Business
PANDEF Chief Tasks FG On 16-Point Agenda
The Federal Government has been called upon to implement the 16-point agneda presented by the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF).
Taking the stance,while speaking at a public event in Port Harcourt, last Tuesday, a member of PANDEF, Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, lamented that some persons in the country were playing politics with the development of the Niger Delta region.
“It does not take the government a long time to see how they would develop the North East, and nobody is quarrelling with that because they are Nigerians and it is their right”, he said.
He emphasised that Niger Deltans also have the right for their problems to be addressed.
Sara-Igbe alleged that the National Assembly members do not allow the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) projects to be given to qualified contractors.
According to him, the lawmakers would rather grab such contracts, collect mobilization and yet nothing comes out of it.
The PANDEF chieftain maintained that, the forum owes it as a duty to the people to hold all tiers of government accountable.
“The whole of the Niger Delta region put together can not come up under one of the 100 economies in Africa”, he said.
He emphasized, that the focus should be on how to develop the region in a manner that would improve the economy of the Niger Delta region and create employment, drive and boost the economy as well as create a sense of belonging.
“Under focus, is how to reposition the Niger Delta in such a manner that our economy will improve, in such a manner that we will create employment and drive infrastructure.
“We will boost the economy so that the Nigerian State will not see us only as Niger Delta, but see it as the industrial hub of the country.”
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.