By Razak Owolabi

A UK-based executive leadership development firm, TEXEM UK says the appointment of Enorense Amadasu as Executive Commissioner, (Development and Production) Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) is appropriate.

Dr Alim Abubakre, TEXEM UK’s Founder stated this in a statement issued by TEXEM’s Director, Special Projects, Caroline Lucas.

Abubakre said that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, Amadasu, an Engineer had been bestowed with a pivotal role in shaping the trajectory of Nigeria’s petroleum sector.

“TEXEM UK, a vanguard in executive development, joyously extends its heartfelt congratulations to Mr Enorense Amadasu on his recent appointment as the Executive Commissioner, Development and Production of the NUPRC.

“Mr Amadasu’s ascent to this distinguished position is a testament to his extraordinary achievements, technical prowess, and exceptional leadership acumen.

“Commencing his career as a Petroleum Engineer II at the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) in January 1994, he has consistently contributed significantly to the sector’s growth and evolution,” Abubakre said.

He said that Amadasu’s journey within the DPR has been illustrious.

Abubakre said the journey was marked by key roles such as Assistant Director of the Resources Management Branch under the Upstream Monitoring and Regulation Division at DPR Headquarters in Lagos, Nigeria.

“Recognized for his competence and dedication, he ascended to the position of Deputy Director and assumed leadership as the Head of the Upstream Monitoring and Regulatory Division at DPR headquarters in November 2018.

“One of his laudable achievements was reached at the 2019 Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, where Engr. Amadasu garnered acclaim for his presentation on “Upstream Opportunities in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry.

“This accolade presaged the impactful contributions he continues to make to the sector,” the TEXEM’s founder said.

He said the new appointment was not just a recognition of Amadasu’s past achievements, technical and leadership skills, and pedigree, but a call to action for even greater milestones in the future.

“We are unwavering in our belief that Mr Enorense Amadasu will illuminate the path to a brighter future for the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum sector, inspiring others to aspire to greatness and leave indelible legacies.

“TEXEM UK proudly celebrates Mr Amadasu, an alumnus of our August 2022 programme, “Building Resilient Organizations for Sustainable Success in an Age of Disruption.

“His commitment to professional development has undeniably played a pivotal role in shaping his journey to this esteemed position,” Abubakre said.

He said as Amadasu embarked on the responsibilities of his new role, TEXEM is confident that he will remain a beacon of excellence in the Nigerian upstream petroleum sector.

“We applaud his meritorious recognition and eagerly anticipate the transformative impact he will undoubtedly make in his new capacity,” Abubakre said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Deborah Coker

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, has advised Gov Dauda Lawal of Zamfara to focus on his job of governing the northwestern state and leave him alone.

Matawalle gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Abuja.

He was reacting to some allegations by Dauda concerning his tenure as governor of the state.

The allegations bordered on mismanagement of resources, heavy debts and non-payment of examination and school fees for students at home and abroad, among others.

“I think the man is not ready for governance. He’s always shifting blame instead of him to concentrate and make sure that he delivers dividends of democracy to the people of Zamfara.

“He only engages in fighting, looking back at what happened long ago; how many governors have governed the state? four or five of us.

“Over the years, none of them has looked back and tried to rubbish their predecessor, but this one, instead of him concentrating on the issue of security, he is playing blame games.

“When students of Gusau University were kidnapped, Mr President mandated all of us, all the security agencies, to go to the place and console the people of the state and the parents.

“He wasn’t in the state. He was away. He was not in Nigeria. We called him, he did not respond. We had to go through a third party before we got his phone number and we called him.

“He pleaded with the minister here, that he was away but that once he comes, he would tell us so that we can come.

“This is a team that Mr President mandated to go to the state. Till today, no communication from this person.

“He is just pushing blames instead of him to concentrate. My advice to him is that he should remember that he was elected to tackle the issues in his state.

“As Dauda’s predecessor, I always pray for him to succeed, to ensure that the issue of insecurity, terrorism and banditry become history in the state.

“That is because no matter what it is, that is my state, my family and everybody is there, including my extended family.

“So, I’m always praying each and every day for God to free and protect us from this kind of situation.

“As stakeholders, we must come together, team up and fight these criminalities.

“I feel that they just want to distract me from my responsibility that was given to me as Minister of Defence. They don’t want me to concentrate on my responsibility. I won’t allow them.

“God knows I have done my best and I’m going to try to do more. And for Nigeria, we are working hard to make sure that all sorts of criminalities will go.

“I believe he should sit down, do a critical analysis, and he would know that the people advising him wrongly are his enemies.

“With every complaint, people would begin to see the governor as a perpetual complainant.

“He is not a woman, he is a man. Let him concentrate. Let him stand. Let him be firm on his responsibility. He should not be like a woman crying all the time.”

The minister said that he would not respond to the governor again as the Northern Elders Forum and the Police had advised him not to.

“Let him continue saying whatever he wants to say. I have said my own. We have so many things to say about him that I’m not going to say because our elders have talked about it. I respect them and I’ll make sure that I respect what they advised me to do.

“I think all we need to do is to come up together and solve the issue of insecurity in Nigeria, particularly our geo-political zone.

“There are so many challenges known to us, so why are we fighting ourselves?

“I will concentrate to make sure that the people of the North-West are free from these criminals. This is what we’re supposed to do as leaders of that zone.

“We should come together and fight these criminals together instead of engaging in fighting ourselves,” he added (NAN)

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

By Bashir Rabe Mani

The 12th National Council on Housing will be held from Nov. 13 to Nov. 17 in Kaduna.

This is contained in a statement issued in Kaduna on Sunday, by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Badamasi Haiba.

Haiba said that the Ministers of Housing and Urban Development, Mr Ahmed Dangiwa and Mr Abdullahi Gwarzo invite all stakeholders in the housing sector to the annual event.

“This is an annual event organized by the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in partnership with the myriad of housing stakeholders.

“It provides an avenue for stakeholders in the built environment to critically evaluate and proffer solutions to the challenges facing the housing sector.

“This is the highest decision making organ of the sector where stakeholders gather for deliberation,” he said.

Haiba said that the theme of this year’s event is
“Harnessing Local and International Credit Schemes as a Panacea for Housing Infrastructure Development under the Renewed Hope Agenda”.

“This is to deliberately channel the attention of the industry to other innovative and alternate funding sources for housing development.

“The housing sector is one the few key sectors of interest to achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“This is because it fits into almost all the presidential priorities of job and wealth creation, access to capital, reactivation of economy, poverty alleviation, food security and security for all.”

According to Haiba, the week-long programme promises to be enlightening, interactive and educative. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Razak Owolabi

By Usman Aliyu

A Nigerian journalist with the HumAngle, Muhammed Akinyemi, on Saturday emerged the overall winner of the 2023 West Africa Media Excellence Conference Awards in Accra, Ghana.

Akinyemi beat 16 other finalists to win the covetous subregional awards with his story titled “All Die Na Die: At the Heart of Nigeria’s Soot Problem”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the awards were organised by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA).

As the overall winner, Akinyemi smiled home with $2000 prize in addition to the $500 he had earlier won for emerging the winner of the Environment category of the awards.

Other categories include Human Rights, Business, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Migration and Investigative reporting.

In his address of welcome, Sulemana Braimah, Executive Director, MFWA, said 825 journalists made entries for the awards from 15 countries.

Braimah explained that the awards, which started seven years ago, were meant to appreciate the role being played by journalists in the subregion.

“We are in a great democratic recession for military has taken over power in about four countries in the region.

“Terrorism, kidnapping and banditry are escalating the level of insecurity in our region. Even where there are democracies in the region, there are weakling institutions.

“In a moment like this, public looks up to the media to play its role. Unfortunately, media is not spared by the challenges in the society such as attacks on journalists and the challenge of the prevailing economic situation.

“In spite of these challenges, we have some journalists who are leaving above board, spotlighting corruption within the system.

