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PHEDC Sets 3-Month Target For Stable Power

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Director of Publication, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor (left), presenting  a gift to   a retired staff of the corporation, Mr. Olu Jacob Pinnick in Port Harcourt last Saturday

Director of Publication, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mrs Juliet Njiowhor (left), presenting a gift to a retired staff of the corporation, Mr. Olu Jacob Pinnick in Port Harcourt last Saturday

The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) last Tuesday projected that it would take between 100 and 180-days to deliver improved power supply to four states under its jurisdiction.

The states are Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers States.

The Managing Director of 4Power Consortium, owners of PHEDC, Mr. Matthew Edevbie, made the disclosure while addressing workers at the inauguration of the company in Port Harcourt.

The consortium had under the on-going nation’s power sector privatisation acquired the assets of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on November 1, 2013.

Edevbie said the projected days would enable the company to restructure its management and put mechanisms in place for improved electricity supply.

“We have a very challenging task ahead; but we are confident that we will succeed in satisfying customers, and also make profit from our investments.

“Workers must brace up to meet the federal government and customers’ expectations in providing efficient and stable electricity supply to our catchment states.

“The challenges facing the company in providing stable electricity supply are enormous; but we are equally convinced that the opportunities in the sector are enormous.

“In this transition period of 100 to 180-days, we will also focus on upgrading our network as well as harmonise our electricity billings to ensure the company’s survival,” he said.

Edevbie called on workers not to involve themselves in acts that are capable of derailing the federal government’s power sector reform.

Meanwhile, the Manager of the Trans-Amadi Business Unit, Mr Romanus Chidi said that the drop in electricity supply in the state was as a result of “ongoing upgrade of facilities to boost power supply.”

He said that transmission companies were currently upgrading transmission power lines to meet expectations of electricity consumers.

“Electricity supply is mostly shut at day time to reduce hazards because workers cannot work when power lines are still transmitting electricity.

“The upgrade will continue until late December and so, customers should be patient because the upgrade will enable us provide a stable and cost-effective electricity supply,” he said.

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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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