By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Federal Government says that plans are underway to establish a ‘National Council of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs’ for sustainable national development.

Sen. George Akume, the Minister, Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, said this at a three-day stakeholders’ conference on Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs in Abuja on Tuesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is “Harnessing grassroots potentials for service delivery and for sustainable national development: The proper place of Local Government Administration and Inter- Governmental Relations”.

Akume said that the national council if established would be the highest policy advisory body to the nation on issues of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

According to him, the absence of a critical structure or vehicle of mobilisation of stakeholders for prompt action has hindered the pace of the Ministry in discharging its activities.

“This realisation has thus informed my decision to establish the National Council of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs.

“The proposed council in its form, structure and function would resemble national councils of other ministries.

“It is also pertinent to state that the need for this council was mentioned as far back as 2008, during the bi-annual conference of key functionaries of local government administration in Kaduna State,” Akume said.

He said the gathering was to enrich the process that would eventually lead to the formal establishment of the national council.

Akume urged the participants to utilise their experiences, backgrounds and professions during the deliberations to ensure a convergence of ideas and the eventual seamless take – off of the council.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ibiene Roberts, while thanking the participants, expressed hope that the discussions would help birth a successful national council.

“As seasoned administration that we are, our key responsibility is to ensure that government institutions work optimally in service delivery in an efficient and effective manner.

“I recognise you as the pillars and as such, integral part of the ministry. It is the resolve of the ministry to work with you to enable us achieve our deserving citizenry,” Roberts said.

On his part, Sen. Yusuf Yusuf, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, said that there was need for proper sensitisation on the local government potentials at the grassroots.

Yusuf said that there were lots of potentials at the local government areas, saying that harnessing the potentials would enhance national development.

“The potentials must be unlocked through proper sensitisation; government has to create proper avenue, and mobilisation of the grassroots is the key for national development,” he added.

Similarly, Sen. Abba Moro, the Chairman of the Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, said the local government administration was the foundation of government worldwide.

Moro, while commending the ministry for the initiative, pledged to support the ministry in its activities, saying that local government autonomy was the bedrock for national development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Razak Owolabi

By Maureen Okon

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday received a major boost in its operations with the signing of a working agreement with the Italian news agency, Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata (ANSA) in Abuja.

NAN reports that ANSA, the leading news agency in Italy, is a not-for-profit cooperative, founded in 1945 whose members and owners are 36 leading news organisations in the European country.

Its mission is the distribution of fair and objective news reports.

The Managing-Director (MD) of NAN, Mr Buki Ponle signed the agreement for NAN while the Ambassador of Italy to Nigeria, Mr Stefano De Leo signed fon behalf of ANSA at the NAN headquarters.

The signing of the agreement was witnessed virtually by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of ANSA, Mr Stefano De Alessandri and the Nigerian Ambassador to Italy, Mr Mfawa Abam.

Speaking during the agreement signing ceremony, De Alessandri said the event was timely and was made possible through the efforts of both the NAN management and the Italian mission in Nigeria.

He said ANSA has a cooperative of 26 publishers of newspapers and magazines and the most important national and regional newspapers.

According to him, ANSA has correspondents in more than 50 countries around the world.

“We are a traditional news agency that disseminates information via news wire, photo and video services.

“We do not publish only in the Italian language in Italy but we publish on five international websites in English, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and German.

“I am very pleased to sign this agreement with NAN. Nigeria is the country with the largest population in Africa and is one of the most important countries in the continent of Africa.

“Starting in 2022, we have been renewing our collaboration agreements with international news agencies and we are also opening new partnerships,’’ he said.

Also speaking, the NAN MD said that the signing of the agreement was a milestone in the history of the largest news content provider in Nigeria.

He added that the news exchange agreement with ANSA marked another defining phase in NAN’s continuous engagement with like-minded institutions.

“It is my hope and belief that this landmark event will signal the beginning of a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship.

“With ANSA’s presence in more than 81 cities across more than 50 countries in the world, and a production capacity of 3,500 news items daily, this partnership agreement will no doubt offer the diverse clientele of both wire agencies enriched content and plurality of reading and viewership experience.

“Since my appointment as MD in Sept. 2020 by President Muhammadu Buhari, we have put in place programmes and processes to boost the editorial and operational efficiency as well as to enhance the visibility of the agency.

