By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has ordered immediate investigation into the death of a woman and her daughter in Warri on Wednesday.

The governor gave the order in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Olisa Ifeajika, in Asaba.

He decried the incident, and charged police authorities in the state to commence urgent and accelerated investigation into the circumstances surrounding the losses.

According to Okowa, the sad news of the death of a woman and her daughter in a rather bizarre circumstance in Warri on Wednesday is quite unfortunate and disheartening.

He condoled with the deceased family on the loss of their loved ones and assured them that everyone involved in the processes that led to the incident would be brought to book.

Okowa called on the people, especially the people of Warri, to remain calm and law-abiding, and allow the government and law enforcement agencies to take necessary steps to address the situation.

The governor also charged the police to ensure that law and order prevailed in the area.

By Femi Ogunshola

The Delta State Government says talent development drive will improve the economy and build future leaders.

Mr Ogusbaba Ogude, Senior Special Assistant on Talent Development to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, made this known in a statement issued to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

Ogude said that Okowa was restructuring the economy of the state for future progress and sustainability through talent drive.

According to him, Okowa was also securing the future of the youth in Delta through talent development.

Ogude said the inability of the youth to discover, develop and display their talents was one of the major reasons for crimes and youth restiveness across the country.

He noted that insecurity would be reduced in the state with the efforts of Okowa to assist the youth in harnessing their God-given talents.

Ogude also noted that talent development would help the youth to occupy top positions in other sectors, especially in entertainment and sports industries.

He urged the youth to take advantage of various programmes organised by his office to secure their future.

Ogude said in spite of COVID-19 challenges, 2021 would be a great and productive year for all Delta youth.

“The major problem that we faced over the years was as result of our inability to discover our talents and put them to work,’’ he said.

By Ebere Agozie

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, (SAN) has denied the allegation that he collected gratification  from the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio in respect of the appointment of a Sole Administrator for the NDDC.

Malami made the denial in a statement issued by Dr Umar Gwandu, his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, in Abuja, on Friday.

He said that his attention had been drawn to a fictitious and malicious publication, by alleged mischief makers, describing the report as ”fake and marred by contradictions, saying that it was a figment of the imagination of the writer, sheer fabrications and filthy assumptions of mischief makers and detractors”.

“Any discerning mind who read the story will not fail to note the desperate attempt to cast aspersions on the Attorney General of the Federation and dent his hard earned reputation, with unsubstantiated allegations spread by perfidious elements.

“The Minister, hereby, makes an outright denial of the report in its entirety.

“The Minister has not collected and does not intend at any time to receive any gratification from any dealing in discharging any function he is constitutionally empowered to perform”, the statement said.

Malami, who stated that gratification was a criminal offence, therefore, called on Nigerians to disregard the publication.

“Let individuals who have any information regarding those who facilitated, accepted, delivered or took part in one way or another in the alleged offer and purported acceptance of gratification for me or my office, come out publicly with the information with a view to exposing them and taking further necessary action’’.

He asked the purveyors of the fictitious publication to approach relevant security and law enforcement agencies, and proffer information that could lead to a criminal investigation against him, if they felt strongly enough about their purported claim.

By Itohan Abara-Laserian

Heirs Holdings (HH) an affiliate of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp) has acquired 45 per cent participating interest in Nigerian oil licence OML 17 from Shell Petroleum, Total and ENI.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Chike Anikwe, Acting Group Company Secretary, Transcorp made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos.

According to the statement, the transaction is one of the largest oil and gas financings in Africa in more than a decade, with a financing component of $1.1 billion, provided by a consortium of global and regional banks and investors.

It said that the transaction was through TNOG Oil and Gas Limited (a related company of Heirs Holdings and Transcorp), which will have sole oparatorshio of the asset from Shell Petroleum Development Nigeria Plc, Total E&P Nigeria Limited and ENI.

Mr Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, said in the statement: “We have a very clear vision: creating Africa’s first integrated energy multinational, a global quality business, uniquely focused on Africa and Africa’s energy needs.

“The acquisition of such a high quality asset, with significant potential for further growth, is a strong statement of our confidence in Nigeria, the Nigerian oil and gas sector and a tribute to the extremely high-quality management team that we have assembled.

“As a Nigerian, and more particularly an indigene of the Niger Delta region, I understand well our responsibilities that come with stewardship of the asset, our engagement with communities and the strategic importance of the oil and gas sector in Nigeria.

“We see significant benefits from integrating our production, with our ability to power Nigeria, through Transcorp, and deliver value across the energy value chain,” he said.

Elumelu further said: “I would like to thank Shell, Total and ENI, for the professionalism of the process, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, and the NNPC for the confidence they have placed in us,” he noted.

Speaking on the investment, Mr Owen Omogiafo, the President and Group Chief Executive Officer, of Transcorp, said that the transaction was an evidence of the company’s strategy to power Africa.

“This deal further demonstrates Transcorp’s integrated energy strategy and our determination to power Africa.”

Heirs Holdings was advised by Standard Chartered Plc, as Global Coordinator, and United Capital Plc, with a syndicate of lending institutions including Afreximbank, ABSA, Africa Finance Corporation, Union Bank of Nigeria, Hybrid Capital, and global asset management firm Amundi.

The deal also involves Schlumberger as a technical partner, as well as the trading arm of Shell as an offtaker.

According to the statement, OML 17 has a current production capacity of 27,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and, according to our estimates, 2P reserves of 1.2 billion barrels of oil equivalent, with an additional 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources of further exploration potential.

