News Agency of Nigeria
Economy/Business

NERC denies 50% tariff increase

178 total views today

By Constance Athekame
The management of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says there is no 50 per cent increase in electricity tariff.

This was made known by NERC’s Head of Public Affairs, Mr Micheal Faloseyi, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

Faloseyi spoke against the backdrop in some quarters that electricity tariff had been increased by 50 per cent.

He said: “The commission hereby state unequivocally that no approval has been granted for 50 per cent tariff increase in the tariff order for Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) which took effect from January 1, 2021.

“On the contrary, the tariff for customers on Service Bands D and E (customers being served less than an average of 12 hours of supply per day for a period of one month) remains frozen and subsidised in line with the policy direction of the Federal Government.

“In compliance with the Electric Power Sector Reforms Acts (EPRSA) and the nation’s tariff methodology for biannual review, the rates for Service Bands A, B, C, D and E have been adjusted by N2.00 to N4.00 per kWhr to reflect the partial impact of inflation and movement in foreign exchange rates,” he said.

Faloseyi said that the commission remains committed to protecting electricity consumers from failure to deliver on committed service levels under the service-based tariff regime.

According to him, any customer that has been impacted by any rate increase beyond the above provision of the tariff order should report to the commission at customer.complaints@nerc.gov.ng.

Defence/Security

Katsina Govt. insists no ransom paid for Kankara school boys’ release

165 total views today

By Abdullahi Shugaba

Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa, Secretary to Katsina State Government says the state government did not pay any ransom to rescue the abducted 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara.

Inuwa said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Katsina on Tuesday that although rescuing the boys from their abductors was difficult, no ransom was given.

He said that the state government deployed a multi-facet approach in effecting the release of the boys saying, “in doing this, we ensured that no casualty was recorded.”

The SSG said, “Contrary to speculations in some quarters that the government paid N1million to rescue each student, the government did not pay any money.

“Although, the process was difficult and hectic, we ensured that no casualty was recorded during the operations, we are happy that they returned safely and were reunited with their families.”

He commended the efforts of the Federal Government through the police and other security agencies towards ensuring the release of the school boys.

It would be recalled that 344 students of Government Science Secondary School, Kankara, Katsina State were abducted from their hostel by bandits on Dec. 11, 2020, and regained their freedom after one week in captivity. (NAN)

Judiciary

Woman loses 4-year-old marriage due to drunkenness

277 total views today

By Olawale Akinremi

An Ile-Tuntun Customary Court in Ibadan, on Tuesday dissolved a four -year-old marriage between Abosede Adesonwo and husband, Wasiu over drunkenness and threat to life.

Delivering judgment, President of the Court, Chief Henry Agbaje said that the  court dissolved the marriage in the interest of peace and tranquility.

Agbaje awarded custody of the only child to Adesonwo and ordered Wasiu to pay N5,000 as the child’s monthly feeding allowance.

Earlier, Wasiu, a baker, alleged that his wife was an unrepentant drunk.

”She feeds our three and a half-year-old daughter beer . I never knew that she was a drunk before I exchanged marital vows with her.

”She showed me and has shown her true colour,” she said.

Adesonwo, a trader said that she made up her mind to call it quits because he beats her.

”My marriage has become uninteresting and meaningless. He also threatened to kill me,” she told the court. (NAN)

Economy/Business

C/River receives World Bank support over #EndSARS destruction

174 total views today

By George Odok
The World Bank has supported the Cross River Government with relief material to cushion the effects on the destruction of properties during the #EndSars protest in Calabar on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, 2020.

The State Commissioner for International Development Cooperation (MIDC), Dr Inyang Asibong, said this after distributing the donated items to the different units in Calabar.

Asibong recalled that after the destruction, the state government through his Ministry had approached the World Bank to render support to the state, especially in the delivery units of the World Bank Assisted Programme COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (CARES).

The items donated include furniture, 20-seater conference chairs, air conditioners and inverters, laptop computers and printers, virtual meeting equipment, hybrid inverter with solar among others.

Asibong lauded the World Bank for the gesture, saying that the distribution was coming at the first day of resumption of duties in the year.

She explained that two result areas of the Ministry, FADAMA and Enterprise Development Funding (EDF) were badly affected during the protest and all the items were destroyed by hoodlums.

