EFCC chief cautions NURTW, RTEAN members against illegal mining.

EFCC chief cautions NURTW, RTEAN members against illegal mining.

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has cautioned transporters under the aegis of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) against being used as accomplices by illegal miners across the country.

The anti-graft chief gave the warning in Ilorin, Kwara state at a meeting with the executive members of the two transport unions.

The Ilorin zonal command of the anti-graft agency had earlier in the month of February paraded 41 suspected miners and impounded 12 trucks, conveying various solid minerals at different locations comprising Share, Banni, Lade, Patigi and Okolowo in Kwara, and Igbeti and Ogbomosho in Oyo state. 

Speaking through the Ilorin zonal commander, Mchael Nzekwe, Olukoyede, noted that the meeting became necessary in order to sensitise members of the unions against fouling the law as some truck owners and drivers have been found to be providing transport services to illegal miners.

He said: “The purpose of this meeting is to educate and enlighten you that it is an offence to mine minerals without license, just as it is an offence to possess or convey minerals without permit. You are therefore enjoined to warn your members not to allow themselves or release their trucks to be used for carrying out illegal activities.”

The EFCC boss reminded leaders of the transport unions that illegal mining was an economic sabotage punishable with life imprisonment under Section 1(8) (b) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act Cap M17, 1983, enjoining members of the transport unions to always demand for the mining license of any miner seeking their services to avoid being complicit in illegitimate mining.

He advised members of the two unions to deny entry into their parks, any truck loaded with solid minerals without the right authorization papers and to report such trucks to the EFCC, warning that the Commission would do all within its powers to bring perpetrators of illegal mining to justice.

In their response, Alhaji Abdulrasaki Ariwoola, Chairman, Kwara State NURTW and Alhaji Abdulrahman Onikijipa, Chairman, Kwara State RTEAN, who were represented by their respective secretaries appreciated the EFCC for the sensitisation and pledged their members’ support to the Commission’s efforts in checking the criminal activities of illegal miners in the state.

Reps seek collaboration with Nigeria Navy to fight oil theft.

Reps seek collaboration with Nigeria Navy to fight oil theft.

The House of Representatives Special Adhoc Committee on Crude Oil Theft and Losses and the Nigeria Navy are set to collaborate on strategies for effectively policing pipelines and other critical assets in the oil and gas industry, aiming to combat the menace of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.

During a visit to the Chief of Naval Staff, Chairman of the Committee, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, appealed to the Nigerian Navy to provide relevant information to assist in uncovering those responsible for the ongoing theft of the country’s crude oil.

Doguwa assured that information obtained confidentially by the committee will be handled with utmost care.

Doguwa said: “crude oil theft is a major concern to the economy of our country, Nigeria, and on that note we feel we have to extend hands of fellowship to the relevant security stakeholders that have long been existing on the space to fight against these criminalities.

“You can all recall that the recent projection for the year 2024, the parliament budgeted about 28.77 trillion naira based on crude oil bench mark of $77.96 per barrel and the production of 1.78 million barrels per day.

“In January 2024, Nigeria oil production rose to about 1.42 million barrels per day, this represents an increase of about 6.85 percent compared to the  the production figure of 1.39 million barrels per day in December 2023.

“Though there seemed to be a gradual improvement of oil production, but we are still bellow the OPEC quota of 1.58 million barrels per day in the 2024 budget benchmark. The major reason the country is not meeting her production targets is largely attributed to crude oil theft.

“This theft is being carried out in collusion, that not only threaten the economy of the country but have even precipitated crisis bothering on national security.

“You may recall that in 2022 NEITI report, which is the key parameter for our economic projections, the agency stated that about 619.7 million barrels of crude oil, valued at over $46.16 billion was stolen within the period of 12 years.

“In order to address these criminalities, the house instituted this special committee, and charged it with the responsibility of  investigating all dimensions of oil theft and with a view to bringing all culprits to book”.

Doguwa said the committee has since commenced legislative work , engaging strategic stakeholders, and will soon begin public investigative hearings on “identified malpractices.”

He disclosed that the committee has visited the site of two vessels arrested in Delta State, for involvement in crude oil theft saying “these occurrences calls for an overhaul of the security architecture around the oil and gas infrastructure and the nation’s marine environment. We need to strengthen collaboration among the security agencies and also the private security that we have on ground”.

In his Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogala said oil theft is major challenge to the country’s economy, stressing the recent report by NNPC Limited of the rise of crude oil production to about 1.78 million bpd.

He said it was the highest in last three years, as still being below Nigeria’s OPEC quota, giving assurance that the Navy will work in collaboration with others to ensure the quota is met.

