Business
Bayelsa Pays N6bn On Contracts …As NYSC Loses 8 Members
Bayelsa State Government, has released the sum of N6 billion to three construction companies for the completion of the three senatorial road projects in the state.
At the presentation of the cheques in Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson, urged the contractors to give the people quality jobs.
The governor also signed two bills passed by the state House of Assembly into law.
The presentation of the N6 billion to the contractors marked the commencement of infrastructural development under the new administration in Bayelsa State.
The breakdown of the funds shows that N2billion was released to Julius Berger for the construction of Yenagoa-Oporoma road, representing the Central Senatorial road project, N2.5billion for the construction of the Sagbama/Ekeremor road in the West Senatorial road to Setraco and N1.5billion to China Construction and Company, for the Etegwe–Tombia road.
The Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure,Mr.Lawrence Erudkapo,said the three multinational construction companies were carefully selected based on their proven integrity and that the Etegwe-Tombia road would be built with eight bridges.
In his remarks, Governor Seriake Dickson,said the construction of the roads would open up the riverine communities for development.
He said the government was committed to transforming Bayelsa State.
The Governor also signed two bills recently passed by the State House of Assembly into law.
The new laws are the Bayelsa State College of Arts and Science Re-Establishment Law 2012 and Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day 2012.
Governor Dickson said the College of Arts and Science would now take-off from the Science Secondary School along Okaka Road after an upgrade of facilities.
He renewed the commitment of the present administration to develop the education sector.
Earlier, while presenting the bills in company of other lawmakers,the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr.Kombowei Benson,said the legislature would work hard to support the executive arm to succeed in its task to transform the state.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Delta State has said that five of its corps members who served in the 2011 Batch ‘B,’ lost their lives during the service year.
The state Coordinator of the scheme, Mrs Vivian Omeruo, disclosed this yesterday in Asaba at the passing out parade of 2011 Batch B corps members.
She, however, said that their deaths, which occurred “through various unfortunate circumstances, were heroic as they died in active service”.
Omeruo also said that 25 corps members were pencilled down for various sanctions ranging from repeat of service to extension of service for various disciplinary conducts.
She said that out of the 25 corps members, nine who absconded would repeat the service year.
The coordinator said the names of the nine corps members had already been forwarded to the National Directorate of the NYSC for ratification.
She said the remaining 16 would have extension of service for periods ranging from two weeks to four months.
In Jigawa, NYSC Coordinator, Mr Ishaya Dede, expressed satisfaction that corps members posted to the state were safe.
He said that recently, 200 corps members voluntarily re-deployed from neighbouring states to Jigawa because of the peace enjoyed in the state.
“Jigawa is a small state, yet we have more corps members now than Kano and some other states in the North.
“This is because some of them were re-deployed here for safety, good welfare and better facilities in our orientation camp,” he said.
Dede said that out of 1,500 corps members, who passed out, 12 of them received the state Governor’s award, while names of 30 others, who contravened the NYSC Act had been forwarded to the headquarters for further action.
In his remarks, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa lauded the contributions of the NYSC in the state to the campaign against HIV and AIDS, polio virus and mass illiteracy among others.
In Bayelsa, the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Abdulrasheed Abiodun, said three corps members died during the service year, while the services of 12 others were extended for truancy.
Meanwhile, 30 out of the 906 corps members, who served in Gombe State were honoured with awards, according to Mr Teryima Igyuse, the state Coordinator of the scheme.
He listed the award to include 20 certificates of merit and 10 certificates of commendation for participation in community development service.
He said the best female among the award winners received the First Lady Hajiya Adama Dankwambo’s award.
Igyuse said four corps members, who absconded from service would repeat the service year, while the service of two others would be extended.
Business
Food Vendors, Others Relocate To New Site At PH Airport
The raging controversy between the Port Harcourt International Airport Management and restaurants/canteen operators and theirallies over relocation has been brought under control, as the operators have commenced relocation to their structures at the new site.
Recall that there had been serious feud over a directive by the Manager of the airport, Mr. Michael Area, for food vendors and their allies to relocate to the new site.
They insisted that the new site was too distant and hence, would negatively affect patronage from customers, with possible loss.
They further also insisted that it wouldcost them much money to put up another structure, given the economic situation in the country, since the airport management did not build any structure for them, apart from providing the empty land they have to also pay for.
