Business

Power: FG Targets 6000MW, December

Published

12 years ago

June 25, 2014

The Minister of Power,
Prof. Chinedu Nebo, says electricity generation in the country will hit 6,000 megawatts before December.
Nebo said this in Nsukka last Saturday at the 15th Herbert Macaulay Memorial Lecture organised by the Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka.
The lecture titled; “Revitalising an Effective Power System for Sustainable Development in Nigeria”.
Nebo said the present administration had invested much in the power sector having known that electricity was a catalyst to the realisation of vision 20:2020.
“This is one of the catalysts which can make the country to become one of the top 20 economics in the world. When Jonathan assumed office, the power generation was 2,250 megawatts, but today it is 4,000 and by December this year the country’s generation will hit 6,000.
“The transformation agenda of the present administration has helped to transform every sector of the economy, especially the power sector,’’ he said.
The minister said vandalism of gas pipelines, distribution, transmission and infrastructure of the sector were greatest threat facing the sector, and urged stakeholders to assist in eradicating these sabotage.
“Nigerian stakeholders and civil society should increase advocacy crusade against this major act of sabotage against the power sector.
“Realisation of the dream of the present administration in power sector will help to reduce unemployment as well as boost national economy development.
“Government plans to diversify the energy sector through the exploitation of renewable source of energy in solar, wind, coal and small hydropower,’’ he said.
According to him, the present situation whereby 70 per cent of our electricity is gas-based is not the best.
The minister said it was government’s intention to ensure that every citizen had access to electricity that led to the launch of the Light Up Project for rural areas.
“This is to give the people who cannot be connected to national grid light via renewable energy.
“The pilot project of this started in January at Abuja and it is expected to be replicated in all states of the federation.
In a remark, Mr John Chukwu, Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration, said the resolution of power crisis in Nigeria was necessary because no country could grow without steady power supply.
“We must create enabling environment that will ensure that investors in power sector are satisfied through effective and efficient regulation so as to achieve steady electricity.
“All Nigerian must support the Jonathan administration’s effort to achieve steady power supply for the countries by safeguarding power infrastructures in their areas.
“Education in the country must shift from classroom or examination focused to skill impacting.
Chukwu said that emphasis on education should be centred on entrepreneur skills, innovations, creativity, science and technology.
Also in a remark, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, Vice-Chancellor of UNN, commended the faculty for choosing Nebo as the guest lecturer.
Ozumba said no one could have been more qualified to speak on sustainability of power in the county.
According to him, the university will continue to support and encourage the Faculty of Engineering so that that it will continue to excel.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

5 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

5 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.