Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima says President Goodluck Jonathan’s new book, My Transition hours’ lunched on Wednesday is an “elementary book of tales that fell short of courage” that will bring out facts to the public.

According to Gov. Kashim Shettima, President Jonathan cleverly omitted to publish in Chapter four of his book the report of the presidential fact-finding committee he constituted in May 2014 which would have unveiled the incontrovertible facts about the April 2014 abduction of the Chibok Girls.

Gov Shettima who was reacting particularly to Chapter Four of the book titled “The Chibok school girls affair” in the book, “My Transition hours” explained that the former President had asserted that the schoolgirls abduction was a product of conspiracy by the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in connivance with Borno State Government.

The Chapter also accused the Borno Government and then President Barack Obama’s administration in the United States of undermining efforts to rescue the Chibok girls in 2014.

Governor Shettima through a statement released by his Special Adviser on Communications and Strategy, Malam Isa Gusau on Wednesday, added that Jonathan never believed there was ever an abduction until rescue efforts were late, the “the former President’s elementary book of tales fell short of the courage required of him to publish findings by his own panel in chapter four of his book.


“The whole of Tuesday night, I took the pains of reading His Excellency, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s book, My transition hours, from the first to the 177th page. I took particular interest in chapter four (the Chibok school girls affair) which has 42 paragraphs written on pages 27 to 36.

“I was amused that despite ‎admitting in paragraph 15, that he had (in May 2014) constituted a Presidential Fact-Finding Committee under Brigadier General Ibrahim Sabo and many others “to investigate” the Chibok abduction, former President Jonathan refused to mention any part or whole of the findings by that panel which had submitted a highly investigative report submitted to him on Friday, June 20, 2014 after the panel held investigative meetings with the then Chiefs of Defense Staff, Army Staff, Air Staff, the DG, DSS and IGP, met all security heads in Borno, visited Chibok, met with parents of abducted schoolgirls, met surviving students, interrogated officials of the school and the supervising ministry of education, interrogated officials of WAEC and analyzed all correspondences.

“What has become very clear is that the former President decided to sit on facts in his custody while he published, in an elementary standard, a book of fiction designed to pass gulty verdicts to anyone but himself, with respect to the open failures of his administration to rescue our daughters and in tackling the Boko Haram challenges ” Shettima was quoted by his spokesman.


Governor Shettima declared that “by refusing to publish any part of his own panel’s findings on the Chibok abduction, Jonathan’s book was nothing short of a presidential tale by midday”.

According to the statement, it is on record that; , “on Tuesday, the 6th of May, 2014, President Jonathan had inaugurated multi-agency/stakeholder fact-finding panel under the chairmanship of Brig. General Ibrahim Sabo (rtd), a one-time Director of Military Intelligence and also appointed a secretary from the Niger Delta.

“President Jonathan single handedly selected all members of that committee which included his trustees amongst serving and retired security officers from the Army, DSS and Police; representatives of the UN and ECOWAS, representatives of the Chibok community, local and international civil rights organisations, representatives of the National Council on Women Societies, the Nigeria Union of Journalists amongst other persons he trusted.

“For almost two months, the probe panel undertook forensic assessment of all documents on the entire issues, held investigative meetings with parents of the schoolgirls during a visit to Chibok. The panel held separate one-on-one investigative meetings with myself, the then Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff, met the then Director General of the DSS and the Inspector General of Police, all of whom were appointees of President Jonathan.

“The panel interrogated officials of Borno Government including the Commissioner of Education and the school principal. The panel also held investigative meetings with heads of all security agencies in Borno State including security formations in charge of Chibok. At the end, the panel submitted it’s report directly to President Jonathan on Friday, the 20th of June, 2014 in Abuja. President Jonathan has refused to make public the findings submitted to him.


“I was expecting the findings in his book but he has deliberately swept that report under the carpet. However, I remember that on June 24, 2014, the ThisDay Newspaper claimed to have obtained a copy of the panel’s report and published as its lead, that painstaking findings by the Presidential panel had indicted the military under Jonathan’s watch and completely absolved the Federal, Borno State Government of any blame regarding the Chibok abduction. The newspaper went further to say that panel actually commended efforts of the Borno State Government in its commitment to the fight against Boko Haram as testified by heads of security establishments” the statement said.

Governor Shettima also observed that President Jonathan’s book has further made him believe that the former president still lives with poor understanding of issues under his presidency especially his claim on page 31 that Boko Haram wanted a Muslim President rather than him as Christian was laughable since the insurgents actually began their deadliest attacks in Borno under the regime of late President Umaru Musa Yar’adua, a Muslim from northern Nigeria.

Full details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/chibok-girls-abduction-shettima-faults.html

Women farmers under the umbrella of Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) have called for restoration of scrapped Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) scheme.

They made the call at the end of a two-day annual national farmers forum for smallholder women farmers organised by Actionaid Nigeria, an NGO.

In separate comments at the event, the women said they lacked access to improved seeds and other farm inputs, which the GES was meant to provide.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the scheme was initiated by the immediate-past Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, for Nigerian farmers.

GES was a farm support initiative through which registered farmers had access to quality seeds, fertilisers and agro-chemicals at 50 per cent subsidised price.

However, the scheme was bedevilled by many challenges, including supply of substandard inputs to farmers.

This prompted the current administration to announce its replacement with the Agricultural Inputs and Mechanisation scheme (AIMS).

Mrs Ngizan Chahul from Benue said since the GES was scrapped, it had been difficult for her and other fellow woman farmers to access quality inputs.

She appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid by either restoring GES or ensuring effective implementation of AIMS to boost productivity.

She equally urged government to closely monitor its intervention programmes to ensure that they were not hijacked by “political farmers”.

Mrs Suzan Godwin from Nasarawa State said that women farmers ought to be involved in the policy formulation process to protect their interests.

Another participant from Benue, Mrs Bridget Adejo, appealed to the Federal Government to make the location of silos it recently established known to them.

This, she said, would enable smallholder farmers to locate and take advantage of the storage facilities to avoid post-harvest losses.

Another farmer, Mrs Bola Adebayo from Osun, urged government to buy insurance for farmers who lost their crops to farmers/herders clash and to also address the situation.

However, Mrs Aisha Abubakar of the FCT Agriculture Development Project, urged the women not to wait for government to do everything for them.

Abubakar noted that they could engage the services of extension workers under the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in their respective states.

Mrs Constance Okeke, the SWOFON Board Chairperson, thanked Actionaid Nigeria for providing the platform and support to the association since inception.

The forum attracted women farmers from the 36 states of the federation to deliberate on their challenges and to seek solutions.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/women-farmers-urge-fg-to-return.html

At a stakeholders’ sensitization workshop on the hazardous effects of non-type approved handsets and impact on quality of service in Lafia, Nasarawa State organised by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), participants were charged to shun the patronage and use of substandard and counterfeit telecommunications equipment to ensure optimum service delivery.


The head of zonal operations department of NCC, Mrs. Helen Obi, who was represented by the principal manager zonal operations, Mr Ekisola Oladisun, reassured the participants that the NCC remained committed to ensuring that the consumer enjoys her stake in the telecommunications industry, saying the commission would ensure that all equipment purchased for telecommunication services by Nigerians are satisfactorily utilized and the user gets value for his/her money.

She added that the sensitization workshop was aimed at educating the people of Lafia and its environs on the importance of using type approved equipment and the hazardous effects of using non-type approved equipment.


In his paper presentation titled: “lmpact of counterfeit/substandard mobile devices”, a senior officer, technical standards and network integrity department, Mr Chukwuma Nwaiwu decried the high rate of substandard and counterfeited products in the Nigerian market space, saying the impact spanned through consumers, manufactures, government and the environment.

He gave the impact to include exposure to health and safety risks, loss of money, loss of revenue by government because the goods are smuggled, loss of resources in combating proliferation of counterfeited equipment, environmental pollution in form of e-waste, reduction in innovation and productivity.



Nwaiwu said though the NCC has been proactive in its efforts to curb the proliferation of non-type equipment by ensuring products go through type approval process, which ensures products brought into the country are accessed to ensure they meet the specifications, the challenges of fighting counterfeiting are enormous.

The NCC has as part of its interventions been educating the Nigerian public through workshops, building partnerships with other regulatory bodies like SON, Customs etc., participating in international symposiums to learn best practices and developing policies to curb counterfeiting, Nwaiwu said.


He added that the NCC is at present developing a label to be placed on all type approved equipment for easy identification by Nigerians,adding that for now Nigerians should explore the NCC website for the list of all type approved products to avoid the patronage of counterfeited products.


The participants at the event expressed satisfaction and called on the NCC to do more of such sensitization workshops especially at the grassroots level.


In a chat with one of the participants, Mrs Nneli Tessy, she said the knowledge she has gained would help her to choose devices that have been type approved so she could get value for her money.

The chairman of GSM Marketers Association, Lafia branch in his comment encouraged security agents at our airports and other entry points to ensure counterfeited products are not smuggled into the country again.