The situation had led to flexing of muscles, which made the Airport Manager to order for sealing of all shops, resulting in scarcity of food, as airport users could not find a place to eat, apart from the only Genesis fast food spot available.
As at last Friday, The Tide observed that most of the food vendors had transferred their structures to the new place, and had started doing business there already.
Meanwhile, customers have started settling down at the new location as they were seen patronising shops for foods and drinks, in spite of the distance.
Few of the remaining structures at the old site, The Tide further gathered, will also be removed as quickly as possible, and the owners are making efforts to get funds for the job to be done.
One of them, Mrs Aka Love explained that she was going to relocate to the new place before the end of March.
Currently, business activities at the old site have come to null, as the place which was usually a beehive of food, drinks and relaxation, has completely winded down.
By: Corlins Walter
Business
MOWCA Strengthens Maritime Crime Prevention
Secretary General of the Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has stepped up interaction with the United States Government to lift restrictions placed on some member countries allegedly implicated in illicit shipping activities.
Adalikwu, who led a delegation from the MOWCA Secretariat to the US Embassy in Abidjan for a first leg of the strategic consultation aimed at promoting seamless participation of MOWCA countries in international trade within the global maritime space, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to the best ethical and lawful maritime practices.
Addressing the U.S Ambassador to Côte d’Ivoire, H.E Mrs Jessica Davis Ba, the MOWCA SG stated the organisation’s interest in promoting the International Ship and Port facility Security (ISPS) code which aims at enhancing security of vessels and their ports of call.
He expressed the commitment of MOWCA in promoting environmentally friendly, safe and cost effective shipping without any encumbrance that may limit the economic potential of member countries.
Dr Adalikwu recalled that at the instance of the U.S. Department of State invitation, MOWCA participated in the 2023 Registry Information Sharing Compact (RISC) Conference in Larnaca, Cyprus, on February 28–March 1, 2023, and a virtual meeting held on June 6 2023, with Mrs Jennifer Chalmers, Officer in change of Counterproliferation Initiative.
He recalled The U.S. DOS willingness to support MOWCA’s effort for preventive maritime security through the establishment of the Center for Information and Communication (CINFOCOM) with the aim to ensure a maritime situational awareness domain within MOWCA’s member states’ waters.
He added that MOWCA under his watch is committed to training and retraining of maritime practitioners and experts to enhance the human capital capabilities of member states.
The CINFOCOM will help prevent transnational crimes committed at sea like sanctions evasion by North Korea and other state actors, who exploit poor enforcement due diligence by ship open registries to circumvent United Nations and U.S. trade restrictions.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Business
Nigeria’s Public Debt Hits N97.3trn – DMO
The Debt Management Office (DMO) has hinted that Nigeria’s public debt increased by 10.7 per cent from N87.87 trillion in the third quarter of last year, to N97.34 trillion as at December 31, 2023.
DMO, in an update data released last Friday, said the increase in the debt stock was largely due to new domestic borrowing by the Federal Government to part finance the deficit in the 2024 Appropriation Act and disbursements by multilateral and bilateral lenders.
The office noted that the N97.3 trillion public debt comprises of domestic debt of N59.12 trillion and external debt of N38.22 trillion. The sum of $3.5 billion was used to service external debt during the review period.
“Nigeria’s Public Debt Stock as at December 31, 2023 was N97.34trillion or $108.229 billion. This amount comprises the domestic and external debt stocks of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), the 36 States Governments, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“There was an increase of N9.43 trillion over the comparative figure for September, 2023, which was largely due to new domestic borrowing by the FGN to part finance the deficit in the 2024 Appropriation Act and disbursements by multilateral and bilateral lenders.
“At N59.12 trillion, total domestic debt accounted for 61 percent of the total public debt stock, while external debt at N38.22 trillion accounted for the balance of 39 percent.
“Consistent with the debt management strategy, Nigeria’s external debt stock was skewed in favour of loans from multilateral (49.77 percent) and bilateral lenders (14.02 percent) or total of 63.79 percent which are mostly concessional and semi-concessional.
“Whilst the DMO continues to employ best practice in public debt management, the recent and on-going efforts of the fiscal authorities to shore up revenue will support debt sustainability”, DMO stated.
By: Corlins Walter
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