Business

FG Targets 7,000mw To Boost Electricity

Published

8 years ago

May 4, 2016

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs Ipalibo Harry Banigo 2nd (right), President PHCCIMA Dr. Emi Membere-Otaji 2nd (left) Chairman, Phillips Consulting, Mr. Foluso O. Phillips (right) Publicity Secretary, PHCCIMA; Pastor Alabi Oluwatonyi (left) during the 1st Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce Business Luncheon at Obi Wali International Conference Centre on 28th April, 2016.

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo said on Monday that the Federal Government was planning to generate 7, 000 megawatts of electricity for the nation within the next 18months.
The vice president stated this at the presentation of a book “Nigeria: The Challenges of Growth and Development, an In-Depth Analysis by Experts,” held at the Trenchard Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan.
Osinbajo stated that power remains a major challenge the Federal Government had been facing, and which the government was determined to solve.
He said that the most important part of the budget would focus on ensuring that the weak aspect of the power value chain was restored.
Osinbajo said that the nation was faced with the problem of conveying gas to the power plant, adding that the pipeline, which remained the easiest method, was frequently facing vandalism.
“Early in the life of this administration late last year and early this year, power generation was possibly at its best.
“Nigeria, for the first time was actually generating 5,000megawatts, which was the first time it will happen in the history of the country.
“On February 14, the Forcados Export Terminal was blown off, effectively ensuring that 40 percent of our gas that goes for power is no longer used for the purpose.
“This situation led to the immediate loss of 1,500 megawatts of power. It is our priority that the pipeline project is completed so that gas will be adequately supplied to the power plant,” he said.
He said that President Muhammadu Buhari had two weeks ago ordered full mobilisation of the military for the protection of pipelines in the country.
The Vice-President said that the Federal Government would, in a few days time, begin the implementation of the 2016 budget, which he described as the most ambitious in the history of the nation.
According to him, the budget is not only ambitious in size but also more in its broad range of fiscal policies. Our strategic implementation plan proposes 33 action points.
“The action points cut across six political ties of security, governance, economic diversification, power, road and rail, oil and gas, ease of investments and social investment,” he said.
Osinbajo said that for the first time in three years, the nation would have 30 per cent of the budget going for capital expenditure, a percentage that was three times higher than the last budget.
He said that the capital expenditure would take care of several aspects of infrastructure, particularly rail, road and power.
According to him, the rail link between Lagos and Kano as well as the one between Lagos and Calabar will be captured.
He said that government had budgeted that by July, 65,000 youths would be trained in software and hardware, adding that government’s aim was to build a reservoir of technologists.
Osinbajo also listed the training of 370,000 Nigerians in various vocations, conditional cash transfer to the poor and loan facilities for market women as part of the programmes to be expected.
He said that the administration would ensure that corruption has consequences, adding that no public officer who steals would go scot-free.
The Vice-President described the moment as that which Nigerians must come together to ensure that things work in the building of the nation of everyone’s dream.
Reviewing the book, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, said that the writers have carefully highlighted the various challenges bedevilling the nation and how they could be corrected for national growth and development.
“Nigeria’s problem is structural and systemic, and it could be structurally and systematically addressed,” he said.
Osuntokun said that the book articulates various ideas of the writers aimed at building an egalitarian society.
Also, Mr Oba Otudeko, the Chairman of the event, said there was no other better time to discuss the development of the nation than now when they have the company of people who cares.
He described the “House of Lords, Nigeria” as a collection of people whom the interest of Nigeria and the welfare of the citizens were paramount in their minds.
“Let me tell them that they are on the right path and they should not lose sight of the development of the country.
“This book presents a compendium of opportunities. I think it is worth having,” he said.
The Tide source reports that the 209-page book is a collection of the speeches of 11 writers from various spheres of life.
The House of Lords, Nigeria was founded 50 years ago and presently parades 34 members, with Prof. Ayodele Desalu as the “Leader.”
The event was attended by prominent citizens including investment banker, Mr Fola Adeola; Prof. Idowu Olayinka, the Vice-Chancellor, UI; Prof. Oladipo Akinkungbe and hosts of others.

Business

Fuel Scarcity: IPMAN threatens shutdown over bridging claims

Published

3 hours ago

May 3, 2024

The Tide

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Depot Chairmen Forum, has exonerated its members from the current fuel scarcity in the country.

According to IPMAN, this is caused by its inability to source petroleum products.

The IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum also threatened to withdraw its services over non-payment of N200 billion bridging claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to its members, since 2022.

Alhaji Yahaya Alhassan, the Chairman, of the Forum said this while briefing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday.

Alhassan said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) was the sole importer of the product, but the marketers could not source products from NNPC Ltd. deport, rather from the private depots at high rate.

“We cannot buy fuel from the private depots at N950 and transport the product from Lagos to the North and other parts of the country with N2 million and still sell it at N900 or N1, 000.

“It is expedient for us to state that we are more pained by the non-availability of petroleum products in the country, which has given rise to another round of untold hardship for Nigerians.

“Contrary to claims that IPMAN members are hoarding Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) known as fuel, we would like to categorically state that PMS scarcity is wholly triggered by inability to get fuel from NNPC and not IPMAN,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye said the disruption was due to logistical issues which had since been resolved.

“We currently have an availability of products exceeding 1.5 billion litres, which can last for at least 30 days. Unfortunately, we experienced a three-day disruption in distribution due to logistical issues, which has since been resolved.

“However, as you know, overcoming such disruptions typically requires double the amount of time to return to normal operations.

“Some folks are taking advantage of this situation to maximise profits. Thankfully, product scarcity has been minimal lately, but these folks might be exploiting the situation for unwarranted gain,’’ Soneye said.

He however, said the lines would clear out soon.

On the non-payment of bridging claims, the IPMAN forum said it was distressed and depressed by the laidback attitude of the NMDPRA towards the survival its member’s businesses, arising from its refusal in paying the claims.

“It is with deep frustration that we have assembled here today as the IPMAN Depot Chairmen Forum. It is also disheartening to note that some of our members have completely shut down businesses and retrenched employees.

“As businessmen and women, our members acquired bank loans to keep their fuel retail outlets running on a daily basis across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in order to serve the teeming population of Nigerians,’’ Alhassan said.

He recalled that Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), at a stakeholders meeting in February mandated the NMDPRA management to clear the entire debt in 40 days.

“However, today, we have crossed the 40 days’ time lapse given to the NMDPRA to clear the debt, and it is shameful to state that only the paltry sum of N13 billion has been paid, ignoring minister’s directive.

“We are not happy with the indiscriminate increment in the issuance and renewal of Sales and Storage Licence, by the NMDPRA, and the subsequent delays in acquiring the licence, which our members are recently subjected to.

“We are also calling on President Bola Tinubu to look into this unwholesome figure which is highly detrimental to our business and reverse it forthwith, as it is bound to impact negatively on the masses.

“We are poised to take far reaching decisions that may cripple the supply and sales of petroleum products across Nigeria if our demands are not met within the shortest period of time.

“We are collectively prepared to withdraw our services, shut down every single outlet, and suspend lifting of products forthwith till our demands are fully met, and the consequences will be terrible.

“We call on our members to however remain resolute and law abiding, even as we draw close to the immediate ultimatum for our demands to be met by the NMDPRA,’’ the chairman said.

Reacting to the IPMAN’s claims, the Acting Head, Corporate Communications, NMDPRA, Seiyefa Osanebi said the bridging claims payment was ongoing.

“The bridging claims payment is always an ongoing process,” she said.

Maritime

Shippers’ Council Registers 160 Port Operators

Published

4 days ago

April 29, 2024

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) says it has registered 160 Port stakeholders into its Regulated Port Service Provider and Users platform since the initiative began in 2023.
Executive Secretary, NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made the disclosure on the sideline of a sensitisation programme by the commission for port operators in Lagos, with the theme, “Regulated Port Service Provider and Users”.
Represented by the Director, Consumer Affairs, Chief Cajetan Agu, Akutah emphasised the significance of the programme for stakeholders.
He said the sensitisation programme was the second edition after its commencement during the last quarter of 2023.
The Secretary said the 160 registered port operators consist of agencies, terminal operators, shipping companies, individual port users as well as service providers.
“We invited the ports stakeholders for enlightening them on the processes for online registration of Regulated Port Service Provider and Users.
“We have demonstrated to them how to register and how to make payment and we were able to present before them the various categories of the registration.
“The rate of payment is also in the registration. The payment of each group depends on the operation. A shipper pays N30,000, terminal operators and shipping companies pay N300,000, truckers also pay N30,000, while some pay N50,000 and N100,000.
“The Council was able to intimate them on the benefits, because port users benefit more as we help to interface on reducing port charges from time to time”, Akutah said.
He said that there was a need to continue to work with port operators to stop delays and eliminate high costs to make the port efficient.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director, Stakeholders, Service, NSC, Mr Celestine Akujobi, said “the sensitisation exercise was important for the council to enable us bring all the port stakeholders together”.
According to him, this is to avoid challenges during the implementation of the council’s responsibilities.
“By the time we introduce sanctions on defaulters, no operators will complain that he or she is not aware of the registration.
“I’m happy with the turnout of this sensitisation. This shows that the operators are well informed of the statutory friction of the council as the port regulator.
“The final implementation will commence as soon as we discover that all the operators have keyed into the portal.
“We are engaging other ports across the country and we’re hopeful that before the last quater of 2024, the council will implement sanctions on defaulting operators”, Akujobi said.
Earlier, Vice Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwards (NAGAFF), Dr Ifeanyi Emoh, said port challenges were enormous, adding that they originated from some of the government agencies.

Emoh urged the council to look into regulating other government agencies, so that there could be a window through which they can collect port charges collectively instead of indiscriminately.

By: Chinedu Wosu