“From a six-zone structure, the agency now has 12 zonal offices in the country while it is set to reopen its foreign bureaux in Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, and Abidjan.

“This is in addition to its New York Bureau currently covering North America,” he said.

Responding, Nigerian Ambassador to Italy, Abam, commended the managements of both agencies for what he described as “laudable agreement”.

He said the event marked a milestone in Nigeria-Italy relations.

He expressed optimism that both agencies would take advantage of the new opportunities that abound in the media sector as both agencies enter into the historic era of the partnership.

“I say this in acknowledgement of NAN’s reputation for media excellence and historic commitment that connotes international presence.

“Likewise ANSA which has earned its pride of reporting fair and objective international news.

“As the saying goes: “no man is an island” no matter how well-endowed.

“In this era of globalisation and inter-dependence, cooperative partnership such as this with other institutions in the world is not an option but a necessity.

“Thus, the signing of this agreement today demonstrates the importance of what our two countries attach to our relationship and our commitment to further strengthening it,’’ he said.

On his part, the Italian ambassador to Nigeria described the agreement between ANSA and NAN as an important step in further proving both countries’ already existing relations.

He observed that the exchange of information and knowledge is key ex-specially when done with Nigeria, ”the giant of Africa and the most populous country in the continent.

“This event…is the first positive sign of other events that we will highlight in the future such as the opening of the Italian Trade Agency in Lagos and hopefully, very soon, a direct flight between Nigeria and Italy.” (NAN)

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Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

The Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN) has called on the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, to sustain ongoing initiatives on food production for economic development.

The Director-General of RIPAN, Mr Andy Ekwelem, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a news conference.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was “Strategies for Deepening and Strengthening the Nigeria Rice Sub-Sector towards More Sustainable Development.

According to Ekwelem, RIPAN is an association of investors in integrated rice processing, formed as a direct response to the Federal Government of Nigeria’s deliberate initiative to grow local capacity in rice.

“Members of the association and indeed other actors in the rice processing and milling sub-sector are presently key players and major contributors to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

“Our processing and milling activities contribute several thousands of direct employments and millions of indirect employments to the various stakeholders in the rice value chain and other complementary sectors, ” he said.

He said that the rice industry was the single largest employer of labour in Nigeria, providing jobs for over 13 million people.

“These include direct staff, casual worker, haulage service providers, agrochemical and input suppliers and of course millions of small holder rural farmers who are made up of majorly youths and women,” he said.

According to him, the Nigeria rice industry has enjoyed considerable support from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Before the current administration, Nigeria officially allowed imported rice into the country.

“As at the last quarter of 2014, official rice import into Nigeria from Thailand was about 1.24 million tonnes of rice; by the end of 2015, these imports had dropped to about 644,131meric tonnes, and by the end of 2016, it dropped to 58,260 metric tonnes.

“In 2017, the imports further dropped to 23,192 metric tonnes but by 2022, it dropped to an all-time minimal of 438MT.

“The reason for the drops – which to us at RIPAN is a very positive development – is nothing more than Mr President’s hard stand approach against food importation,” he said.

He commended Buhari for his agricultural development initiatives that had boosted food production over the years.

“Recall that President Buhari is a strong advocate of “grow what you eat and eat what you can grow”.

“To ensure that he walked his talk, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he launched various programmes that encouraged local production and processing of rice.

” Programme such as the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, the Paddy Aggregation Scheme, the Private Sector-Led Accelerated Agriculture Development Scheme and the Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) were floated.

“They where deliberate strategies that encouraged indigenous and foreign business concerns to invest massively in the rice value chain.

“Today, Nigeria boasts of over 100 large-scale integrated rice processing facilities scattered across the country.

“This is more than 700 per cent increase from the mere 13 integrated mills operating in the country between 2010 and 2014,” he said.

He also commended Buhari for his various initiatives to encourage consumption of locally produced rice.

“To ensure that product dumping and other forms of international trade malpractice do not affect the huge private-sector investments as well as the various programmes of government, the CBN placed restrictions on importation of food items including rice.

“The apex bank did that by categorising them as not valid for foreign exchange from the CBN’s Foreign Exchange Window.

“To further protect and strengthen the industry, the administration introduced the Border Restriction Policy of 2020,” he said.

He said that before the border restriction policy, there was a maddening proliferation of all manner of items and food stocks, even light arms and small weapons into Nigeria.

