By Muhammad Nur Tijani

Kano Pillars Football Club on Thursday unveiled nine new players signed on for their campaign in the 2020/2021 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) and other competitions.

The players include former Niger Tornadoes player Mustafa Jibrin, Jerome Heutchou from Apejes FC of South Africa, Munkaila Musa from Yobe Desert Stars and Ayobami Junior from Shooting Stars.

The rest are Franck Guiman from AS Tonnere of Benin Republic, Nnaji David from El-Kanemi Warriors, Manji Williams from Wikki Tourists, Haruna Sule from Adamawa United and Ojugidba Ezekiel from Lobi Stars.

Also formally unveiled was the clubs new Technical Adviser, Lionel Emmanuel, who is a Frenchman.

The clubs Chairman, Surajo Shuaibu, told newsmen at the unveiling ceremony in Kano that the new players would replace those released from the club at the end of the 2019/2020season.

Shuaibu said the move was in line with the teams preparations towards a successful outing in the 2020/2021 season.

Heassured the people of the state and the clubs teeming supporters that the club would aim for laurels in the new season.

The chairman expressed optimism in the ability of the clubs new coach to deliver on the mandate given to him.

We have put all machinery in place to ensure a successful outing in the league and continental championship.

We have recruited nine new experienced players to fortify the team to enable us win the league and perform well in the CAF Confederation Cup.

We have also signed on Lionel Emmanuel, a French coach, all in an effort to build a strong team that will compete on the continent.

Earlier at the unveiling ceremony, Emmanuelhad expressed his delight at joining the club, which he described as big and ambitious.

I will do my best to return the club to winning ways, according to the objectives set out by the club management.

He also commended the club management for finding him worthy of the job and promised to justify the confidence reposed on him.

One of the newly signed-on players, Nnaji David who spoke on behalf of all the players, said they would try their best and justify the confidence of the management in them.

Source: NAN News

By Patience Longyen

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has invited the youths currently protesting against police brutality with the hashtag, #ENDSARS for a dialogue with officials of the institute.

The Director-General of the institute, Dr Bakut Bakut, who planned the dialogue spoke in a statement signed by IPCR Head of Media, Mr Musa Mato on Thursday in Abuja.

Bakut saidthat the invitation was extended to the protesters to engage them in discussions with a view to ending the social unrest by youths in the country.

The institute is willing and ready to facilitate a dialogue between all stakeholders to restore peace in the country and move the society forward.

No conflict has actually come to an end without dialogue. Therefore, let us stop the violent protests and dialogue for the sake of peace, he said.

The IPCR boss noted that the protests, which started peacefully appeared to have been hijacked by hoodlums, thereby derailing from its objectives.

He said it had become very urgent for the organisers to re-strategise, return to the drawing board and seek for amiable solutions to their demands.

It is on this note that we are calling on the protesters to redirect their youthful energies to constructive and productive ventures that can better our dear country.

Violence in any form is negative and detrimental to sustainable development as well as the continuous and harmonious existence of the society.

It leaves behind pains, sorrows and bitterness at the end of the day, the IPCR director-general said.

He said that the leadership of the protesters should seek for the resolution of their issues through dialogue to ensure that the aim of the protest was achieved.

Bakut called on the protesting youths to desist from violence as it negated the spirit of their goal and complicated their demands.

Source: NAN News

Liverpool and Ajax clash in UEFA Champions League

Liverpool beat Ajax Amsterdam 1-0 away with a fortunate own goal in their UEFA Champions League group stage opener on Wednesday.

They rode their luck at times but still showed their title credentials.

Ajax full-back Nicolas Tagliafico turned the ball into his own net in the 35th minute to ensure a winning start in Group D for the English champions.

Liverpool looked the stronger of the two teams in spite of Ajax creating several good chances at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Davy Klaassen struck the post with a powerful shot and Quincy Promes had a point-blank effort stopped by the legs of Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian.

This went on as the Dutch club created a handful of excellent opportunities.

Yet Liverpool, who won their sixth UEFA Champions League title in 2019, still proved value for their victory.

They dominated possession and counter-attacked at pace while keeping a clean sheet in spite of missing defensive talisman Virgil van Dijk, who suffered a serious knee injury at the weekend.

