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Split PIB For Easy Passage – Expert

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11 years ago

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Dr Ransome Owan, Group Managing Director, Aiteo Power,Dr. Ransome Owan has urged the Federal Government and the National Assembly to split the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) to ease its passage by the legislature.
Owan gave the advice in a paper he presented at the two-day West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) in Lagos, on Wednesday.
The Tide source  reports that the paper is titled “The Emerging Investor-Owned Electricity Industry in Nigeria and Prospects for Economic Boom”.
He said that the bill seemed complex for a country like Nigeria and needed to be broken into a manageable state for easy passage by the National Assembly.
According to him, government authorities and policy makers should look at the bill carefully and find a way to split it into smaller parts.
“The bill as a whole is too complex for passage and this gives room for delays which hamper economic development and growth of the energy industry.
“It will be better to break it into a manageable state to allow it move forward,” Owan said.
He said the PIB was aimed at unifying all necessary legislations in one bill and to provide a clear framework for investment in Nigeria’s energy sector.
The former head of Nigerian Electricity regulation Council (NERC) also said that the privatisation of the entire Nigerian power industry was the most ambitious anywhere in the world.
He added that the Independent Power Projects (IPP) were underway to close the power gap in the country.
He said that the handover of Nigeria’s electricity distribution and generation to the private sector last year was a ‘watershed moment’, adding that the transaction was largely funded by local banks without Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Owan pointed out that the challenge confronting the power industry in the country was incoherent and disjointed planning and lack of reliable feed stock for generation.
He added that lack of sound structural framework for long-term financing at reasonable rates were also challenges of the sector.
“The greatest life changing experience will be powered by our industry as the main tangent for growth and reversal of fortunes for all Africans.
“The lack of attention to one of the most capital and technology intensive industry by many national governments in the continent has been its bane to the blight of many,’’ he said.
He urged participants to seek relationships that would light up the continent, adding that abject lack of power was most acute in Africa.
He called for collaborations in order to attain value in the system, adding that WAPIC was a good platform for the exchange of ideas needed for business development.
According to Owan, African lending banks need to develop new and innovative tools to bring liquidity to the sector.

Mazi Charles Okoro, (2nd left) Regional Bank Head of Fidelity Bank South-South in a handshake congratulating Miss Faith Elumezie Chikodi one of the winners of the Fidelity Save for Scholarship promo organised by the bank in Port Harcourt, recently. Flanked (right) Anthony Onah, Head SME Rivers/Bayelsa Region and Uchenna Oparah Head of e-banking/sales.

Mazi Charles Okoro, (2nd left) Regional Bank Head of Fidelity Bank South-South in a handshake congratulating Miss Faith Elumezie Chikodi one of the winners of the Fidelity Save for Scholarship promo organised by the bank in Port Harcourt, recently. Flanked (right) Anthony Onah, Head SME Rivers/Bayelsa Region and Uchenna Oparah Head of e-banking/sales.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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1 week ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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1 week ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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