The sensitization workshop which had in attendance the representatives of the Emir of Lafia, secretary to state government, commissioner for information and culture and other dignitaries ended with stakeholders calling on Nigerians to shun patronage of counterfeited products and take advantage of the NCC website to see the list of type approved telecommunication devices especially before purchase, and the NCC toll free number to report cases of substandard and counterfeited products.

More details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/ncc-advocates-use-of-standardized.html

As campaigns for the 2019 general elections kick off on Sunday, the Benue State Police Command has assured the people of the state of its readiness to provide adequate security before, during and after the general elections.

Commissioner of Police in the state, Ene Okon, said that the Command, in collaboration with sister security agencies, would ensure a hitch-free elections from Campaigns to the election proper.

In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Moses Yamu, the Benue police boss warned the public against all forms of thuggery, hooliganism, destruction of Campaign billboards/banners/posters, vote buying/selling, Permanent Voters Card (PVC) buying/selling and for security purpose, unapproved political rallies/gatherings/processions.

The statement, which was made available to Saturday Sun, posited further that in the interest of fairness, justice and peaceful coexistence, such vices would not be tolerated from anybody or any group of persons no matter how highly placed they may be.

“To this end, any political party or party flagbearer who has the intention to stage any political rally/procession/gathering should as a matter of importance and security concern, apply for clearance to the Commissioner of Police at least 48hrs before the schedule time of the event.

“Finally, the Command appeals to the general public not to take laws into their hands this electioneering campaigns period and should not hesitate to report any suspicious persons or actions to the nearest Police Station,” the statement read in part.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/election-campaigns-benue-police-assures.html

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has boosted the Federal treasury with the sum of N1.37 billion, which no one stepped out to claim since August.

Justice A. Obiozor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos ordered the final forfeiture of the money, which was made up of N1,260,000,000, $327,132.35, £167.85 and €157.90.

The money which was kept at Heritage Bank Pls under the name of Secure Electronics Technology Limited, was seized by the EFCC, following an intelligence report from a whistleblower.

The company in whose possession the funds were found did not lay claim to them and it surrendered them for forfeiture.

In an affidavit in support of the application, the applicant stated that “Heritage Bank did not provide any legitimate explanation for the above transactions (involving the sums) and consequently returned the said money through 16 separate bank drafts issued in favour of the EFCC Recovered Funds Account.”

Justice Obiozor, in his ruling on August 15 , 2018, had ordered the interim forfeiture of the monies, which were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, to the Federal Government.

In line with the court order of August 15, 2018, the EFCC had published the interim forfeiture order in the Nation newspaper of August 21,2018 for the correspondents or anyone interested in the money to show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

At the hearing on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, the applicant, through its counsel, Ekene Iheanacho, said the respondent had not shown up to lay claim to the money, despite being served with the earlier interim order of forfeiture, motion for final forfeiture and hearing notices on the action.

He , therefore, urged the Judge to order the funds to be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

In his ruling, Justice Obiozor held that ” the applicant has proved on the balance of probabilities that the funds recovered from the respondents by the applicant were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.”

The Judge, therefore, ordered that the various sums of money be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/efcc-boosts-treasury-with-unclaimed.html

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration will continue to implement policies that attract investment and spark competition in critical sectors of the economy for employment creation and economic growth.

The president gave the assurance when he received the Chairman and Management of the LADOL Integrated Logistics Enterprise, who visited him at the State House, Abuja on Thursday.

Buhari commended the company for taking full advantage of the pro-business policies put in place by his administration and aimed at bringing domestic and direct foreign investment, which were yielding prosperity to the people of the country.

He said: “Your competitive and aggressive activity has brought you success. I am pleased that you are investing in a critical area, the oil industry, in which I have developed interest.

“I am happy you are training Nigerians and giving them respectful jobs. What you are doing shows that whoever tries will succeed.”

The Chairman and Chief Executive of the company, Chief Oladipo Jadesimi said they had come to thank President Buhari for creating an enabling environment and anti-corruption regime that had enabled their business to create a 10 billion dollars investment and 50,000 new jobs.

On her part, the Managing Director, Dr. Amy Jadesimi, informed the President that their investment had a mission to attract local and international companies that would help reduce the cost of off-shore support services.

According to her, the policies initiated by the Federal Government by abrogating monopoly, thereby allowing IOCs (International Oil Companies) to use any facility in Nigeria, yielded immediate positive result for the Nigerian economy by reducing costs by 50 per cent.

She said that in the near future, seven more FPSO (floating production storage off-loading) units would be built in Nigeria, bringing 100 billion dollars investment, thousands of jobs and a diversification of the economy due to 70 per cent local content.

The Managing Director expressed the determination of LADOL to turn Nigeria into a hub for logistics and heavy lifting in the sub-region by providing non-stop, 24 hours, seven days a week support services in the Lagos area.

Complete Report at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/president-muhammadu-buhari-pledges-to.html

Chris Okey Ezike, a former Commissioner of Police in charge of Community Policing, Force headquarters in Abuja, has been deployed as the new Abia state commissioner of Police.


He replaces CP Anthony Ogbizi, who has been deployed as commissioner of police, in charge of Community Policing at Force headquarters, Abuja.

According to a release signed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Geoffrey Ogbonna and forwarded to Akelicious on Thursay, ” the new CP prior to his posting as the new Commissioner of Police to the State, was the Commissioner of Police in-charge Community Policing, Force Headquarters, Abuja”.

The new CP assumed office with an assurance to improve on the existing peace and harmony which is being experienced by the residents of the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/abia-gets-new-commissioner-of-police-to.html[url][/url]

Some security experts have called on members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shi’ites to be law-abiding while protesting.

Members of the sect had been protesting against the detention of their leader, Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, since 2015 after their clash with the Chief of Army Staff’s convoy.

In separate interviews with NAN on Thursday in Abuja, the experts said that the group must carry out their protest within the ambit of the law to avoid destruction of lives and property.

A security consultant, Capt. Aliyu Umar (retd), said that the Shi’ites had constituted a problem to their socio-religious and political environment over the years.

He noted that the activity of the group had been heralded with fear by innocent Nigerians, adding that it must operate as a religious group, whatever their course.

“The Shi’ite group, whatever their course or religious quest, must work towards managing their public image for the better, from that of a disruptive to a constructive and intelligent religious body.

“I want to see the group invest its energies and time in more cogent and friendly endeavours,’’ he said.

Umar advised that rather than engage in confrontation, the group should dwell more on seminars and social-volunteer initiatives and other allied forms of public participation.

He said that the alleged non-recognition of any form of government in the country by the leader of the sect, El-Zakzaky, was a declaration of lawlessness.

“I doubt if the same group would be allowed anywhere (including Iran) if it declares non-recognition of its host nation’s duly recognised government.

“I must be quick to add that democracy is majorly about the `right to responsible action’,’’ he said.

Umar advised security agencies to come up with superior and proactive measures for handling civil unrest, mob action and civil disobedience as they emerged.

“The use of a uniform approach or `one size fits all’ solution to these challenges cannot but open other avenues of avoidable concerns or issues,“ he said.

Mr Lawrence Alobi, retired Commissioner of Police, said that protest was one of the characteristics of democracy, but must be carried out in line with the law to avoid being hijacked by hoodlums.

“The citizens have the right to protest but it should be within the context of the law.

“The IMN members have the right to protest but it should not be against the law of the land,’’ he said.

Alobi said that organisers of protests should always inform the police to give them protection to avoid hoodlums hijacking it.

On the continuous detention of El-Zakzaky, he said that it was not good for the development of the country`s democracy.

“The issue of the leader of the IMN being held in spite of a court order is not good enough for democracy. We have to obey the rule of law; it is the fulcrum of democracy,’’ he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/protests-security-experts-task-shiite.html

About N500 million worth of goods were burnt to ashes when a trailer collided with a live electricity cable in Kebbi State.

Akelicious learnt that many traders from Birnin -Kebbi have a joint warehouse in Jega, where they usually store different goods, sent to them from various parts of the country, before they transport them to the state capital.

Akelicious gathered that the trailer was hired by 100 retailers from Birnin-Kebbi markets to transport their goods, which arrived from Sokoto, Kano, Ibadan, Kaduna and Lagos states for final distribution to their owners.


When Akelicious visited the scene of the incident yesterday, some of the goods burnt included motorcycles, textiles, electronics, tiles, dozens of fans, generator sets, Lister provisions, drums of engine oil, kegs of vegetable oil and other valuable items.

An eyewitness, Alhaji Adamu Tanko, said: “The trailer, loaded to capacity, cut down the live cable that crossed the high way and this resulted in power surge and ignited the fire.”

Tanko also said the driver and his assistant escaped death as the fire engulfed the whole truck.
He said quick response of the Kebbi State Fire Service saved some of the goods from total destruction.

One of the retailers, Alhaji Faruq Amidu, in an emotion-laden voice, told Daily Sun that about 100 different traders, who had received their goods from Lagos, Ibadan, Kano, Sokoto and Kaduna states, lost them to the fire incident.