Fabinho moved from midfield to central defence to replace Van Dijk and had an outstanding game, notably hooking a clearance off the line to deny Dusan Tadic just before half-time.

It was one of several chances for Ajax in the first half.

Lisandro Martinez had a header saved by Adrian and Ryan Gravenberch shot narrowly wide, much to the annoyance of Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp.

Klopp spent the early part of the game berating and shouting instructions to his players.

But his agitation was quelled when Sadio Mane turned the Ajax defence with a swift body movement to set up the goal.

He miskicked his own effort, but it caught Tagliafico as he clumsily tried to clear and instead deflected it into the Ajax net.

It was a good enough performance to win the game, which at moments was pretty wild.

It was not one of our sunny shiny world class football days. It was not perfect but the boys fought like crazy, said a more satisfied Liverpool manager afterwards.

Klopp took off Mane and his strike partners Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah with 30 minutes still left.

But replacements Diogo Jota and Takumi Minamino kept up the pressure on the home team.

Ajax should have equalised, however, four minutes into stoppage time when Adrian did not properly deal with a cross into the area.

But substitute Jurgen Ekkelenkamp missed the target.(Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Airstrike on Afghanistan mosque

Officials say 12 children were killed and several others wounded in an airstrike on a mosque in Afghanistans northern Takhar province on Thursday.

The strike occurred on Wednesday afternoon in Baharak district, where Taliban fighters had killed over 40 Afghan security forces in the early morning, provincial councilor Mohammad Azam Afzali told dpa.

The provincial governor spokesman also confirmed the report.

An aircraft bombarded the mosque after receiving information that Taliban fighters who were involved in the hours-before bloody attack on security forces were hiding there, Afzali added.

However the militants had already left the mosque, Afzali and another security source said.

The violence in Afghanistan comes inspite of ongoing peace talks between the representatives of the government and the Taliban in the Gulf State of Qatar that kicked off last month.

The insurgents have so far refused to accept a ceasefire. Experts expect long and tough negotiations before a ceasefire could be agreed upon.

Meanwhile, the conflict acrossthe country continues.

For more than a week now there has been heavy fighting in southern Afghanistan.

Authorities said 100 civilians have died and tens of thousands of people have been driven from their villages. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Federal Road Safety Commission

By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has condemned the recirculation of old viral video of its personnel encounter with tricycle operator in Benin, Edo on social media.

The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), ACM Bisi Kazeem, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

Kazeem stated that the video currently in circulation was an old video, adding that the corps had taken necessary action after the incident.

NAN reports that the video was recorded in Benin, along Benin/Sapele road on July 16 and the staff involved had been adequately disciplined.

The punishment was in accordance with FRSC Regulations on Maintenance of Discipline at the instance of the Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi and the outcome of the trial made public on Aug. 2.

Kazeem said the video showed an erring tricycle rider who went on a face-off with FRSC patrol team, after been caught destroying patrol vehicle along Sapele road Benin, Edo.

The Corps wishes to inform the general public that the incident did not just happen as purportedly misrepresented by social media operators.

You would recall that the Corps Marshal had ordered the constitution of a disciplinary panel immediately the case was reported, to conduct a holistic investigation and trial of the seven-man patrol team involved in the incident.

And at the end of the trial, the entire team were awarded reduction in rank.

The Corps Marshal, while approving the recommendation of the panel, also directed the immediate redeployment of the affected Staff from the command.

The reduction in rank was awarded as punishment to the team having been investigated, tried and found guilty of patrol misconduct, incivility, unprofessional, and unethical behaviour towards an offender.

It is an act that contradicts the operational ethics of the Corps, he said.

NAN reports that Oyeyemi has warned personnel to deploy maximum level of civility in arresting offenders rather than taking the law into their hands.

Oyeyemi noted that the management of the Corps would continue in its steadfastness towards ensuring that its personnel exhibit the highest level of civility, professionalism and ethical values while relating with the public.

As an organisation that does not condone indiscipline, the Corps had to punish its staff first, for been uncivil towards the tricycle rider so as to deter other staff.

He said that this was also to compel them to be tolerant, professional and gentle while handling traffic violators.

This measures were carried out irrespective of the fact that the rider was apprehended driving against traffic, went berserk at the point of arrest, stripped himself naked and started throwing obstacles on both personnel and the patrol vehicle at some point.

