News Agency of Nigeria
General News

Buhari condoles with Gov. Bagudu over passing of younger brother

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi over the loss of his brother, Shehu Bagudu.

In a condolence message issued by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Wednesday, Buhari prayed that the family would find solace in the teachings of the Holy Book of Islam on fate.

The president sent condolences to the immediate family of Shehu, his friends and associates, noting that the sad incident had created a gap that would be difficult to fill, but faith in God would continue to assuage the pain.

Buhari prayed that the Almighty God would grant the deceased Aljannat Firdaus, and comfort his family.(NAN)

Culture & Tourism , Economy/Business

COVID-19: Lagos disburses N1bn to tourism, other practitioners

By Florence Onuegbu

The Lagos State Government says it has disbursed N1 billion to practitioners in the tourism, hospitality and entertainment sector to assist them over the challenges of COVID-19 pandemic.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, made this known on Wednesday, during the inauguration of Glover Memorial Hall at Lagos Island.

Sanwo-Olu said that the fund was a financial stimulus to get the sector moving again and to overcome the challenges caused by COVID-19 pandemic.

He said that the government had initiated several deliberate efforts and interventions to ensure that the creative practitioners were able to find their feet in the post COVID-19 era.

The governor said that he recently approved the training of 1,480 aspiring creative practitioners who were desirous of gaining world-class skills and career advancement.

He said that about 1,500 creative practitioners had been scheduled for both physical and online training under a public-private partnership initiative geared toward empowering the people for inclusive growth, economic liberation, and the overall improvement of their lives.

According to him, government is mindful that the sector is an integral part of socio-economic development, and the overall wellbeing of citizens, which is why the sector will not be neglected in the drive to make Lagos a megacity.

”We are committed to innovatively seeking ways of providing the enabling environment for the tourism and entertainment sector to thrive.

”It is in line with this that we are providing the needed support for the entertainment and tourism sector to recover from the pandemic even as this government provides the institutional framework for creative practitioners to excel and prosper.

”Today’s event signals a gradual return of activities within the tourism and entertainment sector.

”It is a boost for our creative practitioners and entertainers as well as the necessary catalyst for economic growth because if we properly harness our human and capital resources, tourism and entertainment will become major contributors to socio-economic growth and development,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu said that the completion and inauguration of the remodeled Glover Memorial Hall reflected the determination to rebuild Lagos, revamp the historic/public assets and develop the entertainment, creative, and tourism sector.

In her welcome address, the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, said that the foundation stone of the first Glover Hall was laid in 1887 on a piece of land.

Akinbile-Yussuf said that the land was donated by the legendary trader and activist Madam Efunroye Tinubu, as a memorial to the works of Sir John Hawley Glover, who was the Governor of the Colony of Lagos from 1864 to1872.

She said that Sir Glover, having been instrumental to many developments especially within Lagos metropolis, was honoured with the establishment of the Glover Memorial Hall for various social and entertainment events.

According to her, as a way of demonstrating his love for the entertainment industry, Gov. Sanwo-Olu ensured the completion of the memorial hall.

”He also approved the inclusion of some modern-day innovations that would make this edifice to be of international standard,” she said. (NAN)

Culture & Tourism

Plateau marks International Wildlife Day with marathon

By Zainab Oyekan

Plateau held a marathon in Jos on Wednesday to commemorate this year’s International Wildlife Day.

Eighty-four athletes participated at the marathon which the Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Tamwakat Weli, described as great and historic.

The theme of the Day for 2021 is: “Forest and Livelihoods: Sustaining People and Planet’’.

Weli said the theme was apt as it encompassed attempts to conserve the environment for a balanced ecosystem.

“Plateau is blessed with the Jos Wildlife Park which is the largest zoological park in Nigeria and a famous tourism destination.

“The park houses indigenous and exotic wildlife species and other facilities for recreation for tourists,’’ he said.

The commissioner also noted that innovative events and programmes like the marathon would help to strengthen efforts at promoting ecotourism in the state.

In her remarks, Acting General Manager, Plateau State Tourism Corporation, Mrs Salome Bidda, said that the marathon was designed to encourage support for wildlife conservation at the Jos Wildlife Park.

“This marks the beginning of great commitment in conservation of wildlife, promotion of sports and healthy lifestyle,’’ she added.

