Aso Villa Reads for 13/6/19
Every day we bring you the best stories the media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
According to PUNCH “In a bid to further grow the country’s power generation, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission has issued a licence to Green Energy International Limited for the generation of 40 megawatts of electricity. GEIL, which is the operator of the Otakikpo marginal field, received NERC’s embedded power generation licence for the 40MW plant just as the total quantum of electricity on the country’s power grid dropped by 1,431.1MW within two days. Latest industry data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing on Wednesday showed that grid power dropped from a peak of 4,804.1MW on June 10, 2019, to a low of 3,373MW the next day. The Director, Corporate Affairs, GEIL, Olusegun Ilori, said the licence that was issued Green Energy by NERCwas part of the measures aimed at growing the country’s power generation, adding that the licence was sequel to the company’s application for it. He said the licence would enable the company to utilise its gas resources for power generation as part of its commitment to the Federal Government to use the gas from the marginal field for power and domestic gas projects. The company, which had earlier secured a generation licence for 12MW, increased its projected power generation capacity to 40MW following the increase in associated gas that would be produced from enhanced oil production during the second phase of the Otakikpo field. Ilori stated that in addition to providing electricity for the company’s field power requirements and the host communities, the 40MW power plant would provide power to the Otakikpo Industrial Park. “The park will be sited in Ikuru town in Andoni Local Government Area, Rivers State and it’s being promoted by Atlantic Industrial Park Limited,” he said. He outlined some of the projects to be located at the industrial park include an onshore oil terminal, a 5,000 barrels per day modular refinery and a mini-liquified natural gas plant that would serve the domestic market.”
According to THISDAY “President Muhammadu Buhari has renamed the Abuja National Stadium as Moshood Abiola National Stadium, crowning the national atonement for the injustice of June 12. Buhari renamed the Stadium in his speech marking the Democracy Day Celebration in Abuja. “As we all know, correcting injustice is a pre-requisite for peace and unity. As part of the process of healing and reconciliation, I approved the recognition of June 12 as Democracy Day and invested the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Babagana Kingibe with National Honours, as I did with the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. The purpose was to partially atone for the previous damage done in annulling the Presidential elections of that year. “Today, I propose the re-naming of the Abuja National Stadium. Henceforth it will be called MOSHOOD ABIOLA NATIONAL STADIUM.”
According to DAILYTRUST “MSMEs in Nigeria that have built viable businesses and created jobs will be honoured at the second Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) awards slated for August one. At a press conference on Monday, the Vice Chair Award Screening Committee and Director Enterprise Development and Promotion at SMEDAN, Mr Monday Ewans, said 11 competitive and four honorary awards would be given at this year’s event. “There are 11 categories which MSMEs are to apply for; MSME of the year award, Award of Excellence in Creative arts, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Technology and innovation, Fashion and Style, Leather works, Beauty Wellness and Cosmetics, and Furniture and woodworks. “There is also a special category for male and female participants at the MSMEs clinics.” Ewans said MSMEs that will be given awards will be chosen from among those that sent video clips of their business to www.nationalmsmeawards.com.ng. The vice chair further stated that the overall MSME of the year will be given N2 million and a brand new SUV while winners from other categories will get N1 million and a laptop. Also speaking at the conference, Abimbola O. Soyode of Micro Enterprise Directorate of the Bank of Industry said the government will establish three more shared facilities for MSMEs in the country. “So far we have done two MSMEs shared facilities, but we want to do additional three this year. The next will be in July but others are for later in the year. The essence of the shared facilities is to ensure that businesses in that area get the required facility to operate their business at a subsidised rate,” Soyode said. Soyode said the facilities will be established in Lagos, Anambra and Kaduna and over the next years more would be established in other states. She said the next MSMEs clinic will be held in July in Kebbi State.”
According to DAILYTRUST “As part of the capital raising for the 2019 budget, the Debt Management Office (DMO) is offering two and three years’ savings bonds for the month of June at 11.4% and 12.4% interest rates respectively. This was contained in a document published on the DMO website on Monday. The interest payment of the bond is payable quarterly, and the bond costs N1,000 per unit, subject to a minimum subscription of N5,000 and in multiples of N1,000 subject to a maximum subscription of N50,000,000. The office had raised an excess sum of N71 billion at the FGN Bond Auction in May 2019. Recent trends show that investors have preference for long term bonds as the total bids received from investors for the bond was N271.11 bn. At the May 2019 FGN bond auction, DMO offered three instruments for five, 10 and 30 years to the investing public, with a total amount offered of N100bn. Also, in the April auction when the 30 year bond was first offered to the market, investors showed a stronger demand for the 30 year bond with subscription of over N100bn compared to the N30bn offered.”
According to DAILYTRUST “The Federal Government through the Galaxy Backbone has launched a platform to support the e-government master plan initially approved by the previous Federal Executive Council. The official launch, was carried out recently in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Gida Mustapha, the Head of Service, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita with the former Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu, permanent secretaries of several ministries as well as the heads and representatives of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in attendance. A statement from Galaxy BB said following the launch, government will begin the full implementation of the E-government master plan, which is meant to set Nigeria apart in the league of nations effectively delivering government services using digital technologies and infrastructure, in earnest. The Director E-government within the Ministry of Communications, Mr. Tope Fashedemi, said ‘Galaxy Backbone provides the infrastructure that will enable the full implementation of the e-government master plan’. Galaxy Backbone (GBB) is the digital infrastructure and shared services provider to government and all its agencies. The Managing Director/CEO, Mr, Yusuf Kazaure, said the e-government master plan heralds the platform that will help ministries and agencies perform better. Kazaure has assured that Galaxy Backbone will perform its responsibilities to ensure the full implementation of the plan.”