He even dragged the patrol operatives in uniform without anyone assaulting him.

All these happened in an attack where he destroyed the staffs uniform and not only damaged the windscreen of the patrol car, but disfigured the bonnet and other body parts with mud and stone, he said.

FRSC boss admonished the perpetrators of such media propaganda to desist from heating up the polity at this sensitive moment of national development.

Fashion out measures that could enhance peaceful coexistence, rather than ignite anger and violence, he said.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 Vaccine Research

Germany has again surpassed its record of daily coronavirus infections, with the countrys Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for disease control reporting 11,287 new cases on Thursday.

The previous record for cases recorded in a 24-hour period since the pandemic began was 7,830 on Saturday.

Germany is currently reporting more daily coronavirus cases than at the start of the pandemic in March, although testing has been ramped up significantly since then.

There were likely many more undetected cases earlier in the year before testing capacity increased.

The latest surge brings the countrys total caseload so far to 392,049, according to the RKI, which is scheduled to give a briefing on the situation later .

So far, 9,905 people have died of the Covid-19 disease in Germany, an increase of 30 compared to Wednesdays toll.

Rising infection rates have led to the reintroduction of restrictions in a number of cities and districts across the country, including the capital Berlin.

In the southern state of Bavarian, the district of Berchtesgadener Land on the border with Austria has gone into lockdown.

On Wednesday, German Health Minister, Jens Spahn tested positive for the coronavirus and went into self-isolation.

According to the Bild daily, all government ministers who attended a Cabinet meeting with him earlier in the day are to undergo testing.

A government spokesman said it would not be necessary for ministers to automatically go into quarantine because hygiene and distancing measures were followed at the meeting.

Source: NAN News

A Nigerian refinery

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Federal Government says the deregulation of the downstream oil sector is aimed at allowing market forces to determine the prices of petroleum products.

It has become expedient for the Ministry of Petroleum to explain misconceptions around the issue of petroleum products deregulation, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources Timipre Sylva notes.

According to him, it is unrealistic to continue to subsidise petrol as it has no economic value.

More so, when the subsidy was benefiting in large part the rich rather than the poor and ordinary Nigerians.

Deregulation means that the government will no longer continue to be the main supplier of petroleum products, but will encourage private sector to take over the role of supplying the products, he explains.

However, the development has generated mixed reactions, especially from the labour that suspects the policy might be an attempt to impoverish Nigerians who are faced with the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.

We are surprised that at a time other countries across the world are giving palliatives to their citizens to cushion the effect of COVID-19, Nigerians are asked to pay more for petrol and electricity, Nigerian Labour Congress President Ayuba Wabba, alleges.

Observers note that Nigeria is the 13th largest crude oil producer in the world with an average daily crude oil output of about two million barrels per day.

According to them, it is expected that with such output, the downstream oil sector will be full of significant investments and activities that is not the case.

They express concern that the sector is faced with numerous challenges such as inappropriate product pricing, bridging product supply, insecurity, irregular gas supply, pipeline vandalism, inadequate pipeline infrastructure an non-functional/under functioning refineries, among others.

They have, on many occasions, solicit a deregulated downstream oil sector to enable the sector attract the much-needed investments that can turn around economy.

But over the years, various administrations have adopted measures to tackle the challenges of the sector to ensure that all Nigerians benefit from it.

One of the measures is the the introduction of subsidy for petroleum products, especially for petrol, which experts argue has caused more harm to the economy.

With this sentiment, Sylva announced a full deregulation of the downstream sector in March to play active role in the economic development in the country.

He stated that government would continue to monitor developments in the global market to determine the petrol pump price and would ensure that marketers did not exploit Nigerians.

This was applauded by operators in the sector who advised the government to support the deregulation policy with legal and constitutional backing.

Mr Bank-Anthony Okoroafor, Former Chairman of Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), commends this development.

According to him, the government needs to sign the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law to get the desired development in the oil and gas sector.

He observes that the problems around the deregulation of the downstream oil sector could be handled if there was a policy on ground directing what the sector was doing.

Full and proper deregulation is good. We have always advocated that the forces of demand and supply dictate happenings in the market.

It took a long time for government to come to this decision. It requires leadership and courage. We should all support this move.

We should move further and privatise the refineries so that they can run more efficiently and help in addressing shortages in product supply and also reducing the pressure on our foreign exchange, he observes.

