DPR Officials

DPRs Head of Operations in the state, Mr Femi Ogunmuyiwa, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Osogbo.

Ogunmuyiwa said the essence of the device was to ensure accurate dispensing of petroleum products at filling stations in the state.

According to him, the device will ensure that consumers are not short-changed while buying petroleum products at filling stations.

Ogunmuyiwa stated that the department could not continue with the analogue device to check pump dispensing, adding that the digital device would ensure that petroleum marketers maintained the required standard.

The DPR official noted that the device would also help to check safety, gauge temperature and ensure accuracy at fuel stations in the state.

Ogunmuyiwa said the staff of the department had been adequately trained on the use of the device for pump accuracy compliance at filling stations.

He warned petroleum marketers against underdispensing of products, adding that the device would expose any sharp practice.

Ogunmuyiwa said that marketers caught underdispensing petroleum products might have their filling stations sealed off.

He said the surveillance team of the department would continue to monitor filling stations to ensure compliance with regulations.

Source: NAN News

Rape allegation: Lawyers demand arrest of popular artiste DBanj

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates (COPA) has called for the arrest of popular Nigerian artiste Mr Oladapo Oyebanjo, aka DBanj, following allegation of rape against him by Miss Seyitan Tayo.

The coalition made the call on Wednesday in a statement issued by Mr Patrick Odey, Director, Human Rights and Gender, at COPA.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged sexual assault happened in 2018 and DBanj had since denied the allegation describing it as lie from the pit of hell.

Odey who urged the Nigerian Police to allay the fears of ordinary Nigerians in its handling of rape matters in the country, wondered why Tayo (the victim) should be detained instead of DBanj, the accused.

He commended the timely intervention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mr Mohammed Adamu, noting that time had come for every Nigerian to rise up to the challenge and bring rapists to justice.

We welcome the forthright and timely intervention of the Inspector General of Police, who has since ordered a comprehensive investigation into this matter.

This directive is timely given the individuals involved and the peculiarity of the issues therein, as well as the ugly times we live in as a nation where incidences of rape and other gender based crimes are rampant.

The intervention of the IGP is satisfying and assuages risen public fear before now that the instrumentality of the Nigeria Police Force had been hijacked by the bourgeoisie class of the Nigerian polity to protect the musician.

Speculations of manipulation and partiality in the investigative process especially given the status of the alleged offender in comparison to the victim, but the directive of the IGP is, to say the least, reassuring and highly welcomed, the statement quoted Odey as saying.

According to Odey, the delay in inviting the alleged offender for the purpose of interrogation in pursuance of the investigation ordered by the Inspector General leaves much to be desired as regards public perception of the process.

He noted no one should enjoy preferential treatment over any other especially within the sector of crime detection and justice delivery in the country

Justice must not only be done but must also be manifestly seen to be done, and for us at COPA, the manifest path of justice extends to the conduct of investigations and the treatment of the parties.

The COPA Director therefore called for a transparent and visibly investigation to ensure that a proper, dispassionate and comprehensive investigation into the allegations was conducted without considering the personality involved. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Babajide Sanwo- olu, Lagos state governor

By Florence Onuegbu

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has asked that no congratulatory message should be placed for him in newspapers, as he clocks 55 years on Thursday.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Gboyega Akosile, said in a statement on Wednesday, that the governor wished to continue his tradition of reaching out and sharing love with the needy in the society.

This is to inform friends, families, professional colleagues and political associates of the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, that no congratulatory advertisements should be placed in newspapers to celebrate his forthcoming birthday.

Mr Governor believes that an occasion of ones birthday, especially a milestone such as the age of 55, should be a day to reflect on ones purpose of existence in life, Akosile said.

The Chief Press Secretary said that according to the governor, the purpose of existence was to serve the humanity.

He said that apart from the outreach, the governor was scheduled to spend the better part of the day to attend to many important state matters.

According to him, the governor thanks his numerous supporters and well wishers, who may have planned to celebrate with him in one way or another as he turns 55.

Akosile said that the governor had advised that they use same resources to touch the lives of the most vulnerable people in their spheres of influence.