According to her, the items will go a long way to enable the staff of the result areas to get back to work in preparation for the CARES programme.

The commissioner said: “The CARES is COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus of the government. It is going to be a state owned project and Gov. Ben Ayade is so committed about improving the lives of residents in the state.

“We know that the poverty index in Nigeria is 40.1 per cent and this is really high. Cross River is lower than the national average, 36.3 per cent, we want to further reduce that our percentage to at least a single digit.

“I want to thank the World Bank for coming to our aid at this point in time and we can assure them we will make the best use of these equipment,” she said.

Mr Fidel Udie, the Acting General Manager of Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), said that the donation confirmed the good working relationship between the state government and the World Bank.

Udie said that the donation would put the state in a good position to participate in the CARES programme.

“This programme is basically meant to target the poor and vulnerable in the society. Gov. Ayade was able to follow up with the World Bank and here we have these equipment to help the delivery units to be ready for this programme,” he said.

He listed the platforms benefiting from the equipment to include; CSDA, the state coordinating unit, FADAMA, EDF, Smart City, Public Work Fare and the state Cash Transfer Unit.

Business , Economy/Business

No political influence on our business decisions – Intels

187 total views today

By Chiazo Ogbolu

Intels Nigeria Ltd., an oil and gas logistics company, has said its business has not been hindered by political influences from the present government.

The company made the clarification in a statement it issued on Tuesday, in Lagos.

It will be recalled that on Jan 4, Intels announced that it had severed ties with its former shareholder, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, after the latter sold his interests in Intels’ parent company, Orlean Invest Holding.

The transactions were executed through Guernsey Trust, in deals that began in December 2018 and concluded in 2020.

However, Abubakar, who confirmed his divestment from the company, blamed President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for trying to destroy the company because of political differences.

The spokesman for Intels Nigeria Limited–Orlean Invest Group, Tommaso Ruffinoni, said the company’s decisions had been devoid of political considerations as it had always operated according to market logic.

“Intels Nigeria Limited and its parent company, Orlean Invest Holding, in relation to some statements that appeared in the press yesterday and today, categorically deny that its business has at some time been hindered by political influences from the current government.

“The company has always operated according to market logic, thanks to its history and commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy in the oil and gas logistics sector.

“The ongoing contradictions are part of a natural commercial divergence, which will hopefully be resolved, as in the past, by a new approach, in the interest of all the parties, also according to the social role that Intels plays in the country. (NAN)

Health

Kano state records 40 new COVID-19 infections

153 total views today

By Rabiu Sani-Ali

Kano State has recorded 40 new COVID-19 infections, bringing the total number of active cases in the state to 318.

The State Ministry of Health announced this on Tuesday via its verified Twitter handle @KNSMOH.

It said that 48 patients who recovered from the disease were also discharged in the last 24 hours in the state.

“Forty new cases were recorded from 286 results received on Monday from laboratories, 48 additional COVID-19 patients were also discharged,” it said.

The ministry disclosed that 58,765 samples were tested; out of which 2,364 were confirmed positive with 1,978 discharged.

It added that the state has so far recorded 68 COVID-19 related deaths since the outbreak of the pandemic in the state.

The ministry urged residents of the state to observe all COVID-19 protocols to curb spread of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the state has witnessed upsurge in COVID-19 infections from 30 to 318 following the second wave of the disease in the country. (NAN)

Health

Why we sealed 4, 219 premises, 2 drug markets in 2020 – PCN Registrar

202 total views today

By Felicia Imohimi

The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) sealed 4, 219 pharmaceutical premises and two open drug markets in 2020.

The Registrar of the council, Dr Elijah Mohammed, gave the figures in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Mohammed said that the measure was targeted at sanitising pharmaceutical practice in order to protect the health of Nigerians.

Giving update of the council’s regulatory activities in 2020, the registrar said that 353 of the premises sealed were pharmacies, while 3, 866 were patent medicines shops.

He said that the council visited a total of 6, 132 premises, comprising 1,104 pharmacies and 5, 028 patent medicines shops.

“In an effort to achieve a well-ordered drug distribution system in the country, PCN closely monitored the development of the Coordinated Wholesale Centres (CWCs) across various locations in the country.

“An update of the status of various CWCs was recently forwarded to the minister of health.

“Among the premises sealed by the national enforcement team include those situated within the emerging open drug markets in Owerri and Abakaliki, in November and December 2020.

“Compliance directives were issued to 166 premises, comprising 92 pharmacies and 74 patent medicines shops.

The registrar added that 24 arrests were made and some of the  suspects already charged to court while others would  be arraigned at the conclusion of investigations.

Mohammed said that due to the COVID-19-induced restrictions, the council sought the permission of the Nigeria Police to enable its enforcement team to move across states.

“In the course of the restriction of movement, the need to control proliferation of illegal pharmaceutical premises became very obvious.

“This is because  owners of these premises took advantage of the health crisis to sell all kinds of medicines to the general public through unlicensed outlets,’’ he said.

He said that PCN would  step up the enforcement in 2021.

“This is to ensure that medicines sold in premises across the nation remain safe, effective and of good quality,” Mohammed said. (NAN)

Foreign

Vietnam jails journalists for ‘propaganda’ critical of state

162 total views today

A court in Vietnam, on Tuesday, sentenced three freelance journalists, known for their criticism of the government, to between 11 and 15 years in prison.

The sentencing came after the court found them guilty of spreading anti-state propaganda.

Pham Chi Dung, Nguyen Tuong Thuy and Le Huu Minh Tuan were convicted of “making, storing, spreading information, materials, items for the purpose of opposing the state’’ at a one-day trial in Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of Public Security said.

Dung established the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam in 2014, which the Police said had sought regime change.

Despite sweeping economic reform and increasing openness to social change, Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party retains tight media censorship and tolerates little criticism.

The party, under the leadership of 76-year-old Nguyen Phu Trong, has intensified a crackdown on dissent ahead of its five-yearly congress due to be held later this month.

Dung was jailed for 15 years and Thuy and Tuan 11 years each.

Reuters could not immediately reach their lawyers for comment.

“They wrote stories to distort and defame the people’s administration, infringe the interests of the Communist Party of Vietnam and state,’’ the ministry said in a statement.

“These are especially dangerous activities that, if not stopped, could hurt national security.’’

Amnesty International said the verdict underscored the government’s contempt for free media, particularly ahead of the congress.

“Even by its own deeply repressive standards, the severity of the sentences show the depths being reached by Vietnam’s censors,’’ said its Deputy Regional Director, Emerlynne Gil.

Ahead of the trial, Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at Human Rights Watch, called the charges “bogus”.

“If the ruling party is so assured in its leadership, it should demonstrate its confidence by respecting civil and political rights.

“It must also end its tight control of the press and allowing independent journalists to freely voice their opinions instead of silencing them with arrest and long prison sentences,’’ Robertson said. (Reuters/NAN)

Environment

Fire destroys N635m property in Kano State in 2020

205 total views today

By Bosede Olufunmi

The Kano State Fire Service says 134 lives and property worth N635million were lost to fire incidents in the state from Jan.1 to Dec.31, 2020.

Alhaji Saidu Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer of the Service said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Kano on Tuesday.

Muhammad said that the service also saved 1,077 lives and property worth N2. 56 billion in 786 fire incidents during the period.

“Most of the fire outbreaks were caused by carelessness in handling cooking gas, use of inferior electrical appliances and poor wiring in homes.

“About 134 lives and property worth N635 million were lost to fire in the period under review,” he said.

Muhammad said that the service recorded 693 rescue calls and 184 false alarms during the period.

He said that the service plans to retrain its 350 staff in 2021 for effective performance.

Muhammed advised residents to always handle fire with care to prevent fire outbreaks.

“Parents should desist from sending under aged children to fetch water from wells, rivers or ponds alone.(NAN)

General News

Putin, Merkel consider possibility for joint production of COVID-19 vaccines

120 total views today

Russian President Vladimir Putin and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have discussed cooperation in the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) and emphasised the possibility of joint production of vaccines against the virus.

The Kremlin disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

“The issues regarding the cooperation in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic have been discussed with an emphasis on possible prospects of joint production of vaccines.

“It was agreed that the dialogue on this topic will be continued between the health ministries and other specialised agencies of the two countries,” the press release said.

The Kremlin noted that the sides had also focused on the settlement of the Ukraine crisis, particularly, under the Minsk complex of measures and the other agreements reached within the Normandy format.

According to the press release, the leaders congratulated each other on New Year and Christmas. (Sputnik/NAN)

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