Aso Villa Reads for Tuesday, Apr. 27, 2021
Every day, we bring you the best stories that the Media is reporting about the Government of Nigeria
The Federal Government has warned Nigerians against travelling to countries that are recording a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially India where they largely go to for medical tourism. It also listed South Africa, Turkey and Brazil in the travel advisory. The Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, formerly Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, also has warned Nigerians against shunning safety protocols against the virus, saying the pandemic was not over. The National Incident Manager, PSC, Dr Mukhtar Muhammad, spoke at the media briefing by the committee on Monday. [Punch]
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has commenced a partnership arrangement with the ANOH Gas Processing Company Limited for the completion of the Center for Skills Development and Training (CSDT) located at Greater Port Harcourt Area, Rivers State. Construction work at the skill acquisition center had been stalled since 2014, due to paucity of funds after it was conceived by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) to train and increase the competence and capabilities of Nigerians to meet the low-to-middle level human resources needs of the Nigerian oil and gas industry.[This Day]
The Federal Government has released another N120 billion through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to subsidise those on tariff bands D and E with less than 12 hours of power supply. The Special Adviser to the President on Infrastructure, Mr. Ahmad Rufai Zakari, in a statement, queried the empiricism of the bank’s figures. According to the data from Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC), 55 per cent of citizens connected to the grid are in tariff bands D and E which have less than 12 hours of power supply. Those citizens, he said, are being fully subsidised to pre-September 2020 tariffs until DIsCos are able to improve supply.[Sun News]
The Federal Government has granted approval for the establishment of the Escravos Seaport Industrial Complex, ESIC, to Mercury Marine Concession Company, MMCC. The proposed $2.9 billion project is majorly designed to boost economic/national development of Nigeria particularly, Delta State. Chairman, Chief Executive of the firm, Rear-Admiral Andrew Okoji, who confirmed the approval, said the Federal Ministry of Transport has directed the firm to pay N1 billion, apparently to express its interest. He said: ‘‘It is going to be a lease for about 50 years. [Vanguard]
According to a spokesman for the Federal Government, payments of grants to individuals and businesses will continue as part of the government’s efforts to lessen the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Nigerians. The payments are being made as part of the government’s Economic Sustainability Plan’s Survival Fund initiative (ESP). President Muhammadu Buhari approved the ESP, a N2.3 trillion stimulus package, on June 24, 2020. As part of the initiative, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) are eligible for a N50,000 grant. [Daily Times]
To subscribe to our Newsletter, click HERE.
