TheNewsGuru

Tag: Niger Delta

  • Niger Delta: Gas producing companies to contribute to funding NDDC

    The federal government has said gas producing companies and all other associated gas companies will contribute mandatorily to funding the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    Senator Ita Enang, Special Adviser to the President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters, said this to State House Correspondents on Friday.

    He said that President Buhari has assented to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Amendment Bill.

    According to him, the NDDC Act will mandate gas producing companies to contribute to the funding of the NDDC effective from 2017.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Amendment Bill, which allows and mandates the gas producing companies to compulsorily contribute funds to the NDDC thus diversifying the sources of funding the NDDC.

    “The Act comes into effect in 2017. So from the year 2017 the gas producing companies and all the associated gas companies will be contributing mandatorily to the NDDC,” the president’s aide said.

    Enang also said President Buhari has assented to the Federal Capital Territory Bill thus legalizing the operations and budget implementation by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

    He said the President also signed the Bill on the FCT Water Board, the Cancer Research Institute Bill, the Prohibition of Torture Bill and the Bill on compulsory treatment of gun victims, among others.

    He added that a lot of other bills passed recently which processes had been completed had just been transmitted to the President by the National Assembly for assent.

    The Presidential aide also spoke on the one billion dollars approved by governors for the Federal Government to tackle insecurity in the country, saying that the money is yet to be drawn down.

     

  • JUST IN: Pirates kidnap 10 sailors in Niger Delta

    The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) on Thursday said Pirates kidnapped ten (10) sailors from a merchant ship off the coast in the Niger Delta region.

    “A bulk carrier underway was attacked and boarded by six pirates from a small boat. Ten crew members were reported missing. The remaining crew onboard sailed the vessel to a safe port,” the IMB said in a statement.

    The kidnapping happened around 32 nautical miles south of Brass last week in the Niger Delta, a growing piracy hotspot in west Africa, it said.

    The number of reported attacks off the Niger Delta has been increasing in recent weeks, according to the Sea Guardian consultancy, with more than 15 known attacks.

    56 mariners, excluding the latest casualties, have been kidnapped in the area this year, the consultancy said.

    That number includes six crew members from a German-owned container ship who were abducted near the oil hub of Port Harcourt in October.

    The IMB has recorded more than 100 piracy incidents in international waters this year, including shootings, attempted kidnappings and hijackings of ships.

    It described in a recent report that the Gulf of Guinea remained a “hot spot for attacks”, despite a fall in the number of incidents elsewhere in the world.

     

     

  • NDDC boss decries politicians’ interference with commission’s job

    Chief Nsima Ekere, Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), said on Sunday that political interference by interest groups in the Niger Delta distracted and hindered the commission’s performance in the region.

    Ekere who expressed worries over the situation shortly after inspecting some NDDC projects in Nembe, Bayelsa, said the interferences were delaying development in the Niger Delta.

    He noted that the region was in dire need of development and that such distraction was undesirable.

    He therefore, appealed to the politicians to refrain from the act to enable the commission’s board and management to achieve their mandates.

    “My appeal to politicians is for them to know the difference between politics and governance. We have a lot of work to be done and we should be allowed to work.

    “This is the time for work and not for politics.

    “We call on all and sundry to allow us to concentrate on developing our region first, and when the time for politics comes, we shall all play the politics together,’’ Ekere said.

    The NDDC boss reiterated the commission’s goal to achieve even development across the nine states of the Niger Delta.

    Ekere inspected the road network project in Ewoi community and the Otuoke internal road phase 2 project both of which are in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.

    He expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done on the 24 kilometer Ogbia-Nembe road which connects the area with many other communities.

    “I am highly impressed driving on the Ogbia-Nembe road and the quality of the road is comparable to what you see in Abuja; the road has opened up a lot of communities.

    “This road has reduced the travel time and cost to Nembe from Yenagoa which was only possible by boat before this road was put to use.

    “I am pleased that project has reached 99.74 per cent completion.

    “This road exemplifies what can be possible when stakeholders collaborate; we are partnering with Shell Petroleum Development Company and we feel it is commendable.

    “The fund Shell is contributing is in addition to their statutory obligations to the NDDC and we will expect other oil firms to take a lead from Shell,” Ekere said.