“Therefore, this gathering is meant to reward them,” said the executive director. 

The annual awards are being supported by United States Embassy in Ghana, MTN Ghana, Stanbic IBTC bank, OXFAM and WADEMOS. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Bayelsa says its  Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO), abducted on Friday, has regained his freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the SPO was abducted by gunmen on his way to the Registration Area Centre – 06 (Ossioma) in Sagbama Local Government Area.

The Head of Voter Education and Publicity of the state INEC in Yenagoa, Mr Wilfred  Ifogah, confirmed the cheering news in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday.

According to Ifogah, the officer is hale and hearty.

NAN reports that the officer, whose name was not disclosed, was abducted while waiting at Amassoma Jetty to board a boat to his place of deployment.

The Spokesman for the Police Command in the state, CSP Asinim Butswat, could not be reached for comments. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sam Oditah

By Isaac Aregbesola

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 14 suspected vote buyers in Otueke, Adawari playgrounds in Bayelsa  and at various polling units in Imo and Kogi.

EFCC Spokesperson Dele Oyewale said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

According to him, the suspects were arrested on Saturday in intelligence-driven operations that commenced several days before the ongoing governorship elections in the three states.

“Also, a total sum of N11,040,000, comprising N9,310,00 intercepted from suspected vote buyers and sellers in Bayelsa, and N1,730,000 intercepted from electoral fraud suspects across Imo State, were recovered from them.

“Also, two vehicles were intercepted from the suspects. They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the commission had earlier deployed its personnel to monitor the Saturday’s governorship elections in the three states.

Oyewale had said in a statement on Friday in Abuja that the aim of the deployment was to prevent politicians and their agents from engaging in vote buying during the elections.

He explained that the exercise was part of the commission’s drive to checkmate electoral fraud and associated financial crimes. (NAN)(www.nannews,ng)

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The uploading of results from polling units for Saturday’s governorship elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo is in progress.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as at 5:55pm, 1,417 polling units results for Bayelsa, representing 63.15 per cent of the 2,244 expected polling units results, had been uploaded by INEC.

NAN reports that the results were uploaded on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) designated portal.

For Imo, 2,899 out of 4,720 expected polling units results, representing 60.93 per cent, were so far uploaded.

Also, 1,914 out of 3,508 polling units results, representing 54.56 per cent of the governorship election results for Kogi, had been uploaded on the INEC portal. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Maharazu Ahmed

Friends and well wishers of Malam Ali M. Ali, the newly appointed Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), on Friday hosted him to a dinner to celebrate his appointment to lead Africa’s largest news agency.

The dinner, which was put together by the “Majalisar Kakumi” group, attracted top government functionaries, politicians and leaders of many government media organisations.

Among the dignitaries were the Directors-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Malam Abdulhamid Dembo, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mohammed Bulama and Jibrin Ndache of the Voice of Nigeria (VON).

Also at the event were Dr Abdullahi Shehu, Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Centres, Jibril Zakirai, lecturer and writer, Malam Halilu Fagge, and many others.

In a brief remark, Alhaji Sadiq, who spoke on behalf of the organisers, said that “Majalisar Kakumi” is a platform formed by friends of like minds and had served as a meeting point for steady interactions.

He reminded Ali that leading NAN was not an easy task, but expressed confidence that he was equal to the challenge “in view of what we all know of him”.

Sadik prayed to God to guard and guide the NAN helmsman to do justice to those placed under his leadership.

He congratulated NAN for getting a thorough professional as a leader, and challenged its workers to give him all the support he would require to excel in the new task.

Alhaji Halilu Fagge, a long-standing friend of Ali’s, described him as a brilliant man and excellent strategist who easily shapes perspectives with his quick and smart ideas.

In his remarks, Ndace of VON emphasised the need for young leaders to always respect their seniors.

“No matter the level of one’s successes and accomplishments, do not forget those that mentored you. Never forget the role they played on your path to greatness,” he said.

He thanked Ali for sharing his good leadership qualities with others, pointing out that the sharing of thoughts and ideas is always crucial to success.