Also, Mr Joe Nwakwe, the immediate past president of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, says that although the time of announcing the deregulation might look unfriendly because of the economic hardship caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in country,the government needs to be encouraged in its efforts to ensure full deregulation of the downstream oil sector.

Sharing similar sentiments, Prof. Wunmi Iledare, former president of Nigerian Association of Energy Economics, believes that Nigeria may save more than five billion dollars annually if the country deregulates its downstream oil sector.

He observes that the current price of petrol is still far from what it ought to be and that deregulation and removal of subsidy are essential for the growth of the sector.

In the same vein, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Malam Mele Kyari, notes that the sector stands to gain more with the full deregulation.

He says further that the Federal Government removed subsidy on petrol because of the fraud perpetrated by some fraudulent elements in the sector.

He also observes that more than N10 trillion was spent on fuel subsidy between 2006 and 2020 without significant impact on the Nigerian masses.

He alleges that the beneficiaries of the fuel subsidy regime are the marketers who smuggle the subsidised product to neighbouring countries.

These marketers make more profits with fake documents to collect subsidy for fuel they never imported, he alleges.

Kyari, nonetheless, says that there are plans by the government to inject more than N2.7 trillion into the economy to stimulate production, stabilise the exchange rate and cushion the inflationary effect of the pump price increase.

Commending the Federal Government for the initiative, the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, says the Federal Government has taken the courage to tackle the challenges in the downstream oil sector.

The president of the association, Mr Tunji Oyebanji, says the Federal Government displays utmost pragmatism by finding solution to the age-long challenges in the downstream oil sector.

However, some concerned citizens have pledge support for the full deregulation of the sector but call on government to put palliatives in place to help reduce the burden occasioned by the deregulation.

They plead with the government to ensure that saving from removal of subsidy will be channelled to projects that will serve the masses.

According to them, a full deregulation with effective policies will provide the required development in the sector and bring the desired development in the country.(NANFeatures)

Source: NAN News

Vatican

The Vatican and China have agreed to extend their temporary deal on bishop appointments for two more years, a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

The two sides will remain in close communication and consultation to continuously improve our relations, spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters.

A two-year deal was struck in October 2018 that saw Pope Francis approve seven Chinese state appointed bishops, previously considered renegade clergy by traditional Catholics.

The deal also called for greater communication between the Vatican and Beijing over the appointment of future bishops, although it stopped short of renewed diplomatic relations.

Francis deputy, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, already told reporters on Wednesday that the agreement was going to be prolonged.

Catholics in China are split between the state-run Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association, and more or less underground bishops appointed by the pope who face harassment and persecution.

The China-Vatican accord aims at overcoming this division. Its signature was seen as a historic step, but critics see it as an objectionable example of appeasement of Chinese religious oppression.

U.S Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo suggested in September that the Vatican was going to endanger its moral authority by renewing the deal.

The blunt criticism overshadowed a visit Pompeo made to the Vatican earlier this month, during which Parolin said the Holy See preferred dialogue with China.

We are for a policy of small steps, he said.

Source: NAN News

Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Federal Government plans to set up Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to regulate operators in midstream and downstream oil industry, under the new Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new PIB is currently before the National Assembly for consideration.

NAN reports that the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) are currently the regulators of the downstream oil and gas sector.

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) also regulate the activities in the upstream and the downstream sector.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva had on Sept.3, announced that PEF and PPPRA would be merged to form a new regulatory body called the Authority.

This he said, would help to harmonise activities in the downstream for efficiency in service delivery to Nigerians.

According to the copy of the new bill obtained by NAN, the Authority will have the power to acquire, hold and dispose of property, sue and be sued on its own name.

The Authority shall be responsible for the technical and commercial regulation of the midstream and the downstream petroleum operations in the petroleum industry, it said.

It said that the Authority would focus on regulating the midstream and downstream technical, operational and commercial activities.

The bill indicted that the agency would also ensure safe, effective and sustainable infrastructure development in the midstream and downstream petroleum operations.

It will also promote health safe, efficient and effective conduct of midstream and downstream petroleum operation in an environmentally acceptable and suitable manner.

Also, it will promote a competitive market for the midstream and downstream petroleum operations and promote the supply and distribution of natural gas and petroleum products in the midstream and downstream, it said.

