How Nigeria Lost $50 Billion In 10 Years For None Passage Of PIB – Buhari

August 18, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has painted a regretful picture of how Nigeria had lost a whopping $50 Billion over the last ten years as a result of Foot- dragging in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

“We are all aware that Past Administrations have identified the need to further align the industry for global competitiveness, but there was lack of political will to actualize this needed transformation.

“This lack of progress has stagnated the growth of the industry and the prosperity of our economy. In the past ten years, Nigeria has lost an estimated US$50billion worth of investments due to uncertainty created by the non-passage of the PIB.”

The President, in his remarks before finally passing the Bill, known as Petroleum Industry Act 2021 today, said that the passage marked decades of uncertainty and under-investment in the petroleum industry.

“As part of this administration’s commitment to building a competitive and resilient petroleum industry that will attract investment, improve our revenue base, create jobs and support our economic diversification agenda.

“As a Nation that depends on oil resources for the development of other sectors, Nigeria runs a Petroleum Industry that is governed largely by laws enacted over 50 years ago such as the principal legislation; the Petroleum Act of 1969 and other obsolete legislations.”

President Buhari believed that the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill will help Nigeria to attract investments across the oil and gas value chain.

“In view of the value our Nation and investors will derive from a stable fiscal framework for the oil and gas industry, our Administration has found it necessary to work with the two Chambers of the National Assembly to ensure the passage of the PIB.

“The Presidential assent of the Petroleum industry bill on 16th August 2021 to “Petroleum Industry Act 2021” marked the beginning of the journey towards a competitive and resilient petroleum industry that will attract investments to support our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.

He said that the Act would create a regulatory environment that would ensure efficiency and accountability across the oil and gas value chain and reposition NNPC to a commercially driven National Petroleum Company that is accountable to the Federation.

The Act, the President added, would provide for a direct benefit framework that will enable sustainable development of Host Communities.

He appealed to the host communities to look carefully at the contents of the Bill which in the implementation will bring real and lasting benefits to them.

Buhari said that the Act also provides for deliberate end to gas flaring which would facilitate the attainment of Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contributions of the Paris Agreement through a funding mechanism to support gas flare out project in host communities.

“Similarly, it acknowledges global energy transition and made necessary provisions for NNPC to invest in renewable energy.

“To consolidate the commitment of this administration to delivering the value proposition of this law, I have approved an implementation framework commencing immediately to ensure the industry envisaged in the new law begins to take shape.

“The implementation process to be headed by the Hon Minister of State, Petroleum Resources is hereby tasked with the completion of the implementation of this act within 12 months.

“I am therefore directing all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to fully cooperate in ensuring the successful and timely implementation of this law.”

The President commended the leadership of the 9th Assembly for their continued pursuit of our national aspiration and demonstration of mutual harmony with the Executive in the pursuit of a patriotic outcome in the passage of the PIB.

He also commended the entire team in the executive that worked tirelessly to ensure the delivery of this strategic legislation for our country, even as he thanked Nigerians and other industry stakeholders for their contributions and support in achieving this historic landmark.

AFREXIM Partners UK Hospital To Build World Class Hospital In Abuja

Editorial staff

August 17, 2021

President of the African Export-Import Bank (AFREXIM), Professor Benedict Oramah has disclosed that the Bank is partnering with Kings College Hospital in the UK and others to build a world class tertiary hospital and health park in Abuja.

According to him, the 500-bed state-of-the-art hospital will be developed in collaboration with the partners.

Professor Oramah, who spoke today, August 17, when he led a delegation of the Bank on a courtesy visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential villa, Abuja, said that there are other plans of the Bank to invest in important sectors of the Nigerian economy including health.

According to Professor Oramah, AFREXIM is investing in trade and health infrastructure, and is also involved in the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to African countries, including Nigeria, to enable the continent achieve herd immunity.

The bank, according to him, is also planning to establish National Quality Assurance Centres in parts of the country in order to support and upgrade export of commodities from Nigeria.

He said that there is an arrangement under the AFREXIM Bank facility to deliver 40 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria over a short period of time.

He said that the bank is committed to ensuring that African continent achieved herd immunity by vaccinating about 60 percent of Africa’s population against COVID19 disease.

Responding, Professor Osinbajo commended the bank for its efforts in stimulating and developing African trade, including its many engagements in Nigeria, expressing satisfaction with the work done by the bank and the interest shown in areas such as health infrastructure, trade facilitation and tourism, among others.

The Vice President said that the Federal Government’s programmes in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, particularly in the Shared Facility Initiative under the National MSMEs Clinic, are important and deserving of AFREXIM’s backing.

He said that the initiative which is implemented in collaboration with state governments, and aimed at developing manufacturing clusters across the country, could be enhanced through partnership with the bank.

