By Jacinta Nwachukwu

SunPawa Energy Ltd, an indigenous energy firm, says it will provide 30,000 Solar Home Systems (SHS) in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

Mr Odera Ozoka, Chief Executive Officer of the firm told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Abuja on Wednesday that the aim was to bring relief to the people living especially in the rural communities.

Ozoka listed Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kwara, Kogi and Delta as the pilot states where the products would be rolled out, while other states would be visited two years from now.

SunPawa is looking at bringing solutions in the renewable energy space and this will go a long way in bringing relief to a lot of people living in darkness, especially in the rural communities.

At the moment, just under half of the population in Nigeria is living without any electricity and of those, 75 per cent are mostly found in the rural communities.

As entrepreneurs, we look for creative ways to ensure that people have access to reliable electricity thereby increasing Nigerians economic growth exponentially, he said.

He reiterated his readiness towards ensuring that more people have access to electricity in the country, adding that though it might not be easy; given the structural problems in the power sector.

SunPawa Energy was recently shortlisted by Rural Electrification Agency for the Solar Home System Output Based Funds component under the Nigerian Electrification Project to provide nationwide energy access to rural communities. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Adeyemi Adeleye

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday, met with his supporters in Lagos State, assuring them that he will emerge victorious at the APC presidential primaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC presidential primaries is scheduled for Sunday in Abuja

Addressing the supporters made up of various grassroot groups from across Lagos state, Osinbajo said: I have come home to Lagos to thank God for all He has done and all He is yet to do.

I am not here for a campaign or for consultation, I just want to celebrate with my brothers and sisters in Lagos state.

God will help us on Sunday and we will win. There is no doubt at all, we will win by the grace of God.

And we will go on to win the general election for our party, the APC.

I know that we will have massive support from all of our delegates, Osinbajo said.

Osinbajo said that haven served for seven years as the vice president of Nigeria, his experiences would enable him provide quality leadership for the nation.

According to him, in those seven years, President Muhammadu Buhari in many ways, ensured that I was exposed to everything about governing a complex and diverse country such as Nigeria.

I have also acted as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at various times.

He said God had allowed him to serve and gave him those experiences for a purpose, which definitely was to serve the nation further.

Osinbajo added: The truth of the matter is that God does not make a mistake. That is the reason why God gave me all the experiences and that time has come.

I am sure that everyone knows that if you have seven years experience on anything, you will be better than those who do not have any experience at all.

He said a greater Nigeria was achievable, noting that all the countrys challenges were surmountable.

The vice president commended the Lagos state Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat and all the delegates and representatives of different ethnic groups present at the event.

In his remarks, Dr Abdulhakeem Abdulateef, an APC chieftain, described the meeting as the beginning of the journey to a new Nigeria.

Abdulateef, an Imam, said that Osinbajos meeting with the stakeholders in Lagos state completed his visits to all the 36 states of the federation.

Lagos is extremely proud to celebrate Osinbajo, he said.

He said that Osinbajo had done a lot for Lagos state and had helped the poor to have access to justice.

NAN reports that dignitories at the event include the Deputy Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Mr Adeola Ipaye, and the Special Adviser to Buhari on Political Matters, Sen. Babafemi Ojudu. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Hawa Lawal/Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

Adeyemi Adeleye

The Lead Visioner, Lagos4Lagos Movement, Dr Olajide Adediran (Jandor) on Wednesday clinched the PDP ticket for the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State.

Declaring the result in Ikeja, the Chairman of the Lagos PDP Electoral Committee/Returning Officer, Mr Emmanuel Ogidi, said that Adediran scored 679 votes to defeat his contender, Mr David Vaughan who polled 20 votes.

Ogidi, who noted that there were 775 ad hoc delegates for the primaries, said that 709 were accredited for the election.

According to him, 10 votes were voided in the election.

Ogidi said: The total number of accredited voters is 709, and Olajide Adediran got 679 votes, DAKOVA (David Kolawole Vaughan had 20 and we had 10 voided votes.

Haven satisfied all the requirements in our guidelines, I want to announce Dr Olajide Adediran as our candidate after scoring the highest votes of 679. He is hereby declared the winner and returned elected.

Meanwhile, Ogidi, before announcing the result, said that delegates from Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government failed to see reasons with the committee over alleged discrepancies on delegate list.

He, however, commended the aspirants and delegates for their peaceful conduct and sportsmanship throughout the process.

I want to thank all of you for your patience and I want to congratulate the two contestants for your spirit of sportsmanship, especially DAKOVA. He is a true sportsman, Ogidi said.

In his victory speech, Adediran, who acknowledged the aspirants that stepped down for him and his contender, said he was ready to face the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He pledged to sit with all aspirants and leaders of the party to tap from their wealth of knowledge and experience in a bid to win Lagos state for PDP.

Adediran, who applauded all the delegates for their trust in giving him the partys ticket, promised to bring governance to the grassroots.

Also, Vaughan, who accepted defeat, said he vied for the ticket with a well mapped out strategy to transform Lagos state.

He promised to support and back Adedirans ambition.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that four contestants including Otunba Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, Mr Adedeji Doherty, Mr Ade Dosunmu and Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour stepped down from the race. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

By Georgina Adegbie

Musa Nimrod, President of Nigeria Volleyball Federation (NVBF), on Wednesday assured that the federation was working to ensure that the Nigerian league was of international standard.

Nimrod told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the federation would continue to work hard to ensure the leagues standard was at par with that of advanced countries.

The recent visit by delegates from the Fdration International de Volleyball (FIVB) during the just-concluded Division One League had a great impact on the entire federation, he said.

Nimrod said the delegates had meetings with board members, coaches, referees and players, advising on how to raise the standard of the sport from the grassroots to the elite league.

Everyone involved has determined to work hard to improve on their performances, he said.

Nimrod said he was confident that volleyball in Nigeria would be on the same level with the game in other countries in no distant time.

We will continue to work hard to be among the best in the continent and the world at large, he said.

NAN reports that the just-concluded National Division One Volleyball League was won by Spartan Spikers of Yola after gathering 15 points in the mens category.

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) were second with 11 points, UCEM Spikers placed third with nine points and JVC of Bauchi were fourth with seven points.

In the womens category, Chief of Army Staff Spikers led the league with 15 points, while Life Camp of Abuja placed second with 12 points.

Anambra Queens placed third with nine points, Olalomi Royals of Kwara fourth with five points, and Bayonet Spikers of Kaduna were fifth with three points.

NAN reports that the federation was yet to announce dates for the second phase of the league, which would determine clubs to be promoted to the premier league.(NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Olawale Alabi

Source: NAN News

By Ibironke Ariyo

The Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye has said that there was need to deploy more technology that would help to reduce opportunity for crime.

Owasanoye said this at the 2-day joint operations of ICPC and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on effective and result oriented joint operations on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that there was need for collaboration by law enforcement agencies for effective law enforcement, saying that most crimes cross boundaries.

According to him, somebody who is committing a road offence and has bribed an officer of the Road Safety and such officer had collected, that singular act falls under ICPC act.

It also contravenes the criminal code and violates the road safety commission act as well .

To be effective, law enforcement agencies must collaborate. Much more importantly, we need to deploy more technology that helps to reduce opportunity for crime.

One good examples is the use of body cameras which we find usage in developed countries.

Law Enforcement officers wear body camera and the public knows that transactions are been recorded and can be used and it helps to diminish corruption, he said.

The ICPC chairman emphasised that retail corruption affected the daily livelihood of citizens.

Owasanoye said that if it could be controlled or significantly diminished, it would improve not just the experience of citizens with governance but also make governance for the leaders easier.

This is because, then, people know that they are not under pressure for economic crimes and other issues and this is why collaboration is important to us, he said.

Earlier, the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi said that the Corps remained resolute in its commitment to live up to expectations of the statutory mandate.

Oyeyemi said that the Corps would also continually improve on the process and sustained stakeholder collaborations in an effort to create safer motoring environment for all Nigerian road users.

He said that the joint operations and collaboration with ICPC and DSS had led to the arrest of some of FRSC personnel due to the initiative of the corps.

He also said that it had been able to stem the sharp corrupt practices not only on the highways but even at the various drivers license areas.

Organisations need strong collaboration like this to be able to achieve the mandate set and the policy direction of the government.

But without this, we will not be able to do this. We cannot do it alone. We need support from other agencies. When it comes to security and Intelligence, you must be ahead of the bad eggs so that you can catch them.

