₦airaland Forum

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deziani Allison-Maduekwe, Thursday attributed the unrelenting attack on her office to those she said had been frustrated from continuing with their nefarious deals in the petroleum sector of the economy.

In an interview in Abuja on Thursday the minister said those who have no skeleton in their cupboards need not be afraid of the reforms in the sector as it was meant to benefit all Nigerians.

“A vast majority of Nigerians are happy with Mr. Jonathan for the far reaching decisions his administration has taken to stabilise the sector.

“Those fighting the government in the media are doing so because we have been able to frustrate their efforts in strangulating the economy through their devilish black market and questionable profiteering at the expense of the Nigeria people.

“I would not want to join issues with those criticising me because they are crying foul that through us Mr. President has broken the old order where things are done without coordination.

What is hurting them is that we have put policies in place where they can no longer cheat the government and cause untold hardship for millions of our Nigerians” she said.

According to her, no amount of blackmail would stop her from continuing to pursue the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the oil and gas sector.

She reiterated that the few individuals angling for her sack were doing so because she has refused to continue the ‘business as usual’ tradition in the oil and gas sector of the economy.

She vowed that never again will the government allow the return of the age-long cartel in the country’s oil and gas sector, adding that despite the unjustified criticism and unfounded allegations against her, her greatest joy is that majority of Nigerians in the sector appreciate the good work her ministry and agencies under her are doing to reposition the oil and gas sector.

According to her, operators and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector that have the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians at heart need not be afraid of her leadership style, except those that have skeleton in their cupboard.

While commending the cordial relationship between her and top officials of the Ministry including those of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Petroleum Pricing and Marketing Company (PPMC), Directorate of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and other parastatals of the Ministry, Mrs Allison-Madukwe explained it was the harmonious relationship that has brought about the high level successes by government in the sector.

She solicited the corporation of Nigerians, oil companies and other investors at all times in order to achieve Mr President’s objectives for the sector, and commended the leadership of various union in the sector for standing by President Jonathan in the ongoing reforms of the sector.


http://news.naij.com/14030.html

About 47 per cent of Abuja residents earn less than N30,000 monthly, a demographic household survey carried out by the Federal Capital Territory Administration has revealed.

The Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory, Ms Olajumoke Akinjide, gave the figure on Wednesday at the 8th National Conference on Investment.

The conference, organised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, had as its theme; ‘Creating jobs and wealth through increased investment in small and growing enterprises in Nigeria.’

Akinjide said, “The FCT Administration recently carried out a demographic household survey to generate basic data and information for the purpose of planning and development of the FCT. We were able to ascertain that 72.11 per cent of the households earn below N100,000 per month and that the majority of the workers fall within the low income group.

“About 46.9 per cent earn below N30,000 per month; 19.77 per cent earn between N30,000 and N50,000 per month; while about 5.44 per cent earn between N50,000 and N100,000 per month. This means that only about 28 per cent earn above N100,000 per month in the FCT.”

She said contrary to notions that the FCT economy was driven by the public sector, recent statistics indicated that the private sector, with about 81.57 per cent, was the main driver of the economy.

Akinjide pointed out that only 13.3 per cent of the FCT economy was being driven by the public sector, adding that the solution to the unemployment and poverty problems in the country was in reviving small and medium scale enterprises.

The minister said, “Within the working group of the FCT, 18.43 per cent are public servants; 13.3 per cent are private sector workers and 68.27 per cent are self-employed. Available amenities and facilities are increasingly being stretched and overburdened as a result of the population increase.

“On a yearly basis, the FCT Administration has been increasing efforts in service delivery, but the impact of these efforts is not significantly felt by citizens because of lack of specific and appropriate data for evidence-based policy decisions.”

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, NIPC, Mr. Mustafa Bello, said the commission had succeeded in establishing a permanent platform to promote investments.

“The NIPC has developed a draft sector-specific investment incentives policy, which we shall present to you for inputs as stakeholders,” he told the participants.


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/47-of-abuja-residents-earn-below-n30000-monthly-survey/

Car or house.... VERY YES!

ekt_bear: Can I be appointed senior special assistant on yoruba disapora matters for plateau state

Yoruba pple no dey give wahala for plateau state na....

500? Payments on Monday.

timpiny: Imo state owerri you can call me 08032532729

I am in abuja. What are the possibilities?

Kindly give the location of vehicle pls... For inspection

The Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday asked its members to refrain from further embarrassing the party with unguarded comments.

Speaking after the party’s National Working Committee, which held at its national headquarters in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, also announced the dissolution of the Adamawa State executive committee of the party.

The sacked executive was headed by Mr. Minjiyawa Kugama, who is said to be from the same ward with the Governor of the State, Mr. Muritala Nyako.

Metuh said, “The NWC exhaustively discussed and frowned at the disagreeable trend where members of the party elected and appointed into federal positions engage in utterances and actions that portray the PDP in bad light and as having no unity of purpose.

“We wish to emphasise that our manifesto as well as our constitution are abundantly clear on the need for all party members, especially the elected representatives of the people, to be on the same page at all times in order to ease the realisation of our policies and programmes for the benefit of the people.

“We therefore warn that the party will invoke the full weight of its disciplinary measures on any erring member who further brings the party to disrepute.”

Asked if the action of the party was directed at the members of the National Assembly, especially the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, who openly criticised President Goodluck Jonathan when the latter presented the 2013 budget at the National Assembly last week, Metuh said no.

Rather, he said the party took the decision in order to instil discipline in its members, adding that the era of party members, both elected and appointed, openly abusing themselves on issues that could be resolved at the party level was over.

