Business

Empowerment And Rivers People

Published

9 years ago

July 10, 2015

Human resources re
main of primary importance to the development or growth of a nation. Development is enhanced through a continual improvement in the life of the citizenry together with rising economic index. Realistically, a country or state can look forward to a future of successful results and great satisfaction only if the signs and vision are excellent. And to actualize an excellent vision, there is need for innovation and understanding in order to best face future challenges.
This is why the Rivers State Governor, Chief (Barrister) Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, acknowledges that the prosperous future of the state depends on making it economically strong and self-reliant. To realize this, he said his administration shall develop and implement an economic blueprint that leverages on our strengths to make Rivers State the industrial hub of Nigeria in oil and gas, agriculture, maritime and tourism businesses. In addition, the state’s chief executive stated that in growing and managing our economy, we will focus on poverty alleviation or reduction through job creation and expanding business opportunities for our people.
“We intend to achieve this in part, by encouraging Rivers people to participate in both the upstream and down-stream sectors of the oil and gas industry and also through a strategic engagement drive, ensure that our people benefit from the local content policy of the oil, gas and maritime industries”, he emphasised.
He further disclosed that the present administration would ensure that the fruits of development get to every part of the state, including the rural areas by implementing an integrated action plan that takes the entire state into consideration.
There are dissenting opinions that incoming or new government-federal and state are very good at making bogus promises and exaggerating their intentions for the people, which sometimes generates controversies at the end of the day among critics. With the abundance of high valuable resources bestowed on Rivers State, it is hoped that the Governor Wike-led administration would utilize the available resources to speed up or fast-track the economic growth of the state. What we witnessed during the immediate past regime in the state was a seeming exploitation and extortion of Rivers natural and human resources as well as destructive ethnic rivalries that stalled industrialization and prosperity in the state. Rivers people have not had an equal opportunity to develop in the ways that suit them. Acute or abject poverty is staring on the faces of the people and they are yearning for the alleviation of the scourge.
At a presentation ceremony of refrigerators, power generators and other empowerment facilities to members organized by an NGO, the National Clergy forum (NCF) at Igwuruta recently, the Rivers State Government said that one of its cardinal objectives is to alleviate poverty among the people through different forms of empowerment scheme.
The government, which spoke through the Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Hon. Prince Obi Wali K., at the occasion, said it would partner with and support organization with the objective to fight poverty among Rivers people and commended the NCF for the bold step to help people.
Also speaking at the occasion, the National President of the NCF, Bishop Hyginus Ndukaife, said that apart from distributing equipment, the organization helps members to access loans to establish or expand their business. “We do it to help the people at the grassroots as a way of poverty reduction and to check youth restiveness among youths”, he stated.
Rivers State Chairman of the NCF, Bishop-elect Emmanuel Onyebuchi explained that the organization was a non-denominational one with a broad objective and vision to collaborate with banks in Nigeria to provide financial and material assistance to its members. According to him, the NCF aims to provide means of eradicating poverty through active grassroots participation in a financial relationship between the organization and its members.
The National Clergy Forum is registered and inaugurated both at national and state levels with a clear set of objectives which include eradication of poverty among believers and non-believers that registered through grassroots approach and provision of financial and material assistance through collaboration with banks and government agencies.
Rivers State needs rapid development now more than ever before and emphasis should be placed on poverty eradication or reduction. The people need more food and money to feed, own their houses, establish their businesses and provide standard education for their children and many others, including access to good drinking water, electricity and healthcare services.
Globally, the issue of poverty reduction has become unavoidable considering the increasing population, which means that more and more resources are being consumed and not all are renewable. Rivers people are not happy about their conditions, they must develop to assert themselves, to compete with the wealthy ones, and to create structures and institutions that can withstand the present economic trend. In short, the high poverty level and poor economic situation calls for an aggressive economic system that can meet the multi-faceted environmental, economical and social challenges militating against sustainable development in the state.
There seems to be a lack of political will to address squarely the economic challenges confronting the state as it is common in the Niger Delta region, where unchecked oil drilling and exploitation have inflicted tremendous damage on the ecosystem, health and livelihoods of the people. It is the wish of Rivers people that the present administration would make significant investments in social and economic infrastructure across the state and particularly and urgently too, build the economic capacity of the various communities to give them a sense of belonging.
Infrastructural development at the grassroots is very important in driving and sustaining the states growth momentum. The state has over the years built the human capacity and expertise to package and support the government to put in place the right infrastructure deals that would deliver value to the majority of Rivers people and support economic growth.
It is believed that the Wike-led administration recognizes the significant efforts and foundations already laid in this direction to showcase the state’s infrastructure investment, so it now behoves it (government) to critically increase the required finance and industrial base to develop and implement the state’s unparalleled infrastructure investment opportunities to tackle poverty among the citizenry.
It is also pertinent that the government creates a more conducive environment for both foreign and local investors. This has been a major challenge facing the state due to insecurity and lack of steady electricity supply.
This government should create an enabling environment where manufacturers could operate at optimal level and turning out quality products. All the moribund government companies should be revived and repositioned with innovations that could appeal to different segments of the society, including the youth and women.
There is a great need for full inclusion of the youth in our new approach to development if we must move forward.
The truth is that most indigenes of Rivers State are finding it hard to cope with the daily rising economic hardship and inflation due to the fact that prices of commodities have gone through the roof and out of their reach coupled with low cash flow into their hands, thereby escalating the crime rate. Something should be done urgently. Over 85 per cent of Rivers people are living below the poverty line and they need a rescue from the present administration.