     

  • Marginal Oil Field Sales: A Call To Action For Niger Deltans

    By Blessyn Okpowo

    Earlier in the week, a national daily went to town with what I consider the news of the week; that the federal government has set guidelines for the Bid Round for the award of 46 Marginal Oil Fields by the end of the year or early next year. Put in plain language, what this simply mean is that the federal government intends to sell 46 Oil fields by the end of the year. Actually, this news is not new for a,t the annual Offshore Technology Conference held in May in Houston, Texas USA, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu had announced that the Bid Round will hold in December 2017. So, barring any unforeseen changes, the sale of the Oil Fields will take place in three months time.

    But the high point in the report as published by Thisday Newspaper is the cheering news that the federal government is considering setting aside, a number of the oil fields for sale exclusively to companies own by indigenes of the Niger Delta. According to government’s thinking as reported by the newspaper, this is one of the strategies aimed at bringing about lasting peace in the region. In other words, if people from the region own some of the oil fields, they will become stakeholders in the industry who will help to ensure that peace reigns and the oil companies operate under and safe and peaceful atmosphere. Commendable strategy!

    But as the popular saying goes, “success is when opportunity meets preparation”. The question therefore is, how prepared are the people of the Niger Delta to take up the opportunity being presented by the federal government for them to won a piece of the action? Do they really know what this means? Information they say is power. How much information do they have about these 46 marginal fields that will be put up for sale in December, information that will put them in a good stead to bid, win and own Oil Fields? How many of them actually know what it takes to own and operate an oil field? These are the pertinent questions that needs to be answered if Niger Deltans must enter into the mainstream of ownership and operator-ship of the oil and gas industry for which they have complained of being excluded for so long.

    Even with the irony that a people who have for long been complaining of been marginalized in the ownership of oil blocks in their region are now being brought on board through the offer to buy marginal fields, I believe it is a bold move by the federal government at addressing the issue of marginalization in the Niger Delta and the people of the region must take full advantage of this opportunity.

    Now, what is a marginal oil field? How is the bidding round conducted? What are the requirements to qualify to bid for these fields? These are some of the questions that we will attempt to provide answers to.

    Simply put, a marginal oil field is an asset within an Oil Block. It is usually carved out of an Oil Block and relinquished by the Operator of the Oil Block to the federal government. For instance, you can have an oil block operated by Exxon Mobil and within the block, there will be marginal fields operated by other companies; usually indigenous companies. The idea of marginal oil fields was introduced by President Olusegun Obasanjo as a way of encouraging Nigeria companies to participate in the Oil and Gas Industry. Since the introduction of the concept, several oil companies have been operating their fields very successfully. Some of the successful companies operating marginal fields are: Energia Limited, Midwestern Oil and Gas, Oriental Energy Resources, Niger Delta Petroleum, Platform Petroleum, Waltersmith and Britttania U. etc.

    When a major oil company relinquishes an Asset, (marginal field), the federal government will add that asset (marginal field) to what is referred to as “The Basket”. This is done until there are enough assets and oil blocks in the basket. Bid Rounds are then conducted, usually every ten years to sell these blocks and marginal fields. So between one bid round and the next, there are usually enough fields, and sometimes oil block that are offered for sale.

    Another way through which the government populate “The Basket” is through the retrieval of Oil Blocks and Marginal Fields from those who won licenses but were unable to develop such blocks and bring them to production within ten years. Usually, when the federal government awards you a licenses for an oil block or a marginal field, it is for an initial tenure of ten years. Within that ten years, a holder of a license is expected to develop the field/block and bring it to production. Where such a holder of a license is unable to achieve the target but can show sufficient evidence to prove that he or she has done substantial work and made huge investment, the license can be extended by between one or five years. Where little or no work has been done, the government will retrieve the block and put it back in “The Basket” to be budded for in the next bid round.

    The responsibility of preparing the oil blocks and marginal fields for bidding lies in the domain of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) while the power to allocate and approve an oil block or a marginal field license lies with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who can sometimes act through the Minister of Petroleum Resources.

    In the second part of this article, we shall look at the criteria for qualifying to Bid for the Oil Blocks and Marginal Fields and process involved.

  • Five delegates die on their way to Niger Delta summit in Ondo

    Five delegates die on their way to Niger Delta summit in Ondo

    …as four others are severely injured

    No fewer than five delegates to the second national council meeting of the Niger Delta holding in Igbokoda, Ondo State‎, die in motor accident on Tuesday.

    The delegates, whose identities were not ascertained yet, were travelling from Akure, the state capital to Igbokoda for the summit which Vice President Yemi Osibajo was to preside over.

