Business

Minister Reassures On Reduction Of Gas Flaring

Published

14 years ago

February 22, 2013

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has said government would reduce gas flaring from 11 per cent to two per cent in 2014.

The minister said this at the on-going 13th Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference in Abuja.

She said that currently, the ministry had reduced gas flaring to less than 11 per cent as against 30 per cent in 2010 which she said was still not adequate.

“This year’s conference gives us great opportunity to discuss and address the oil and gas business, challenges and government’s plan to the sector in the next five years.

“The Ministry of Petroleum had played a critical role in transforming the oil and gas sector which has been the primary objective of the ministry.”

“The oil and gas sector had witnessed tremendous renewal performance level in the last three years under the leadership of President Goodluck Jonathan, which has placed the industry in better development.”

Alison-Madueke said that in the upstream sector, the ministry had continued over the last 12 months to maintain its production of 2.4 million barrel per day.

She said that gas production in the country had also increased from 6.3 billion standard cubic feet per day (SCF) to 7.8 billion SCF per day in 2012.

“The initiative to grow the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to medium seize of Oil and Gas Company over the last couple of years had been done in an aggressive manner.

“It has been very difficult to put in place, but we have put in place a robust and aggressive issue in trying to support the national oil company in the way and manner we did,” she added.

The minister said that in spite of being accused of selling the country’s oil blocks, it had signed NNPC equity over to NPDC.

“I think that it’s worth it, if government is not prepared to stand up and put their money where their mouth is, to ensure that certain national assets and entities are supported with full government behind it, we will not move forward.

“By supporting the NPDC in the last two year, we have managed to increase the company production from 50,000 barrels per day that we met to 140,000 barrels per day in 2012,” she said.

The minister said that the effect meant that it would increase over the next two years.

Alison-Madueke said that funding of gas infrastructure initiative had to be through appropriation “which is not sustainable.”

Business

FG Approves 4 New Channel Management Firms For Seaports

Published

3 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved four new channel management companies for seaports across the country in a move aimed at improving vessel navigation and port operations.

Speaking at the recently concluded Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), former General Manager, Marine and Operations, Capt. Ebubeogu Ihenacho, disclosed that there would be changes in the ownership of the Lagos Channel Management Company Limited and the Bonny Channel Management Company.

According to Ihenacho, the four channels serving Nigeria’s major port clusters will have different channel management companies as approved by the FEC.

He said a new company had been approved to manage the Lagos port channel, with a change of name, while the Calabar Channel would be managed by the Calabar Channel Management Company.

He added that Bonny Channel Management Company had also undergone a change of ownership.

On the Warri Channel, Ihenacho said the Federal Government had approved China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC) and two other companies to form a consortium to manage the Escravos Channel.

He said: “For Warri, it was approved for China Harbour Engineering Company, CHEC, and two other companies, who would now form a consortium.

That consortium will now form a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with the Nigerian Ports Authority to manage the Escravos Channel.”

Recall that the management of the NPA had declined to renew the concessions of the Lagos Channel Management Company Limited and the Bonny Channel Management Company, opting instead for six-month extensions of the existing arrangements.

By; Enoch Epelle

Business

RIRS Warns Against Unauthorised Tax Collection

Published

3 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) has warned motorists, transport operators and business owners against paying taxes, levies or charges to Unauthorised persons and organisations, insisting that only the Service and its duly appointed agents are legally empowered to collect taxes on behalf of the state government.

The Service gave the warning in a public notice dated October 21, 2026, signed by its Executive Chairman, Sir Israel O. Egbunefu, FCTI, in which it clarified that the Rivers State Ministry of Transport was not authorised by the state government to collect road tax or any other tax, levy or charge from motorists and transport operators.

RIRS also specifically disowned Explore Strategic Alliance Ltd, located at No. 7 Rumuodaolu Market Road, Port Harcourt, declaring the company had not been appointed or authorised by either the state government or the Service to collect Motor Vehicle Transport (MOT) tickets or any other tax on its behalf.

The revenue agency consequently cautioned members of the public against making payments to the company or any of its staff, stressing that anyone who ignored the warning would do so at their own risk.

It reaffirmed that only the legally authorised agency responsible for tax collection in Rivers State and the appointed agents that would carry out such duties in accordance with the law.

The Service urged taxpayers to demand official identification from anyone claiming to be its tax agent and verify the person’s credentials directly with RIRS before making payments.

It further warned that individuals or groups found impersonating tax consultants, agents or their representatives to collect Unauthorised taxes would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.

RIRS also called on members of the public to report suspicious persons and activities relating to Unauthorised tax collection to the Service for appropriate action.

The agency advised taxpayers seeking clarification or assistance to visit any of its offices or contact it through its official email address, info@riversbirs.gov.ng.

The Service reiterated its commitment to protecting taxpayers, promoting voluntary compliance and safeguarding the integrity of tax administration in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

Bayelsa consumers Groan Over Inflation As Traders Remain Helpless Over Low Patronage

Published

3 days ago

October 26, 2026

The Tide

Consumers and traders at the Swali ultramodern market in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State have continued to groan over high prices of commodities and poor Patronage due to cost-push inflation.

The Tide reports that in the past weeks prices of goods and services in Yenagoa metropolis has experienced increase.

Notable services like transportation have also increased lately due to increase in the pump price of fuel that has recently further exacerbated inflation in the prices of staple foods like rice, beans, garri and others.

Speaking with The Tide on a market survey, a trader, Mrs Tovie Barakabo said a bag of bean which sold between N120,000-N130, 000 now goes for N140,000-N145,000.

Mrs Barakabo also hinted that the only commodities whose price has not gone up was price of millet which sells N60,000, while big bag of garri now sells for N30,000.

The Tide further gathered from other inside Source that 25 litres of Kings cooking oil currently sells N75,000 as against the former price of N57,000.

Other commodities such as delicious vegetable oil now goes for N68,000, Pure vegetable oil currently goes for N66, 000, while spaghetti is now N18,800 per bag.

The market survey also discovered that Sonnia tomato mix sells N75,609, while a big and small basket of fresh tomatoes are sold for N30,000 and N6,500 respectively.

A disappointed custom, Mrs Juliet Domo who fielded questions from The Tide expressed her worries over the inflation, calling on government to take decisive stands against inflation.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa