Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission in its third quarter report on the sector’s performance stated that while the DisCos were billed N208.54 billion for energy and administrative services by the Nigerian Electricity Bulk Trading Plc and Market Operator, MO, they collectively remitted a total of N141.69 billion (N100.16 billion for NBET and N41.53 billion for MO), translating to a remittance performance of 67.94 percent during the third quarter.

The report added that the remittance was however 17.84 percent higher than the 50 percent remittance rate recorded in the second quarter of 2021.

The report indicated that Eko DisCo recorded 103.29 percent (N20.40 billion) remittance performance while Abuja, Ibadan, Kano, Ikeja, Kaduna and Yola DisCos had remittance performances of 83.24 percent (N23.05 billion), 58.14 percent (N17.50 billion), 49.37 percent (N8.17 billion), 13.35 percent (N2.46 billion) and 21.19% (N0.96 billion) respectively in 2021/Q3.

The Federal Government and World Bank have reiterated commitment to implement West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Programme, to improve livelihoods of coastal communities in the country.

The Minister of Environment, Mr Muhammed Abdulahi, made the commitment at a two-day National Stakeholders’ Technical Committee Meeting on WACA programme in Abuja on Thursday.

Abdulahi, represented by the Director, Environmental Impact Assessment in the ministry, Mr Abbas Suileman, said the effort would reduce the vulnerability of coastal areas.

According to him, the programme will also promote climate-resilient integrated coastal management, within the framework of sustainable environmental management.

“The benefits of the WACA are quite immense; the WACA will help Nigeria obtain financing and expertise to sustainably manage her coastal areas, enhance industrial competitiveness, market access, innovation and investment promotion.

“It will also promote productive employment for rural communities and entrepreneurship development, sustainable energy and environmental management.

“The Federal Government is desirous of witnessing verifiable milestone achievements to showcase under the implementation of the WACA,” he said.

The minister said the implementation of the programme was delayed due to some technical issues, including funds for technical studies which were prerequisites for Multi-Sectoral Investment and outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the World Bank had secured a grant for the technical studies in Lagos, Delta and Cross River states.

“In view of this, I am convinced that the World Bank in Nigeria will continue to bring to fore their wealth of experience and understanding in achieving results within the shortest possible time,” he said.

Abdulahi urged stakeholders, the World Bank and its partners to redouble their efforts at developing the coastal landscape now that WACA had been implemented in other West African countries.

According to him, the critical stakeholders should carry out their official responsibilities with utmost diligence and uprightness.

“Let me also reiterate that your appointment to the National Stakeholders Technical Committee on WACA is indeed a call to service.

“It is also a representation of your various state governments, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and the minimum expected from you is a service of honesty, integrity and foresightedness,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr Hassan Musa, said WACA was established in 2015 by World Bank to manage growing coastal erosion and flooding problems in West Africa region.

Musa said that WACA established a committee in 2016 to ensure that the programme covered a range of sectoral issues.

The Permanent Secretary was represented by Mr Dilichukwu Etigbue, Director, Erosion, Flood and Coastal Zone Management in the ministry.

Mr Francesso Mentovani, Engagement Leader and Lead Water Specialist, Sustainable Development, World Bank said that all countries in West Africa, including Nigeria were committed to the implementation of the programme.

Mentovani said that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to get the buy-in of all stakeholders on the way forward for WACA in Nigeria.

He said that the objective of the programme was to preserve, protect and tackle environmental issues such as desertification, climate change and other environmental challenges in the region.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tunji Bello, represented by Mr Adegbite Mohammed, said that the state had invested much fund in the programme.

Bello said the state had over 100km of coastal lands, adding that it was committed to creating seawall, thereby protecting promenades, roads and houses in the area.

He urged the stakeholders to intensify efforts for effective implementation of the programme.

According to him, “I will suggest that all the coastal states management should create a strong team to share their problems to make the implementation of the programme easier”.

Dubai has come out on top in a new study of the most popular city break destinations in the world.

The emirate is coveted for its “glorious sunshine and glistening, luxurious lifestyle”, according to Premier Inn, which conducted the research.

Home to swanky resorts, high end retailers, upscale restaurants and pristine shoreline, the city was the number one choice for travellers from 21 countries.

Dubai is most popular with city break planners from Asia and Africa and is the top search destination on Google for people in South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Nigeria, India and the Maldives.

Paris ranks as the second-most coveted urban destination, with travellers from 16 countries keen to visit the City of Love.

European trip planners favour the French capital which topped search lists in Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal.

Third-placed Boston is also the most popular city break destination in the US, topping the list in 12 countries.

The Massachusetts city is the most searched for city in several North and Central American countries including Barbados, Canada and Grenada.

The UK’s foreign secretary on Saturday blamed France for the travel chaos faced by many travelers and holidaymakers at the Port of Dover in southeast England.

Liz Truss accused French authorities of not sending enough officials to man border posts and rejected French claims that Brexit was the cause of the chaos.

“The fact is that the French authorities have not put enough people on the border and I am in touch with the French authorities, I am very clear that we need to see action from them to resolve the terrible situation that people are facing,” Truss said in an interview.

When asked if the chaos faced at the port is a result of post-Brexit border checks, the foreign secretary said the current situation is the result of a lack of resources.

“This is a situation that is being caused by a lack of resources at the border and that is what the French authorities need to address and that is what I am being very clear about,” Truss added.

French authorities have rejected claims by the British government that it is at fault for the delays and logjams, arguing instead that Brexit and the erection of border checks are the cause for delays and obstruction.

The UK’s official union for borders, the ISU, said Brexit had resulted in stringent checks at the country’s borders.

Fueled by extreme heat and tinder dry forests and underbrush, a wildfire just west of Yosemite National Park spread overnight, quickly turning into one of the largest fires of the year and forcing thousands of residents to be evacuated from their homes, fire officials said.

Authorities said the Oak Fire, which is zero percent contained, was threatening to destroy about 2,000 homes on Saturday and some 3,000 people were evacuated.

By early Sunday, media reports said 6,000 people had been told to leave.

The cause of the fire, which started on Friday and has burned approximately 14,281 acres, is under investigation by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire).

“Today the weather is expected to remain hot with minimum humidity between 5 and 10%, which will hamper firefighting efforts,” a fire report posted early Sunday said. “High tree mortality and dense fuels are throughout the fire area.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency for Mariposa County because of the Oak Fire.

The declaration allows the state to access federal money and resources to battle the flames.

Yosemite, about an hour’s drive from Mariposa County, is home to some of the largest and oldest sequoia trees in the world. The redwoods were threatened by another blaze earlier this month, but firefighters managed to save them.

Separately, in Idaho, two firefighters died after their helicopter crashed on Saturday while they were battling a blaze called the Moose Fire, in a rural area near the Montana border, according to the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office.

Last year marked the worst wildfire season on record in California in terms of total acreage burned, with more than 4 million acres (1.6 million hectares) and over 10,000 homes and other structures destroyed.

At least 33 lives were lost. Over 10 million acres went up in flames across several Western states.

The Cathedral of Santa María la Menor is the oldest cathedral which can be found in the Americas and located in the capital city of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.

The groundbreaking began in 1514 with the intention that it will become the center for Vatican-led religious proselytizing in the New World, and it was completed by 1535.

The majestic Cathedral has a golden-tinted coral limestone frontal façade, and it combines the Gothic and Baroque styles of architecture.

The most striking features are the solid limestone walls and three doors, two of which are Gothic and the third main door which is plateresque.

The rest of the Cathedral has twelve side chapels, three aisles and a nave, whereas the roof of the nave is pitched and the aisles have cross vaulted ceilings.

With a total length of 54 meters (177 feet), width of each of the three aisles being 23 meters (75 feet), and the height to the vaulted ceilings being 16 meters (52 feet), its total area is 3,000 sq meters (32,000 sq feet).

First commissioned by Pope Julius II in 1504, the Cathedral is also contentiously known as the former resting place of famed explorer Christopher Colombus, with on-going disagreements between Spain and the Dominican Republic on where the remains of the illustrious navigator lay.

As it is not particularly large by European standards, it was one of the biggest churches in the Americas for the better part of a century, which today houses an impressive collection of artifacts and treasures.

Being an excellent example of 16th century Spanish-colonial architecture, nowadays this marvelous architectural masterpiece is protected by UNESCO, and since 1990 it is on the list of World Heritage Sites.

People flocking in to see and get impressed by this alluring marvel, it definitely is one of the most popular buildings which deserve to be seen in the capital Santo Domingo.