The Senate President, David Mark, had described the budget proposal as a mere estimate, Tambuwal on the other hand had criticised the President for what he called the poor implementation of the 2012 budget.


http://www.punchng.com/news/stop-embarrassing-us-pdp-tells-members/

Are you surprised? this should hardly be news na... NA TODAY?

Power Sector: Indian Firms To Play Key Role

India’s power distribution firm, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited, is in two separate consortiums bidding for three power distribution firms in Nigeria with plans to invest $900m (N143.3bn) in the firms.

According to a report by the Economic Times of India, Tata has bid for three power distribution companies in Nigeria by forming two separate consortiums with two leading indigenous companies.

Tata is said to be bidding for the Eko and Ikeja Electricity Distribution companies as a member of the Oando consortium, and for the Benin Electricity Distribution Company as a member of the Vigeo Holding Limited consortium.

“Both the consortiums have qualified for all three DISCOs. The total investment required in the three firms has been estimated at $900m (Rs1,560 crore),” the report stated.

Our correspondent also gathered that apart from Tata, many other Indian firms were also part of consortiums bidding for power firms.

The financial bids for 10 out of the 11 power distribution firms will be opened publicly on October 16 by the Bureau of Public Enterprises and the National Council on Privatisation.

The NCP had on September 18, 2012 shortlisted 21 bidders for the 10 electricity distribution firms in the country.

The decision was taken at the council’s meeting presided over by Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

A member of the NCP, Mr. Atedo Peterside, had told State House correspondents at the end of the meeting that the firms shortlisted would be invited to the financial bid opening scheduled for October 16, 2012 upon the submission of their individual post-qualification studies.

According to him, the firms shortlisted for the Ibadan Distribution Company include Western Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company and Kepco/NEDC Consortium.

For the Ikeja Distribution Company, the shortlisted firms are Oando Consortium, Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited, Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, Vigeo Holdings, Gumco, African Corporation AFC &CESC, Kepco/NEDC Consortium, West Power and Gas as well Rockson Engineering Limited.

Peterside said Kann Consortium Utility Company Limited and Interstate Electrics Limited were shortlisted for the Abuja Distribution Company.

For the Enugu Distribution Company, Rensmart Power Limited, Proglobal Power International Consortium, Interstate Electrics Limited and Eastern Electric Nigeria Limited were shortlisted.

Only Aura Energy Limited was shortlisted for the Jos Distribution Company.

The Eko Distribution Company had Oando Consortium, Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, Sepco-Pacific Energy Consortium, Honeywell Energy Resources International Limited, Kepco/NEDC Consortium and West Power and Gas shortlisted.

For the Port Harcourt Distribution Company, Power Consortium and Rockson Engineering Limited were shortlisted.

Only Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Company was shortlisted for the Yola Distribution Company; while only Sahelian Power SPV Limited was shortlisted for the Kano Distribution Company.


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/power-sector-indian-firms-to-play-key-role/

Occupy Bisi (womb)

It is our utmost prayer that this team really reaches the grassroot as planned o! We dont want a situation where they stop at the local government secretariate or worst still the state governor's office. They need to go into the nook and crannies of the ghetto/community.

so somebody had to resurrect this thread from 2011 all in an effort to bring beaf back abi? Good work!

Are you back?

Nigerians making waves.....

A Nigerian Professor, Ilesanmi Adesida made history last month by becoming the first black Provost/Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs of the well-respected University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign in the United States.

Born in Ondo State, Prof Adesida is a Nigerian engineer whose outstanding work in the field of Nanotechnology has received much acclaim in the scientific community.

He obtained his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and subsequently went on to develop a body of work in the processing of semiconductors and other materials at the nanometer-scale level.

After his studies, he worked in various capacities at what is now known as the Cornell Nanofabrication Facility and the School of Electrical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. He was also the head of the Electrical Engineering Department at Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.

Commenting on his recently appointed role, Prof Adesida said: “I’m honoured and humbled to be selected as provost of this great campus. This is something I take very seriously. I know how to work very hard and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get the job done.”

Prof Adesida is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the American Vacuum Society, and the Optical Society of America. He is also the past-president of IEEE Electron Devices Society.




http://www.channelstv.com/home/2012/09/16/nigerias-professor-becomes-first-black-vc-of-university-of-illinois/

Dino again?? what has he done again dis time? i did not even read the thread!

HammedSodiqq: @ilugunboy You still didn't answer the new questions raised. I thought you were going to do that, than classifying an issue that is less than 60days an old issue. That's how we sweep issues under the carpet, forgetting that they are there waiting for us, thereby compounding our problems.

am still expecting ilugunboy's response to this...

Mr Lar...if only most of our past and present leaders were like you....

why wont they launder money when most of them are owned by Governor's wives

Hmmm...let the fight begin.

Full time job....so who pays the salary?

But it was raining during the protest time,I did not see it sensible catching a cold for #5000naira protest honestly.

Installmental payments?

usmanyaro17: Ok...they seem to be doing what they are paid to do....so?

Exactly

Top shots giving the press food to chop.... you will soon see them attending the same occasion and eating together.

Yes mee too am waiting for explanations o! Cos I don't even know sh*t on the disadvantages of dis N5000 naira nor the advantage sef.

werepeLeri: ^^^

What do you want him to say? That our challenges will continue to eternity? If you have a feeling he is enjoying it, then, you need to check yourself into a psychiatric hospital.

Absolutely Seconded by me...haba,dis is just one year or thereabout in office!

The solution is to empower everybody and start a social welfare program for the unemployed.When people see that they are loved by the govt and receive something tangible as proof...things will take shape.

It's a recreational place...where u meet a combo of all the kinds of people in the world and really funny people. I love Nairaland.