We’re Committed To Making NLNG A Global Company Of Choice, NNPC Boss Vows

Editorial staff

August 17, 2021

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, has vowed to support the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited in achieving its goal of becoming a global LNG company of choice.

Speaking as today, August 17, at the 2021 NLNG Health Safety and Environment Day, the Mallam Mele Kyari said that the Health Safety and Environment is a critical determinant of business performance success across the oil and gas industry.

Represented by the Group General Manager, LNG Investment Management Services (LIMS), Nike Kolawole, the NNPC Boss said that as a principal shareholder in the company, NNPC would continue to ensure that NLNG places more emphasis on Health Safety and Environment.

“No matter the figures, indices or values recorded in production, sales, profit or revenue, a dismal Health Safety and Environment performance would lead to obliteration of long built achievement.”

According to him, the rapid growth of NLNG from the base project (Trains 1 and 2) to six trains was unprecedented, even as he commended the company for its ability to adapt and effectively manage changes within the period.

“Central to the world-class excellent record is the company’s unprecedented HSE culture, placing priority on safety performance ahead of other performance indices. Your consistent emphasis on human performance principles through Goal Zero deserves applauds.”

Earlier, the outgoing Managing Director of NLNG, Tony Attah, said that the focus of this year’s Health Safety Environment Day is on identifying the weak and dark corners for continuous improvement on the organization’s HSE policy.

Journalists For United Nigeria Draws Lesson From Afghanistan Crisis, Wants Peace, Security

Editorial staff

August 17, 2021

File photo: This picture is used for the illustration of the story

The Journalists for United Nigeria (JUN), has referred to the crisis brewing in Afghanistan despite decades of military support by powerful countries and cautioned all Nigerians to be peace-loving by defending and preserving Nigeria’s peace and security.

The group stressed that the lesson to be drawn from the situation in Afghanistan is that there is no salvation in the West or in the East; saying: “we Nigerians are the potter, we must build Nigeria with our own hands.”

In a statement today, August 17, the convener of the group, Fredrick Nwabufo, asked Nigerians to seek peace at all costs, saying that the events in the country recently call for patriots to rise up and hold the fort.

“We cannot palliate the enormity of the challenges that confront us as a people today. We have come to a point where all citizens, statesmen and women, young and old, must hold out hands and a forge a common fist to deal with these existential threats.

”We must embrace peace-building as a path to peace in our communities. We need state protection, but it is much easier when we are not propagating hate and division.

‘’Nigeria is ours. Nigeria is worth fighting for. As a peace and national unity advocate, Association of Journalists for United Nigeria (JUN) better known as Journalists for United Nigeria (JUN) calls on all Nigerians and critical stakeholders in the country to make the pursuit of peace at this tempestuous epoch in our evolution a bounden duty.

” JUN, a group committed to peace-building, national cohesion and progress, notes the agitations for secession in some sections of the country. While it is within the rights of anyone to agitate and seek self-determination, violence and coercion in any form, should not be part of any righteous advocacy.

‘’We must denounce violence in all forms by all actors. Violence should not be found among civilised human species. Violence achieves nothing but death, broken bones, and spilled blood. When agitations result in loss of lives and property, the state naturally will move to restore order.

‘’We would like to emphasise that self-determination is a universal right, but taking up arms to kill citizens and security agents pivots on the bounds of terrorism. All Nigerians should pursue constitutional means in whatever they seek. The cost of war is greater than the price of peace. There are no real victors in a war — only death and destruction.

‘’We acknowledge some of the fundamental issues behind these agitations – social inequality, poverty, unemployment, injustice and corruption. These are issues affecting all the peoples of Nigeria. Every Nigerian is marginalised. And this is a consequence of leadership failure over the years. We ask the government to look into the underlying causes of these agitations – beyond deploying force. We cannot successfully treat the metastasising cancer if we do not surgically address the root causes.

‘’We suggest that the government employ peace-building initiatives, dialogue where necessary and hold out the olive branch when practicable.

‘*Section 24b of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) says “it shall be the duty of every citizen to help to enhance the power, prestige and good name of Nigeria, defend Nigeria”. JUN draws its mandate from this section of the constitution*.

‘’Journalists for United Nigeria (JUN) is strictly non-partisan; not a pressure or lobby group, but a think-factory to connect minds in the media who are committed to a united Nigeria.

‘’We believe the media possesses some of the brightest minds. JUN is more or less a discussion forum for like-minded people. It is non-partisan; it is not a pressure group. It is not a lobby group; it is not a political group. It is a forum where journalists can converge to exchange ideas and opinions on how to strengthen national unity

‘’We need in abundance citizens who can be Nigerians. It is our view that only journalists fit into this. By virtue of being men and women of the pen, we shape opinions and narratives. The sustenance of our unity rests largely in our hands. We must rise to the occasion and mobilise both the political class and the populace to imbibe our togetherness. We have no other country but Nigeria. Let us, through our profession, lead by example.

