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As PIB Undergoes Public Hearing

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The Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) fully called “A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of a  Legal, Fiscal and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria” has remained in the Nation’s Parliament for over two decades now. And there are  still doubts in the  minds of Nigerians if this all important bill could be passed into law before the seventh assembly elapses.

On March 7, however, the bill passed its crucial second reading on the floor of the Senate, not without a heated debate  that involved an unprecedented 81 Senators of the 109-member Senate. This  is not a surprise  as the bill which  holds the hopes, fears and the complexities of the over 250 ethnic groups that make up Nigeria was at the stage  where most bills meet their cul-de-sac.

The PIB is a bill that contains all the requirements that apply to the entire petroleum industry in Nigeria as the title clearly states. It covers matters such as petroleum  administration, royalties and taxes, ladding procedure, environmental obligations, employment business opportunities  and technical requirements. It is a combination of 16 different Nigerian Petroleum laws in a single transparent and coherent document.

The original concept of the PIB is to provide strong basis for the renewal of the Nation’s Petroleum Industry based on international best practices. It is meant  to establish a new framework for the good governance of the oil industry with  increased petroleum revenues for the country and as well open a new window of opportunities for Nigerians.

In legislative drafting, for a law to command acceptability, it has to address  the issues that gave rise to the need for that law. It has to be in consistence with existing laws on the issue. It should also make provision for what constitutes  violation of that law, prescribe punishment and also put in place the mechanism  for enforcement.

Despite the scrutiny it has gone through, there are some grey areas in the bill that call for serious concerns, according to stakeholders.

During the debate on the general principles of the PIB, almost all the Senators disagreed on the sweeping power proposed for  the  Minister of Petroleum Resources which makes the Minister be above all oversight and fiscal control. Senator  Ita  Enang representing Akwa Ibom North-East was quoted as saying that “The powers and functions vested in the  minister are excessive and should  be reviewed so that the institutions established  and statutory powers conferred can operate with minimal interference and conflict from the minister.

He, therefore, advised that caution should be taken in the definition and assignment of function to the minister as the need may arise in the future to split the  functions and powers of the ministry under the petroleum industry to two or three ministers and even  for gas; amending the Act may not  be necessary then before it could  be effected.

Also, Senator George Akume, Senate  Minority Leader and former governor, Benue State in an interview said one of the concerns  of the Senators from the North was the menacing powers vested on the Minister of Petroleum Resources by the bill. Industry watchers see this overriding power to the minister as a ploy to enrich some influential members of the society which is what the bill is meant  to curb.

In addition, one area that created a divide between the South-South and Northern Senators is the 10 per cent  Petroleum Host Communities (PHC) fund.

The Northern Senators feel that additional 10 per cent to the existing 13 per cent derivation fund would impoverish the states that have no oil.

According to Senator Akume, “what is  important here is the fact that they already have the 13 per cent derivation. Of course, they also have the Niger Delta Commission and the Ministry of Niger Delta. All these are designed to create an atmosphere that is very conducive and that would provide succour to the majority of people from the Niger Delta.

Overwhelmed by the weight of over  50 years of neglect, 10 per cent PHC fund  and 13 per cent derivation can barely meet the needs of oil bearing communities. Exclusion of indigenes of oil bearing communities from participation in the oil-economy like owning of oil blocs, has forced the people   to resort to illegal refining of crude, which is costing the country 500,000 barrels of crude per day.

Besides, comparatively, there are discrepancies in the provisions  for the host communities  in the PIB and the Nigerian Minerals and Mining  Act 2007. In the PIB, an oil licence or lease can be granted  without putting into  consideration  the closeness of the  said field to the communities.  Whereas, the  Mining Act gives adequate consideration to the lives of the host communities.

Section 3 (1)(c) of the Mining  Act provides that, “no mineral title granted under this Act shall authorise exploration  or exploitation of mineral resources  or  the erection of beacons on or the occupation of  any  land-occupied by any town, village,  market, burial ground or cemetery or archaeological site, appropriated for a railway  or sited within  fifty meters of a railway or which is the site of or within fifty meters of any government or public building, reservoir, dam or public road.

Also in section 102 of the Mining Act, the right of the owner of the property is recognised by giving the owner the right to determine the rent. The section partly  provides that “the minister, before granting a mining lease on any private or any state land should require the owner or occupier of the land, to state in writing  within  the period specified by the regulation, made under the Act, the  rate of annual surface rent which the owner desires should be paid to him by the lease for the land occupied or used by it for or in connection with its mining operation.”

Therefore, as the House of Representatives Committee on PIB commences public hearing on the PIB across the country and the subsequent  public  hearing by the Senate, it is imperative that all Nigerians nay the Niger Delta who wear the  shoes and know where they pinch should take advantage of the opportunity which the public hearing offers to see that their interests are protected.

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Eazipay  Offers Zero-Interest Loans To  150,000 SMEs, Employees

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With a mission to ignite growth, encourage business continuity and help businesses and employees thrive, Eazipay is gearing up to propel the dreams of 150,000 SMEs and employees to new heights through her relief fund.
Gone are the days of financial constraints and stifled dreams. With Eazipay’s support, SMEs and employees alike can bid farewell to limitations and embrace a world of endless possibilities.
Whether it’s start up,  business expansion or personal development, Eazipay is here to make dreams come true.
The mind-blowing initiative, which  kicked off this month, would end in December, and will also offer a range of perks and benefits designed to put a smile on the faces of SMEs and employees alike.
From exclusive discounts to various advisory services and beyond, Eazipay is committed to spreading happiness and creating lasting impact in people’s lives and to the growth of businesses.
The technology company which offers products and services that range from payroll management to IT/Device management and assessments, “Eazipay isn’t just providing financial support but also unleashing a wave of growth and prosperity for SMEs and employees across the nation.
“Interested businesses and individuals can take part in this initiative directly from the Eazipay website: www.myeazipay.com”.