The Naval Chief  lamented the shortage of personnel in the face of the vastness of the country’s waterways which he said was over 1/10th of Nigeria land space, saying the Navy has less than 30,000 personnel, to man the vast sea space with operational guideline of policing, enforcing and assisting in coordinating enforcement.

 Ogala said the Navy has adopted a framework for a total maritime safety strategy, but that “there must be adequate collaboration with other agencies, and working with communities,  international organizations and others.”

He said the Nigerian Navy has been doing a lot in tackling crude oil theft, but it does not say much about that in the media, as according to him, 34 vessels have been arrested between July 2023 to date, and have been subjected to requisite investigation, with some already facing prosecution by the concerned agencies, including the police and the EFCC.

“We have a big task to ensure that we meet the oil production target in the budget. You also stated that there has been a gradual increase in our crude oil production, that is a fact.

“When we came on board last year, it was may be 1.1 million bpd, and like you stated, we now have 1.4 million bpd, which is still below our OPEC quota…all these improvements are not yet enough because we have not met the quota, but we the capacity to meet the quota.”

He also blamed some major oil companies of failing to seal disused oil well heads as the standard is globally, after leaving such wells when considered no longer commercially viable, saying those operating illegal refineries take advantage of the oil well heads to scoop.

Ban on styrofoam effective Monday – Lagos.

 Ban on styrofoam effective Monday – Lagos.

The Lagos State Government has said full enforcement of the ban on the usage and distribution of styrofoam food containers all over the state would commence today (Monday).

On January 21, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his X handle, announced an immediate ban on the use of single-use plastics including styrofoam due to their non-biodegradable nature.

However, in another post on his X account on January 25, the commissioner said the state would “delay the commencement of enforcement of the ban by three weeks after which the government will go on full enforcement of the law.”

Wahab, during a meeting held with all market leaders on Friday, announced the commencement of the ban, according to a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, on Saturday.

He said, “The enforcement of the ban on usage and distribution of Styrofoam food containers all over the state will commence on Monday. Enforcement officers from LAGESC/KAI, environmental health officials, LAWMA police, and the ministry will go after all those having Styrofoams in their shops, stores, or outlets and confiscate them.

“Styrofoam usage has caused enough damage to the health of the residents and the state of the environment for so many years and the government is determined to encourage viable options for Styrofoam containers across the metropolis.”

In his remarks, the Special Adviser on Environment, Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, urged market leaders to ensure cleanliness in their respective marketplaces, adding that selling on the roads should be discouraged by all.

In her response, the Iyaloja General, Mrs Folasade Tinubu-Ojo, who was represented by the Iya-Oja, Lagos Island, Mrs Risikat Lasisi, noted that they would ensure that market sanitation “continues as a daily task that all market leaders will adopt”.

Lagos to relocate computer village to Katangowa.

Lagos to relocate computer village to Katangowa.

The Lagos State Government is set to relocate computer village from Ikeja to Katangowa in the Abule-Egba area.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on eGIS and Urban Development, Dr Olajide Babatunde, disclosed this on Saturday during a joint inspection and enforcement carried out by Lagos State Building Control Agency in conjunction with some law enforcement agencies and other relevant government agencies in charge of emergency related matters.

Babatunde said the Lagos State Government was trying to re-organise markets in the state.

He said, “We are trying to re-organise all our markets. I will give an example; in Ikeja, we have the Computer Village, which is being relocated to Katangowa.

“Hence, it is not just the Computer Village alone; there are other activities that would happen in the Katangowa market.”

 Police defend demolition as Computer Village traders seek compensation

According to him, in the next coming weeks, the efforts of the government on the Katangowa market will be seen.

He added, “We are moving those people who seem to be on the road in Ikeja and obstructing traffic, into a proper market big enough with all the services, with crèche for their children, schools, playground, churches, mosques, storage room, warehouses, some accommodation and hotel facilities.

“We are trying to do things properly, we are working on all of these things to ensure that we re-generate, re-develop, innovate, conserve and anything we need to do in terms of the terminologies we have in urban development, will be put to play in Lagos in way that we would have a greater Lagos rising.”

The relocation was supposed to happen in 2017 but was stalled.

In 2023, the state’s former Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Wasiu Anifowose, said all arrangements had been made to relocate the traders.

Nigeria ready to host African Central Bank 2028, says Tinubu.

Nigeria ready to host African Central Bank 2028, says Tinubu.

President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria is ready to host the African Central Bank according to the vision of the Abuja Treaty.

He affirmed that “his administration will engage the African Union Commission in collaboration with member states to ensure that the bank takes off as scheduled in 2028,” a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed.

