Business
Board Arrests 9 For Issuing Fake Licences
NAE Vice Chairman/Managing Director, Massimo Insulla (left), Chairman, House Committee on Local Content, Honourable Asita O. Asita and Chairman PETAN, Engr Emeka Ene (right) among others during the signing of MoU between NAE and PETAN, in Port Harcourt last Thursday.
The Rivers State Internal Revenue Service (RIRS) has handed nine persons to the Police for investigation and prosecution for alleged issuance of fake vehicle licences and plate numbers to the public.
Chairman of the board Mrs Onene Osila Obele-Oshoko who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen last Friday in Port Harcourt said that some of the suspects were staff of the Board who converted part of the Board premises into their offices with the intention of duping unsuspecting members of the public.
Obele-Oshoko said that the Board is awaiting investigation by the Police with the view to taking action.
The Board she said is no relenting in its effort to stamp out touts, stressing that every monetary transaction involving the Board must be done through the banks.
She also said that to ease the process of vehicles licensing, the Board has opened new revenue outlets in Diobu, Eleme, Oyigbo and others while a template has been designed by the Board to reach out to people.
The Chairman used the occasion to urge the general public to desist from patronising touts, stressing that every transaction must be duly verified.
She also decried the continued harassment of staff of the Board by some companies and urged for a halt to it.
On the issue of double taxation, she said that the Rivers State House of Assembly is working on a bill to streamline the issue, but noted that every tax presently being paid in the state is backed up by law.
She further said that the issue of stickers by Local Government Councils is also being addressed.
Ebola: RTC Introduces Temperature Scanner At PH Park
Emmanuel Okon
As a measure towards preventing the spread of Ebola virus disease among drivers and passengers, the management of Rivers transport Company (RTC) have introduced infrared temperature scanners at its Park in Port Harcourt.
The company has also made available hand sanitizers at the various points of the Park for all drivers and passengers to wash their hands before boarding any vehicle.
The Chief Safety Officer of the company, Prince Ndamati disclosed this in an interview with The Tide in his office at Waterlines, Port Harcourt recently.
Ndamati said the company had also partner with a medical Doctor that has been educating and enlightening the drivers and passengers, while the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) have also organised programmes to sensitise people at the RTC Park on Ebola disease.
He said that with the enlightenment, it is now compulsory for every passenger to sanitise their hands, adding that any driver or passenger whose temperature is above 27 degree centigrade after being tested with the infrared temperature scanner were discouraged or asked not to travel but to go for medical check-up, so that in case of Ebola virus, it could not be transmitted to others in the vehicle.
According to him, they also acquired an equipment to test all their drivers and that it is compulsory that they must pass the test free from alcohol and their hands sanitized properly.
Ndumati however noted that the major challenge that they are facing in the park had been passengers refusing to write their correct names and addresses on the manifest, and appealed to all to comply with the rules and regulations of the Park.
RSG Blames Road Construction delays On Litigations
Collins Barasimeye
The delay in the construction of some road projects in Rivers State has been attributed to litigations and professional advice.
The Commissioner for Works, Hon. Victor Giadom, made this known when members of the Nigeria Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
Giadom said the various litigations against the Ministry by property owners would have been averted if there had been proper synergy, good counseling and better relationship between the Ministry and the Institute, and called on members to give the Ministry proper professional advise that would avoid litigations by property owners.
According to him, although, when the valuations were made by members of the Institution, some encouraged property owners to engage the Ministry in series of litigations, pointing out that Rivers State has a short period of construction in each year because of its geographical terrain and that the litigations have delayed the execution of road projects in the state.
He, however, assured members of the Institute that his Ministry would continue to partner with them in ensuring that, “you deliver good expertise in the business of valuation and payment of compensation to property owners which are key aspects of our services”.
The Works Commissioner, however, decried the attitude of some members of the Institute for inciting property owners against the Ministry in litigations for claims as a result of economic reasons, and enjoined them to maintain proper standard in the practice of their profession.
Earlier in his speech, the State Branch Chairman of the Institute, Mr. Dapo Olaiya expressed gratitude to the Ministry for granting their members opportunity to be involved in road development services in the state, and opined that the visit was also an opportunity for them to inform him of their recent election of new executive council members and appealed to him to attend as a Special Guest during the inauguration.
Olaiya apologized for the litigations which arose as a result of sharp practices of some of their members and further hinted that the inauguration would give them an opportunity to discuss on current professional practices in the Institution.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), in partnership with a firm, Sweetcrude Ltd., has announced detailed selection criteria for the inaugural “Champions of Nigerian Content Awards”, designed to honor outstanding contributions to local content development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
The Tide learnt that the event, scheduled to hold 21st May, 2025, at the NCDMB’S content tower headquarters in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State, will recognize individuals and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to advancing Nigerian Content in 2024.
The Tide further gathered that the ceremony will coincide with the Nigerian Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF), which promises to spotlighting industry excellence and contributions to national economic transformation.
A statement by the Board’s Directorate of Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination says the event has 12 Award Categories, which include, “Nigerian Content Icon of the Year”, “Nigerian Content Lifetime Achievement Award”, “Nigerian Content International Upstream Operator of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Independent Upstream Operator of the year”.
Others are, “Nigerian Content Midstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content Downstream Operator of the year”, “Nigerian Content International Service Company of the year”, Nigerian Content Indigenous Service Company of the year”, and the “Nigerian Content Innovator of the year”.
Also included are, “Nigerian Content Financial Services Provider of the year”, “Nigerian Content Media Organization of the year”, and “Women in Leadership Award for Promoting Gender Equality and Empowerment”.
According to the NCDMB, the criteria for oil and gas operators will include key and empirical benchmarks such as Production output for crude oil and gas volumes, Compliance with Nigerian Content Plans (NCPs) and Nigerian Content Compliance Certificates (NCCCs).
Other criteria are adherence to NOGICD Act reporting requirements, such as submission of Nigerian Content Performance Reports and Employment & Training Plans.
The Board’s statement added that similar criteria will apply to financial institutions, media organizations, and individuals, ensuring a transparent and merit-based selection process.
“Winners for the Nigerian Content Icon of the Year, Innovator of the Year, and Women in Leadership Award will also be selected based on measurable performance indicators.
“The Advisory Committee of Industry Titans will Oversee the process to uphold the prestige of awards. The Committee consist of distinguished experts set up to oversee nominations and validate winners”, the NCDMB said.
Members of the committee, according to the Board, include: Pioneer Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Dr. Ernest Nwapa; Secretary-General, African Petroleum Producers Organization, Dr. Omar Farouk; and former Zonal Operations Controller, DPR, Mr. Woke Akinyosoye.
The Statement quoted the Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, as emphasizing that the awards aim to becoming the oil and gas sector’s equivalent of the Oscars, celebrating genuine impact rather than mere participation.
“This recognition is reserved for those who have gone beyond compliance to drive tangible growth in Nigerian Content.
“With a focus on credibility, compliance, and measurable impact, the Champions of Nigerian Content Awards is poised to set a new standard for excellence in Nigeria’s energy sector”, the NCDMB Executive Scribe said.
By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa
Nigeria’s apex Banking institution, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has declared that Federal Government’s debt servicing increased to N696billion in January 2025.
The CBN’s recently published Economic Report revealed a precarious fiscal position, which worsened in January 2025 as debt servicing obligations exceeded total retained revenue by a wide margin.
According to the report, the Federal Government’s debt servicing obligations for the month stood at N696.27bn, while total retained revenue amounted to only N483.47bn, indicating that debt service alone consumed about 144 per cent of all government earnings.
This development highlights the growing debt burden and dwindling fiscal space facing Africa’s largest economy.
According to the report, despite slight improvements in some revenue categories, the retained earnings were grossly inadequate to cover obligatory debt repayments, exposing the government’s continued reliance on borrowing to meet basic obligations.
The report further revealed that retained revenue in January 2025 only recorded a marginal 0.89 per cent increase when compared with the N479.21bn generated in the corresponding month of 2024.
”FGN retained revenue declined in the review period, owing largely to lower receipts from Federal Government Independent Revenue and FGN’s share of exchange gain.
“At N0.48tn, provisional FGN retained revenue was 69.19 and 70.40 per cent below the levels recorded in the preceding period and monthly target, respectively”, it revealed.
While this points to stagnation rather than growth, the marginal rise was wiped out by the overwhelming debt service obligations.
The retained revenue components showed that the Federation Account contributed N167.69bn, while the VAT Pool Account delivered N90.73bn.
By: Corlins Walter
The Federal Government has announced plans to commence the payment of the outstanding N35,000 wage award arrears owed workers in the Federal Civil Service.
A statement issued by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), which was signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Bawa Mokwa, said the outstanding arrears will be paid in instalments, with workers set to receive N35,000 per month for five months.
It clarified that the first tranche of the wage award arrears would be released immediately after the April salary payment.
“The wage award arrears was not paid with the April 2025 salary; it will come immediately after the salary is paid”, the statement read.
The Federal Government had earlier disbursed wage awards to federal workers for five months as part of efforts to cushion the impact of economic reforms. However, five months’ arrears remained unpaid.
The AGF office further reiterated the government’s commitment to fully implementing all policies and agreements relating to staff remuneration and welfare, noting that such efforts were geared towards enhancing productivity and operational efficiency across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The N35,000 wage award was introduced in 2023 as a palliative measure to support workers following the removal of the petrol subsidy and other economic adjustments.
In January this year, the Federal Government assured workers that it would clear the arrears of the N35,000 wage award, just as it also said the government had resumed the payment of the wage award.
The government also reiterated its commitment to addressing issues in the National Minimum Wage agreement reached with the Organised Labour in 2023.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, had disclosed the government’s commitment towards implementing agreements with trade unions during separate meetings with the leadership of the Trade Union Congress and Congress of University Academics, in Abuja.
The Nigeria Labour Congress had criticised the Federal Government over the delay in the payment of the minimum wage for certain workers in the federal civil service.
Also, the Federal Government had earlier blamed the delay in payment on the prolonged approval of the 2025 budget.
By: Corlins Walter
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