Bidda said that with support from the state government, the Plateau State Tourism Corporation would roll out series of events annually to make the state the hub of ecotourism in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that athletes who participated in the marathon came from across the country and a few of them from neighbouring countries.

Some of them called for more races and other activities that would engage youths from all parts of Plateau.

The winner and the two runners-up at the marathon emerged from among Jos residents. (NAN)

Science & Tech

FG approves establishment of SIM swap centres in 744 LGAs

By Jessica Dogo

The Federal Government has approved the establishment of dedicated Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) Swap Centres across the 744 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

This decision was reached on Wednesday at the 4th review meeting of the Ministerial Task Force on the National Identification Number (NIN)-SIM registration in Abuja, presided over by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami.

Pantami tasked the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), which was working with NIMC and mobile network operators (MNOs), to urgently come up with a framework for the establishment of the Centres in the 774 LGAs of the country.

The Minister said that the framework for the establishment must begin with critical and feasible locations.

The statement was jointly signed by Dr Ikechukwu Adinde, Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Mr Kayode Adegoke, Head, Corporate Communications, Nigeria Identify Management Commission (NIMC).

The meeting also approved the extension of tenure for National Identity Number (NIN) registration by MNOs.

The statement added that the government also extended the enrolment licence tenure of NIN Enrolment Agent Licensees for MNOs from 1 to 5 years in consideration of their satisfactory performance, subject to continuous monitoring.

“The Technical Committee was mandated to complete the development of a new SIM issuance strategy that cannot be compromised.

“This will ensure that there is no repeat of the past process that was compromised through pre-registration by some agents,’’ it said.

According to him, approval has been given to MNOs for the establishment of dedicated SIM Swap Centres across the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Nigeria;

“A Multi-Sectoral Ad hoc committee was tasked to immediately complete the review of the processes for new SIM activations for legal residents staying in Nigeria for less than 24 months.

“The membership of the Committee was drawn from NCC, NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).”

He said MNOs that had Service Centres in important locations in LGAs were expected to upgrade these centres to a level where they could qualify as SIM Swap Centres in order to reduce the challenges associated with the SIM swap process for citizens.

Adinde explained that the purpose was to bring SIM Swap Centres closer to Nigerians regardless of their location.

The Minister expressed appreciation to Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the government’s directive on the exercise.

He informed that President Muhammadu Buhari was briefed on the activities of the Ministerial Task Force.

He said that President Buhari commended the achievement recorded so far and urged the Minister and other stakeholders to maintain the tempo.

The Minister also appreciated Nigerians for their patience and compliance with the government’s directive on the NIN-SIM registration exercise, which had many benefits to the country and its citizens.

He pledged government’s commitment to continually take decisions aimed at easing the pains of the citizens with regard to issues related to NIN and SIM registration.

The Executive Vice-Chairman, NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, briefed the meeting on the outcome of the Senate Investigative Hearing on 5G Deployment in Nigeria.

Danbatta extolled the minister for making an eloquent presentation to dispel fears about the public health and security implications of 5G, as well as making a case for this new technology in the country.

“All stakeholders agreed on the need for the country to deploy 5G technology,” he said.

They included the EVC/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); DG/CEO, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC); and DG/CEO, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

The membership of the Committee was drawn from NCC, NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Service and the Association of Licensed Telecoms Operators of Nigeria (ALTON).

Others members were the NCC Executive Commissioners for Technical Services and Stakeholder Management; MDs/CEOs of MTN, Airtel, EMTS (9Mobile), NTEL, Spectranet and SMILE, as well as the COO of Glo. (NAN)

Economy/Business

Reps to investigate crude oil allocation under DSDP

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives has resolved to investigate the allocation of crude oil under the Direct Sale Direct Purchase (DSDP) scheme.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance by Rep.Abubakar Yallema (APC-Sokoto) at Wednesday’s plenary.

Speaking on the motion, Yallema said it was imperative for the house to unearth the anomaly in the oil sector.

He said he was disturbed by the contents of a report on Feb.14 which brought to national attention details of how Nigeria’s crude oil was being stolen and diverted daily.

“The report said approximately 5.2 million barrels of crude oil supposedly allocated to comatose NNPC refineries in 2018 under DSDP operations are unaccounted for.

“Essentially, almost half of the 10.9 million barrels of crude oil allocated for domestic supply between June 2018 and July 2019 as reported by the NNPC is either stolen or diverted,” he said.

Yallema said that the average price for Nigerian crude oil in 2018 was 65 dollars.