He said: “The trailer carried about N800 million goods, but, from the receipts we gathered from our colleagues, we got N500 million goods bought by an individual traders.

“We’ve also set up a committee to ascertain the worth of all the goods lost in the incident, and, as I speak with you now, they are still receiving more receipts from the victims involved.

“We are pleading to the state government to come to the aid of the affected traders, to shield them from bankruptcy, because many of them collected loans to purchase the goods.”

The Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO) of Kebbi State Police Command, DSP Danjuma Possy, in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, confirmed the incident.

Possy, who said the incident happened at about 11:00a.m. at Jega, said: “It is true that the trailer had contact with a live cable across the road and went up in flame, but the driver was able to detach the trailer’s head, leaving the truck behind. So, all the goods in the truck were all burnt. But no life was lost in the incident,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/n500m-goods-burnt-in-live-cable.html

Hundreds of housewives including unmarried ladies in Ewu Urhobo community of Ughelli South local government area of Delta State on Wednesday protested alleged continuous rape by suspected Fulani herdsmen, said to have been on rampage in the last few months in the community and environ.

The protesters, according to eyewitness, Abel Oshewigho, barricaded major roads within the community and chanted war songs including the display of placards with inscriptions such as: ”We no gree, Fulani herdsmen must go. We are tied of Fulani herdsmen raping us in our farmlands. They have taken over our farmlands.They have also allegedly raped over fifteen housewives and three to death”.

Leader of the protesting housewives, Mrs Queen Dieseruwe, who spoke to journalists in the community, said; “We are protesting against the Fulani herdsmen who are raping our women in their own farmlands. They block roads to waylay women going to markets and those either going or coming from farm. They sleep with them at gunpoint and any of their victims who tried to resist, these wicked Fulani herdsmen will cut off their necks with matchets. They will go to our farms and uproot our cassava and destroy them. Until they leave our lands, no peace for us,” she lamented.

According to Dieseruwe, one of the women, popularly known as Madam Bread from Edjekota Ogor, allegedly raped by suspected Fulani herdsmen died last Monday after the incident on Sunday evening from trauma.

She added that two others were injured and are being treated at the Central hospital in Ewu Uhrobo Community.
But the state Police Commissioner, Mustafa Muhammad, who spoke to journalists in Asaba on the protest by the housewives, said: “the police have arrested a number of suspects linked as Fulani Herdsmen and investigation is ongoing with a view to arresting the situation. The police will do everything possible to bring to book suspects behind the frequent rape of housewives in the community. The police are not unmindful of the alleged rape of housewives and we will do our best to bring to book those involved in the act”.
While appealing to the protesting housewives to maintain law and order in the community, the police boss disclosed that the police will do everything possible to get rid of the suspects allegedly raping the housewives in Ewu Urhobo community, adding that the police recently constituted Special Squad Unit to curb the menace in the community,
As at the time of this report, the protesting housewives were reported to have blocked major roads where the Fulani herdsmen frequent with their cows, insisting that they (Fulani Herdsmen) must leave their community for peace to reign.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/housewives-protest-in-delta-allege.html

Nasarawa State government has shut down 109 health facilities found to be operating illegally across the 13 local government areas of the state.

Dr Haruna Ekom, Director of Clinical Service in the state Ministry of Health, disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia.

According to him, 89 of the facilities were shut down in Karu local government area alone, with 20 others located across the other 12 local government areas.

Ekom said that most of the facilities were operating without the necessary approval from the state government, while others defaulted in reviewing their operation licence.

He said that the government’s action was based on information gathered from the various locations as well as on-the-spot assessment by the inspectorate team from the ministry.

“The essence is to ensure that health facilities operate according to standard by checking unwholesome practices and activities of quacks in the sector, thereby safeguarding the lives of the people.

”We always get reports of illegal health facilities, personnel operating beyond the scope of their training leading to complication and deaths,” Ekom said.

He said that the ministry would not relent in sanitising the sector by ensuring strict adherence to standards in line with global best practice.

Ekom warned illegal operators and those practising beyond their scope of training to desist as the law would catch up with them.

He also cautioned members of the public against patronising such facilities in order not to put their lives at risk, urging them to report any suspicious, unwholesome activity in their locality to relevant authorities for prompt action.

The director, however, cited lack of funds as one of the factors hampering the regular inspection exercise by the ministry.

Ekom appealed to the state government to release funds to enable the inspectorate team embark on the exercise quarterly, in line with its mandate.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/nasarawa-govt-shuts-109-illegal-health.html

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday tried to quench the raging fire in the ruling party, using kind words to describe its estranged governors, who had been up in arms against him, since the party’s recent primaries.

Four governors, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State), Chief Rochas Okorocha (Imo State), Chief Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State) and Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara State), had been engaged in a public spat with Oshiomhole, accusing him of scuttling the chances of their preferred candidates in the recently concluded primaries.

But speaking on Arise TV, a sister broadcast station of Akelicious, Oshiomhole held out an olive branch, seeking peace by describing the governors as good party men, who would support the party and its candidates in their respective states despite their grievances.

“They are angry now,” he told his hosts on the ‘Morning Show’ programme of the station, adding, “I believe in a short while they will turn around and support the party.”
Specifically, he ruled out the possibility of any of them working against the party in spite of their rage.

Oshiomhole said, “I believe Governor Amosun is my friend and I believe people are entitled to feel disappointed if things don’t work out the way they want. I think usually like any leader, he will recognise the greater interest of the party, I know he is a loyal party man; I can’t see him voting with his feet. As a statesman, who has contributed to the growth and development of Ogun State, he will want to ensure that his party continues to govern the state and play the role of a statesman; I have no fear at all because this thing called choice is a relative question.

“Whatever we have as internal issues in APC they do not in fact undermine that Amosun, has more things to show as governor of that state and for which I am very proud of as chairman of the party. I hope he can overcome his anger so that we can work to reconcile our various interests in Ogun State.
He also spoke about Okorocha, “As for my friend Rochas Okorocha, who talked about nepotism, well as the head of the family, I do not want to continue to bring family matters to the market. At the end of the day it makes sense to keep it in the family, that is what maturity and responsibility imposes on me.

“So I won’t join issues with him, but the truth is that while I was in government, there was no other Oshiomhole in government. This is not something to hide, as a journalist you can go to Edo State and ask how many Oshiomholes were in government while I was at Osadebe House.

“Well, Okorocha is a great guy. He is one of those who left APGA to join APC. It is on record as having contributed his quota to the formation of the APC.
“We also have to accept that a tree cannot make a forest and we have to encourage those who think otherwise to recognise that this is a fact.
“In Imo State we have big names but it is not about big names, it is about big numbers. And the big numbers in Imo State are with us and I think governor Okorocha appreciates this fact.

“Now as for whether people will decamp or not I am not so sure. Even if they do, they will not make history, after all, in recent past, sitting governors decamped for one reason or the other because they want to be president. Having decamped they found that there are so many aspirants, they have since reconciled themselves with the reality that though they decamped from the APC believing that they are going to be presidential candidate of the PDP, they got there and found an over-crowded house.
“I think some of them have quietly taken the governorship ticket and some have even taken the senatorial ticket and they are living with the new reality. I think that is the way it is.

“In a democracy it is a game of numbers and in Imo State we have the numbers and I am sure that Okorocha, when he overcomes his disappointment with regard to whom he would have preferred to succeed him, he will recognise that as a democrat that is the way these things work sometimes. Outcomes can be predicted sometimes but it could be shocking some other time. I think Nigeria’s democracy is evolving but we are not running traditional rulership.”
He expressed the confidence that in spite of the current misgivings in the party in the affected states, the party’s candidates would still win since the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had its fair share of crisis.

He said, “The truth is that in Ogun State we will win because PDP has its own pocket of crisis as well. As we speak we don’t know who is the actual governorship candidate in Ogun State because the national secretariat of PDP parades a certain candidate and a running mate and a certain group run by Buruji Kashamu with due respect to him also parade a governorship candidate and a running mate.

“So while they are sorting out their own issues we will be sorting out our own issues.
He said the negative public perception of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, was due to poor communication of its policies and programmes by its information management machinery.

He, however, said despite this shortcoming, the president’s integrity would give him the edge in the forthcoming general elections slated for the first quarter of 2019.
Oshiomhole, who spoke on Arise TV, a sister broadcast station of Akelicious, also backed organised labour’s demand for the immediate implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage recommended by the National Minimum Wage Committee, which submitted its report to the president last week.
He told his hosts on the “Morning Show” programme of the station that the negative perception the APC-led government is grappling with was caused by poor communication of its achievements and the positive intentions behind its policies.


He said, “In different parts of the country, huge progress is being made in the area of infrastructure. What you can really and correctly accuse the government of, is that we don’t seem to be communicating effectively all the things that are going on around the country and there are quite a bit that are going on but the people that are living in that area know what is going on in those areas.”