Also speaking, Dembo of NTA, described Ali as hardworking, and thanked God for making him the managing director of NAN.

“We shall keep working together. We shall keep sharing ideas and comparing notes as we lead federal government media agencies,” he said.

In his remarks, Bulama of FRCN said that Ali had been a close friend and professional partner for a very long time.

“We have been together for a very long time. Ali is an excellent communicator, thorough professional and very articulate. NAN is lucky to have him.

“I am sure he will do a lot in NAN. At the end of his first tenure, he would not only be pushed for a second term, but shall be lifted to much higher responsibilities,” he said.

He told NAN workers to brace up for the challenge of working with a workaholic as Ali was sure to drive them very hard.

In his response, Ali said he was deeply touched by the moving messages and thanked the organisers for finding him worthy of being celebrated.

He said journalism was his choice “right from the beginning”, and would always be happy practising it.

“From the beginning, I wanted to be a journalist. A great one. In the course of this job, I have moved across various newsrooms.

“I also handled tasks of reputation management and worked in two state government houses. There is no doubt that the lure of the newsroom will always be my calling.

“I have met many people in the course of journalism. What I tell younger colleagues is that you cannot be a good leader if you’re not a good follower. Good leaders must be good followers,” he said

Ali said that NAN had always been a great news organisations and one of the very few recognised by the United Nations.

“It has the largest workforce and has risen to the top before its fortunes started dwindling, but we are determined to restore those glorious days of greatness. Our job is enormous, but we are determined to do it,” he said.

Alhaji Abdulhadi Khaliel, Director, Administration and Human Resources Management in NAN, described Ali as a workaholic who was driving the workers hard so as to get the best out of them.

“He has not allowed us to rest. We now work literary round-the-clock. He has told us to shape up or ship out. I can confirm to you that he is always ready to work and ready to listen,” he said.

Khaliel assured Ali’s friends and colleagues that NAN would give him all the support required to succeed. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ephraims Sheyin

By Thompson Yamput

Kogi’s Gov. Yahaya Bello has commended INEC and security operatives for their conduct at Saturday’s off-cycle governorship election in the state.

Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, Alhaji Usman Ododo, gave similar commendation.

Bello spoke after voting at his polling unit in Okene where he noted that the level of preparedness by INEC and its officials resulted in a smooth conduct of the exercise.

“I commend INEC for a job well done. I also commend security operatives for offering residents of Kogi the peaceful environment to participate in the election without hindrance.

“I am optimistic that our candidate, Usman Ododo, will emerge victorious at the end of the exercise.

“We have come out in numbers to cast our votes. I have just cast my vote and others are casting their votes. It is timely. All materials were deployed within the time stipulated.

“So far I haven’t heard of complaint from any quarter. The conduct of INEC so far has been so fantastic. All the security agencies have conducted themselves so far very professionally.

“Citizens that are exercising their franchise are doing that freely. There are no hitches; no rancour.

“We are united and we are happy at this exercise. By the special grace of God we are going to come off very triumphant,’’ Bello said.

The governor also did some comparisons between elections held in Kogi over the years and the ones conducted since he got into office in 2015.

“From the benefit of hindsight and looking back at 2019, this brings a strong reminder of an election.

“Incidence of electoral violence in Kogi in my own time is a media creation. Go into history; go into records and compare my own regime and that of the previous ones.

“You will discover that in the regime of Gov. Bello, conduct of elections has been violence-free exercises; the freest; the most free, fair and credible.

“Therefore, the issue of violence in our election in Kogi is a media creation and figment of imagination of all those who do not want good things to happen here in Kogi.

“There is nothing like violence. The conduct of free and fair and credible election is in the hands of security agencies and the citizens,’’ he said.

On his part, Ododo also expressed satisfaction at the conduct of security operatives at the election and praised them for ensuring that things were smooth and peaceful.

“While I express confidence at winning this election, I thank Kogi people for turning out en-masse to vote in the crucial exercise,’’ he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Alli Hakeem