”I am deeply worried by this report and will like to know the status of the 5.2 million barrels allocated for domestic supply in 2018 till date.

“We should also know the crude oil allocation per refinery and the rationale for such allocation,” he said. (NAN)

General News

Security: Bauchi Gov. seeks establishment of state police

By Auwalu Birninkudu

Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State has called for immediate establishment of state police as an effective strategy and mechanism to guarantee peace and stability, and enhance national security.

 

Mohammed made the call during the Fourth North-East Governors’ Forum meeting, held in Bauchi on Tuesday.

 

He said that the state police, if established, would provide complimentary efforts for the activities of the federal police and wider coverage of police protection and other relevant engagements.

 

Mohammed, however, commended the Nigerian Police Force for its doggedness and unwavering efforts at promoting security, especially in the areas of crime detection, prosecution and discharge of other mandatory duties.

 

He said that the forum would construct roads in each of the member-states through peer review of its activities, stressing “we will further link our states with access roads for effective transactions”.

 

The governor said that his administration was presently engaged in provision of needed infrastructure aimed at making the state assume its expected cosmopolitan status.

 

“We have employed no fewer than 10,000 artisans as part of our drive to empower the youth and generate employment” he said.

 

Mohammed, however, condemned what he called indiscriminate attacks on soft targets and the military, even as commended the nation’s armed forces for its gallantry and exceptional performance in confronting insurgents, armed bandits and other criminals in the country.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by Governors Baba Gana Zulum (Borno), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa) and Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), while Yobe and Taraba states were represented by their deputy governors. (NAN)

Politics

Reps task INEC on constituency delineation

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives on Wednesday tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embark on constituency delineation in the country.

The resolutions of the House followed a motion on the “review of the division of states of the federation into federal constituency” sponsored by Rep. Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta) at Wednesday’s plenary.

Presenting the motion, Elumelu, also Minority Leader, said that since the commencement of the 4th Republic, INEC has not deemed it necessary to delineate constituency.

He said that the act was a violation of section 73(1) of the 1999 constitution as amended as it deprived citizens of bloated federal constituencies adequate attention.

He expressed worries that though the constitution provided for a 10-year time frame for constituency reviews, adding that INEC had not done any known review in the last 22 years of the democratic dispensation.

He tasked INEC to be alive to its responsibilities, adding that a situation where some federal constituencies were twice the size of others in both size and population was at variance with constitution. (NAN)

General News

FG, OCP of Morocco sign $1.4bn agreement on gas industrialisation

By Folasade Akpan

The Federal Government has signed a 1.4 billion dollar agreement with OCP Group of Morocco to produce ammonia and diammonium phosphate in the gas industrialisation strategy.

A statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by Mr Titilope Olubiyi, Communications Officer, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) said the agreement was signed in Benguerir, Morocco.

The agreement was between the NSIA, OCP, Akwa Ibom State Government, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Gas Aggregation Company Nigeria Limited (GACN), Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN).

According to the statement, the project is structured to commercialise Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources and satisfy Morocco’s demand for cost-competitive ammonia.

The agreements are designed to create a clear path for the second phase of the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) and the creation and operationalisation of a Multipurpose Industrial Platform (MPI) in Nigeria.

He added that the first phase of the MPI project would produce 1.5 million tonnes of ammonia per annum in two phases.

Olubiyi said that up to 70 per cent of the ammonia produced would be allocated for export to Morocco.

He added that the balance would be routed to the production of one million tonnes per annum of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) and NPK fertilisers to feed domestic demand.

“It is expected that project construction will commence no later than quarter three, 2021.

“In the first phase of the project, 1.4 billion dollars will be invested in building out the plant and its supporting infrastructure with a target operations-commencement date of 2025.

“The project will be sited in Akwa Ibom State in a gas-rich location,’’ he added.

He said factors such as land availability and accessibility, gas adequacy, sufficiency of marine draft and other environmental and social considerations informed the decision to site the plant in Akwa Ibom.

At completion, the integrated ammonia and fertiliser plant will house the process plants, administrative buildings, fertiliser bagging units, water purification units, storage for raw materials and finished goods, onsite power plant and other ancillary facilities.

The plant will also have a dedicated jetty to facilitate seamless importation of raw materials from Morocco and other suppliers and export of excess ammonia and fertiliser to Morocco and potentially other regional markets.