The best birthday gift anyone would give me at this period is to identify those at the bottom of the pyramid wherever they reside, lift them up by putting smiles on their faces that way, you would have lifted my heart too, he quoted the governor as saying.

Akosile said that there was no plan for any form of celebration other than what had been stated above. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Coronavirus

By Okeoghene Azubuike

A network of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called for a Green Recovery Deal out of COVID- 19 in the country.

The CSOs made the call in a statement issued by Mr Pius Oko, the Project Officer, Climate and Sustainable Development Network(CSDevNet) in Abuja .

The network is made up ofCSOs under the aegis of CSDevNet, the Nigeria Civil Society Framework on Paris Agreement and the SDGs (NCSFPAS) and the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA).

CSDevNet, NCSFPAS and PACJA call for a just, green recovery deal that can tackle the crisis, particularly the health and economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the Economic Sustainable Committee (ESC) team, led by Vice-President, Yemi Osinbanjo prepares to launch unprecedented stimulus and recovery package, it is our belief that this historic moment calls for a different, an equally unprecedented response.

Oko said climate-smart agriculture must be scaled up as enshrined in Nigerias Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) to the Paris Agreement.

He said there should be increase funding to the health and production of vaccines; energy, science, education and technology sector in the national, state and local government budgets.

Oko quoted Mr Barau Jawal, the Deputy Executive Director, Keep Bauchi Clean Initiative as saying waste to wealth production should be part of the Federal Governments COVID-19 Green Recovery and Economic Sustainability target, this is in energy production (bio-energy).

Jamal encouraged the government and individuals to reduce or eliminate the release of pollutants into the environment by proper waste deposal and providing proper waste sites at every ward.

Mr Nwan Emeka, the Project Director, Connecting Peace Initiative, Rivers, said that governments efforts should be channeled to tree planting and should be monitored for transparency.

There should be enforcement of the law on recycling which will involve every citizen; ban single-use plastics and taking responsibility for setting up plants for recycling to curtail waste and city pollution, Emeka said.

Mr Jacob Ibrahim, Dengula Farms and Agro-Processing Firm, Adamawa, said that the government should provide Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise(SME) policy, soft loans and grants to serve as an important repository response in coming out of the COVID-19 crisis.

Essential products and services should be given special tags to ensure business continuity in this tumultuous time to guide law enforcement agencies and ensure manufacturing, supply or provision of essential goods or services, Ibrahim said.

Also, Mrs Iyanu Oluwa, the Achievers Innovative Advocates International Foundation, Lagos, said the government should provide rapid response for sustainable food production by supporting farmers in the rural communities to plant food crops that would be subsistent for consumption.

Government should support more youths and women as main drivers of rural economies and in its economic growth plan towards agriculture across the country with subsidies, mechanised equipment and grants, Oluwa said.

Similarly, Dr Eris Ibi, the Executive Director, Working Fingers Intl Initiative in Delta emphasised that post COVID-19 green recovery programmes should focus on poverty, health and unemployment.
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Ibi said that grassroots organisations should be engaged to drive the process because during the lockdown NGOs, faith-based and community-based organisations were closest to the people and attended to them.

Mr Toyin Oshaniwa, the Founder, Toyin Oshaniwa Foundation, Lagos state said the ESC policy action should focus towards full mainstreaming of environmental education and environmental management plans that cover Water Sanitation and Hygiene.

Oshaniwa said that the environmental education and management plan should be enshrined into both public and private space as one of the essential road map to Green Recovery Solution.

COVID-19 pandemic experience has demonstrated that we need nature as nature can recover fully with or without the help of man. Thus, green recovery solution should be nature based solutions, Oshinawa said.

Mr Uche Uchenna, the Executive Director, Foundation for Family Values and Health Orientation and Empowerment, FCT, said government had to support SMEs to reduce poverty, through provision of Cash Transfer(capital), training of youths and women on vocational skills.