Shedie Okpara

Business

Paper Industry’s Economic Contribution Hits N398bn

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

The contribution of the paper industry rose to N398.8billion in 2023 from N356billion it recorded in 2022.
Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Musa Yusuf, disclosed this in a report released to mark the inauguration of World Envelopes Day in Lagos.
Marking the event, which also commemorated the 50th anniversary of envelope manufacturing firm, FAE Limited, Yusuf stated that the paper industry has a profound economic impact across all sectors of the economy.
He, however, noted that the growth in digital technology had greatly disrupted the sector, especially as a mode of communication.
“As of 2023, the value of the Nigerian paper industry was N398.8billion naira, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
“The value was N365bn in 2022; N363 billion in 2021; and N255billion in 2020. This is a significant contribution to our GDP. However, when compared to the size of our economy, which is estimated at N230trillion as of 2023, it is still very small”, the CPPE boss stated.
Yusuf said the paper industry had been largely in recession because of the digital technology disruptions and other macroeconomic headwinds, especially relating to exchange rate depreciation, forex liquidity crisis and high cost of fund and energy cost escalation.
He emphasised that the paper industry had a profound economic impact across all sectors of the economy, which underscored the need for government intervention in the sector.
In her opening remarks, the Managing Director of FAE Limited, Funlayo Bakare, described World Envelopes Day as the brainchild of the company, which sought to set aside April 16 as a day to celebrate the fundamental role envelopes play in daily communication.
“As we celebrate our golden jubilee, we are delighted to announce the inauguration of World Envelopes Day, to be celebrated annually on the 16th day of April.
“This is a pioneering initiative by FAE Ltd in accordance with our leadership position in the sector.
“The establishment of World Envelopes Day is to raise awareness about the importance of envelopes in various aspects of human endeavour, including personal correspondence, business transactions, and creative expressions”, she said.
The Publisher of The Guardian Newspaper, Maiden Ibru, who chaired the occasion, stressed the need to strike a balance between digitalisation and physical paper production, especially due to the indispensable role paper plays in cultural preservation.
Nigeria once had three paper mills: the Nigeria Paper Mill Limited, located in Jebba, Kwara State; the Nigerian Newsprint Manufacturing Company Limited, Oku-Iboku, Akwa Ibom State; and the Nigerian National Paper Manufacturing Company Limited in Ogun State.
The mills are no longer operational, and the country has had to depend on importation to make up for the shortfall.
The Asset Management Company of Nigeria has taken over the management of NNMC over unpaid debts.

Business

Aviation Union Threatens Strike Over Revenue Deduction

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

The Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) has said it would embark on industrial action if the Federal Government refuses to exempt aviation agencies from a directive that seeks to deduct 50 per cent from their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
ATSSSAN disclosed this in a communique issued by its National Executive Council (NEC) after its National Economic Council meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State.
The NEC, which had in attendance all 17 affiliates of ATSSSAN comprising all branch Chairmen, Secretaries, and national officers, reiterated calls for the exemption of the aviation agencies from the deduction of 50 per cent of their IGR under the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
The association said the agencies were not established for profit, hence stifling them of the required funds would jeopardise the effective performance of their safety and security mandates.
ATSSSAN warned that if the Federal Government insist on the deduction, it would compound the current financial state of the agencies, and “we may be forced to direct all aviation workers to down tools until the government reverses itself”.
Last year, the Federal Government directed the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to immediately commence the presidential directives on a 50 per cent automatic deduction from the IGR of Federal Government-owned enterprises.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, had issued a circular titled, “Re: Implementation of the Presidential Directives on 50 per cent Automatic Deduction from Internally Generated Revenue of Federal Government Owned Enterprises (FGOEs)”.
According to the circular, all partially-funded Federal Government agencies and parastatals (receiving capital or overhead allocation from the Federal Government’s budget) should remit 50 per cent of their gross IGR, while all statutory revenues, like tender fees, contractor’s registration, and sales of government assets, among others, should be remitted 100 per cent to the sub-recurrent account.
ATSSSAN stated its apprehension over what it perceives as deliberate efforts by certain private airlines to stop their employees from forming labour unions.
Citing Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and international labor norms, the association contends that such actions constitute a violation of workers rights.
The statement, however, did not specify the airline operators suppressing workers from joining unions.
Part of the statement read, “The NEC-in-session calls on all employers in the private sector in the aviation industry to respect collective bargaining agreements in order to avert industrial crises at the workplace.
“NEC-in-session was seriously disturbed by the continuous willful acts by some private airlines towards frustrating the unionization of their employees, contrary to the letters and spirit of Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and relevant international conventions and laws”.
The association, therefore, called upon the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to uphold and enforce employees’ rights to unionise within the aviation industry.
It urged the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to orchestrate a dialogue involving all relevant stakeholders, including the non-compliant airlines and labour unions, under the auspices of the Labor Ministry.
At the meeting, other issues affecting workers, especially members’ welfare and working conditions, and the aviation industry at large were discussed, and positions and resolutions were taken.
The aviation group decried what it perceive as a dearth of avenues for career progression within government-owned aviation entities.

Business

NCDMB Rakes In $1m Return On NEDOGAS Investment

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

The Tide

Management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) says it has received a cheque of $1 million from Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL).
A statement made available to newsmen by the Directorate of Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination of the Board said the sum received was part of the return on investment (ROI) on one of its strategic investments.
The statement added that: “The cheque was presented by the Chairman of the company, Engr. Emeka Ene, when he visited the Nigerian Content Tower in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where he was received by the NCDMB’s Executive Secretary, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, and other members of the Board’s management.
“Nedogas Development Company Limited (NDCL) is a joint venture company between Xenergi Limited and NCDMB Capacity Development Intervention Company.
“As part of the project, Nedogas NDCL constructed and commissioned a 300 MMscfd Capacity Kwale Gas Gathering (KGG) and injection facility located in the Umusam Community, near Kwale in Delta State, Niger Delta, Nigeria.
“The KGG Facility was designed to handle stranded gas resources in Nigeria’s OML56 oil province by providing the opportunity for independent operators in the area to monetize natural gas from their fields through the gas gathering, compression, injection and metering infrastructure of the KGG for quick market access.
“Nedogas is one of the several strategic and successful investments of the NCDMB funded from the Nigerian Content Development Fund (NCDF), in line with the Board’s mandate to build capacity and catalyze local projects in the Nigerian oil and gas industry as enshrined under the Nigeran Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act”.
In his remarks, according to the statement, the NCDMB Executive Secretary stated that the success story of NEDOGAS at Kwale, Delta State, could be replicated in other oil and gas producing communities to minimise gas flaring, saying that Ogbe also declared the Board’s readiness to continue collaborating with the company.
“Their model should be extended to other parts of the country where gas flaring is continuing.They have shown that with the modular system, we can quickly remove flaring from our operations in Nigeria.
“The NCDMB had continued to receive briefings from its investment partners. We’re still waiting for them to come back with success stories. Some of them are near completion and have not started operations yet”, the NCDMB’s Executive Secretary said.
In his remarks, Chairman of NEDOGAS, Mr. Emeka Ene, conveyed the company’s excitement in returning part of the credit and profit, adding that it was a proof that the NCDMB’s investment was a success and they are getting back that investment, adding that the firm looks forward to further collaboration with the NCDMB to expand its scope.
Responding, the NCDMB boss said the Board was now doing effectively and practically and tangibly what it was set up for, saying its mandate was to impact the economy by direct interventions.
“That’s the way the economy can grow, improve the gas infrastructure in such a way that’s sustainable despite the tight economic conditions”, he said.
He added that, “the value propositions of the Nedogas project include total eradication of flared gas and conversation of environmental pollutants into products of value and creation of a strategic gas gathering hub and injection node for quick access to market for gas owners to monetize gas”.
Other benefits, according to Ogbe, include the provision of alternative gas supply to western flank of the OB3 line to add to the volumes of economic sustainability and increase in Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“The partnership with NEDOGAS is one of NCDMB’s 15 strategic investments geared towards actualizing the Federal Government’s aspirations in key areas of the oil and gas industry.
“Most of the projects were targeted at actualizing the Federal Government’s Decade of Gas programme.
“Some of NCDMB’s notable third-party investments include Waltermith’s 5000 barrels per day (bpd) modular refinery in Imo State, Azikel Group12,000 bpd hydro-skimming modular refinery in Gbarain, Bayelsa State, and Duport Midstream’s 2,500bpd modular refinery in Edo State.
“Other investments of the Board include Better Gas Energy for LPG terminal and gas distribution, partnership with Rungas Prime Industries Limited to establish a cooking gas cylinders manufacturing plant in Polaku, Bayelsa State, and Alaro City in Lagos and the partnership with Butane Energy to deepen LPG utilization in the North”, he stated.
The Executive Secretary also noted that there was the partnership with BUNORR Integrated Energy Limited in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to produce 48,000 litres of base oil per day and partnership with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical Company Limited, and DSV Engineering to establish a 10,000 Ton Methanol Production Plant, Odioama, in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.