“Fortunately, with the Border Restriction Policy of the Buhari administration, the menace was effectively stemmed between the period starting August 2020 and the end of 2021.

“As a matter of fact, over 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice imported to Benin from India and Thailand between May 2019 and August 2019, became trapped in Benin.

“This caused the imports of rice from India to Benin to drop from a monthly average of 75,000 metric tonnes between January and September 2019 to less than 2,000 metric tonnes in the last quarter of 2019.

“Also, the volume of Thai rice imported to Benin Republic fell from a monthly average of 100,000MT to 5,000MT tons by November 2019.

The dividend of all these was that the demand for Nigerian home grown and locally processed rice increased quite immensely, causing an increase in both the production of paddy rice as well as rice processing facility, ” he said.

According to him, in 2020 during the COVID era, Nigerian farmers produced as much as 8.2 million metric tonnes of paddy rice and another 8.4 million tonnes in 2021.

“At the time, all of the paddy produced were off taken by the rice processors/ millers who processed them and supplied good quality finished rice to Nigerians.

” Even as the borders were closed and COVID Pandemic raged on, Nigeria did not suffer lack of food, particularly rice,” he said.

He, however, said that the situation began to deteriorate again after the borders were reopened.

He called on the incoming Tinubu’s administration to emulate some of the laudable policies of the Buhari administration to boost food production.

“The numbers in metric tonnes of paddy rice produced by Nigerian farmers began to decline after the borders were reopened in 2022.

“Smuggling also commenced again in earnest, causing a drop in the volume of paddy offtake by the rice processors/millers.

“Indeed, it is on record that upon the reopening of our borders, official rice import to Benin republic from Thailand rose from meagerly monthly average of 5,000 MT in 2019 to a monthly average of 26,861MT in 2022.

“RIPAN hopes that the incoming administration will follow through some of the laudable policies of the current administration as well as design and launch new ones to further strengthen and sustain the Nigeria Rice Industry,” Ekwelem said.

On prices, he said that Nigerian rice were most affordable, adding that the expensive rice were the imported ones which people wrongfully refer to as local rice.

“No Nigerian rice costs more than N31,000 ex factory price, ” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman
====

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) generated N715.09 million in revenue from passengers in Q3 of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says.

This is contained in the NBS Rail Transportation Data for Q3 and Q4 2022 released in Abuja on Tuesday.

The report showed that the figure dropped by 60.52 per cent compared to the N1.81 billion received in Q3 of 2021.

Similarly, it showed that N101.84 million was collected in Q3 2022 as revenue from goods/ cargos, this dropped by 7.04 per cent from N109.56 million received in Q3 2021.

“Also, other receipts grew by 707.31 per cent in Q3 2022 from the N14.61 million recorded in Q3 2021”.

The report further showed that the number of rail transport passengers in Q3 2022 dropped by 500,348.

“This is lower than the 696,841 recorded in Q3 2021, representing a growth rate of -28.20 per cent”.

In addition, the report showed that 33,312 tonnes of goods were transported in Q3 2022, compared to 51,726 tons reported in Q3 2021.

The report said the corporation generated revenue of N1.15 billion from passengers in Q4 2022, which indicated a decrease of 39.54 per cent in Q4 2021 which recorded N1.91 billion.

Also, it said revenue generated from goods in Q4 2022 was N157.23 million, which was higher by 63.56 per cent compared to the N96.13 million reported in Q4 2021.

It said other income receipts stood at N382.17 million, an increase of 3,316.18 per cent from the N11.19 million recorded in Q4 2021.

The report said in Q4 2022, the number of passengers increased by 30.10 per cent from 1.03 million persons recorded in Q4 2021 to 1.34 million persons in Q4 2022.

It said the volume of goods transported decreased by 1.50 per cent in Q4 2022.

“However, on an annual basis, the number of passengers increased by 18.36 per cent.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Wandoo Sombo
The Federal High Court, Abuja has declared the sack of Sen. Ifeanyi Ararume as Non-Executive Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as illegal and unlawful.

Delivering judgment in the matter on Tuesday, Justice Inyang Ekwo said that his removal was unconstitutional and as such the court restored him as the Non- Executive Chairman of the company with full benefits.

The judge also set aside every decision taken by the board that was appointed after Ararume’s removal.

Justice Ekwo awarded N5 billion as damages in favour of Ararume.

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that Ararume sued the Federal Government, praying the court to declare his sack as NNPC board chairman illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.

He contended that his removal by vide letter Jan. 17, 2022 with reference number SGF. 3V111/86 was a violation of the CAMA law under which NNPCL was incorporated.

Apart from asking the court to issue an order to return him to office, Ararume also demanded for N100 billion as compensation for the damages he suffered following the unlawful removal. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Details later.

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) generated N715.09 million in revenue from passengers in Q3 of 2022, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says.

This is contained in the NBS Rail Transportation Data for Q3 and Q4 2022 released in Abuja on Tuesday.

The report showed that the figure dropped by 60.52 per cent compared to the N1.81 billion received in Q3 of 2021.

Similarly, it showed that N101.84 million was collected in Q3 2022 as revenue from goods/ cargos, this dropped by 7.04 per cent from N109.56 million received in Q3 2021.

“Also, other receipts grew by 707.31 per cent in Q3 2022 from the N14.61 million recorded in Q3 2021.”

The report further showed that the number of rail transport passengers in Q3 2022 dropped by 500,348.

“This is lower than the 696,841 recorded in Q3 2021, representing a growth rate of -28.20 per cent. ”

In addition, the report showed that 33,312 tonnes of goods were transported in Q3 2022, compared to 51,726 tons reported in Q3 2021.

The report said the corporation generated revenue of N1.15 billion from passengers in Q4 2022, which indicated a decrease of 39.54 per cent in Q4 2021 which recorded N1.91 billion.

Also, it said revenue generated from goods in Q4 2022 was N157.23 million, which was higher by 63.56 per cent compared to the N96.13 million reported in Q4 2021.

It said other income receipts stood at N382.17 million, an increase of 3,316.18 per cent from the N11.19 million recorded in Q4 2021.

The report said in Q4 2022, the number of passengers increased by 30.10 per cent from 1.03 million persons recorded in Q4 2021 to 1.34 million persons in Q4 2022.

It said the volume of goods transported decreased by 1.50 per cent in Q4 2022.

“However, on an annual basis, the number of passengers increased by 18.36 per cent.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

==========
Edited by Sadiya Hamza

By Polycarp Auta

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for strong consensus among elites and policy framework that would promote social cohesion and unity in Nigeria.

Osinbajo made the call on Monday at the maiden Policy Making and Good Governance Lecture Series organised by the National Institute for Policy Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, near Jos.

The vice president, in his lecture tagged: ”Creating a Homeland for All: A Nation Building in a Diverse Democracy”, decried the rising spate of frightening divisive tendencies, which according to him was responsible for the backwardness in the nation.

He maintained that our diversity ought to be a ”blessing and not a curse”, adding that Nigeria has the potentials to be a great nation but only when the cankerworm of division is collectively fought.

Osinbajo, who cited examples of Singapore, Tanzania and Rwanda, as nation that effectively managed their diversities, said that Nigeria could take a cue.

”Most heterogeneous nations have been able to manage and harness their diversities for the good of all and we can also do same in Nigeria.

”Our diversity in Nigeria should not be a burden; infact it is a blessing and so we must develop the capacity to manage this diversity for the growth of our nation.

”So, elites must come together and agree to end the ethnic and religious profilling that we are currently facing in our dear nation; we must prioritise things that bind us together and deprioritise ones that set us apart.

”I also believe that the political class and the nation’s leadership can do more in developing policies, laws and the enforcing them toward addressing the weaponisation of ethnicity and religion in our dear nation,”he said.

On the setllers-indigenes dichotomy, the vice president called for the replacement of certificate of indigenes with certificate of residence or birth, insisting that such move would promote cohesion.

He also called for stronger and equitable justice system that would treat all Nigerians equally, irrespective of tribal, religious or ethnic affiliations.

The vice president also called on the media to de-emphasised issues that promote ethnic and religious profilling, and urged them to report things that would unite Nigerians

Earlier, the Director General of NIPPS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, thanked the vice president for honouring the institute’s invitation to deliver the lecture.

Omotayo explained that the idea for the lecture series was conceived in order to create an avenue for the members of Senior Executive Course (SEC) 45 to interact notable Nigerians on policy issues.

