Aso Villa Reads for 12/10/2018
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
“Nigeria is working assiduously to ensure energy efficiency so as to achieve genuine economic diversification. Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, disclosed this when he received the Secretary-General of the International Energy Charter, Dr. Urban Rusnak, in his office in Abuja, yesterday. Dr. Onu said energy efficiency and sufficiency are essential to achieving knowledge and innovation-driven economy, adding that sustainable environment must also be factored in the energy mix”. Daily Trust reported that “the ministry, through its parastatals, like Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), etc is also working to promote renewable energy in the rural areas, he added.
Dr. Onu noted that Nigeria, given its geographical location is well-placed to explore solar energy to develop rural areas and provide value to products in the country. He promised that Nigeria will continue to work with the International Energy Charter to further develop the country’s energy sector”.
Guardian reports that “the Federal Government is seeking collaboration with oil suppliers to end unwholesome practices and sanitise the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy. Consequently, the ministries of Power, Works and Housing, Labour and Employment, Environment, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other key agencies are to partner with the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) to curb illegal activities in the sector. Speaking yesterday in Abuja at the inauguration of NOGASA executive, representative of Akoko-Edo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Peter Akpatason, insisted that there was need to work together to resolve challenges in the country’s oil and gas supply chain. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and Minister of the Environment, Ibrahim Jibril, supported the move, saying the collaboration, if properly harnessed, would reduce pipeline vandalism, bunkering, oil theft, illegal refineries, mitigate environmental degradation and sanitise the industry”
“President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja vowed the federal government will contend with anyone who is against the peace and unity of Nigeria. According to a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, he said this while receiving a delegation led by Abdulfatah Emetumah, the Offor of Umuofor Kingdom, Oguta LGA, Imo State. “Anybody that tries to joke with the unity of this country has a problem as long as we are alive,” the statement quoted Mr Buhari as saying. He said his main objective of serving as an elected public office holder is to make the country better. Our single objective is how to make Nigeria better and we will never get tired,” he said”. Premium Times https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/289872-buhari-vows-to-fight-anyone-against-nigerias-peace-unity.html reported that “President Buhari thanked the delegation for identifying with the progress made so far by this administration. He assured the members that their well-thought out recommendations on engendering unity in the country would be considered.”
“The mother of Leah Sheribu, the only school girl under Boko Haram captivity said the telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari and the expected visit of high powered federal government delegation has renewed her hope of reuniting with her daughter. The mother, Mrs Rebecca Sheribu, who spoke to Daily Trust on the expected visit of the delegates said “I feel honored and relax when the president called and, the delegation visit had further renewed my hope and confidence that the federal government is doing it’s best to secure my daughter’s release,” she said. Residents in the town, especially the Dapchi schoolgirls parents association, where seen at the family house of Leah Sheribu waiting for the arrival of the delegation. The chairman of the Dapchi Schoolgirl Parent Association, Malam Bashir Manzo, said the visit was an indication that federal government is committed to secure Leah’s freedom. “President Buhari has demonstrated to us what true leadership means, he first secure our daughters release and sent the delegation to her mother and good people of Dapchi town. We pray that our daughter Leah would soon be release to reunite with her parents and the community”, he said.” Daily Trust reported this.
Linda Ikeji Blog reported that “in 2005, the Federal Government set up a committee, the Ad-hoc Committee on the Sale of Federal Government Houses, to sell some of its properties in the Federal Capital Territory. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) received a petition on the work of the committee and commenced investigation, in the course of which it unearthed the fact that the sum of N9.8 Billion realised by the Ad-hoc Committee between 2010 and 2014 from the sale of government properties which was deposited in Aso Savings and Loans Plc, was not remitted to the federal treasury by the financial institution rather, it was used. Amongst the several officials invited for investigation, the current Managing Director of Aso Savings and Loans, revealed that the bank is currently experiencing paucity of funds, therefore it is willing to swap some of its properties located in Abuja and Lagos in exchange for the unremitted funds. This fact led ICPC to recover the sum of N20, 662,250 (Twenty million, six hundred and sixty-two thousand, two hundred and fifty Naira only) from the affected persons in bank drafts which it handed over to the Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee between December 2017 and May 2018”.
“The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has disassociated itself from a Ponzi scheme, which was recently ascribed to it and is currently trending on the social media. The NAICOM spokesman, Abdulrasaq Abdulsalami, said in a statement on Thursday in Lagos that the scheme, which was tagged “National Insurance Commission Newly Launched: Merging Automated’’, was a fraud. He said that “NAICOM’s attention has been drawn to the scheme and it has hereby disclaimed this group that is trending on social media. Members of the public are advised to ignore it; it is a fraud,’’ he said. Mr Abdulsalami said that the Ponzi scheme floated in NAICOM’s name was currently trending on the social media. “It deceives members of the public, as it promises to double their donations in less than 25 minutes.” He added said that the scheme was also a contrivance, aimed at hoodwinking Nigerians to take the risk and get “instant payment’’. Premium Times reported this.
According to Daily Trust, “Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said the Federal Government will no longer accept application of any form of waiver under the Cabotage Act, particularly from oil firm operations. The DG explained that the continuous granting of waivers to oil companies would not help the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector and economy at large. Speaking during a meeting with the Oil Producers Trade Sector (OPTS) in Lagos, yesterday, Dakuku said NIMASA was on the verge of ending such waivers. He urged industry players to draw up a five-year strategic plan for the cessation of application for cabotage waiver and also pursue the utilization of Nigerian-owned vessels for marine contracts.” The report quoted Peterside as saying that Nigerian “laws forbid foreign vessels operating in our territorial waters save for compliance with the Cabotage Act. We also want to increase the number of Nigerians who participate in the marine aspect of your business and we are working closely with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to have a joint categorization of vessels operating under the Cabotage Act in order to ensure the full implementation of the act.” Dakuku urged the international oil companies (IOCs) to support NIMASA’s bid to ensure full implementation of the act, adding that it would equally be of more benefit to the investors in the sector as it will be cost effective for them to engage Nigerians.”