Speaking on the negative predictions made by some international organisations and analysts over the chances of the president’s reelection bid, the APC national chairman said those permutations were done by outsiders, who know little about what is happening in the country and how Nigerians feel about the Buhari- led administration.
He said that the chances of the president are very bright and that Nigerians will always support his reelection on the ground of his acclaimed honesty and integrity.
Oshiomhole further said that comparatively, Buhari stands as number one in terms of character and integrity amongst all the contenders in the presidential race.

“I believe to answer your question is that President Buhari will certainly be reelected on the basis of his personal integrity and the fact that those who are contesting against him, there are couple of things they can’t say about themselves that this president will not only say but other people will also say for him,” he said.
Oshiomhole said the party would try during the campaigns to present to Nigerians what it had done and then situate it within what the past administration was able to achieve.

On what he thinks the APC-led administration has done to warrant the people’s support he said, “Already we are doing things differently, this government is focusing on the poorest of the poor. The government is putting in places policies that seek to locate the poorest amongst us, not joining in lamenting but putting up policies that are specifically targeted at the poorest of the poor.”

He also spoke on the situation in the power sector, saying the APC-led administration had not spent a fraction of what the previous administration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spent on the sector.

According to Oshiomhole, the challenge the power sector faces is the gross abuse the privatization process was subjected to by the past PDP administration, adding that the sector was handed over to incompetent hands due to political patronage.

“I will expect that going forward we will have to revisit some of the things if we try to manage them not to be seen to revoke what has been done before and it is clear that the new guys lack the capacity; those things we have to revisit, review and maybe go back to the fundamentals,” he said.
Apparently still leaking the wound inflicted on the ruling party’s ego by the defection of the Senate President Bukola Saraki to the opposition, PDP, Oshiomhole said there was no way the “minority leadership in National Assembly” could stand the test of time.

“It is unacceptable that minority provide leadership over majority. However he mismanages the process of manipulating the tools of reward, using all ways to sustain himself in power at a huge cost to the country, I remain convinced that Saraki must show honour and character by vacating voluntarily,” he said.
On the brewing crisis over the N30,000 proposed new minimum wage the ruling party chairman said he disagreed with governors who said they cannot pay the proposed new minimum wage.

He argued that for any sustainable growth in the economy to be achieved, government and employers of labour must be ready to pay living wage to their workers.
However, when asked to throw more light on his encounter with the Directorate of State Security over bribery allegations, Oshiomhole clearly evaded it, saying that the matter had been over-flogged.

He said, “I believe my brother that I have sufficiently spoken about the matter of interaction between myself and the DSS and I have nothing new to add to what I have already said. If there are people that remain unclear, they should go and read my statements in the press or play back what was recorded in the electronic media.
” I think we should move on to real issues of development and real issues of why we are in politics, what is in it for Nigerians as we proceed to the 2019 elections, what are we going to do different, what is the opposition bringing to the table and how is APC going to respond to it. This should be worth my while and I believe this will excite Nigerians,” he said.


Full report at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/oshiomhole-amosun-okorocha-are-loyal.html

Crude oil slide accelerated yesterday, with US futures suffering their steepest one-day loss in more than three years due to ongoing worries about weakening global demand and oversupply.

US futures closed down 7.1 per cent, for a record 12th straight decline and the lowest since November 2017.


Reuters reported that more than 980,000 contracts changed hands, as funds shed positions.

Traders said the selling was an extension of Monday’s, which was triggered after US President Donald Trump posted a tweet meant to put pressure on the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) not to cut supply to prop up prices.

Trump’s tweet followed weekend reports that Saudi Arabia was considering a production cut at the December OPEC meeting, on increased alarm that supply has started to outpace consumption.

US crude futures settled down $4.24 a barrel, or 7.1 per cent, to $55.69 a barrel.

It was the largest one-day percentage decline for the contract since September 2015.

US crude has lost 28 per cent since its early October peak.

The global benchmark, Brent ended down $4.65, or 6.6 per cent, to $65.47 per barrel, the largest one-day loss since July.

Brent has lost 25 per cent since peaking at a four-year high of $86 in early October. It now sits at levels not seen since March.

Speculators have pulled back on heavy bets on an oil rally, a process that continued Tuesday, traders said. As of last week, hedge funds and other money managers had reduced their long position in oil contracts to their lowest since August 2017.

Traders said that recent weakness in equities has fanned concerns about global growth, which is also contributing to declines in oil.

In its monthly report, OPEC said world oil demand next year would rise by 1.29 million barrels per day (bpd), 70,000 bpd less than predicted last month and the fourth consecutive forecast cut. Output, however, rose by 127,000 bpd to 32.9 million bpd, OPEC said.

Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih said on Monday that OPEC agreed there was a need to cut oil supply next year by around 1 million barrels per day from October levels to prevent oversupply.

Even as the Saudis have promised to reduce output, United States production reached 11.6 million bpd in the most recent week, a new record.

Russia has given mixed signals about a cut, with Lukoil Chief Executive Vagit Alekperov saying on Monday that he did not see cuts being necessary.

Since May when the Trump administration said it would impose sanctions on Iran, traders have been focusing on the impact they could have on global supply.

President Trump had later tweeted that the sanctions were “the most biting sanctions ever imposed”.

“Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States,” he had added.

The sanctions, which were re-imposed after a 180-day “wind-down period,” ending November 4, target Iran’s US dollar purchases, metals trading, coal, industrial software and its auto sector.

While the US said it wanted as many countries as possible to stop buying Iranian oil, many European countries as well as China and India, had opposed the sanctions.

Before the November 4 take off date, the sanctions were brewing a potential confrontation between the US and Iran as Tehran had threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, an important sea route through which tankers ship more than 30 per cent of crude oil to the international market, in retaliation to the sanctions.

But the US military had promised to counter any blockade of the Gulf passageway.

Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani had responded during a rare visit to Europe that Tehran could disrupt regional crude shipments and cut its cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/crude-oil-price-slumps-to-one-year-low.html

Nigerian actor, Kunle Afolayan, has distanced himself from the video of his brother, Aremu Afolayan, making the rounds on social media where he referred to President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and staff of Ethiopian airlines, and workers of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport as "bastards".

On Sunday, Aremu Afolayan had posted a video of himself calling out the government and airport officials for the "unprofessional attitude" of Immigration officials at the airport.

However, Kunle Afolayan took to Instagram to say he had received numerous calls and comments from people who mistook him as the person in the video. He stated that the person in the video was not him but his brother.

Alongside a picture of his brother in the video, the Yoruba Filmmaker wrote: “For clarity purpose, I think it is imperative I clear the air. Aremu Afolayan is the one in this video and not Kunle Afolayan. People have been responding to the video and tagging my handles as I have also received some calls. Oloun a so’lu dero. Ire.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/im-not-one-in-buhari-ambode-bastard.html

Following price losses suffered by most blue-chip stocks, transactions on the equity sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed on a downturn yesterday, as the All-share index depreciated by 0.18 per cent.

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, the All -share index (ASI) was down by 56.80 absolute points, representing a decline of 0.18 percent, to close at 32,143.41 points. Similarly, the market capitalisation decreased by N21 billion, to close at N11.735 trillion.

The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Guaranty Trust Bank, Zenith Bank, NEM Insurance, Diamond Bank and Abbey Mortgage Bank.

Analysts at United Capital Plc said: “With the culmination of the third quarter, 2018 earnings season, we expect a mixed theme this week as issues around the polity remain in focus.”
Codros Capital Limited said: “We reiterate our negative outlook for the equities market in the short to medium term, amidst political concerns ahead of the 2019 elections, and the absence of a positive market trigger. However, positive macroeconomic fundamentals remain supportive of recovery in the long term.”
However, market breadth closed positive with 14 gainers and 12 losers. Regency Alliance Insurance led the gainers table by 10 per cent to close at 22 kobo per share.
Union Diagnostic & Clinical Services followed with a gain of eight per cent to close at 27 kobo.
Flour Mill Nigeria appreciated by 7.14 per cent to close at N16.50 per share. Also, Oando went up by 6.45 per cent to close at N4.95 and Honeywell Flour rose by 2.68 per cent to close at N1.08 per share.

On the other hand, Abbey Mortgage Bank led the laggards’ table by 9.40 per cent to close at N1.06 per share.
Diamond Bank trailed with a loss of 9.38 per cent to close at N1.16, while NEM Insurance shed 8.21 per cent to close at N2.57 per share.
Livestock Feeds dipped by 7.14 per cent to close at 52 kobo, while FCMB Groups went down by 2.45 per cent, to close at N1.59, per share.
The total volume traded rose by 17.19 per cent to 142.11 million shares, valued at N1.56 billion, and exchanged in 2,772 deals.
Transactions in the shares of Diamond Bank topped the activity chart with 32.24 million shares valued at N37.68 million.
Guaranty Trust Bank traded 19.98 million shares worth N738.14 million and United Bank for Africa (UBA) transacted 16.06 million shares valued at N128.29 million.
FBN Holdings followed with 13.26 million shares worth N98.73 million, while Zenith Bank traded 11.74 million shares valued at N285.21 million.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/sell-off-drags-market-index-by-018-per.html

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola said the Buhari Government has fulfilled its promise of power supply through generation of additional electricity to Nigerians since 2015.