The bill also noted that the Authority would ensure as its objectives the security of natural gas supply for domestic gas market.

It further noted that the regulator would ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations governing midstream and downstream operations, among others.

The new bill listed the functions of the regulator to include regulating petroleum liquids operations, domestic natural gas operations and export natural gas operations.

It added that the Authority would also determine appropriate tariff methodology for processing of natural gas, transportation and transmitting of natural gas , transportation of crude oil and bulk storage of crude oil and natural gas.

The Authority will be setting cost benchmark for midstream and downstream petroleum operations, provide pricing tariffs framework for natural gas and fair market value of the applicable Petroleum products.

Advise the government, its agencies and other stakeholders on the commercial market relating to tariff and pricing frameworks.

Grant, issues, modify, extend, renew, review, cancel, reissue or terminate licenses, permits and authorisation for midstream and downstream petroleum operations among many others, it said.

On membership of the governing board, it said that appointment shall be made by the President and be subjected to confirmation by the senate, except for the appointment of ex-officio members.

It noted that the board would consist of one non ExecutiveChairman, two Non Executive members, Chief Executive of the Authority, two other Executive Directors responsible for Finance and Account, and Transportation and Distribution Infrastructure.

It added that the board would have one representative of the commission not below the rank of Executive Commissioner, one representative of the ministry not below the rank of a Director and a representative of the Ministry of Finance not below the rank of Director.

The new bill noted that with the Authority, the sector would be properly regulated for effective and efficient service delivery.

NAN reports that the senate had on Oct. 20 passed the new PIB for second reading and constituted a committee that would work on the bill for further deliberation.

The committee was given eight weeks to carry out its duties.( NAN).

Source: NAN News

GMD OF NNPC, MALAM MELE KYARI

Edith Ike-Eboh

The present Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) will be reformed and incorporated as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) to assume a commercial status, the new Petroleum industry Bill (PIB) reveals.

The new PlB currently before the National Assembly was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday, in Abuja.

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva on Sept. 29 after a joint meeting with both chambers of the National Assembly, said that the new bill did not propose the scrapping of NNPC.

In the revised Petroleum Industry Bill, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will not be scrapped but commercialised in line with deregulation move across all streams in the sector, he said.

According to the new PIB, the minister, after six months of the implementation of the act, will incorporate the NNPC Limited under the Company and Allied Matter Act.

The Minister shall at incorporation of NNPC limited consult with the Minister of Finance to determine the number and nominal value of the shares to be allotted, which shall form the initial paid-up share capital of NNPC.

The government shall subscribe and pay cash for the shares, it said.

It noted that the ownership of all shares in NNPC Limited would be vested in the government at incorporation and held by the ministry of Finance incorporated on behalf of the government.

It added that the ministry of finance incorporated in consultation with the government, might increase the equity capital of the company.

Shares held by the government in NNPC limited are not transferrable, including by way of sale, assignment, mortgage or pledge, unless approved by government, it noted.

On the objectives of the new NNPC, the bill proposed that the company would carry out petroleum operations in commercial basis.

It will lift and sell royalty oil and profit oil for commercial fees, payable by government at the request of the regulatory commission and pay the corresponding revenue to accounts indicated by the commission.

At the request of the commission carry out test marketing to ascertain the value of crude oil and report to the commission, it said.

It said the NNPC Limited would be vested with the rights to natural gas under production sharing contracts entered into prior to the effective date.

It noted that upon request of the commission, it would act as agent of the commission for the management of production sharing contract for a fee, based on the profit oil share or profit gas share to government.

It added that the NNPC Limited would engage in the development of renewable resources in competition with private investors.

It will promote the domestic use of natural gas through development and operation in large scale gas utilisation industries, among others, it said

Reacting to the development, Prof. Wumi Iledare, a professor of Petroleum Economics said that the proposed new national oil company in the PIB seemed more of a rebranding of the existing one.

The new NNPC as a limited liability corporation is not a new thing with respect to transformational thinking for national oil companies.

There are examples worldwide BP, STATOIL, ENI, TOTAL, and so on, he said.

NAN recalls that the senate had passed the new PIB for the second reading and had constituted a Committee to further work on bill.

The committee was given eight weeks to carry out its duty for further deliberations on the bill. (NAN)

Source: NAN News