Headline

Blackout: Kebbi Gov’t. seeks patience of residents

Published

3 months ago

September 24, 2023

The Kebbi Government has appealed to the residents of Birnin Kebbi and its evirons to be patient as the total blackout being experienced would soon be over.

Alhaji Ahmed Idris, Chief Press Secretary to the Kebbi Governor disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Birnin Kebbi on Sunday.

Idris quoted the Secretary to Kebbi State Government (SSG), Alhaji Yakubu Bala-Tafida as making the plea when he visited the substationn of Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Birnin Kebbi.

NAN recalls that on Thursday, Sept. 14, one 90MVA (330KV/132KV) and a 60MVA (132KV/33KV) transformers were destroyed as a result of a fire incident,
NAN further recalls that the inferno had plunged Kebbi and Sokoto States as well as some parts of Zamfara into total darkness.

The SSG said the call became imperative in view of the lingering power outage being faced by the residents in the last ten days.

He said that he was at the scene on behalf of the State Governor, who instructed him to monitor the work, saying, “because he doesn’t want his people to remain in darkness.”

Bala-Tafida assured that the governor was always in support of what would bring joy and happiness to his constituents.

The SSG, who expressed satisfaction with the level of work done so far, said the team of engineers had assured that their headquarters in Abuja had given them two weeks to fix the light.

“We came, we saw the level of efforts being put in place and we are satisfied.
“All we need from our people is prayers for them to do a good job and complete it within the stipulated period and we are hopeful that the work will be completed on schedule,” he said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Political Affairs and Power, Alhaji Kabiru Sani-Giant, lauded the engineers for showing a high sense of commitment to the repair works.

He appealed to all the affected customers to be patient and consider what had happened as a destiny from the Almighty God that nobody could have averted.

The governor’s aide advised the people to imbibe the good culture of using electricity by switching off all appliances when not in use to minimise power wastage and possible fire outbreaks.

Sani-Giant said: “We should borrow a leaf from our neighbours, Niger Republic, they have that discipline, they switch on bulbs when there is need for them unlike us Nigerians, we allow our bulbs on even during the day time when we don’t need them.”

On possible damages during the restoration of power, the adviser promised that announcements would be made on the electronic media and other platforms for the residents to put off all appliances to avoid damages and safeguard their property.

Headline

Refineries Are Not Created To Reduce Fuel Price– Kyari

Published

5 hours ago

December 9, 2023

Desmond Ukafor

Forty eight hours after being summoned by the Senate, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, has now appeared before the joint committee on appropriations.

The Senate had issued a 24-hour ultimatum on Wednesday to the NNPCL boss after an observations that he had in previous occasions, shunned summons by the Senate to appear before its ad-committee probing over 11 trillion naira expenditure on turn around maintenance of refineries in the country between 2010 and 2023.

Responding to questions by the senate committee on appropriations on the potential drop in pump price of petroleum owing to the expected functionality of refineries, Kyari clarified his comment after he was interrogated again. He explained that it might be possible to have a reduction, but it is not the main objective of the refineries.

He buttressed that maintaining the energy security target has fostered the confidence that in 2024, Nigeria will become a net exporter of petroleum products.

The NNPCL boss affirmed that no subsidy is charged to the federation, adding that the NNPC has contributed 4.45 trillion naira as direct revenue into the federation in a combination of taxes, royalties and dividends and paid 406 billion naira as dividend to Federal Government’s account from July 2023.

According to him, Nigeria does not have credible data for PMS consumption in the country because of the absence of the instrument to measure.

The Chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, had on Wednesday, directed Kyari to appear before the committee in 24 hours.

Olamilekan, who asked Kyari to appear in company of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), warned that failure to appear undermines the legislature and sabotages the process.

They are required to present the list of all individual companies operating with OML licenses in Nigeria as well as total production output approved on a daily basis.

The lawmaker expressed concerns that some of the revenues required to drive the 2024 budget was attributed to the NNPCL, which according to him, was owned by the Federal Government and responsible to it, and by extension the three arms of government.

Headline

DSS To Start Using Weapons Produced By Personnel – Bichi

Published

5 hours ago

December 9, 2023

Ifunaya Emeka

The Department of State Services (DSS) said on Saturday it will soon unveil weapons produced by its personnel.

This was disclosed by the DSS Director General, Yusuf Bichi, at the graduation ceremony of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16 participants in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

According to him, the DSS will soon begin to “produce what it eats and eat what it produces.”

Among the weapons the Secret Service will soon unveil are Unmanned Aeriel Vehicles (UAVs), he stated.

Bichi also assured that the agency will continue to support the National Institute for Security Studies to succeed in its quest to impart knowledge that will enhance security in the country.

He charged the participants to utilise the skills they have acquired to develop the country, urging Nigerians to remain patriotic and shun those whom he described as warmongers who want to set the country on fire.

Also at the event is the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima.

The Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16 commenced in February 2023 with 89 participants drawn from 35 agencies across Nigeria and four other African countries, namely, Niger, The Gambia, Rwanda and Chad.

Three participants lost their lives during the period, leaving 86 participants who graduated on Saturday.