Fashola spoke at a news conference in Abuja on Monday.

Fashola, who presented his third year progress report said federal government at inception of the current administration promised to improve electricity supply via incremental, stable and ultimately uninterrupted power supply.

“With regard to our mandate on power supply, I promised that we will improve on the gas supply, increase the transmission capacity, pay Ministry Departments and Agency (MDA) debts and generally improve your experience with power supply.

“First by getting incremental power, then proceed to stable power and hopefully reach uninterrupted power.

“I am happy to report that we have walked our talk, and we have delivered visible results and recorded qualitative progress.“

He said government had improved on what it met in 2015 by increasing generation from 4000MW to 7000MW, transmission from 5000MW to 7000MW and distribution from 2,690MW to 5,222MW.

According to the minister, efforts were still on to deliver additional power to Nigerians.

“Our work is clearly not finished, and we are still in the process of delivering additional generation from Kaduna power plant, 215MW, Afam IV plant, 240MW, Kashimbilla 40MW, Gurara 30MW, Dadinkowa 29MW.“

He said government was also in final stage of providing power supply to nine universities and 15 markets.

Fashola said two big hydro power plants of 700MW in Zungeru and 3,050MW in Mambilla were also work-in-progress.

The Minister said to further improve transmission of power, 90 transmission projects were on-going across the nation with recent completion of Apo, Mayo Belwa, Damaturu, Maiduguri, Odogunyan and Ejigbo transmission lines.

On construction of distribution infrastructure, Fashola said over 100 injection sub-stations was been constructed, adding that a distribution expansion programme to be funded by the federal government had reached advanced state of procurement.

He, however noted that there were still Nigerians who were yet to be supplied electricity, adding that government and all the value chain operators were making efforts to deliver power to Nigerians.

“Although there are still people, we have not reached, although there are still disruptions from time to time, and although there are still people who also need meters, we are working to reach them.

“But it is indisputable that we have delivered on incremental power.

“The evidence of our progress is not only captured in the last quarter of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report for Q2 of 2018 which shows a growth of 7.5 per cent in the electricity sector.

“Previous quarterly reports from 2017, have consistently recorded growth, a clear departure from 2014, 2015 and proof of change.“

Fashola said the report of the ministry’s survey and feedback mechanism confirmed that many Nigerians now have public power for longer hours compared to 2015.

“And you now run generators for shorter periods compared to 2015 and you now spend less money on diesel to power your generators.

“As some citizens recently reported, they no longer have to iron all their clothes one week in advance as they previously used to do.

“Because the supply is proving reliable and predictable even if not yet fully stable and uninterrupted.

“This is progress that we must move forward by consolidating on our mandate of change, we cannot go back.

“As our policies on mini grids, Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Eligible Customer and liquidity sustenance and improved governance deepens, your experience with power supply can only get better,“ he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/fashola-buhari-govt-delivers-visible.html

Rep Anayo Nnebe (PDP-Anambra), has dismissed the call by leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, on the people of the South East to boycott the 2019 general elections.

Nnebe, who represents Awka North/South Constituency in the House of Representatives, spoke on Monday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that Kanu had called on Ndigbo to boycott the 2019 general elections.


In a live Facebook broadcast aired by Radio Biafra, Kanu said, “You own the power, you take it back.

‘’You can boycott the election and decide what you want. Stand your ground, cripple the 2019 elections and see the effects in your life.”

The lawmaker, who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Sports, said the leaders and elders in the South-East region would not relent in persuading the youth on the need to actively participate in the elections.

‘’2019 election is far ahead and the truth of the matter is that the elders would be talking to our young men to see the need for us to actually get involved in the election,” he said.

He said members of the National Assembly from the region too, would do their best to ensure that the aggrieved youth had a change of mind.

According to him, it will impact negatively on the South-East if for any reason, people got involved in boycotting the election.

‘’Boycott for who? I don’t think such advice will ever have effect. I believe the elders will discuss with them; let them see reasons because there are so many ways of agitating.


‘’You don’t shoot yourself in the foot to make a point,” he said.

Nnebe expressed optimism that the issue would be resolved before the elections.

‘’It will be resolved. You know these IPOB people are our people.

‘’They are youth and you know about youthful exuberance, but the elders will be there to checkmate them by advising them and preaching caution.

‘’There won’t be any problem; those people will see reason,” he said.

Also speaking, Rep Emmanuel Orker-Jev (PDP-Benue) said since the issue of security is everybody’s business, all Nigerians must work with the Federal Government toward ensuring peaceful polls in the country.

Orker-Jev, who represents Buruku Federal Constituency of Benue, said: “I have read that some leaders in the South-East are rebuffing what Kanu was purported to have said.

‘’So let’s see how the leaders from the South-East themselves respond to that because security is not just about what the government or those in government can do.

‘’It is a responsibility of all of us, including the community leaders, religious leaders, social leaders, etc. It is the entire responsibility of everybody.

‘’And as far as we are concerned, Nigeria has a lot of issues, a lot of problems, but we are one country, one indivisible country and that is the way I look at it now,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/2019-rep-dismisses-kanus-call-for.html

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Monday said no fewer than 36 persons had died in motor accidents in Ondo state from January till date.

Sector Commander of the corps in the state, Mr Rotimi Adeleye, made this known at the 2018 African Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance of Road Traffic Victims, in Akure.

The United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) adopted third Sunday in November every year as World Day for the remembrance for road traffic victims. Theme for this year’s edition is “Roads Have Stories.”

Adeleye said that FRSC was organizing a week-long activities to commemorate the event and to sensitise the living to the need to stem the tide of road traffic crashes.

He said that there were some black spots on some roads, including Oka-Akoko axis in North Senatorial District, Akure-Owo axis, Ore-Lagos Expressway and Onyeragbulem Junction in Akure, where accidents often occurred in the state.

“On May 29, 16 lives were lost to road crashes in Oka-Akoko, with 13 of the victims burnt to ashes without identification.

“On Jan. 21, along Akure-Owo road, near Celestial Church by Agbogbo Junction, eight people died on-the-spot in an accident.

“In the same vein, on July 15, at Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area, eight people also died.

“Also, the most recent that claimed lives of a family at Onyeragbulem junction in Akure occurred on Oct. 3 when a mother with her two children and elderly woman died,” he said.

Adeleye said that the crashes were caused by commercial drivers, but stated that the command had introduced enforcement to the section on any erring driver of speeding.

“We have put enforcement in place, if you traverse the state and you are speeding and you are apprehended, we are ready to delay you for two hours.

“With this enforcement, it will put some senses into theirs head so that when you get to Ondo state you will reduce your speed and put some senses in your driving culture,” he said.

The commander said that the effects of the crashes were felt not only within the immediate families but in the extended and nation “because it depletes it virile workforce’’.

He, therefore, called on major stakeholders and road users to join hand with the command to make the roads safer, especially during the yuletide.

“Road safety is everybody’s business; therefore, everybody should be involved in one way or the other in making our highways safe.

“We are all aware that government alone cannot effectively fund road safety programmes, neither can a government agency like FRSC single-handedly deal effectively with road safety issues,” Adeleye said.

While speaking at the event, the Ondo state governor,Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, commended the efforts of the FRSC in reduction of road crashes in the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/road-accidents-claim-36-in-ondo.html

The Nigerian Union of Traders Association Ghana (NUTAG), has commended President Mohammadu Buhari-led government, ECOWAS, Ghanaian authority and others for their intervention in the reopening of Nigerians shops in Ghana.

The President of NUTAG, Mr Chukwuemeka Nnaji, said this in a telephone conversation with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) from Kumasi Ghana on Thursday.

NAN reports that hundreds of shops run by Nigerians were reportedly shut following an impasse with the Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA).

The closure of the shops was allegedly in compliance with authorities mulling some legislation compelling foreigners to have one million dollars (R14.3 million) as minimum foreign investment capital to do business in Ghana.

Nnaji who confirmed the reopening of the shops by the authority in Ghana said that the government of Nigeria had worked so hard to achieve the feat.

“Yes, the Government of Nigeria has worked so hard to bring this success. All our shops are now opened. We want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention,” he said.

He recalled that President Buhari had sent a special envoy led by Foreign Affairs Minister, and President of ECOWAS Commission, Jean Claude Brou, to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo over the matter.

“We also commend the ECOWAS president, Jean Claude Brou, and his commissioners and other envoys sent to Ghana so many times over the issue.

“We also want to thank the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for their efforts,” he said.

Nnaji noted that the Minister had on Nov 2, summoned the Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Rashid Bawa, over the situation on the reopening of the shops.

He commended the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Amb. Olufemi Abikoye, and his Ghanaian counterpart, Bawa, on their efforts in resolving the impasse.

Nnaji also expressed the union’s appreciation to Ghanaian President Akufo-Addo for his efforts and the role played in ensuring that the closed shops were reopened.

