complied with.

 

Online Editor by — October 1, 2024 in News 0
SNEPCo Appoints Adams As New MD

  Mohammed Shosanya
Shell has named a new Managing Director,Ronald Adams,for its deep-water subsidiary in Nigeria, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo.).
 Ronald Adams is formerly Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic LNG, Trinidad and Tobago. He takes over from Elohor Aiboni who proceeds on international assignment to Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) as Asset Director.
 Both appointments take effect today,October 1,a statement signed by Gladys Afam-Anadu,the company’s Media Relations Manager,said.
Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Osagie Okunbor said: “I’m pleased to welcome Ronald to Nigeria to consolidate and further improve the outstanding performances of SNEPCo in deep-water production and life-changing social investments across Nigeria. I wish to congratulate Elohor for the outstanding deliveries since she took over in August 2021. The assignment in Brunei is another opportunity for excellent contributions to the Shell Group.”
The statement quoted that Ronald is a thirty-two-year veteran of the energy industry having successfully guided both Shell operated and non-operated ventures through commercial and technical challenges.
He holds a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of the West Indies and an MBA with a specialisation in Strategic Planning from Herriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, Scotland. Outside of work, Ron loves to spend time with his family and frequents the gym.
He said: “I’m excited at the opportunity to be part of the success story of SNEPCo and look forward to joining the team of talented staff to deliver even more value to stakeholders.”
Elohor’s tenure as SNEPCo Managing Director has witnessed many milestones, numerous to mention.
She said: “It has been a great honour to work alongside colleagues and external stakeholders in our modest efforts to build a safe, simpler and cost-disciplined business that continues to lead the way in deep-water operations in Nigeria. I’m particularly grateful for the invaluable support and encouragement of our concessionaire and co-venture partners which made the task easier.”
SNEPCo pioneered Nigeria’s deep-water development in 2005 when it began production at Bonga through the 225,000-barrel-per-day-capacity Bonga Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading vessel, anchored 120 kilometres offshore in the Gulf of Guinea.
Online Editor by — October 1, 2024 in Next Level 0