”This idea is to enable the institute set the pace so others will follow and we tank the vice president for coming to interact with us to enable participants to tap from his avalanche of knowledge ”,he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event featured an interactive session between the vice president and the participants.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

.The Minister (2ndL) Mr Babatunde Raji-Fashola, SAN, flanked by Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari (1st L) and Managing Director of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Aminu Umar-Sadiq. (R) during the inspection.

By Bosede Olufunmi

The Federal Government says work on the Kaduna-Zaria-Kano highway will be completed before May 29.

The Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji-Fashola, SAN, disclosed this on Monday, while on pre-inauguration inspection of the highway.

The section of the highway is part of the 375.4 Kilometre Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano project awarded during the first tenure of the Buhari administration.

He said that the section would be completed and inaugurated before President Muhammadu Buhari leaves office in May.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the reconstruction of Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano carriageway is divided into three sections.

Fashola said while the second and third sections covering 210 kilometers was almost completed, section one from Abuja to Kaduna will be left for the incoming administration to undertake.

“Section I (Abuja-Kaduna) will continue beyond the tenure of this administration, we lost about a year in 2022, due to criminal activities and rights of way,” he added.

Fashola explained that issues that delayed the work include the relocation of buildings, electricity installations, and markets.

“All we need is to collaborate with Minister of Federal Capital, governments of Niger and Kaduna states, to enable the work move faster and smoothly,” he said.

Similarly, the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, disclosed that the second Niger bridge is also ready for inauguration.

He described it as the third legacy project of the Buhari administration.

Gambari commended the President for making resources available for infrastructure development across the country.

The Managing Director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Aminu Umar-Sadiq, said they were involved in funding some projects.

He said apart from funding, it was important to resolve issues of right of way and security for the projects to proceed according to schedule. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Remi Koleoso/Maharazu Ahmed

By Emmanuella Anokam

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC Ltd) is deepening investments in the Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline and OB3 gas interconnector to support five billion standard cubic feet per day domestic gas utilisation.

Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive, NNPC Ltd., made this known in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the sixth edition of the Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES 2023).

Kyari explained that the company was investing heavily in critical infrastructure.

He added that it was also investing in five giga watts of power generating capacity by developing power plant projects along AKK pipeline corridor and across the country to complement the existing ones.

Kyari said that the company was also investing in five giga watts of power generating capacity by developing power plant projects along AKK pipeline corridor and across the country to complement the existing ones.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, through Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to Government of the Federation.

NAN also reports that the theme of the summit: “Global Perspectives for a Sustainable Energy Future.”

Kyari was represented at the event by Mr Mohammed Ahmed, Executive Vice President, Gas, Power and New Energy, NNPC Ltd.

He said the company would continue to support the Federal Government toward the realisation of key initiatives such as the Decade of Gas and the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP).

These, he said, sought to deepen natural gas utilisation as an alternative transportation fuel, virtual gas supply to off-pipeline grid gas customers and gas utilisation as feedstock for the development of gas-based industries.

Kyari said this was evident in the definite actions taken to utilise Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) to power vehicles, buildings and power plants.

He said the world had recognised the need for ensuring sustainability in the energy landscape in line with the current realities.

Kyari added that as key players in the sector, its mandate of providing energy for Nigeria still remained a priority.

According to him, NNPC is poised to reliably deliver energy to its stakeholders through efficient utilisation of hydrocarbons and other new energy sources which the country was blessed with.

“Oil and gas remains a significant component of the global energy mix, therefore we are unlocking more opportunities across both the oil and gas value chain spanning from supply and infrastructure to the markets,” he said.

Speaking on the gas export market, he said the ongoing Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas company Train Seven would expand Nigeria’s LNG production capacity to about 30 million tonnes per annum (30 MTPA).

This, he said, was in addition to the planned Nigerian Morocco and the Trans Sahara Gas Pipeline projects which would supply gas to sub-regional African countries and subsequently Europe.

“In addition to our existing upstream activities, we are also deepening exploration activities of the nation’s frontier Basins using the best industry standards and technologies which is already yielding results such as the Kolmani discovery.

“And we are hopeful that the recent spud-in of the EBENYI – A in Nasarawa State will yield positive result as well.

“NNPC will continue to leverage partnerships with the industry, government, research institutions and the academia to ensure energy security and sustainability,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma