By Salif Atojoko

The Tinubu Media Volunteers (TMV) has commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for the inauguration of the dualisation of sections two to four of the Ekpoma-Auchi-Okpella-Okene-Ajaokuta Expressway.

Mr Chukwudi Enekwechi, Chairman of the group, said the move had brought hope to motorists using the road linking Edo and Kogi States.

“We note that the Minister of Works, Sen. David Umahi, while inaugurating the road project on behalf of President Tinubu, stated that the road construction aligns with the Tinubu administration’s commitment to making roads across the country motorable.

“The group emphasised that this initiative reflects the administration’s dedication to improving national infrastructure for the benefit of all Nigerians.

“We believe that with the inauguration of the dualisation work, motorists traveling to the western, eastern, and northern parts of the country will experience significant relief.

“The project will also boost economic activities for residents of Kogi and Edo along the road corridor,” the group said.

The group also reminded Nigerians that the project had been abandoned by previous administrations, in spite of receiving significant capital allocations.

“We commend the Works Minister for bringing President Tinubu’s vision to life through the development of critical road infrastructure.

“For years, this road was neglected, becoming a source of frustration and inconvenience for road users.

“But now, the Tinubu administration is changing the narrative with a focus on leaving a lasting legacy of quality roads,” the group noted.

TMV also urged Nigerians to continue supporting the Tinubu administration in its efforts to rebuild the country’s road infrastructure. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Naomi Sharang

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said it has begun construction of a Multipurpose Emergency Shelter designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies in the Niger delta region.

Managing Director of NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku, made this known on Monday in Abuja, while defending the commission’s 2024 budget estimate of N1.911 trillion before the Senate Committee on NDDC.

In his presentation, Ogbuku said that from the proposed 2024 budget, N38.5 billion was for personnel, while N29.2 billion was for overhead and N1 trillion earmarked for legacy projects.

He said that the Multipurpose Emergency Shelter, which was a flagship of NDDC’s present administration with a capacity of over 1,000 accommodations, was designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies.

“In response to the frequent flooding challenges faced by Niger Deltans, we have commenced construction of a Multipurpose Emergency Shelter with a capacity of over 1,000 accommodations, designed to serve as a refuge during flood emergencies.

“The facility includes essential amenities such as a school, hospital, cafeteria, police post, and recreation centre, aimed at providing comprehensive support to the community,” he said.

He said that once completed, the multipurpose emergency shelter would play a vital role in offering temporary accommodation and necessary services to the population in the event of emergencies in the region.

“The NDDC’s proactive approach in addressing the needs of the affected communities through such initiatives underscores the Commission’s commitment to enhancing emergency response and resilience in the Niger Delta region,’ he added.

Ogbuku further said that in the area of infrastructure, the commission came up with “Operation Light Up Niger Delta Region”.

“This has seen a reasonable number of the communities being lit up using solar powered street lights, which have boosted the economic activities of communities at night.

“In education, we have awarded foreign scholarships to 750 individuals between 2023-2024 (for 2022, 2023 and 2024 years) and provided educational grants to 84 individuals.

“Additionally, we are distributing 45, 000 Ulesson tablets preloaded with Nigerian and WAEC syllabus to schools in the nine states in the Niger Delta region.”

He said that the commission had commissioned a programme, to enable enrolment of poor and vulnerable people into the various Social Health Insurance Schemes of the nine NDDC states.

This, he said, was in view of the prevailing poor health indices of the country and particularly the region.

“This is to also facilitate easy access to essential health and social services towards Universal Health Coverage.”

Ogbuku said that the commission was working toward completion of some ongoing projects, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive.

The MD also said that his administration was committed to payment of legacy debts because, “we are committed to the welfare of our people in the Niger Delta”.

He said that N100 billion was earmarked to begin payment of legacy debts, adding that in 10 years’ time the commission would have offset the legacy debts.

Chairman of the Senate Committee, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong, while noting that although the budget was brought late, said NDDC had recorded salient achievements like ‘light up Niger Delta’.

“I hope that the 2024 budget will consolidate on already existing projects. I commend the NDDC’s scholarship programme,”he said.(NAN)

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer/Emmanuella Anokam

A Presidential aide, Mrs Olu Verheijen, says President Bola Tinubu’s administration is actively seeking ways to grow the nation’s foreign reserves to stabilise the Naira and economy.

Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President on Energy, said this in her presentation at the Ministerial Press Briefing on Friday in Abuja.

The event was organised by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris.

Verheijen said the government was committed to accelerating economic growth and diversifying the economy for the benefit of all Nigerians.

This, she said, required timely, credible, clear and consistent policies.

According to her, the country is faced with a revenue crisis which is impacting all Nigerians.

She described the oil and gas sector as critical to the country’s ability to accelerate economic growth, adding that the current oil and gas production and investment levels fell significantly short of the country’s potential.

The aide said since 2016, Nigeria had only accounted for four per cent of Africa’s total oil and gas investments, despite possessing 38 per cent of the continent’s hydrocarbon reserves.

she expressed assurance of the president’s determination to reverse the trend and take decisive steps to ensure a conducive business climate and reposition Nigeria as a preferred investment destination.

“Tinubu issued a Presidential Directive to streamline and clarify the scope of the two regulators in the petroleum sector to provide certainty and create a conducive business environment.

“He also directed the National Security Adviser and me to coordinate enhanced security measures in the Niger Delta.

“Owing to this directive, the pipelines which had been repeatedly vandalised are now enjoying improved uptime; availability has practically doubled since these directives were implemented.

“This has translated to increased liquids of over 200,000 barrels per day being transported over the last six months.

“It has increased the availability of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Train One to Six from 57 per cent in 2023 to 70 per cent in first quarter of 2024,” she said.

She further explained that Tinubu had also introduced fiscal incentives to deepen Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) penetration.

Verheijen said these incentives were designed to ease the impact of fuel subsidies on transportation cost and enable the displacement of Premium Motor Spirit and Diesel.

She said following extensive engagements, analysis and bench-marking with industry operators and regulators, the President had initiated amendment of primary legislation to introduce fiscal incentives, reduce project execution timelines and promote cost efficiency.

“However, recognising the urgency to accelerate investments to stabilise the economy, Tinubu executed Policy Directives to clearly signal the policy direction of this administration to both the market and regulators.

“The Policy Directives include Fiscal Incentives for Non-Associated Gas (NAG), Midstream and Deepwater Oil and Gas Developments, Streamlining of Contracting Processes, Procedures and Timelines and Local Content Practice Reform.

“Details on the role of each stakeholder are contained in the Policy Directives, which have been Gazetted and will be distributed shortly,” she said.

On coordination, the aide said she would play a coordinating role in ensuring implementation within the timelines stipulated in the directives.

She promised to follow up on the implementation of the directives, and in return expects the operators to commit to their promises to make the desired investments.

“This administration is focused on enabling transformational economic opportunities to lift millions of hardworking Nigerians our of poverty,” Verheijen said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Deborah Coker

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Momoh has pledged to utilise the resources of the ministry transparently.

Momoh stated this on Tuesday when he hosted members of Edo Journalists’ Forum in Abuja.

He said that the present challenges of the government were quite enormous in view of scarce financial resources.

Momoh said that whatever the ministry gets would be managed as best as it could, so that people could see for themselves.

He admitted that the expectations of the Niger Delta people were high, but that they should exercise patience with the government because of the present economic situation and low resources.

“But at least we will manage transparently the resources that are available to us. That is what we stand for.

“If you want to go to equity, you must go with clean hands; we want to restrain ourselves from so many things that others are used to doing in the past.

”I don’t want my integrity and my authority to be eroded in any way,” he said.

The minister said that the ministry was open to all the people in the region.

He said that the ministry would collaborate and work with major stakeholders to ensure that some of the responsibilities and expectations for the region were met.

“I know the expectations are quite high, so we will ensure that those we cannot do directly, we get our colleagues and stakeholders to help us.

“We will also work with other ministries and agencies to ensure that other responsibilities they handle in the region will adequately be taken care of,” he said.

Momoh charged journalists to help in whatever way they could to positively project the ministry.

Earlier, the spokesperson for the Forum, Dr Leon Usigbe said the group was on the visit to congratulate the minister on his new appointment.

“We are also here to show solidarity and to let you know that we share in the dream to create a vibrant and a new Niger Delta.

“We believe that as the goose that lays the golden egg, the Niger Delta deserves more than it currently receives.

“And we are confident that with someone like you who is a change agent and who is passionate about development, this is the best time that this region can look up to,” he said.

He said that restiveness in the region was due to youth employment.

“We know that with your ability and you being at the helm of Niger Delta Affairs, things are going to be different,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Joseph Edeh