NAN also recalled that President Akufo-Addo had assured Nigerians in his country of freedom to operate their businesses without harassment.

Akufo-Addo said this while receiving President Buhari’s Special Envoy to Ghana, led by Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Geofrey Onyeama.

He urged Nigerians to go about their normal businesses in Ghana.

“As far as the traders are concerned, the shops are re-opened; people are back to work.

“Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act will never be applicable to ECOWAS citizens; so people can get on with their normal lives,” he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/nigerian-traders-hail-buhari-ecowas-for.html

The Presidency has criticised the concocted controversy over President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on proposed N30,000 by some political actors to score cheap political goals, saying “stiff judgment awaits them at the polls’’.

Mr Femi Adesina, made the condemnation in a statement in Abuja on Thursday while reacting to comments apparently made by the Atiku media office.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku had allegedly claimed that “President Buhari cannot be trusted to implement the ‘new’ minimum wage of N30, 000’’ recommended by the Pepple tripartite committee.

Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said “Buhari may not have the political will to implement the new wage’’.

However, Adesina said: “Those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat.

“But then, it is not surprising, as they have nothing else to sell to Nigerians, if they don’t ride on the name of the President. Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.’’

The presidential aide therefore frowned at the recurring reports alleging that Buhari had reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30,000 recommended as the new National Minimum Wage by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee.

He noted that these reports were contrary to what transpired on Tuesday when the committee presented its Report to the President.

He said the president, while acknowledging the concerns raised by government on affordability and labour’s focus on meaningful increase, stated clearly in a speech, which was made available to the media that:

“In a way, both arguments are valid. I want to assure you all that we will immediately put in place the necessary machinery that will close out these open areas.

“Our plan is to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage within the shortest possible time. I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.

“As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report. I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.”

“From the above, and throughout the report-submission ceremony, the President never mentioned any figure. What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.

“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.’’

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/presidency-blasts-atiku-group-over.html

Gov David Umahi of Ebonyi on Wednesday in Abakaliki, declared that 95 per cent of states in the country cannot pay the proposed N30, 000 minimum wage to workers.

Umahi, who is the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, said this while inaugurating a 36-member fact-finding committee to ascertain the mode of workers’ promotion arrears payment in states across the six geo-political zones of the states.

According to Umahi, the payment of the N30, 000 can only be realised if the federation account allocation formula is reviewed to offer more earnings to states.

“The federal government collects 52 per cent of the revenue from the federation account and when I tried to put the N30,000 figure to Local Government Areas (LGA) it means they will borrow N1billion to add to their allocation, in paying salaries.

“I will definitely not be a governor to govern such a state and will never preside over a state that will allocate 100 per cent of its earnings to pay salaries,” he said.

The governor recommended that the issue of petroleum subsidy in the country should also be reviewed as had been noted by the state and federal governments.

“We must presently have the courage to say this because a lot of money can be saved from the subsidy if properly distributed.

“When 100, 000 litres of petrol is allocated to me for instance and deducted from my allocation, it is then my business to ensure that there is no leakage.

“There is no governor or political office holder that signs cheques but civil servants as the country’s leaders and labour are just putting water inside a basket and praying God to hold it with this minimum wage issue,” he said.

He urged the country’s leaders and labour to liaise and decide on the percentage of the federation account that should be voted for salaries and other sectors.

“We should determine how much should be allocated to education, health, infrastructure among others if 100 per cent of earnings are used to pay workers salaries.

“Many states are experiencing various problems and cannot pay salaries but the people condemn their governments over their inability to provide good roads and other amenities.

“People don’t understand the problems being experienced by these states and the governors have kept quiet for long and need to speak presently,” he said.

Umahi regretted that the issue of promotion arrears for workers in the state had lingered for long and urged the committee to be sincere with their findings to find an amicable solution to it.

“We have been setting up committees on this issue and getting no results with people not being sincere and resorting to all sorts of things,” he said.

Dr Hyginus Nwokwu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) noted that the issue made the governor to institute a 36-man member committee to tour states in the six geo political zones and ascertain the mode of payments.

“The members are drawn from critical elements of state with the organised labour having 12 nominees, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) 12 nominees and the government-12 nominees.

“The committee will tour three states in each of these zones, ascertain relevant facts, analyse and present them to enable government take disposable and final actions on the matter,” he said.

Mr Leonard Nkah, the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state and Chairman of the committee pledged to ensure the actualisation of the committee’s aims.

“We pledge to assiduously discharge our duties and make recommendations that will permanently solve the problem for a healthy government and labour relationship,” he said.

Full details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/minimum-wage-gov-umahi-threatens-to.html

The National Economic council (NEC) and the Federation Allocation Accounts Committee (FAAC) have approved the use of Nigeria Liquiefed Natural Gas dividends for financing of the petroleum products importation, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

One of the members of FAAC, who spoke with NAN on condition of anonymity, said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) briefed the meetings before using the fund.

He said that the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru had briefed NEC and FAAC on the NLNG dividends, which was paid to the corporation as a major shareholder.

It will be recalled that the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki had faulted the reported use of $1.05 billion, by the NNPC from its dividends from the NLNG for fuel subsidy.

Saraki expressed grave concern that the NNPC GMD was claiming that the illegal diversion of dividends from the NLNG, which should be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation for the purpose of funding the fuel subsidy “was done ‘in compliance with the National Assembly’s directive that NNPC as the supplier of last resort should, and has maintained robust petrol supply”.

Another source in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) further confirmed to NAN that the Corporation had sourced 1.05 billion dollars, a revolving loan, to finance the importation of Premium Motor Spirit, known as petrol into the country in 2018.

He said that Section 7 of the NNPC Act empowers the NNPC to defray costs from its revenue.

He further explained that the NNPC had fully compiled and had implemented the approved Treasury Single Account (TSA) laws in utilising the money, which is domiciled in CBN account.

According to the him, the fund is managed by inter-governmental agencies such as Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Finance, Department of Petroleum Resources, Petroleum Equalisation Fund, among others.

He added that it was unfortunate for anybody to say NNPC had misappropriated the fund.

“There is nothing like 3.5 billion dollar subsidy claim; it is not true and it is also false alarm that the NNPC was mismanaging such account, the dividends of NLNG as we know is being properly managed,” he said.

Also, spokesperson of the NNPC, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, confirmed to NAN that the corporation operates a regime of under recovery, since it is only the National Assembly that could appropriate on fuel subsidy.

He said that the NNPC was a major shareholder of NLNG and the dividends of NLNG were paid into the corporation account, which the corporation manages.

“I want you to know that in this situation, there is nothing like subsidy payment as the Senate President had mentioned.

“The GMD had briefed both NEC and FAAC on this NLNG dividend; also you know that the National Assembly had asked the corporation to ensure adequate supply of products in the country.

“We used the 1.05 billion dollars revolving loan in question, to finance importation of product in the country,” he said.

Ughamadu noted that the corporation had addressed the Senator Ahmed Lawal-led Ad Hoc Committee on fuel importation and explained every details of its operations.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/nec-faac-approve-use-of-105bn-nlng.html

As the trial of the leader of Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) Ibrahim El-Zakzaky holds in Kaduna on Wednesday, November 7, the state police command has reiterated its stance of barring protest by individuals and groups from holding in the state.

Scores of IMN members also known as Shiites were allegedly killed and injured during a protest for the release of El-Zakzaky in Abuja on Monday, October 29.

But, the Kaduna police has warned that the ban on all forms of demonstration or processions is still in full force and called on Kaduna residents to beware of their movement.

“In view of the Court Trial of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky on Wednesday, 7th November 2018, the peace loving and law abiding people of Kaduna State are to note that adequate security has been put in place for a hitch-free court appearance,” Kaduna Police spokesman DSP Yakubu Abubakar Sabo said in a statement.


“However, members of the public are advised to remain calm and not to be apprehensive where they observe unusual number of security personnel in town.”
The police urged members of the public not to participate in any form of demonstration, as defaulters would be punished.
“Members of the public should note that the ban on all forms of processions/demonstrations in Kaduna State is still in force. Noting, the Police will not hesitate to deal decisively with any person or group of persons who deliberately attempts to violate the ban.”
“As part of the strategy put in place for a smooth process of the court trial, there will be traffic diversion in the following areas during the court session: Independence way, Bida Road and All other roads leading to Ibrahim Taiwo Road Kaduna.”
“The general public has been urged to exercise more security consciousness as they go about their daily chores and other lawful businesses by being extra vigilant of their environment, persons around them, and activities of suspicious persons, so as to prevent miscreants from disturbing the peace of the State”.
The command called on the general public to report suspicious activities or persons around them to the nearest security agency via the Police Emergency Numbers: 07039675856 and 08075391105.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/police-upholds-protest-ban-in-kaduna-as.html

Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger on Tuesday presented N159.52 billion budget for the 2019 fiscal year to the State House of Assembly.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the budget, which is 5.43 per cent higher than the 2018 budget, was christened, “The Budget of Sustenance and Continuity.”