‘’We would like to be emphatic here; this group was conceived out of a strong desire for the peace and progress of Nigeria. We believe we are stronger together.

‘’Again, JUN is purely voluntary for Nigerian journalists. No financial rewards whatsoever; except for the psychological fulfilment that comes from knowing you are contributing to the peace and growth of your country.

‘’We appeal to all Nigerians to put the unity, peace and security of Nigeria first in their engagements, public statements and actions.”

Ex Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu Dies

Greenbarge Reporters

August 17, 2021

Former President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, is dead.
A family source, who confirmed the death, said that he died at a private hospital in Abuja after nine days of sickness and isolation. The type of sickness was not immediately disclosed.
The source said the former deputy senate president died at about 2am today, August 17.
“He fell ill about nine days ago and was receiving treatment at home but he was rushed to the hospital when there was no sign of improvement,” the source said, adding that the funeral prayer would hold later today in Abuja.
Mantu was one of the notable figures in the nation’s political landscape for many years.
In 2001 he was elected Deputy Senate President under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a position he held till 2007 when he did not return to the senate.
Mantu, who hails from Gindiri District in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, worked in various establishments before joining politics
Details later…

Nurses Threaten To Stop Work If Doctors Get Preferential Treatment

Greenbarge Reporters

August 17, 2021

Nurses working in public hospitals across the country have threatened to go on nationwide strike if doctors are given preferential treatment in the area of payment of allowances and other benefits.

The doctors, on the auspices of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have been on nationwide strike in the last three weeks, demanding that government pays death benefits to the families of 19 of its members who lost their lives during the fight against COVID-19, and movement of its members from the Government Integrated Financial Management Information System platform to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System.

Reacting to the possible outcome of the doctors’ strike, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), warned the Federal Government not to pay resident doctors hazard allowances higher than those of its members.

“Don’t offend us while struggling to satisfy resident doctors,” the nurses insisted, saying that while they are not contemplating embarking on any strike, the government should not satisfy striking members of NARD without considering them, especially their hazard allowances.

The President of NANNM, Michael Nnatchi, who spoke on the issue said that the issue of hazard allowances had been politicized, claiming that the nurses deserved the highest pay in the health sector because of the highest exposure to hazards.

“This issue of hazard has been politicised. What I mean by this is that the nurses are highly exposed to hazards. Is it exposure to diseases? Is it kidnapping? which is almost every day, every week.

“For now, they (resident doctors) are on strike. I know truly we have been discussing it (hazard allowance) through the office of the honourable minister who honesty has been working very hard. He has a high level of concern on that issue.

“If not that NARD went on strike, probably, by now all these issues would have been completed. That strike is more or less distracting both dialogues and negotiations.

“I will tell you, we have not threatened any strike, but the truth is that we are expecting to be paid the highest hazard allowance in the sector. So, if the NARD or doctors are asking for the highest pay, we are also asking for higher consideration; 80 per cent of our consolidated basic will not be bad. What we are passing through is much.

“If any special treatment is given to NARD and nothing is considered for us, I pray that they (government) don’t push us to go on strike because if nurses are on strike for one day, you and I know the implication.

“Everybody deserves better pay, nurses are more valued abroad.”

Information has it that even other health workers, under the auspices of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), are also looking at the option of joining in the strike if the Federal Government failed to meet its pending demands.

Other unions in JOHESU are the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals and Medical and Health Workers’ Union, the Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions as well as the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria

A senior executive member and spokesman for JOHESU, Olumide Akintayo, accused the Federal Government of trying to plunge the country into fresh health crises.

Akintayo said: “Federal Government is yet to pay our members COVID-19 allowances.

“There are lots of outstanding issues with the government. We have a pending five-point agenda. We are dealing with the non-adjustment of the CONHESS salary structure, implementation of several court judgments.

“Some members are also being owed salaries and as you know the country is still battling with COVID-19 and lots of our members have not been paid COVID-19 allowances.

“We have demanded that government pay our members and up till now, they are still being owed. We also talked about the adjustment of retirement age which is something that cuts across the health sector. The government’s refusal to meet these demands is causing fresh crises in the sector.

“Strike is an option certainly; we are responsible and we are sensitive to the yearnings of Nigerians, but strike is an option.

“We will continue to hope that the government reciprocates our mature gestures. Their actions will decide our reactions, but strike is an option.”

Source: PUNCH.