Mr Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources who led the Nigerian delegation assured of President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to the actualisation of the project.

“He has mandated the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and all its agencies, notably the NNPC, DPR, NCDMB and all other government agencies to give maximum support for this project,” he said.

Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom was quoted in the statement as saying that the state was committed to ensuring the PMI project was a resounding success.

He added that the state was receptive to investments and was prepared to offer the necessary support to make the project a reality.

“With a site that is suitably located to enable operational logistics and an abundance of gas resources, all that is left is for the parties to accelerate the project development process,” he said.

Mr Uche Orji, Managing Director of NSIA, said the project formed a key part of NSIA’s gas industrialisation strategy and would deepen intra-continental trade which was essential to Africa’s development and economic renaissance.

“This landmark project will explore increased levels of synergy between NSIA and OCP and the partners to the transactions and ultimately ensure that Nigeria builds an industrial base that is sustainable and complimentary to mutual objectives of developing the agriculture sector in Nigeria,” he noted.

Dr Mostafa Terrab, the Chairman of OCP, who welcomed the Nigerian contingent said ultimately, the agreements would strengthen the partnership between the NSIA, the group and the different institutions in the gas industry in Nigeria.

“The outcome of today’s agreements will translate to knowledge transfer and broader economic opportunities as we build out the industrial platform.

“The platform will leverage the best of Nigerian and Moroccan natural resources, namely the Nigerian gas and the Moroccan phosphate and create a new basis for stronger ties.’’ (NAN)

Defence/Security

CP tasks Police on respect for human rights

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

Mr Sama’ila Shu’aibu-Dikko, the Commissioner of Police in Kano State, has tasked Police personnel to respect human rights and rule of law in the discharge of their duties.

Shu’aibu -Dikko gave the charge in a statement issued by DSP Abdullahi Haruna, the Public Relations Officer of the Command, on Wednesday in Kano.

The commissioner made the call when he paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero.

“In this era of community policing, all officers of the command are to work diligently, respect human rights and rule of law in accordance with the international best practices,’’ Shu’aibu-Dikko said.

The CP further commended the Emir for his continued support to the command.

In his remark, Bayero lauded the police for their good work toward ensuring the protection of lives and property.

Bayero urged the CP to work and contribute his quota toward making the state safe and secured. (NAN)

General News

3,000 women in Kogi get FG’s Special Grant

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

No fewer than 3,000 women in Kogi have benefited from the Federal Government’s Special Grant for Rural Women Project.

Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Ministrer of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, in a statement on Wednesday signed by the Deputy Director of Information in the Ministry, Mrs Rhoda Iliya, said that the grant, of N20,000 each, was expected to increase income and productive assets of target beneficiaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the grants were disbursed to the beneficiaries on Wednesday in Lokoja.

She urged them to use the grant to contribute toward improving their living standard by using it to boost their trade and business for greater income and not to see it as their own share of the so-called National Cake.

“We believe that with the complementary effort of the state government, the target beneficiaries will all be adequately covered within the next few days.

“I am optimistic that with the support and cooperation of the governor and other stakeholders, we will remain on track to improving the livelihood of the ordinary Nigerians,” Farouq said.

Farouq, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaji Bashir Alkali said that the target was to disburse the grant to about 3,000 women including Persons Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) across all local government areas in the state.

Speaking, Kogi Gov. Yahaya Bello, represented by the Deputy  Governor, Mr Edward Onoja, expressed  his gratitude  to President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister for consistently bridging the gap between the rich and the poor.

Bello said that the president had done that through the National Social Investment Programmes.

He said that with the 3,000 beneficiaries involved in small scale businesses, the sector would be greatly impacted financially.

The governor urged everyone to pray for the Buhari’s administration and other political leaders.

The Kogi Focal Person for National Social Investment Programme, Prince Abdulkareem Suleiman, said that poverty eradication was a major objective of the administration.

He pledged to support the Minister in her determination to improve the livelihood of women in the State.

A beneficiary of the cash grant, Miss Christopher Odede, thanked Buhari for the grant and promised to use the money judiciously.

Ibrahim Haruna Chairman, People Living with Disabilities (PLWDs) in Kogi, said that before the administration of Buhari, People Living with Disabilities were neglected.

He, however, noted that today the President had given them a voice and people had begun to see ability in disability.

He called on the Federal Government to provide enabling environment for the PLWDs to showcase their abilities. (NAN)

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email