Headline

Gov Sule approves renovation of NUJ Press Centre

Published

2 months ago

September 26, 2023

Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has approved the renovation of the Secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state.

Mr Ibrahim Agbolo, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, made the disclosure during a courtesy call at the NUJ press centre on Tuesday in Lafia.

According to the commissioner the governor is undertaking the project because of the critical role members of the union are playing towards propagating the policies and programmes of the state government to the outside world.

“The renovation will cover total upgrading of the structure and installation of the state of the art facilities to make it a modern building,” he added.

On the essence of the visit, Mr Agbolo said it was aimed at familiarising with the leadership of the union and other critical stakeholders in the information sector with a view to strengthen the existing partnership.

“This is my first official assignment outside the ministry and I have decided to start with the union because of how important journalists are to us.

“We are going to work with you and other critical stakeholders to propagate the things that the state government has been doing across the state.

“You know, Gov. Abdullahi Sule has done a lot and is still doing much in different sectors of the economy to better the lives of the citizens,” the commissioner added.

Agbolo further said that the governor had invested a lot in security, infrastructure, agriculture, education, youths and women empowerment, and human capital development, among others.

Responding, Mr Salihu Mohammed-Alkali, the NUJ Chairman, commended the commissioner and his team for the visit and recognition.

The NUJ chairman said the gesture by the governor to remodel and upgrade the press centre would never be forgotten by the entirety of journalists in the state.

Mohammed-Alkali, however, assured the commissioner that journalists in the state would continue to do their work professionally devoid of sentiment.

“NUJ and by extension, all journalists will collaborate with the state government and other stakeholders to propagate its activities with a view of making the state better,” the chairman added.

The Commissioner was accompanied at visit by Mr Yusuf Musa, Permanent Secretary of the ministry and other directors.

Headline

Refineries Are Not Created To Reduce Fuel Price– Kyari

Published

6 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

6 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.