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Tinubu Restates Commitment to Promoting Trade For SMEs

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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President Bola Tinubu has restated his administration’s commitment to promoting ease of trade for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Africa.

Tinubu gave the assurance during the Africa International Trade Exhibition (AITE) 2023’s Business, Trade, and Investment Summit on the sideline of the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The Chairman, Organising Committee for the Business, Trade and Investment Summit component of the exhibition programme, Tunde MacAlabi made this known in a statement on Monday.

The summit was organised by MacAlabi; Prof. Tai Balofin, President of Nigerian Progressive Professionals and Khuraira Musa, Chief Executive Officer of K-Pro Consulting of New York.

Represented by the Minister of Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite, Tinubu assured investors that the Federal Government would take the necessary steps to ensure the ease of trade in the country.

Nigeria Promoting Policies To Attract Investments – Ministry of Industry

Earlier, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, urged both foreign and local investors to take advantage of Nigeria’s huge population, traffic, and thriving aviation market, to invest in the sector.

Keyamo pointed out that world-class Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities would be a good area for investors to consider first.

According to him, there are not many MRO facilities in West Africa, a situation that makes domestic airline operators ferry their aircraft, only to queue overseas for two months or more for their aircraft maintenance.

Also, Musa, who is the author of The Audacity of an African Girl and President of the Arewa Development Support Initiative (ADSI), said the purpose of the event was to woo investors to invest in Nigeria.

” We want to have industries in Nigeria to process and manufacture our raw materials in the country to give job opportunities to our youths and women.

” To continue allowing our raw materials to be exported and paid next to nothing for it will continue to keep our people in poverty.

” We want Nigeria to change the way they have been doing business. We are confident that the outcomes of this gathering will have a lasting impact on the economic landscape, not only in Nigeria but also across the globe.”

In attendance were the FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmud, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, wife of Osun governor Titiola Adeleke, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Amb. Adeyinka Asekun, among others.

FG Appeals to Students, Others for Understanding As Universities Set For Resumption

By
Precious Obazee
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The Federal Government has appealed to students, parents and lecturers in institutions of higher learning to shun acts capable of disrupting the academic session as schools set for resumption.

The Minister of State for Education, Hon. Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu made the appeal while hosting the leadership of the Congress of University Academics who paid him a courtesy call in Abuja.

According to a statement, the Minister, who disclosed this ahead of the resumption of academic activities in tertiary institutions in the country, emphasized the need for the show of restraint which is in the interest of all stakeholders and system stability.

He revealed that the Ministry is having constructive dialogue and consultation with stakeholders over the welfare of students and staff, as well as the provision of infrastructure in tertiary institutions.

Dr Sununu also acknowledged that strikes and non-use of facilities could lead to rapid infrastructural decay, promising that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will do everything humanly possible to avoid any situation that could lead to strikes.

Speaking earlier, the President, Congress of University Academics, comrade Niyi Sunmonu alerted the Minister that there is a likelihood of student unrest occasioned by the new increase in school fees, noting that the envisaged situation is capable of disrupting academic activities and the school calendar.  

The union also appealed to government to look into ways of improving the condition of service of academic and non-academic staff of universities, has deteriorated due to the fuel subsidy removal.

They however explained that there was need to revisit the issue of the 8-months salary arrears that arose from the last strike by the academic staff union of universities (ASUU), arguing that members of the Congress of University Academics did not go on strike.

Hollywood Writers In Deal To End U.S. Studio Strike

By
Koko Lawrence
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Screenwriters in the US say they have reached a tentative deal with studio bosses that could see them end a strike that has lasted nearly five months.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) said it was “exceptional – with meaningful gains and protections for writers”. WGA members must still have a final say.

It is the longest strike to affect Hollywood in decades and has halted most film and TV production.

The writers’ walkout, which began on 2 May, has cost the US economy around $5bn (£4.08bn), according to an estimate from Milken Institute economist Kevin Klowden.

The dispute has shut down many of America’s top shows. As well as issues around pay, the writers fear the impact of artificial intelligence potentially supplanting their talents.

Negotiations also broke down over staffing levels and the royalty payments that writers receive for popular streaming shows. They complain that those residuals are just a fraction of the earnings they would get from a broadcast TV show.

As a result part of the payments writers now receive generally include a certain amount of money

The guild’s message on the proposed deal said details still had to be finalised, and it was not yet calling off the strike, but “we are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing”.

Hollywood trade publication Variety reported that staff on late-night talk shows could return to work as soon as Tuesday following the announcement, adding broadcasts could resume as soon as October.

But in its message to members, the union’s negotiating committee asked for patience on details of the pact.