Uchenna added that there should be increase allocation to health for the training of medical personnel, acquiring of equipment and supporting rural health centers with increased sensitisation on COVID-19

Ms Vickie Onyekuru, the Programme Director, Child Health Organisation, Lagos, said recovery plans must ensure peoples wellbeing were at the heart of the crisis response and protection of workers rights, through a just transition for all that leaves no one behind. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mele Kyari, GMD, NNPC

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Nigerian National petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has disclosed that 19 pipeline points were vandalised in the month of March representing about 47 per cent decrease from the 32 points recorded in February 2020.

The corporation disclosed this on its Monthly Financial and Operations Report (MFOR)for the month of March released in Abuja, on Wednesday.

It said that of the pipelines attacked, Atlas Cove-Mosimi accounted for 53 per cent, while Mosimi-Ibadan recorded 21 per cent and Suleja-Minna accounted for the remaining 26 per cent.

The report assured that NNPC, in collaboration with the local communities and other stakeholders, would continuously strived to reduce the menace to the barest level.

It said that 218.37billion Cubic Feet (BCF) of natural gas was produced in March, translating to an average daily production of 7493.65million Standard Cubic Feet per day (mmscfd)

It added that 3,119.89BCF of gas was produced from the period of March 2019 to March 2020, representing an average daily production of 7,912.05mmscfd during the period.

It explained that period-to-date production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and NPDC contributed about 69.37 per cent, 21.67 per cent and 8.95 per cent, respectively, to the total national gas production.

Out of the 218.37BCF of gas supplied in March, 120.73BCF of gas was commercialised, consisting of 33.45BCF and 87.28BCF for the domestic and export market respectively.

This translates to 1,235.56mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,817.40mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month, it added.

The report further said that 55.63 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialised, while the balance of 44.37 per cent was re-injected, used as Upstream fuel gas or flared.

Gas flare rate was 9.08 per cent for the month under review i.e. 679.54mmscfd, compared with average gas flare rate of 8.43 per cent i.e. 666.90mmscfd for March 2019 to March 2020, it said.

During the month under review, the report also noted a trading deficit of 9.53billion for March 2020 compared to the 3.95billion surplus posted in February 2020.

The report revealed that the over 300 per cent decline in March 2020 earnings was due primarily to the huge decrease of 181 per cent in the National Oil Companys Upstream Subsidiary, Nigerian Petroleum Development Companys (NPDC).

This, it added, was due to the decline in crude oil prices precipitated by the Coronavirus-induced global slowdown.

The pandemic, it said, led to reduction in exports and dwindling world oil consumption; combined with deficits posted by the refineries, among others.

The NNPC MFOR further indicated a total crude oil

IGP, Mohammed Adamu

By Emmanuel Afonne

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Zone A has commended the Nigerian Police and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Adamu in the fight against insecurity in the country.

The commendation was made in a statement signed on Wednesday by Mr Muhammad Kichinka, Deputy Coordinator, NANS Zone A, comprising of Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi.

Kichinka stated that the Nigerian police remained one of the strongest forces in Africa in spite of the security challenges in the country.

He identified the polices enhancement of operational capacity and the use of cutting-edge technology in crime management as a tool for its successes.

He specifically commended the IGP for successfully concluding the recruitment, training and deployment of 10,000 police recruits, promotion of officers and the launch of the Nigeria Police National Command and Control Centre (NPF-C4i).

IGP Adamu, upon assumption of office, identified the abuses associated with the promotion process as a fundamental factor in the less than optimal productivity profile of police personnel.

He addressed the welfare concerns of police personnel by restoring confidence and integrity in the process, discouraged the abuses associated with special promotion and stabilised the system by upholding the principle of merit and seniority.

The anxiety associated with promotion in the police which often impact on productivity, has been addressed and officers are now motivated more than ever before to perform their duties, he said.

Kichinka attributed the successes recorded in the police in recent times to the unwavering support of President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Police.

He however, urged the police to always be professional and responsive in the discharge of its constitutional roles. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Kogi Assembly

By Friday Idachaba

The Kogi House of Assembly, on Wednesday, lost a member, Mr John Abah, representing Ibaji State Constituency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abah died in an undisclosed private hospital in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday during a protracted illness.

Until his death, Abah was a second term member, who transited from the Sixth Assembly to the Seventh Assembly after winning the March 2019 state assembly election.

Abah, a chartered accountant from Ejule-Ojebe in Ibaji Local Government area, veered into politics and won the Ibaji state constituency seat in 2015 under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) shortly before the March 2019 general elections and clinched the won the assembly seat from his constituency for a second term.

Reacting to the news of the death on Wednesday in Lokoja, Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Matthew Kolawole, said he was shocked and saddened, saying that Abahs death was a monumental loss to the Seventh Assembly in the state.

A statement issued the speakers Chief Press Secretary, Mr Femi Olugbemi, said: We received, with shock and sadness, the death of the honourable member, representing Ibaji state constituency, Hon. John Abbah, which occurred this morning (Wednesday) after a protracted illness.

His death, at this time, is a monumental loss to the Seventh Assembly, considering his robust contributions on the floor of the House.

Kolawole commiserated with the immediate family and the constituents over the demise of their father, illustrious son and outstanding representative, stressing that he would be greatly missed.

He prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

The speaker also urged the bereaved to take solace in the fact that death was an expected end of every mortal and that everything, including life and death, had its time. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

A trainee acquiring welding skill at the OPM skills acquisition centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

By Emmanuel Afonne

The Omega Power Ministries (OPM), says it has trained no fewer than 10,000 people on different vocational skills, as part of efforts to reduce unemployment in the country, as the world battles Coronavirus pandemic.

Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere, founder of the Church, said this on Wednesday, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Chinyere said the Church had also established a skill acquisition centre in Port Harcourt, to train more youths to become self-reliant.

The OPM founder also said that the skills acquisition centre was established, bearing in mind the high level of unemployment and hunger in the society.

According to him, the training, which will last for a year, will also accommodate persons of other faith and cuts across all Christian denominations.

We started in Abia State with a free hospital and free school, then Rivers, and by the grace of God, a lot of less privileged women have been accessing free medical and antenatal care.

The skills acquisition centre, named after Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, is a place where we train people men and women for industries and companies to come and pick them.

Our centre is certified by the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

We have trained over 10,000 youths in the last five years and some have gotten jobs both locally and internationally, while some have been employed to train others, Chinyere said.

He further said that the centre, unarguably the biggest in the country, was constructed and equipped with funds from offerings and tithes of the Church members.

He urged government to give priority to education to discourage youths from crime, adding that many had repented from criminal activities and had decided to acquire skills as a source of livelihood.

Most of these youths take to crime because of idleness; an idle mind is the devils workshop, so we use this avenue to bring them out of crime.

We recently recovered from these men and women, who are determined to shun evil lifestyle and turn a new leaf, three sophisticated weapons, magazines with ammunition, bullet proof jackets and police uniforms.

The recovered items have been handed over to the anti cult squad, while the repented men and women have started their rehabilitation at the skills acquisition centre.

Explaining further, the cleric said: One must have the basic knowledge of what he or she wants to do before admission for training.

And because people are many, we organise a test for them to reduce the number and then select the first 200 people that pass the exam.

We train people in furniture, tailoring, scaffolding, pipeline welding, health safety, oil well drilling, argon drilling, generator repair, marine engineering, paint production, pipe fitting, computer and so on.

He said that all safety measures were being followed to keep the place safe from Coronavirus, noting that only 200 trainees were allowed at a time in spite of the huge space that could take 500 people.

NAN reports that OPM has also constructed 15 free schools located in Abia, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states, as well as two free hospitals in Ohanku Ndoki in Abia, and Aluu in Rivers.

The Church has also constructed free estate and restaurant in Port Harcourt for the less privileged. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Seyi Makinde

By David Adeoye

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Wednesday, said that three members of the state executive council have tested positive for COVID-19.

Makinde, who made the announcement on his tweeter handle monitored in Ibadan, said that the results of two other members came back inconclusive and would be retested.

He stated that the affected members had been contacted, while contact tracing had commenced and their offices closed for decontamination.

He urged the people of the state to join in prayer for those who had contracted coronavirus and wished them speedy recovery.

The governor further tweeted COVID-19 is still very much with us. That we are taking steps to re-open the economy does not mean that the virus has disappeared.

We must each take actions to protect ourselves and our families.

We must each own our actions and take preventive measures, which include washing our hands with soap and water, wearing face masks whenever we are with other people and maintaining proper social distancing from others.

We also must not forget the various advisories the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force has issued regarding what to eat to boost our immune systems.

Sometimes, even after following all directives, we may still get the virus. When this happens, we need to have our bodies ready to fight the disease, Makinde tweeted.

He called on residents of the state with any symptoms of COVID-19 to visit any community-based testing centre near them or call any of the emergency operation centres numbers.

The governor gave the numbers as 08095394000, 08095863000, 08078288999 and 08078288800. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

File Photo: Marginal Oil field

A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has decried their exclusion from the proposed Marginal Oil fields bid rounds announced by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).

The groups protest was contained in a letter to the DPR, jointly signed by the National Coordinator, Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Nigeria, Peter Egbule; Executive Director Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi. Executive Director, of CISLAC, Rafsanjani Auwal Musa and, Chairman, Human and environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) Olanrewaju Suraj.

Others include, National President, Green Alliance Nigeria (GAN) Chima Williams, Chief Executive Connected Development (CODE) Hamzat Lawal; National Coordinator, Media Initiative on Transparency in Extractive Industry (MITEI) Bassey Udo and Programmes Manager, Selemati Foundation, Rita Kigbara.

Also, Executive Director, Enough is Enough (EiE) Nigeria, Yemi Ademolokun; Principal Lead, BudgIT Foundation, Gabriel Okeowo, Director Civic Media Lab, Akinfolarin Oluwaseun, and Programmes Officer, West African NGO Network (WANGONeT) Sandra Dike.

The coalition said that the published bid guidelines by DPR did not involve CSOs among agencies that would monitor the exercise of the Federal Governments planned award of 57 marginal oil fields licenses.

The CSOs said that the published guidelines for the auction were fraught with provisions that might hamper the interest of genuine bidders in the oil fields and deny the country the benefits of set objectives.

They emphasized strict adherence to globally accepted best-practices, while expressing doubts that the current exercise would bring a different result from the past, if government didnot make the process more transparent.

They, therefore, advocated the immediate inclusion of about two civil society representatives in the bidders screening team as observers to build public trust and investors confidence in the bid process.

The group also sought strong legislative oversight by the National Assembly and involvement of the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) before, during and after the exercise to avoid the experiences of the past.

After reviewing the guidelines, and putting into perspective, past experiences and pitfalls of similar processes, we deem it important to draw your attention to some of the points that can hinder the success of the process, or limit Nigeria from deriving optimal financial and socio-economic benefits from the exercise.

We are prepared to play our roles as civil society in support of this very important national exercise with the understanding that it is intended and designed to deliver the overriding interest of Nigeria and Nigerians, it said.

The group identified licensing as one of the weakest links for value realisation from Nigerias petroleum industry, adding that previous exercises between 2000 and 2007 not only fell below global best practices, it failed to secure maximum value for the countrys assets.

To deliver the expected increase in revenue and proven crude oil reserves as well as increase in daily crude oil production,the group said the government must ensure the set goals conformed to the countrys long-term planning objectives in the sector.

According to the CSOs, previous licensing rounds in the country were not tied to any comprehensive asset development strategy or broader economic development plans.

They added that each licensing round of objectives must align with the countrys strategy for managing natural resource base for current and future generations.

The group also called on the government to strengthen the National Data Repository Geological system by making authenticated and certified data easily accessible to bidders to attract capable investors to the oil assets on auction.

On the bidding process, the group urged the DPR to adhere to the published guidelines and criteria on the bid to avoid confusion and ensure due process, noting that the de-politicised criteria must be developed to support local content without compromising the sectors development potential or returns.

Nigeria must resist the tendency to extend preferential treatment to companies solely because they are local and well-connected.

The DPR should amend the guidelines to accommodate the disclosure by all bidders of sworn declaration, complete, comprehensive and accurate information on their ultimate beneficial owner(s).

This will show that Nigeria is fully compliant with her obligations under the EITI and Open Government Partnership (OGP) principles, transparency and a level-playing-field that will not allow business as usual by vested interests, they said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News