The statement is titled ‘President Tinubu to AU leaders: Nigeria ready to host African Central Bank; prepare the youth for the 21st-century economy.’

Tinubu made these remarks when he addressed leaders at the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday.

The President declared that Africa’s success in conclusively addressing its challenges hinges on the firmness of its resolution, built on a foundation of deep-rooted solidarity if it is to avoid perpetuating existing problems and creating new ones.

This was as he argued that the continent’s growth has been long impeded by the cancers of coup-birthed autocracies and harmful tinkering with constitutional tenure provisions.

“As a continent and as individual nations, we face strong headwinds and difficult hurdles threatening to complicate our mission to bring qualitative democratic governance and economic development to our people.

“Many of these obstacles, such as climate change and unfair patterns of global trade, are largely not of our making.

However, some of the pitfalls, including coup-birthed autocracies and the deleterious tinkering with constitutional tenure provisions, are developmental cancers we as Africans are giving to ourselves,” he stated.

Citing the military takeovers in the Republics of Guinea, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, and the exit of three of these nations from ECOWAS, Tinubu argued that disagreements over the unconstitutional changes of government should not mean a permanent rupture of the abiding lines of regional affinity and cooperation.

“The drive for a peaceful, strong, and united West Africa is bigger than any one person or group of people. The bonds of history, culture, commerce, geography, and brotherhood hold deep meaning for our people.

“Thus, out of the dust and fog of misunderstanding and acrimony, we must seize the chance to create a new people-centric era of trust and accord.

“To all who care to listen, I declare that if you come to the table to discuss important matters in good faith, you will find Nigeria and ECOWAS already sitting there waiting to greet you as the brother that you are,” the President added.

On education, which is the theme of the summit, Tinubu said education is the core ingredient in the process of evolving creative solutions to the unique challenges long confronting the continent.

“In helping to achieve the Agenda 2063 objective of a peaceful, united and prosperous Africa, I consider African education, not only in the narrow context of the benign use of science and technology to improve the material standards of our people, but also in the nuanced appreciation of the fact that Africa must also become better educated in the humane art of democratic practice, diplomacy, and conflict resolution without violence.

“This year’s theme encourages us to remodel our educational systems to fit these goals. In Nigeria, my administration is devoting ample resources to education at all levels.

“From redesigning our school feeding programmes and academic curricula to making ourselves an Information and Communication Technology hub, through which we shall bring more youths into the classroom and furnish them with the tools required to flourish in the global economy of the 21st century,” he explained.

The President used the occasion to extend an invitation to the Africa Counter-Terrorism Summit scheduled to take place in April 2024, in Abuja, stating that the summit aims to expand discussions beyond military and law enforcement remedies to comprehensively tackle the root causes of violent extremism, such as poverty, inadequate political access, and the propagation of hateful ideologies.

Tinubu seeks collaboration for improved healthcare in Africa.

Tinubu seeks collaboration for improved healthcare in Africa.

President Bola Tinubu on Saturday said addressing Africa’s health sector challenges would require states to forge partnerships that transcend borders and sectors, leveraging collective expertise, knowledge, resources and the private sector.

Tinubu who spoke in his capacity as the newly-appointed African Union Health Champion made this call at the Ministerial Executive Leadership Programme on the margins of the 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the AU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

He argued that Africa’s effective collaboration with the rest of the world to tackle existential health challenges is not merely a strategic choice, but a moral imperative.

The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed the details of Tinubu’s discussion in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu as AU Health Champion: transnational collaboration essential for addressing complex challenges in healthcare.’

Tinubu noted that the challenges confronting the continent are too complex and multifaceted for any one entity to tackle alone.

He explained, “Together, we can catalyse meaningful change and unlock new opportunities for innovation and impact in our continent. Not Africa in isolation, but a global Africa, engaged in respectful and well-considered partnerships with the rest of the world.

“Our continent still grapples with numerous health issues that require urgent attention. Infectious diseases remain a significant burden, such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and cholera, and threats of re-emerging infectious diseases that can devastate communities and entire economies.

“Access to essential healthcare services remains limited, especially in many rural areas, due to factors such as inadequate infrastructure, financial barriers, and more seriously, an acute shortage of trained manpower that is aggravated by workforce migration to wealthier countries.”

“Noncommunicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, are on the rise in our continent, further straining healthcare systems that are already struggling to cope. There remains the critical need to address maternal and child health, as high maternal and child mortality rates continue to claim precious lives,” he added.

He reasoned that addressing these challenges requires a multi-faceted approach involving robust investments in healthcare infrastructure, training, re-training, skilled manpower retention, improving access to essential medicines and promoting preventive healthcare measures.