“What remains now is for our staff to make sure everything we have agreed to is codified in final contract language,” the union said.

“And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last ‘i’ is dotted.”

Scottish Art Takes Centre Stage After £38m Revamp

By
Koko Lawrence
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A £38.62m revamp has created 12 brand new galleries for Scottish art underneath the original 19th Century building on Edinburgh’s Mound.

But it is opening five years later than originally planned and has cost double the original price tag.

“It’s been a complex project,” admits Sir John Leighton, the director-general of the National Galleries of Scotland.

The original gallery devoted to Scottish art was created in the basement in 1978 but it quickly became clear that it could not accommodate the vastly expanded collection of more than 60,000 works.

And there was the additional problem of many artworks being too large to be moved down to the basement space – an issue which has been resolved with the new space’s vertical picture lift.

Visitors were not convinced about the original basement space either, with only one in six Scottish Gallery entrants making their way downstairs.

The original plan was to expand the gallery into the 70s office space alongside the basement, extending out into Princes Street Gardens, and five metres (16ft) over the railway line.

Planning permission was granted in August 2016 but having failed to reach agreement, the project had to be reworked and relaunched in 2018, when it was estimated to cost £22m.

The first phase was successfully completed in 2019 with a new entrance in Princes Street Gardens, a terrace and landscaping, and a café and shop.

Tinubu Urged To Probe Missing Oil, Refinery Repairs Money

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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President Bola Tinubu has been urged to probe the grim allegations that over US$15 billion of oil revenue and N200 billion budgeted to repair the refineries are missing between 2020 and 2021.

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) made the call on Sunday, on the heels of a report by by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

SERAP urged Tinubu to “name and shame anyone suspected to be responsible for the missing and unaccounted for public funds and to ensure their effective prosecution as well as the full recovery of any proceeds of crime.”

SERAP also urged him “to fully implement all the recommendations by NEITI in its 2021 report, and to use any recovered proceeds of crime.”

SERAP urges Buhari to recover ‘missing N105.7b’ from MDAs for funding of varsities

In the letter dated 23 September 2023 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “There is a legitimate public interest in ensuring justice and accountability for these serious allegations. Taking these important measures would end the impunity of perpetrators.”

“As President and Minister of Petroleum Resources, your office ought to be concerned about these damning revelations, by getting to the bottom of the allegations and ensuring that suspected perpetrators are promptly brought to justice, and any missing public funds fully recovered.”

“Any failure to investigate these grave allegations, bring suspected perpetrators to justice and recover any missing public funds would have serious resource allocation and exacerbate the country’s debt burden.”

“It would also create cynicism, suspicion, and eventually citizens’ distrust about the ability of your government to combat high-level official corruption, as well as deter foreign investment and limit growth and development.”

“We would therefore be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest.”

“The findings by NEITI suggest a grave violation of the public trust and the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], national anticorruption laws, and the country’s obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption.”

“The allegations of corruption documented by NEITI undermine economic development of the country, trap the majority of Nigerians in poverty and deprive them of opportunities.”

“Your government has a constitutional duty to ensure transparency and accountability in the spending of the country’s wealth and resources.”

“According to the 2021 report by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), government agencies including the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NNPC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPDC) failed to remit $13.591 million and $8.251 billion to the public treasury.”

“The NNPC and NPDC failed to remit over 70% of these public funds. NEITI wants both the NNPC and NPDC to be investigated, and for the missing public funds to be fully recovered.”

“The report also shows that in 2021, the State Owned Enterprises (SOE) and its subsidiaries (the NNPC Group) reportedly spent US$6.931billion on behalf of the Federal Government but without appropriation by the National Assembly. The money may be missing.”

“The NNPC also reportedly obtained a loan of $3 billion in 2012 purportedly to settle subsidy payments due to petroleum product marketers but there is no disclosure of the details of the loan, subsidy and the beneficiaries of the payments.”

“The report also shows that N9.73 billion was paid to the NNPC as pipeline transportation revenue earned from Joint Venture operations but the money was neither remitted to the Federation nor properly accounted for. The NPDC in 2021 also failed to remit $7.61 million realized from the sale of crude oil.”

“The report documents that about N200 billion was spent on refineries rehabilitation between 2020 and 2021 but “none of the refineries was operational in 2021 despite the spending.’ NEITI wants the spending to be investigated, as the money may be missing.”

Nationwide Strike: NLC Prepares as Ultimatum Expires

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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Chapters and affiliate unions of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are making preparations for a potential nationwide strike following the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government.

The ultimatum demanded that the government provide palliatives to alleviate the impact of the recent fuel subsidy removal.

The organised labour initially embarked on a two-day warning strike to emphasise their demands. Following the warning strike, the NLC issued a 21-day ultimatum for the government to address their concerns.

Strike: NLC ultimatum ends today, FG allays fear

As the ultimatum ended on Friday, the NLC has scheduled an emergency meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) for Tuesday at noon. The NEC’s next course of action will be decided during this virtual meeting.

A notice of the meeting dated September 22, 2023, seen by PUNCH, emphasised the importance of attendance by the Presidents, General Secretaries, and Treasurers of NLC affiliates.

State chapters of the NLC have expressed readiness to mobilise for full participation if the NEC declares a nationwide strike on Tuesday.

In a last-minute effort to avert a strike, sources indicate that the federal government may meet with labour leaders again this week, possibly on Monday.

According to the sources, the meeting is important as it may prevent an economic shutdown that Nigeria does not need at this time.

While the situation varies by state, most state chapters have conveyed their willingness to comply with any directives from the national NLC leadership regarding strike action.

The outcome of the NEC meeting scheduled for Tuesday will determine the course of action taken by the labor unions across Nigeria.

Govt. Appeal to Residents as Kebbi Experience Total Blackout

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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The Kebbi State Government has extended its plea to the residents of Birnin Kebbi and its surroundings to remain patient as the ongoing total blackout persists.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi Governor, Ahmed Idris conveyed this message through a press statement issued in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

The statement quoted Yakubu Bala-Tafida, the Secretary to Kebbi State Government (SSG), who made the appeal during his visit to the substation of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Birnin Kebbi.

The blackout stemmed from a fire incident on Thursday, September 14, which resulted in the destruction of one 90MVA (330KV/132KV) and a 60MVA (132KV/33KV) transformer.

Consequently, Kebbi, Sokoto States, and certain parts of Zamfara have been left in complete darkness.

Given the ten-day-long power outage, Bala-Tafida emphasised the urgency of the situation. He stated that he represented the state governor, who directed him to oversee the restoration efforts to prevent prolonged hardship for the residents.

8-hour Blackout in Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau from Monday

Bala-Tafida assured that the governor was always in support of what would bring joy and happiness to his constituents.

The SSG, who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far, said the team of engineers had been assured that their headquarters in Abuja had given them two weeks to fix the light.

“We came, we saw the level of effort being put in place, and we are satisfied. All we need from our people is prayers for them to do a good job and complete it within the stipulated period, and we are hopeful that the work will be completed on schedule,” he said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs and Power, Kabiru Sani-Giant, lauded the engineers for showing a high sense of commitment to the repair works.

He appealed to all the affected customers to be patient and consider what had happened as a destiny from the Almighty God that nobody could have averted.

The governor’s aide advised the people to imbibe the good culture of using electricity by switching off all appliances when not in use to minimise power wastage and possible fire outbreaks.

Sani-Giant said: “We should borrow a leaf from our neighbours, the Niger Republic; they have that discipline; they switch on bulbs when there is a need for them, unlike us Nigerians, who allow our bulbs on even during the day when we don’t need them.”

On possible damages during the restoration of power, the adviser promised that announcements would be made on the electronic media and other platforms for the residents to put off all appliances to avoid damages and safeguard their property.

Flood Disaster: Agency Distributes Relief Materials To 8, 757 Households In Kaduna State

By
Angel Gimalo
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The National Management Agency (NEMA) on Saturday, commenced the distribution of relief materials to 8,757 households affected by the 2022 flood disaster in Kaduna State.The Director-General of the agency, Mr Mustapha Ahmed, said during the distribution in Kaduna that the gesture was under the Special National Economic and Livelihood Emergency Intervention (SNELEI).Ahmed, who was represented by Ms Ngozi Echeazu, State Team supervisor, SNELEI, said that the distribution was aimed at bringing succour to the affected households in the state.He identified the items as food and non-food items, such as rice, beans, sorghum, blankets, mats, mosquito nets and detergents.Other non-food items include sewing machines, grinding machines, water pumps for dry-season farmers, sprayers, fertilizers, herbicides and seedlings.He explained that the agricultural inputs were given to take farmers back to the farms, stimulate crop production and safeguard national food security in the middle of economic downturn.The DG added that the livelihood support was to help artisans to improve their businesses and grow the economy.He called on the beneficiaries to avoid selling the items and destroy the good intention of the Federal Government.In her remarks, the Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, commended the Federal Government for the gesture.Balarabe, who was represented by Mr James Kanyip, Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. Uba Sani, Office of the Deputy Governor, said that the items would assist the beneficiaries in rebuilding their lives.She also advised the beneficiaries against selling the items, which she said was to alleviate poverty and empower them economically.The deputy governor also called on the distributors of the relief materials to ensure that only the targeted persons and the vulnerable were given the items.Also, Mr Usman Mazabu, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency, thanked the Federal Government for approving the relief assistance to the victims.Muazu assured that the relief materials would be transparently and jointly distributed to the affected persons by officials of NEMA, SEMA and representatives of the community and other relevant stakeholders.

N1.96tn Lost to Oil Theft, Others in 2021 – FG

By
Rhoda Onuzulike
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Latest data released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, a Federal Government agency, indicates that Nigeria lost about N1.96tn to oil theft, sabotage and crude oil production adjustment in 2021.

In its just released 2021 Oil and Gas Sector Report, NEITI explained that 68.47 million barrels of crude oil was lost in the year under review.

Under the crude oil production and exports section in the report, NEITI said, “The total volumes of oil and gas production for 2021 were extracted from the NMDPRA (Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority) sign-off documents.

Crude Oil Theft: Nigeria lost N16.25 TN in 11 years- Speaker Abbas

“This document is signed by the production company, NMDPRA and NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited) following the yearly reconciliation of production figures.

“The figures were also reconciled  with the companies during the course of the audit. For year 2021, 54 companies produced crude oil resulting in a total metered production of 634.60 million barrels.

“However, 68.47 million barrels was lost to production adjustment, measurement error and theft/sabotage, leaving a balance of 566.13 million barrels as fiscalised production for 2021.”

The agency pointed out that the fiscalised production includes both crude oil and condensates, adding that “the reconciled production data is, however, at variance with publicly disclosed data on NUPRC (Nigeria Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission) website.”

It added, “The total fiscalised crude oil production for 2021 was 566.13 million barrels. This is a 12 per cent reduction from the volume produced in 2020, which was 646.79 million barrels.”

Figures from Statistica, an international statistical firm, showed that the average cost of crude oil in 2021 was $70.86/barrel.

Also, the average exchange rate of the dollar against the local currency in 2021 was N403.58/$, according to data from Exchange Rates UK, a global rates monitoring firm.

By losing 68.47 million barrels in 2021, it means Nigeria lost about $4.85bn that year.

When multiplied by the average exchange rate of N403.58/$, the result is N1.96tn, which implies that the country lost this amount due to oil theft and other challenges in 2021.

The Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, told news correspondent that the Federal Government must work hard to stop crude oil theft.

He said oil theft was not only stopping Nigeria from meeting its production quota as approved by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, but was denying the country a whole lot of dollars required for the imports of goods.

“The I&E (Importers and Exporters) window is illiquid. There’s no money there. To buy products, for instance, petrol, it costs you between $25m to $30m. You can’t find it in the I&E window. So it doesn’t work and that is why people are not importing.

Property Development: Minister Of Fed. Capital Territory Issues 3 Months Ultimatum To Abuja Plot Owners

By
Angel Gimalo
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The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has approved a three-month grace period for 189 titleholders, who have obtained Building Plan Approvals but are yet to commence development on their property.

In a statement signed by the Director of Information and Communication of the FCTA, Mohammed Hazat revealed that the affected property owners are to do so within the stipulated period or have their title revoked in line with the provisions of the law.

This gesture has only been extended to both individuals and corporate organisations that have shown a desire to develop their property by obtaining Building Plan approvals but are yet to start proper development on their property situated within the Federal Capital City (FCC).

Similarly, public institutions that have land titles within the Federal Capital City but are yet to develop the same, have also been given a grace period of three months to commence development in order to avoid sanction.

Thus, the Minister has extended this gesture to 189 property owners due to their desire to develop the property by obtaining Building Plan Approvals which is a prerequisite for the development of any property in the Federal Capital Territory.

The notification in the Newspapers states: “The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), has graciously approved a grace period of three months from the date of this publication for the under-listed titleholders who have obtained building plan approvals to commence development of their plots; failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right- of -Occupancy.”

The owners of these plots were exempted from revocation because they have already demonstrated firm commitment towards developing their property by obtaining necessary documents from the FCT Administration.

It urged the affected property owners to take advantage of the Minister’s gesture and develop their plots as published in some National Dailies, in line with the terms of the Offer of the Right- Of- Occupancy.

The FCT Administration, therefore, appealed to the affected Public Institutions who have been allocated plots within the FCC to commence development of their plots, failure of which their titles shall be revoked for continued contravention of the terms of development of the Right of Occupancy.

The plots in these categories belong to individuals and corporate organisations, as well as Public Institutions that have continually failed to keep to the terms of the agreement as contained in Section 28(5) (a) & (b) of the Land Use Act offering and conveying of the Right of Occupancy.

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