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‘Past Policy Formulation, Implementation Not People-Focused’

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The Vice President, Prof.
Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has said some past policies and planning, including budgeting of government did not reflect the needs and the conditions of the majority of the citizenry.
Speaking at a courtesy visit by members of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), at the State House, Abuja, Osinbajo noted that the people had become disempowered in the process.
According to the vice president, the important thing now is how policies can address the needs of the people, saying “this is the main challenge’’.
“Governments have not been accountable to the people, otherwise policies should have roots in the real conditions of the people.”
He observed that in the past there had been “policies that do not seem to have solutions that truly reflect the understanding of the question of poverty in Nigeria.”
He, therefore, challenged the notion that a country could be described as rich when about two-thirds of “its people are extremely poor’’.
While expressing concern about extreme poverty in the country, Osinbajo said that records had shown that “we have 110 million poor people, representing two-third of the Nigerian population.’’
He expressed regret that the economic and social policies were reflection of the level of illiteracy in parts of the country.
“Some are extremely bad and some with cases of about 80 per cent or 90 per cent of children out of school, and other cases of unimaginable decayed infrastructure.”
Osinbajo said that one of the challenges of policy formulation was how to speak to the people and how to address their plights.
According to him, “the people are concerned about how do I get a meal, how do I get healthcare and how to send children to school.”
He said that budgets had often failed to address the needs of the people.
The vice president then challenged members of the Alumni Association to discuss how policy formulation ought to have root in the conditions of the people.
“I want the institute to think about this”, the VP said.
Osinbajo welcomed the idea of a Policy Roundtable proposed to him by members of the association, noting that what had been lacking in government was a time to think, reflect and consider policy while still working at a fast pace.
The policy roundtable is intended to provide an interface between policy experts and makers on a governmental platform on how to address the needs and improve the living conditions of the citizens.
Earlier, the President of the Alumni Association, retired Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Onoja, expressed appreciation for President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to fight corruption and reposition the economy.
He pledged the support of the association for the actualisation of what he called the Three-Point Agenda – Security, Corruption and Economy of the Buhari administration.
Onoja urged the administration to not only conduct a forensic audit of the government agencies but also jail all those found guilty of looting the country and seize their assets.

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Oil & Energy

Geregu Power’s Half-Year Profit Up 148% On Back Of Increased Enegry Sales

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Geregu Power turned in 148.5 per cent more in net profit for the first half of the year compared to the same period of last year.
The company’s position was impacted by increased income from energy sales and, to some extent, capacity charge – the company’s major revenue sources.
The feat could mean the synergy struck by the firm with Siemens earlier in the year towards capacity expansion is beginning to pay off The electricity provider, backed by Femi Otedola, who chairs the board of Nigeria’s oldest lender FBN Holdings, announced an agreement with the German multinational technology conglomerate in May to more than double its current nameplate capacity to 1,200 megawatts
That entails scaling up Gereru I, one of its top power plants, to 500mw from 435mw and building a 500mw-new power plant using lower emissions turbines.
“The establishment of a combined cycle operations to generate an additional 200mw,” is also being planned, Geregu Power said in a May statement.
Revenue for the period under review climbed to N80.7 billion, up by 32.5 per cent, according to its unaudited earnings report issued Friday.
One notable downside of the generally strong performance was impairment loss on financial assets, which accelerated more than threefold to N6 billion after long-due receivables from trade debtors surged by 220.3 per cent.
Profit before income tax rose to N30.2 billion from N12.3 billion a year earlier.
The stock has returned 150 per cent since the start of the year, outperforming the Nigerian Exchange’s main stock index, which has yielded 33 per cent.
It has also outpaced NGX 30, the index that tracks the thirty most capitalised and most liquid equities on the bourse, which has improved by more than 27 per cent.
The share price of Geregu Power has not moved since 4 March, stuck at N1000 per unit.

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NUPENG, PENGASSAN Demand Dangote Refinery Sabotage Probe

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The joint unions of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas and Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) have demanded an investigation into the alleged sabotage by International Oil Companies (IOCs) to undermine and destabilise the operations of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals.
The two associations made the call in Lagos via a letter to President Bola Tinubu jointly signed by the General-Secretary, NUPENG, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Comrade Lumumba Okungbowa, and made available to journalists.
Consequently, the unions charged the Federal Government to take decisive action to safeguard Dangote Refinery and ensure its successful operation for the benefit of the country.
The unions noted that “protecting our National assets is our collective responsibility”, insisting among others that the findings of such investigation be made public to ensure transparency and maintain public trust.
Describing Dangote refinery as not only a critical National Asset, but also a beacon of hope for energy security, economic growth, and employment opportunities, the unions said the matter must not be allowed to end without thorough investigation.
The letter, written through the office of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, reads, “The leadership and members of our great Union and Association profoundly appreciate your commitment and dedication to restoring the economic growth and prosperity of our dear Nation, and we are also fully mobilised and committed to supporting all your laudable thoughts and hard decisions towards these lofty goals.
“Unfortunately, we are deeply concerned and shocked by the recent unusual allegations by the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company of a deliberate plot by some International Oil Companies (IOCs) to frustrate their business efforts and continued existence.
“These sabotaging actions reportedly include denying the Refinery crude oil supply and artificially inflating market prices of the crude oil to the Company, thereby forcing Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company to source crude oil from other countries, even as far as the United States of America with attendant high operating costs and logistics.

By: Lady Godknows Ogbulu

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Oil & Energy

FG, Oil Producers Agree On Crude Supply To Local Refineries

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The Federal Govern
ment and Crude Oil Producers in Nigeria have agreed to work toward a sustainable supply of crude oil to local refineries under a market-determined pricing system.
The aim is to ensure that while the operators do business optimally, the refineries are not starved of feedstock.
The agreement, reached at a Virtual Meeting held with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and all the international oil companies (IOCs), was on the status review of the Framework for Seamless Operationalisation of Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligation Template.
The producers, under the umbrella of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), agreed to concede to a framework that would be mutually beneficial, ensuring that local refineries are not strangulated due to off-the-curve prices.
Speaking with newsmen, Komolafe explained that contrary to a report that the decision was to placate certain interests, it was indeed targeted at ensuring energy security for the country.
“It is the job of the regulator to interface between the producers and the refiners; it is a delicate balance because we do not want one to overrun the other because that will lead to problem.
“If we don’t have product, then there will be energy gap in supplying the industry and this will not be a palatable situation for all, and if we have robust supply, but they shut down the upstream and we can’t get crude production, then there is also a problem. So, we, as regulator, are simply trying to maintain the delicate balance”, he said.

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