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PINL Awards Scholarships To 645 Persons … Presents Empowerment Packages For Host Communities.

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As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Pipeline Infrastructure Nigeria Limited (PINL) has awarded about 645 scholarships alongside other welfare packages for the 215 communities along the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP).
The  Community Relations Executive, PINL, Tarilah Alamieseigha, disclosed this during the company’s monthly stakeholders’ meeting held recently in Port Harcourt.
Alamieseigha stated that the PINL was also engaged in some ongoing strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening community relations, security of the local people and empowering of women.
He said, “I bring good news from PINL. Management has approved scholarship for 3 persons per community bringing the total to 645 persons across board and it is to take effect immediately.
“Also, management has partnered with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in building a facility to address challenges with regards to investigations and prosecution across the Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP). There is also a proposal for a skill acquisition designed for women underway”.
Alamieseigha noted that the company’s collaboration with the host communities has led to significant boost in oil production and stressed the need for an  increased synergy for increased productivity.
“I thank you for this collaborative effort to boost oil production in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. With your collaboration and with your effort, we’ve been able to see economic growth in the nation”, he stated.
Also speaking, the Director of Energy Security, Office of the National Security Adviser, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, warned against illegal bunkering activities, insisting that anyone found guilty of such acts would be prosecuted and imprisoned.
Flag-Amachree, who was represented by Young Harry Amakiri, noted that the Office of the National Security Council has already prosecuted over 100 individuals involved in these criminal activities.
He appealed to stakeholders and community leaders to caution their children and youths against vandalism.
 In his words, “We want to plead with you to talk to our brothers, we all know these persons involved in these acts. Talk them out of these, it would help, because the business is not as usual as before, it has changed.
“As I’m talking to you, more than 100 persons have been prosecuted. Who you are doesn’t matter, even though you are a general in the army, you are a military personnel, whatever you are, if you are found guilty, you are going in for it,” he warned.
Also speaking, the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, hailed PINL for regular engagement with host communities and discouraging the youths from engaging in illegal bunkering.
Represented by his Special Assistant on Host Communities, Julius Eddie, Lokpobiri acknowledged that the efforts of PINL has boosted oil production in the country earning the ministry several high profile recognitions.
“I want to encourage you. What you are doing for the host communities and for the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a win to all of us.
“Today, because of the solutions you have proffered, illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, popularly known as Kpofire, has tremendously reduced in the region.
“Because of your efforts, today the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, was listed among the team of influential leaders in policy and leadership direction in Thisday Newspaper and Arise TV.
“I want to encourage and challenge you to continue to discourage the youths from tampering with the pipelines, because in all, we are the victims because the pollution affects the environment and as farmers and fishermen that we are, we are most affected,” he stated.
The Head, Field Operations for the Eastern Corridor, Project Monitoring Office, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Engr. Akponine Omojevwe, cautioned sub-contractors against connivance and employment of personnel without proper background checks and due diligence.
He called for proper synergy between the subcontractors and PINL to increase the performance rating of the company as well as maintain zero-tolerance on the TNP.
Omojevwe said, “the problem we are still having here is connivance, that’s why I want to talk to the PINL subcontractors to be careful. For PINL ratings to be going up, you, their subcontractors, need to be carrying out your jobs effectively, and as your employments are being made from the communities, please before you employ, carryout due diligence because most times you will suffer for it” he said.
The meeting, convened for Rivers, Abia and Imo Communities, was aimed at reviewing the operations of the company on the Trans Niger Pipeline operations.
The forum allowed stakeholders from various communities to assess the company’s performance and present their challenges.
The stakeholders commended the management of PINL for actively engaging with host communities and offered suggestions to further strengthen community relations and enhance the company’s operations.
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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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