According to BUSINESSDAY (Thursday 13 2019, page 14) “Following the Approved Maintenance Organization (AMO) Certificate issued by Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to DAV-AAKY Nigerian Limited, the company now has the full license to carry out Non Destructive Testing (NDT) to ensure aircraft airworthiness and serviceability. The AMO certification will enable the company to inspect and carry out Non Destructive Testing on aircraft and aircraft components with a specifications covering Eddy Current Testing, Magnetic Testing, Dye Penetrant and Ultrasonic Testing inspection on all types of aircrafts and aircraft components. Chief Executive Officer of DAV-AAKY Nigeria Limited, Engineer Ayoola Stephen told newsmen that the NDT tests are carried out on aircraft whole or components to detect cracks, corrosion etc on the aircraft or aircraft components. He added that the company has trained and competent NDT personnel with certification to EN4179 and/or NAS410 which is internationally recognized. And as a result they can carry out NDT inspections internationally. The NDT tests are not restricted to aviation as they are carried out in Automobile, Sea, Rail, Oil and Gas industry. “We carry out NDT inspection on aircraft and its components to ascertain its serviceability. Also, not really on only aircraft, we also carry out inspection on automobile, in the sea, marine, ships bridges and the rest but presently, NCAA has given us an AMO on NDT inspection in aviation and this is the first of its kind in this country”
According to BUSINESSDAY (Thursday 13 2019, page 6) “THE Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, is set to resolve the persistent right-of-way challenges, which hindered the building of infrastructure to deepen broadband penetration in the country. Prof. Umar Danbatta, executive vice chairman of NCC, made this known when Olusola Teniola, President, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, ATCON, led its new executive to visit the commission’s head office recently in Abuja. According to him, State Governors, who are part of the challenges of establishing the right-of-way, had in a meeting with Nigerian Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, keyed into broadband penetration initiative, leading to the plan to lay 18,000 kilometers of fiber cables across the country, with the ultimate aim of meeting and surpassing the 30 per cent broadband penetration target by the end of this year. The presidency appears to be directly championing the cause as MainOne; IHS Nigeria Limited; Broadbased Limited and Phase3 Communications have been selected to lay the 18, 000 fiber cable. Applauding the development, the executive vice chairman said the telecom infrastructure is critical to the development of any country, and should be allowed to be deployed unhindered in any state of the federation. He added that with the proliferation of telecom infrastructure will ultimately lead to broadband access and ensure that Nigeria experiences economic emancipation, generate jobs for unemployed youths as well attract investment to every sector of the economy.”
According to BUSINESSDAY (Thursday 13 2019, page 29) “The Federal Government has stated that the Federal Ministry of Justice is committed to pursuing the amendment of the Cybercrimes Act, which many lawyers, journalists and activists have considered repressive, unconstitutional and illegal. “This was stated by Head, Cybercrimes Prosecution Unit, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. Terlumun George Tyendezwa, at a Media Interactive Session on the Constitutionality and Legality of the Cybercrimes Act in Nigeria, organized by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) in collaboration with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), USA. At the Media Interactive Session held in Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Tyendezwa said that The Cybercrimes Act is not perfect that is why they are using the opened door, to engage the Act and all stakeholders in the Justice sector. Earlier at the meeting, a group of lawyers, journalists, activists and other stakeholders unanimously declared the Nigerias Cybercrimes Act as repressive, oppressive and unconstitutional. The Act should immediately be repealed or dropped, as many of its provisions blatantly offend the rights to freedom of expression, association and media freedom. The group added that the Cybercrimes Act is already in desperate need of a significant overhaul to ensure that it does not unwittingly and unconstitutionally place citizens at the unfortunate risk of the luck of a criminal draw.”
According to BUSINESSDAY (Thursday 13 2019, page 39) “The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), formerly known as the Consumer Protection Council, has ordered MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, operator of DStv, to provide an option that would allow its subscribers pause their active subscription. With the new directive, MultiChoice is compelled by the commission to allow its subscribers to periodically suspend subscription for at least three times every year for up to 14 days in each instance. The instruction was part of the 11 directives in a “Final Order” issued by the commission against MultiChoice for raising its subscription tariffs despite a court order barring it, and in line with its new mandate after President Mohamaadu Buhari signed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018 (FCCPA) into law in January 2019. The law provides the statutory and regulatory framework for a more robust regulation of anti-competitive conduct and greater scrutiny of conduct in the market place that could distort the market, or impede competition, according to FCCPC. The commission said the directives contained in the final order were issued “considering that consumers were not receiving the benefits of the proposed modification of MultiChoice’s approach to consumer protection”. It would be recalled that the commission had filed a suit against MultiChoice before a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja for increasing subscription rates on its packages against a consent order agreed jointly by both parties, according to the commission. The consent order contained a mutual understanding that no material terms of the Subscription Agreement between MultiChoice and its subscribers — which includes increasing subscription rates — will change during an agreed period of supervision by FCCPC. This is “to ensure that the crucial issues in repeated complaints, and that were covered by the Consent Order were sufficiently addressed under the existing terms and rubric of expectations by consumers,” the commission said in a statement.