The investment demonstrates an advance in the execution of Heirs Holdings’ integrated energy strategy and the Group’s commitment to Africa’s development, through long term investments that create economic prosperity and social wealth.

Heirs Holdings’ heritage and approach to business fundamentally underscores its commitment to inclusive development and shared prosperity with its host communities. Heirs Holdings is fully invested in the development of the Niger Delta region.

The statement also reported that Heirs Holdings’ strategy of creating the leading integrated energy business in Africa is executed through a series of strategic portfolio holdings.

Transcorp is one of the largest power producers in Nigeria, with 2,000 MW of installed capacity, through ownership of Transcorp Power Plant and the recent acquisition of Afam Power Plc and Afam Three Fast Power Limited.

Transcorp closed the US$300 million Afam acquisitions in November 2020. Transcorp supplies electricity to the Republic of Benin, as part of an emphasis on promoting regional integration and delivering robust power supply to catalyse development in Africa.

Transcorp also operates OPL281, under a production sharing contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (“NNPC”).

Similarly, Heirs Holdings’ subsidiary, Tenoil is the operator of OPL 2008, under a production sharing contract with NNPC.

Tenoil also owns the Ata Marginal Field, which will commence production in Q2, 2021, with 3,500 barrels of oil per day.

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The National Personal Asset Acquisition Scheme (NAPAAS) says it has established an empowerment development fund to cater for ex-servicemen, widows and children of fallen heroes in commemoration of the 2021 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

The chief executive officer of the scheme, Mr Aminu Bello, disclosed this while briefing newsmen at the wreath-laying ceremony  to mark the day on Friday in Abuja.

Bello said that the aim of the fund was to transform Nigeria Legion, ex-servicemen, widows and children of fallen heroes from being “cost centres” to a profit/revenue and commercial entities.

According to him, the NAPAAS Empowerment Development Fund is a fund whereby every Nigerian is expected to donate to alleviate the suffering of ex-servicemen as well as the widows and children of the fallen heroes.

“It is a fund that is set aside for as much as we can raise and people can donate both from within the country and in diaspora.

“Our appeal therefore goes to the federal government, the National Assembly, the Nigeria Legion and Ministry of Defence to assist us through these challenges.

“We are also calling on Investors both local and foreign as donor organisations to come to our support as we progress to succeed together,” he said.

Bello said that the organisation was motivated principally by the wordings in Nigeria’s National Anthem which pledged that the “labours of our heroes past shall never be in vain”, which it adopted as its slogan.

He said that NAPAAS had tried its best within its limitations to provide for and link up the ex-servicemen, widows and children of the fallen heroes with items of basic needs.

He said the organisation had so far empowered them with items such as tricycles, motorcycles on hire purchase, donations, gifts and joint venture commercial partnership in agriculture, health, housing, skill acquisition, education and transport.

Bello said that NAPAAS had distributed 5,000 bags of rice, 2,000 motorcycles and 100 tricycles to interested ex-servicemen through hire purchase/credit basis since 2016.

He added that 250,000 bags of rice, 10,000 motorcycles and 5,000 tricycle were also available for only those interested to access and also access into NAPAAS Joint Venture Commercial Partnership in housing, agriculture, transportation and health.

According to him, this project will serve as a reward to ex-military/ex-para-military pensioners of their unreserved service to their fatherland.

“The programme goes further to avail members the opportunity to become employer of labour, thereby eradicating poverty and unemployment in the country,” he said.

By Diana Omueza

The North Central Geo-Political Zone has said its first ever North Central Cultural Week (NCCW) scheduled for November would be a vital tool to sustain peace and unity in Nigeria.

Mr Yabaji Sani, president of the North Central Unity Bridge, stated this on Thursday in Abuja during the inauguration of the steering committee of the NCCW.
Sani said although the season for politics was fast approaching, the initiative was meant for the integration of the people.

According to him, other zones rarely stop their developmental plans because of politics and as such, the North Central will also not stop anything that has the potential to boost development and bring unity to the zone.

“So let us make it clear that the NCCW and the bridge are not political parties, have no political affiliation and will not be hijacked by those with political ambition.

“Our core objective for the NCCW is to promote rapid economic development, reduce insecurity to its barest minimum, curb restiveness and promote ideas of the sons and daughters of the region,” he said.

Sani said the cultural week would be a landmark event for the people of the zone to promote their socio cultural heritage like the “Ohanaeze Ndigbo” of the Eastern region and the “Afenifere” of the Western region.

“The north central has a lot of rich culture, high intellectuals, academia and numerous agricultural products that are highly undervalued in the country.

“Nobody can demonstrate our culture and potential better than ourselves and that is why we are coming together to put this type of event for the north central.

“The NCCW will be displaying the potential of our region through various means cutting across all age groups.

“It will be a rich display of culture and will help us regain our respect locally and at the international scenes,” he said.

Sani noted that coming together from time to time would also obliterate the barriers that had long divided the zone.

He said activities of the NCCW would include: trade fair, cultural display night, lectures and economic summits.

Members of the steering committee inaugurated are: Mr Chollom Jack, Ms Deborah Salawu, Mr Yakubu Nyango, Mr Francis Augustine, Hon. Garba U. Shammah, Mr George Koce, Mrs Queen

Abde Elizabeth, Hon. Jibrin Ahmed.

Others are: Mr Danjuma Kuyembo, Haj. Maryam Shuaibu, Jacob Edi, Haj. Maryam Ibrahim, Mr Innocent Idoh, Hon. Frank Kato, Hon. Samuel Gyang, Mr George Ebah and Mr Alfa Mohammed. (NAN)