A breakdown of the budget showed N96.20 billion (60.31 per cent) was allocated for capital expenditure, while N63.324 billion (39.69 per cent) was provided for recurrent expenditure.

The administration sector was allocated N8.755 billion; economic sector, N56.032 billion; social sector, N29.876 billion; and law and justice, N1.540 billion, all from the capital expenditure.

Bello noted that the 2019 estimate would focus mainly on completion of ongoing projects that has direct bearing on lives of the citizens.

“The 2019 budget is hereby christened, ‘Budget of Sustenance and Continuity’ with priority attention on completing ongoing projects.


“Particularly, projects in the areas of infrastructure, education, water resources, agriculture and social development to stimulate economic growth through investment inflows,” he added.

According to him, the budget would be funded with revenues from statutory allocation, capital receipts, Value added tax, Paris Club Refunds, Refund from pension fund administrators, dividends from North-South Power and Refund from National Electricity Liability Company.

In his remarks, the Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, lauded the achievements of the Bello-led administration in the last three years across all sectors.

Marafa said the legislative arm would ensure the passage of the bill in record time to enable the state government consolidate on its achievements.

He maintained that the assembly would partner the executive to ensure revenue leakages are blocked to boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/abubakar-sani-bello-presents-n1595bn.html

According to a report by Spanish publication, Marca, a judge in Brazil has reportedly ordered for football legend Ronaldinho’s passport to be seized over unpaid debts of 0f 828 million naira [£1.75million].

It is gathered that authorities were left shocked after they found a total of just two thousand naira [£5.24] in Ronaldinho’s bank accounts.

The report has it that the 38-year-old football star and his brother Roberto Assis were fined for illegal construction in a protected area, and they haven’t been able to pay off the debt because of high interest despite mortgaging their property.

Ronaldinho is yet to react to the court order but he is scheduled to take part in The Game of Champions friendly in Frankfurt on November 17.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/ronaldinho-owes-828-million-naira-debt.html

The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has escaped another assassination attempt.

The incident which happened in the early hours of Tuesday in his Abuja residence saw his security guards rescuing his wife and son from the assailants.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, the incident occurred at about 4 a.m. on Tuesday at Ekweremadu’s Apo Quarters residence in Abuja.

The armed men were said to have evaded the security at the well guarded residence before gaining entry into the house.
The attackers who could not immediately shoot in order not to attract the attention of the security personnel on duty, took hold of his son and commanded him to lead them to the Senator’s bedroom.
“It was in the ensuring struggle in the Senator’s bedroom that security was alerted, leading to the arrest of one of the assailants with dangerous weapon and housebreaking devices, while the rest manged to escape,” Anichukwu was quoted as saying in the statement.
According to Anichukwu, the arrested member of the gang refused to divulge any information on the operation.
He has since been handed over to the police.
It would be recalled that the lawmaker narrowly escaped death in Abuja on Nov. 17, 2015.
Although the 2015 incident was reported to the security agencies, nothing has been heard about the matter till date.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/breaking-ekweremadu-escapes.html

Senate President Bukola Saraki has faulted reported use of $1.05billion, by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), from its dividends from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) for fuel subsidy.


Saraki said the Senate would, therefore, on resumption of plenary today investigate the claims made before the Senator Ahmad Lawan’s Ad-hoc Committee by the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru, on how and why the corporation diverted the dividend from the NLNG to defray the cost of under-recovery in the importation of fuel.

The Senate president, who was quoted as saying this while speaking with newsmen at the Ilorin airport on Monday, according to a statement by his media adviser, Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, admitted that he had received series of telephone calls on the issue by many concerned Nigerians, “Who wanted to know the position of the Senate on the issues raised by the NNPC’s GMD before the Ahmad Lawan’s Ad-hoc Committee.”

Saraki expressed grave concern that the NNPC GMD was claiming that the illegal diversion of dividends from the NLNG, which should be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation for the purpose of funding the fuel subsidy “was done ‘in compliance with the National Assembly directive that NNPC as the supplier of last resort should, and has, maintained robust petrol supply”.

He wondered that “so, if the National Assembly called on NNPC to carry out its legitimate duty of ensuring adequate fuel supply to Nigerians, the GMD logically thinks the corporation by that call has the licence to perpetrate illegality, spend money without approval and violate appropriation laws”.

“It is my belief that if the National Assembly said the corporation should perform its duty effectively as a supplier of fuel to Nigerians without exposing people to needless suffering, that ought to be done within the ambit of the law.”

Saraki added that Senate probe of the unauthorised spending by NNPC will require the GMD to produce the approval given by the National Assembly and other necessary approving bodies authorising the NNPC to divert the dividend from the NLNG investment, “which ought to be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund belonging to the three tiers of government, for the payment of fuel subsidy”.

According to him, the disclosure by the NNPC boss in response to enquiries by the Senate adhoc committee probing the issue of illegal payment of subsidy on fuel, called for further investigation by the Senate and also showed that as alleged in a motion moved earlier by Senate Minority Leader, Senator Biodun Olujimi, a lot of illegal and unapproved spendings are going on in the petroleum corporation.

He, therefore, assured Nigerians that Senate would thoroughly investigate this matter saying “there will be no cover up.”
Saraki also expressed confidence that the ad-hoc committee would do a thorough job.
“All the issues will be unearthed. That is why when the Senate set up investigative committees on issues, we want Nigerians to have confidence in us that we do not act because we want to embark on a wild goose chase. There must be some serious issues to be looked into. The revelations by the NNPC’s GMD have justified the need for this investigation and they have shown that we are acting in good faith.

“When in my ruling on the motion raised by Senator Olujimi, I insisted that we want a transparent, honest and non-partisan investigation on the fuel subsidy issue, it was clear to me and my colleagues that there are certain irregularities being perpetrated and we should let Nigerians know the truth. That is why we set up the committee in the first place and to demonstrate the seriousness we attach to the issue, we decided that the ad-hoc committee should be led by the Leader of the Senate, Senator Ahmad,” Senate President further said.
Baru had last Thursday told the Senator Lawan-led ad-hoc committee that the corporation spent $1.05billion to defray underrecovery cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from October, 2017 to date.

He emphasised that what the corporation did in the wake of shortfall in fuel supply between October 2017 and January 2018″ was to devise other means of securing PMS on the advise of the National Assembly.”
According to him, NNPC utilised $1.05billion from its dividends in NLNG to finance the additional landing and other expenses of PMS.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/saraki-decries-use-of-105bn-nlng.html

Following price losses suffered by most blue-chip stocks, transactions on the equities sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) reopened on a downturn yesterday, as the All-share index depreciated by 0.24 per cent.

Specifically, at the close of transactions yesterday, the All Share Index (ASI) was down by 199.92 absolute points, representing a decrease of 76.76 points or 0.24 per cent to close at 32,048.18 points. Similarly, the market capitalisation decreased by N28 billion, to close at N11.7 trillion.

The downturn was impacted by losses recorded in medium and large capitalised stocks, amongst which are; Unilever Nigeria, Nigeria Breweries, cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN), Northern Nigeria Flour Mills (NNFM) and Ecobank Transnational Corporation.


Analysts at Afrinvest Limited said that, “yesterday, we observed a largely positive performance till the last hour of trading as investors’ profit taking on large counters wiped off early trading gains. Nonetheless, we opine that bargain-hunting would lift performance tomorrow while maintaining our near term bearish outlook.”

The Chief Executive Officer of Investdata Reseach Consulting, Ambrose Omodion said: “We expect mixed performance this week, as sell-off and repositioning continue; as investors and fund managers interpret the Q3 filings to enable them to re-balance their portfolios, while watching the political space and analyzing the numbers expected to give an insight into expectations for Q3 GDP and full year company earnings power.


“These are likely to drive prices north, or south, while determining market direction before or after Presidential election. Investors should review their positions in line with investment goals, strength of the company numbers and act as events unfold in the global and domestic environment.”Market breadth closed negative, recorded 17 gainers against 24 losers. Cadbury Nigeria and UAC of Nigeria recorded the highest price gain of 10 per cent, each to close at N9.90, each, while Presco followed with a gain of 9.86 per cent to close at N65.75, per share.

McNichols rose by 9.76 per cent to close at 45 kobo, while Fidson Medical appreciated by 8.70 per cent to close at N5 per share. On the other hand, CCNN led the losers’ chart by 9.38 per cent, to close at N18.35, per share. NNFM followed with a decline of 9.35 per cent to close at N4.85, while Prestige Assurance lost 8.93 per cent to close at 51 kobo, per share.

Niger insurance shed 8.33 per cent to close at 22 kobo, while Union Diagnostic & Clinical Services depreciated by 7.41 per cent to close at 25 per share. The total volume traded depreciated by 34 per cent to 157.83 million shares, worth N1.75 billion, and traded in 3,134 deals. Transactions in the shares of Access Bank topped the activity chart with 18.86 million shares valued at N156.52 million. FCMB Groups followed with 14.51 million shares worth N22.87 million, while Guaranty Trust Bank traded 13.13 million shares valued at N498.92 million.Wapic Insurance traded 13.01 million shares valued at N5.21 million, while FBN Holdings transacted 12.62 million shares worth N93.12 million.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/index-down-by-024-as-stock-market.html

The Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria has called on its members nationwide to embark on indefinite strike, with effect from Tuesday, November 6.

The union further called on its members nationwide to comply and work in harmony during the industrial action.

Musa Chara, HOD Admin of the union, in a statement obtained by Akelicious on Monday said there was no going back on their decision.

He said, “I have been directed to remind you of the decision of the congress to embark on an indefinite strike on the 6th of November, 2019, which was earlier communicated to you.

“In furtherance to this, a joint meeting of the CWCs of the labour centre met in Lagos on Friday, November 2 and resolved to work in harmony to ensure a total strike.,
“You are thus directed to mobilize all members in your council to join in the action.

“Meanwhile, you are to reach out to and work in harmony with to labour centre and unionist in your state as well as civil society activist to ensure strike in your state.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/minimum-wage-health-workers-announce.html

The House of Representatives could reopen the probe into an alleged $1.348 billion power sector fraud levelled against General Electric (GE) and Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd.
The issue, which has lingered for years, will not be swept under the carpet, vowed chairman of the House Committee on Power, Dan Asuquo, in an interview at the weekend.
He expressed surprise that the authorities have not yet taken action on findings by relevant committees of the previous National Assembly, insisting the legislature would push for the refund of the alleged stolen money.
“The National Assembly has done its work. It has come out with a report. The report is there for anybody to see and use. If you talk about Rockson, in collaboration with GE, they have issues of which Nigerians should ask questions. If somebody is not performing, the law is there.


“We cannot promote the fleecing of taxpayers’ money. If somebody is irresponsible, the law is clear; you blacklist and terminate, as long as you’ve kept your own part of the contract. We will call for that refund, if that magnitude of padding, waste and corruption has been done,” said Asuquo.
The allegation, which came via a signed petition by about 10 civil society organisations and dated September 26, 2018, was received by the office of the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, on September 27, 2018.
President Muhammadu Buhari had recently wondered how a former government allegedly spent $16 billion on the sector without results. He also accused the National Assembly of not exercising adequate oversight on the sector.
The two companies were blacklisted in a 2008 House of Representatives report.
The Association of Power Generation Companies (APGC) meanwhile said since June 2018, power Generation Companies (GenCos) have not received payment from the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) for electricity generated.
APGC’s Executive Secretary Dr Joy Ogaji disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday. According to her, GenCos were being owed N500 billion for power generated from 2013, when they took over electricity generation, to December 2016.
She said: “The GenCos debt is classified into about three categories. So, when you are talking about debts, before even NBET came, market operators owed GenCos. If you calculate all that debt from 2013 to December 2016, GenCos’ debt was about N500 billion. This debt that we are talking about is without interest, because the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) says if they delay payment, GenCos are entitled to interest. So, this amount is without interest. It does not also cover the cost for available capacity.”
She said further: “GenCos make capacity available. So, the power that is being rejected…it does not cover that one, because that is a different cost. From 2017, NBET, through Federal Government’s Payment Assurance Guarantee, has only been paying 80 per cent and there is 20 per cent shortfall till date. And for this year, since June, we have not been paid.”
On GenCos meeting their obligation on payment to gas companies, Ogaji noted: “GenCos have been taking loans from banks to be able to meet their obligations in the market and put power on the grid. When we don’t generate, we are called saboteurs. They will start saying that the owners of the GenCos are PDP members; that is why they are not generating. But the government is not looking at the cost implication of putting power on the grid and you are not paying for it. There is no business person that will want to continue business when he is not getting anything on it. And upon that you are being accused that you are a saboteur.”
The APGC executive secretary however said GenCos were engaging NBET on the matter.
But the Head Corporate Communication of NBET, Mrs. Henrietta Ighomrore, described the alleged non-payment since June as inaccurate. GenCos have always received their payment as at when due, and at no time did NBET withhold payment to GenCos, she said.
“NBET does not retain any money. Every money we receive from the DisCos, we immediately pay it to the GenCos to settle their invoices,” she explained, stressing it is important to understand how payments are made in the electricity market.

“For instance, if you have January’s invoice, that invoice will be coming to you around the end of February or early March. The generating companies generate and then they send to us and then we send to the DisCos. At the end of the month, the Market Operator (MO) will read the meter and then raise the market settlement statement.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/reps-to-reopen-alleged-1348b-power.html

Men from a small Zimbabwean town have reportedly pleaded with condom manufacturers to supply them with larger condoms, saying those available in local shops were "too small for them".

According to New Zimbabwe.com, men from Mpandawana Growth Point said that they were at risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases, as some of the condoms often burst during sex.

The country's National Aids Council (NAC) reportedly identified Mpandawana, the largest service centre in Gutu, as a "hot spot" for new sexually transmitted diseases in Masvingo province.

In February, former health minister David Parirenyatwa challenged local manufacturers to produce condoms so as "to address concerns over the size of condoms imported from China".



'Too small'

Parirenyatwa urged manufacturers to produce condoms that were suitable for Zimbabwean men.

According to NewsDay, Parirenyatwa said at the time that the move would also save on foreign currency.

He said that young people in the southern African country complained about the size of the imported condoms, saying they were "too small".



At least 109.4 million condoms were distributed across Zimbabwe in 2016 which amounted to about 33 condoms per individual for the year, a New Zimbabwe.com report said.

This made Zimbabwe one of the five countries that exceeded the United Nations Population Funds regional mark of 30 male condoms per man per year, the report said.

Condoms were one of the key measures that government and development partners were using to fight the HIV and Aids prevalence

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/zimbabwean-men-says-condoms-too-small.html

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says 230.35 Billion Cubic Feet (BCF) of natural gas has been produced in the country in July.

The Corporation, in its Monthly Financial and Operations report for July, said the production averaged a daily output of 7,678.17 million Standard Cubic Feet (mmscfd).

It said the sum represented 8.81 per cent increase compared to the previous month, June 2018.

The report indicated that for the period July 2017 to July 2018, 3,084.09 BCF of gas was produced, representing an average daily production of 7,834.62 mmscfd.

It added that the daily average natural gas supply to gas power plants stood at 744.86 mmscfd, equivalent to power generation of 2,898 MW.

It explained that from the period to date, production from Joint Ventures (JVs), Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) contributed about 69.38 per cent, 21.69 per cent and 8.93 per cent respectively to the total national gas production

A further breakdown of the numbers showed that out of the total volume of gas supplied in July 2018, 127.19 BCF of gas was commercialised, comprising 35.55 BCF and 91.65 BCF for the domestic and export market.

“This translates to a total supply of 1,184.81 mmscfd of gas to the domestic market and 3,055.00 mmscfd of gas supplied to the export market for the month.

“It implies that 55.98 per cent of the average daily gas produced was commercialised, while the balance of 44.02 per cent was re-injected, used as upstream fuel gas or flared,’’ it said

On Gas Flaring, the report said gas flare rate was 9.33 per cent, (706.96mmscfd), compared with average gas flare rate of 10.44 per cent ( 816.73mmscfd) for the period July 2017 to July 2018.

The Report also revealed that the corporation continued to ensure increased PMS supply and distribution across the country to sustain seamless distribution of petroleum products and zero fuel queue across the nation.

It noted that 2.18 billion litres of white products were distributed and sold by the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) in July 2018 compared with 1.46 billion litres in June 2018.

According to the report, the sales comprised 1.84 billion litres of petrol, 0.13billion litres of kerosene and 0.21 billion litres of diesel, while total special products sold for the period was 10.70 million litres.

This, it added, comprised 0.87 million litres of other special products and 9.83 million litres of LPFO or 16 per cent, 12 per cent and 6 per cent respectively.

The report disclosed that during the period under review, pipeline break stood at 204, of which 16 pipeline points either failed to be welded or ruptured/clamped.

It also indicated that 188 pipeline points were vandalised as against 165 recorded last month, with Ibadan-Mosimi accounting for 124 points or 66 per cent of the vandalised pipeline, while Aba-Enugu, PHC-Aba and other locations accounted for the rest.

“A total of 1,858 vandalized points were recorded between July 2017 and July 2018,’’ it added.

In the Upstream Sector, the report disclosed that average crude oil price stood at 72.57 dollars per barrel in July 2018 as against 72.67 dollars per barrel in June 2018.

Industry watchers attributed the oil price decline to the slight rise in the global inventories, saying the scenario was expected to continue in the second half of 2018.

In July, the OPEC Reference Basket (ORB) increased marginally by 0.07 per cent to finish the month at 73.27 dollars per barrel, compared to the previous year ORB of 68.48 dollars per barrel in the same period, indicating a higher value of 4.7 or 7 dollars per cent.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/natural-gas-production-rise-by-8-nnpc.html