What Babangida And I Share In Common, Buhari Opens Up

Greenbarge Reporters

August 17, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally spoken about what he and former military President, Ibrahim Babangida Share in common all along.

The President, in a birthday message today to Babangida, as he clocks 80 today, August 17, said that the two of them used to be military commanders during the war and were retired as Generals.

He said that the two of them “have mutual interests, great hopes and expectations in a strong and united Nigeria.”

President Buhari expressed hope that privileged Nigerians like President Babangida and others like himself will recommit to ongoing efforts to help the nation to reach more glory, progress, and prosperity.

Buhari wished Babangida a “long and healthy life” as he marks his 80th birthday.

BREAKING: Buhari Signs Petroleum Industrial Bill Into Law After 20 Years In Limbo

Greenbarge Reporters

August 16, 2021

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Petroleum Industry Bill 2021 into law after about 20 years in the process.

A statement today, August 16 by the Special Adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said that the President signed the bill, working from home in five days quarantine as required by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 after returning from London on Friday August 13.

“This is in his determination to fulfill his constitutional duty.”

Adesina said that the ceremonial part of the new legislation will be done on Wednesday, after the days of mandatory isolation would have been fulfilled.

The Petroleum Industry Act provides legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the Nigerian petroleum industry, the development of host communities, and related matters.

The Senate had passed the Bill on July 15, 2021, while the House of Representatives did same on July 16, thus ending a long wait since early 2000s.

The Presidential spokesman described the signing of the bill as another high plus for the Buhari administration.

Taliban Takes Over Afghanistan As President Ashraf Ghani Flees

Greenbarge Reporters

August 16, 2021

Ashraf Ghani | Photo credit:
The Economic Times

Taliban has reportedly entered the Afghanistan’s capital, effectively sealing the insurgents’ control of the country after dozens of cities fell to their lightning advance. This was even as the country’s President Ashraf Ghani fled from the country.

Yesterday, August 15, former President Hamid Karzai announced on Twitter that he was forming a coordinating council together with Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the Afghan delegation to peace talks, and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of the Hesb-i-Islami party, to manage a peaceful transfer of power. Mr. Karzai called on both government and Taliban forces to act with restraint.

Al Jazeera reported that it had interviewed Taliban fighters who were holding a news conference in the presidential palace in Kabul, the capital. The fighters said they were working to secure Kabul so that leaders in Qatar and outside the capital could return safely. Al Jazeera reported that the fighters had taken down the flag of Afghanistan.

As it became clear that Taliban fighters were entering Kabul and meeting no resistance, thousands of Afghans who had sought refuge there after fleeing the insurgents’ brutal military offensive watched with growing alarm as the local police seemed to fade from their usual checkpoints. The U.S. Embassy warned Americans to not head to the airport in Kabul after reports that the facility was taking fire, and said that the situation was “changing quickly.”

Late in Kabul’s evening, Mr. Ghani released a written statement on Facebook saying he had departed the country to save the capital from further bloodshed.

“Today I was presented with a hard choice,” he wrote. “I should stand to face the armed Taliban who wanted to enter the presidential palace or leave the dear country that I dedicated my life to protecting the past twenty years.”

“If I had stayed, countless countrymen would have been martyred and Kabul city would have been ruined,” he added, “in which case a disaster would have been brought upon this city of five million.”

At 6:30p.m. local time, the Taliban issued a statement that their forces were moving into police districts in order to maintain security in areas that had been abandoned by the government security forces. Taliban fighters, meeting no resistance, took up positions in parts of the city, after Zabiullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban, posted the statement on Twitter.

“The Islamic Emirates ordered its forces to enter the areas of Kabul city from which the enemy has left because there is risk of theft and robbery,” the statement said. The Taliban had been ordered not to harm civilians and not to enter individual homes, it added. “Our forces are entering Kabul city with all caution.”

As the sun set behind the mountains, the traffic was clogged up as crowds grew bigger, with more and more Taliban fighters appearing on motorbikes, police pickups and even a Humvee that once belonged to the American-sponsored Afghan security forces.

First President Of De Club 10 Nigeria Celebrates 70

Greenbarge Reporters

August 15, 2021

Engr. Shuaibu and one of his wives

The pioneering President of De Club 10 Nigeria, a sociocultural organization in Nigeria, Engineer Shuaibu Oziadanga Salami Ichanyi, August 12, 2021, clocked 70 years, but celebrated with children, wives, friends, business partners, relations and members of the Club on Saturday, August 14. It was held at his residence in Madalla, an Abuja suburb that falla in Niger State

Current President of De Club 10 Nigeria, Abdulrazak Leramo (right); Abuja branch of the Club, Kayode Mamman (middle) presenting a birthday card to Engr Shuaibu during the ceremony.

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