And with the deployment of technology now, I think we will sustain this very well and this will bring down the cost of operations, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training workshop was designed to equip participants with desired skills and interact on ways to achieve effective and result oriented Joint Operations.

The training with the theme, Effective and Result Oriented Joint Operations was for the purpose of addressing the issues tarnishing the corporate image of both organisations. (NAN).

Edited by AbdulFatai Beki/Ismail AbdulAziz

Source: NAN News

By Adedeji Egbebi

Pensioners in Otun-Ekiti, Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti appealed to Gov. Kayode Fayemi on Wednesday to pay their outstanding entitlements before the end of his tenure on Oct. 16.

Pensioners who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) lamented that some of their colleagues who retired between 2014 and 2019 had died without collecting their entitlements.

One of the pensioners, Mr Taiwo Ajayi, a retired principal, appealed to Fayemi to consider the plight of the ageing retirees who needed to take care of their health and also take care of their children.

Ajayi has five children, all unemployed graduates.

He lamented that he retired in 2016but the state government had not paid him any entitlement.

Another retired civil servant, Mrs Bukola Owolabi, said it was unfortunate that many of her colleagues who retired in 2015 had died from illnesses.

Owolabi expressed regret that the departed died without enjoying the fruits of their labour because of the unending delay in the payment of the pensioners gratuities by the state government.

She appealed to Fayemi to offset the outstanding gratuities and pensions before the end of his tenure.

It always saddens me whenever I remember that some of my colleagues with whom I retired in the same year have died.

None of them was able to eat the fruit of their labour after serving the state government for 35 years in office.

They died untimely deaths with little or no financial assistance from anybody as some of them had stroke, hypertension, diabetes, ulcer, typhoid among ailments before they finally died.

I appeal to our governor, Dr Fayemi, to have mercy on some of us that are still alive and give us our gratuity, she said.

Mr Olusegun Agunbiade, a retired local government employee, urged the state government to consider the fact that the retirees spent 35 years of their lives contributing to the development of the state and pay all outstanding gratuities.

Agunbiade said that he retired in April 2017 but had friends who retired since 2015, but had died without getting their entitlements.

He also appealed to Fayemi to save the lives of pensioners still alive but needing money for medicals and other upkeep.

It is no longer news that ageing pensioners are dying without collecting their gratuities.

I appeal to our governor to pay arrears of gratuities and put smiles on our faces, he said.

Another pensioner, Mrs Felicia Ojo, a retired teacher said she retired in 2016 and she has not been paid her gratuity.

Ojo also appealed to the state government to consider the sufferings of pensioners and pay the backlog of their entitlements. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

By Maureen Okon

The Spanish Embassy in Nigeria says it has donated 4.4 million doses of Johnson

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) on Wednesday inaugurated its Dockyard Training School in Apapa, Lagos as part of institutes continuous learning culture for its employees.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the facility was inaugurated by r Mohammed Bello-Koko, Managing Director, NPA.

He noted that learning constitutes a critical success factor in actualising the NPAs strategic intent of becoming the maritime logistics hub for sustainable port services in Africa

According to Bello-Koko, inaugurating a modern technical training facility of this nature is germane to the authority and a testament of its resolve to institute continuous learning as a culture.

As most of us are aware, having in place a robust talent pool is a necessary precondition for operating efficiently in the fiercely competitive terrain that port business is.

Consistently upskilling and reskilling our employees on whom we place a very high premium is our overriding objective as a management team.

Also, our readiness to position them to be best in class, is at the core of what this training school sets to achieve, he said.

The NPA boss said that the complex had the capacity of training 380 persons per time as it consists of a lecture theatre with seating capacity of 73, a large hall with seating capacity of 112, a mini hall with seating capacity of 50 and another with 27.

He said that the facility also contains six simulation class rooms that seats 16 persons each, a fully automated library, a computer training hall, a canteen seating capacity for 120 persons and a hostel with 30-bed capacity.

Bello-Koko said that the decision to invest so much in the facility took cognisance of its former employees, some of whom although retired are actually not tired.

He said that they intend to tap into their wealth of experience and institutional knowledge by inviting them as resource persons to train upcoming employees.

Processes are also in the works to partner with the World Maritime University, Nigerian Navy Hydrography Department, Nigerian Institute of Marine and Oceanography Research, University of Lagos and other research and learning institutions in the area of curriculum development and capacity building.