Tinubu linked Africa’s capacity to successfully address these problems with its ability to adopt a whole-of-government approach, recognising that health outcomes are intrinsically linked to a myriad of socio-economic factors.

“For instance, a healthy population is essential for a thriving economy as it leads to increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs.

“Similarly, education plays a crucial role in improving health outcomes by empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their health and well-being,” he noted.

While describing healthcare professionals as the backbone of any healthcare system, he said governments must invest not only in training them but also in creating conducive environments that enable healthcare professionals to thrive.

Therefore, community health delivery must be the cornerstone of Africa’s efforts, fostering partnerships with local stakeholders and empowering individuals to take charge of their health, he added.

He also opined that the true measure of the continent’s success lies in its ability to reach the most vulnerable members of its communities.

Tinubu explained, “In our quest for universal health coverage, equity must be our central guiding principle. Health disparities, rooted in socio-economic inequality, gender discrimination, geographic isolation, and other systemic injustices, demand political will and targeted interventions to address them.

“We must listen to the voices of marginalised communities, amplifying their concerns and aspirations as we strive to build more prosperous, just, and inclusive societies.”

In Nigeria, the President said his administration is making significant efforts to enhance healthcare accessibility, affordability and quality for all citizens, irrespective of socio-economic standing.

“This initiative is driven by a multi-faceted approach focusing on strengthening leadership and governance within the health sector, optimising quality service delivery for efficiency and effectiveness,” he clarified.

Tinubu revealed that the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative he launched last December stands as a pioneering endeavour, deployed through a Sector-Wide Approach, to improve health outcomes at scale.

He said the initiative is strategically crafted to swiftly improve health indicators and unlock the economic potential embedded within Nigeria’s healthcare value chain.

Its mission is to unleash the nation’s human capital, alongside the potential economic boon that has been long dormant in the healthcare sector.

“The Federal Government, under my leadership, has already signed a Compact with State Governments and Development partners in this multi-stakeholder effort to improve health in Nigeria,” the President affirmed.

Therefore, President Tinubu urged Africa’s leaders to commit to concrete actions and policies that will drive positive change in healthcare delivery within their respective countries and regions, declaring: “Together, we can build a prosperous, healthier, more equitable future, for all Africans, in line with Agenda 2063.”

'We’re confident Tinubu will end insecurity in Southeast’.

'We’re confident Tinubu will end insecurity in Southeast’.

Igbos in the diaspora, under the auspices of the Igbo General Assembly (IGA), Spain,  have thrown in their support for President Bola Tinubu on the issue of insecurity ravaging the Southeast and other parts of the country. 

This is just as the diaspora group has pleaded with the president to intervene on the issue of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and ensure that he is released from detention in the interest of peace, justice, and fairness. 

The assembly, which shared its views in a communiqué it issued after its meeting in Malaga, Spain weekend, expressed confidence in President Tinubu’s capability of tackling the security challenges in the Southeast region. 

In the communiqué signed by Ozo Kingsley Ndibe and Hon. E.C Onugha, IGA President General and Secretary respectively, the assembly lamented the economic hindrances the insecurity in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states have brought upon the people of the region, urging the President to intervene and save the region from complete economic collapse. 

The group, which is the central coordinating Igbo organization representing other independent, registered Igbo associations in Spain, added that since the insecurity situation in Southeastern Nigeria deteriorated, diaspora investment, which was one of the bedrock of the region’s economy, has drastically reduced, as people hardly come home to invest and create jobs for unemployed youths. 

IGA said that the insecurity in the region has been an issue of great concern to all Igbos both at home and abroad and regretted that the previous administration could not solve this problem as expected.

The communiqué added that the release of Kanu would help to end the economic strangulation going on in the Southeast. 

The assembly further said that it has full confidence and trust that President Bola Tinubu will bring a lasting solution to the insecurity in the region and urged the president to use his office as the father of the whole country to salvage the situation and let Southeast contribute more to the development of the country.

“There have been incessant cases of kidnappings, killings, and regular bloodlettings in the Southeast, where our mothers can no longer go to the farm and our fathers cannot go out to do their businesses. 

“Movement has been restricted in this region every other Monday, adversely affecting economic activities in this region.

 “As stakeholders in the Igbo General Assembly, we are requesting the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

 “It is a denial of justice not to stretch out a helping hand to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu at this time because he has been detained for too long after being granted bail by a reputable court of law in Nigeria. 

“We have faith in your administration as one that will build on equal rights, justice, and fairness for all, irrespective of tribe, political affiliation, or religious belief. Just like all Nigerians, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu deserves justice,” the communiqué read.