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SMEs Critical For Sustainable Dev – Commissioner

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The Commissioner of Finance, Lagos State, Abayomi Oluyomi, has described Small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) as a critical engine for sustainable development in any economy.
He said this recently at the 10th anniversary of the Alert Group Microfinance Bank and the opening of their new head office in Lagos.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, SMEs accounted for about 50 per cent of Nigeria’s gross.
He commended the positive impact of the Alert MFB as it empowers SMEs in the State.
“Alert MFB in the past 10 years has been at the forefront of empowering SMEs in Lagos State, disbursing over N30bn in loans to over 30,000 individuals having small to medium businesses over that period, which is quite remarkable”, he said.
Speaking, the Group Managing Director of Alert Group, Dr Kazeem Olanrewaju, revealed that the financial institution commenced business in 2013 as a microfinance bank.
“We started this journey in 2013 and it has been expanding. Today, they have about 10 branches across Lagos. They have supported well over 30,000 clients and have disbursed over N30bn.
“The company has been profitable since the second year. Looking at the market and the available opportunity, the Alert MFB board decided to come together to establish a Microfinance Institute (MFI), which is the Auto Bucks Lenders”, Dr. Olanrewaju said.
The GMD further stated that the company was focused more on supporting businesses and small and medium enterprises.
“The loan to support business represents over 98 per cent. The consumer loans you will see are the ones given to entrepreneurs. So, the area of focus of Alert MFB and Auto Bucks Lenders is to support businesses across the country.
“With the establishment of Auto Bucks Lenders, we have the opportunity to also do business outside Lagos. So, presently, we have offices in Ogun State and Oyo State. We intend to go to every part of Nigeria to support what we are doing”, he declared.

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Retailers Explain Price Drop In  Cement Cost

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The cement market, in the last couple of weeks, has seen a significant turnaround with prices tumbling from between N10,000 and N15,000 per 50kg bag to between N7,000 and N8,000.
The sudden rise in the prices of cement and other major building materials in February this year upsets  the construction industry, especially in real estate, where many developers were forced to abandon building sites.
A recent market survey conducted by The Tide’s source in different locations across the country confirmed a price drop, ranging between N7,000 and N7,500 per bag, though BUA cement is selling for N7,500 to N7,800 per 50kg bag, depending on location.
Both entrepreneurs and major distributors who were interviewed,  explained that the price drop is due to low demand and government’s intervention.
At the peak of the price hike, the Federal Government called a meeting with major producers where it was agreed that a bag of cement should be between for N7,000 to N8,000, depending on location.
But the producers did not comply with this agreement immediately, followin which “Nigerians stopped demanding for cement; many project sites were abandoned as developers sat back and waited for the prices to come down.
“So, what has happened is an inter-play of demand and supply with price responding, which is Economics at work”, Collins Okpala, a cement dealer, told the source in Abuja.
In the Nyanya area of the Federal Capital Territory, a 50-kg bag of Dangote cement now sells for between N7,000 and N7,500, while BUA cement sells for between N8,500 and N9,500, down from between N11,000 and N12,000 respectively.
In Lagos, the product has seen significant price drop too. In Ojo area of the state, Sebastin Ovie, a dealer, told our reporter that what has happened is a crash from the January price, attributing the crash to low demand and stronger naira.
“The current price of the product is between N7,000 and N7,500 per 50kg bag, depending on the brand. This is a significant drop from the average of N12,000 which most dealers were selling in February and March”, he said.
A dealer in Agege area of the state who identified himself as Taofik Olateju, told the source that sales are picking up due to the drop in price.
He recalled that Nigerians at a point stopped buying due to the high price of the product at N15,000 per bag.
“I am sure most dealers ran at a loss then because we had mainly old stocks which we wanted to offload quickly”, he said, confirming that the product sells for between N7,500 and N8,000, depending on the brand and the demand for the brand.
Continuing, Olateju noted that “because the naira is now doing well against the dollar, it will be unreasonable for manufacturers to continue to sell the product at the old prices. I also believe that the federal government’s intervention and the threat to license more importers may have worked, leading to the reduction in price”.
In Enugu, the source reports that the product sells for between N7,200 and N7,500 depending on the brand and location.
“This is a city where the price of a 50kg bag went for as high as N12,000 and N13,000 in some cases in February and March”, Samuel Chikwendu said.
He added that the prices of other building materials, especially iron rods, have also dropped considerably which is why, he said, activities are picking up again at construction sites.
The story is slightly different in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, where Innocent Okonkwo told the source that low demand was also driving the price drop, adding that a 50kg bag was selling for N9,000 on the average in the state.
Sundry market observers are optimistic of further price reductions, but they remain cautious as manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers continue to play critical roles in setting prices for end-users.
They lamented, however, that despite Nigeria’s status as one of the largest producers of cement in Africa, the price of the product continues to rise, particularly in the face of high inflation impacting the building materials market generally.
Okpala in Abuja highlighted the variations arising from direct sourcing from manufacturers versus procurement through dealers, with traders holding old stocks selling products at prices ranging from N8,500, N8,300 to N8,000 per bag.
Lucy Nwachukwu, another dealer in Abuja, said the significance of  procurement volume in determining cement costs, noting that stability in prices has been observed over the past month, with the product retailing for between N7,000 and N7,800 depending on the brand.
In Port Harcourt also, a customer, Daniel Etteobong Effiong, said the price goes between N7500 to N8500, depending on the brand and the location one is buying from.

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