It will be pertinent to mention that work is at advanced stages to transform our Riggers Workshop to a Marine and Seamanship Workshop.

This will be deployed for training in the area of Seamanship Practical, Radio/Signal, Marine Engine/Auxiliaries, Buoyage Practical, Mooring and other Marine related competencies which are increasingly in demand not just in-house but indeed in our Industry.

These trainings will significantly help to insulate us and our stakeholders from the grave risk of talent deficit, he said.

He recommended the facility for patronage by sister agencies in the maritime sector and other industry players who were desirous of a best-in-class training platform for their employees.

He said that the activation of the training facility was timely, coming at a time when series of efforts geared towards making our ports more competitive and attractive of greater vessel traffic were beginning to crystalise.

This inauguration is also a reminder that our drive towards attaining the compliance status for Quality Management System (ISO 9001), Environment Management System (ISO 14001) as well as Occupational Health

By Sumaila Ogbaje

National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has called for closer collaboration with Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to mop-up illegal arms in Nigeria.

National Coordinator of NCCSALW, Retired Maj.-Gen. Abba Dikko, made the call during a courtesy call on the Commandant-General of NSCDC, Dr Ahmed Audi, at the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

Dikko said that NCCSALW had been working assiduously to deliver on its mandate.

He said the centre was willing and ready to work with NSCDC and other security agencies to ensure that the illegal arms in possession of unauthorised people were recovered in order to restore law and order in the country.

The coordinator commended the NSCDC boss for his leadership, innovation and direction, particularly in the area of protection of critical infrastructure and national assets.

He called for partnership with NSCDC in the areas of intelligence sharing, data collection and mainstreaming control of arms in the NSCDCs hierarchy and work environment.

According to him, leveraging the existing capacities of NSCDC and other security agencies will go a long way in strengthening coordination and building the capacity of relevant stakeholders on their responsibilities under the small arms and light weapons management paradigm.

Responding, the NSCDC boss lauded the establishment of the centre, saying that it was in the interest of peace and security as well as crime prevention and control.

He thanked the coordinator and his team for their efforts toward achieving the centres mandate.

Audi expressed delight with the opportunity to support NCCSALW in the discharge of its duties of mopping of illicit arms in the country.

The commandant-general expressed NSCDCs readiness to give full support to the centre, saying that the fight against illicit arms in the polity was a must and could only be won through collaboration with relevant stakeholders. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Nigerias Temile Development Company has awarded contracts to Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and NLNG Shipping Management Limited (NSML) for construction and supervision of a 23,000 cubic meters Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Carrier Vessel.

Temile Development Company signed the contracts with HMD and NSML at the World Gas Conference on Wednesday in Daegu, South Korea.

The Chief Executive Officer, Temile Development Company, Mr Alfred Temile, said in a statement that the HMDs highly efficient eco-design/cleaner fuel vessel would be constructed in line with international best practices and industrial regulations.

Temile also disclosed that NSML as an indigenous company would supervise the construction of the vessel expected to be delivered on July 26, 2023.

Today, May 25, 2022, at the WGC2022 in Daegu, Korea, Temile Development Company celebrated a dual contract signing agreements for the construction of a new 23,000 cubic meters Liquefied Petroleum Gas Carrier Vessel.

With Hyundai Mipo Dockyard (HMD) and with NSML for the construction supervision of the 23,000 cubic LPG/NH3/VCM Carrier at HMD.

We are delighted to execute the construction of our new LPG carrier with HMD and bringing onboard NSML to supervise the construction as an indigenous company, he said.

According to him, this demonstrates our commitment and support to the Nigeria Local Content Act and as well establishes our confidence in local capacity to deliver international acceptable standards.

Working with HMD again makes us feel in very safe hands as we are confident that this eco-design/cleaner fuel vessel shall be constructed in line with International best practices and industrial regulations.

Thereby creating a space for the vessel in the international gas supply value chain.

Having taken delivery of our first LPG carrier vessel which is currently chartered to Nigeria LNG Limited for domestic LPG supply.

We look forward to taking delivery of this new carrier in July 2023 to make an addition to the global gas supply industry, Temile stated. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

LIZ/COF/IAA

Edited by Oluyinka Fadare/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News