    It was also gathered that four other delegates were injured in the accident that occurred at Ode-Aye on Ore Okitipupa Road.

    Police Public Relations Officer of the Ondo State Police Command, Mr. Femi Joseph, who confirmed the accident, said it was caused by excessive speed.

  • Osinbajo arrive Akure for National Council on Niger Delta meeting

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday arrive Akure Airport at 10:54 am for the 2nd National Council on Niger Delta meeting.

    There was tight security at the airport and venue of the meeting provided by the police, Army, Civil Defence Corps and road marshals among others.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Osinbajo would deliver the keynote address at the event and later meet with communities of riverside areas of Ondo State.

    Osinbajo, accompanied by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, was received on arrival by Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    Also on the vice presidents entourage were the Minister of State, Niger Delta Affairs, Prof Claudius Daramola, and Sen. Victor Udoma, Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission.

    Others at the airport to receive the vice president were the Speaker, Ondo state House of Assembly, Mr Bamidele Oleyeloogun, Secretary to the State Government, Ifedayo Abegunde and other top government officials.

  • Over five million benefited from Niger Delta Amnesty programme since 2009 – Boroh

    The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, has said over five million people in Niger Delta have benefited from the initiative since 2009.

    Gen. Boroh, who is also the special adviser to the President on Niger Delta, spoke in Akure shortly after receiving an award as Niger Delta Peace Ambassador from the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ), Ondo State council.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme was initiated by the Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua led administration in 2009 following the series of conflicts in the region.

    Boroh however noted that he cannot be specific on the amount the Federal Government spent in restoring peace in the area.

    “For all I know, the programme has impacted on well over five million people in the region and aided efforts to achieve peace in the Niger Delta,’’ he said.

    He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for sustaining the programme, saying this demonstrated his concern for Niger Delta.

    Also, speaking at a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Ijaw communities in Olodiama at Gelegele in Ovia North Local Government Area of Edo State, Gen. Boroh urged ex-agitators in Niger Delta to work with communities in protecting national assets, such as oil and gas pipelines.

    He said the Federal Government would sustain the peace in Niger Delta, adding that the involvement of youths in security and survelliance of oil and gas installations will end attacks on these installations in Niger Delta.

    The Amnesty chief explained that modalities for engaging youths in pipelines security, among other assets in the region, is being discussed at higher levels of government.

    He said the schedule for sensitising stakeholders on security of pipelines was being worked out by the appropriate agency for implementation.

    Gen. Boroh noted that the feasibility study for a National Gas Flare Commercialisation Programme has been approved, in line with the United Nations-Paris Agreement on Gas Flare.

    He said the first phase would focus on 48 identified onshore sites in Niger Delta, adding that the programme is intended to convert gas being flared for cooking and electricity, among other industrial uses.

    The special adviser said “through the programme, about six million households in Niger Delta can access clean energy.

    “It is projected to create 25,000 direct jobs and 300,000 indirect jobs. The programme is private sector-driven and investors are encouraged to key into it.

    “The minister of state for Petroleum will kickstart a road show to sensitise stakeholders on the programme in September”, he explained.

    On the establishment of community-based mini modular refineries in Niger Delta, he said the minister would do a roadshow to sensitise people on its policy direction.

    Also speaking, a director in the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Cooperative and Employment, Mr. Festus Okougbo, said Governor Godwin Obaseki has set up a seven-man committee to prepare a blueprint for the development of a Seaport in Gelegele, adding: “the committee is about to submit its report. Plans are on the way also to set up an agro industrial park in Gelegele to drive the port for sustainability”.

    An address by the Ama-Okosuwei of Gelegele Gbene and the state Ijaw National Congress (INC) on behalf of the Pere of Olodiama Kingdom, Alawei Wilson G Kororo, the Alagbalabinafa III and Ijaw communities, thanked President Muhammandu Buhari for sustaining Amnesty.

    They said the state Ijaw communities have been denied fair share in the scheme of things, lamenting the absence of governments’ presence in the area despite their natural resources.

    They appealed to the special adviser to facilitate the inclusion of some ex-agitators from Olodiama not captured in the programme, provision of skill acquisition centres in the five Ijaw clans, empowerment of beneficiaries from the communities, provision of slots for INC in the proposed pipeline security and surveillance jobs

    Chairman of Gelegele community Milton Dennis, and the Women’s leader Mrs Ayodele Osia thanked Gen. Boroh for donating a borehole to the community, saying the gesture was a first in the area.

     

  • Atiku hails Niger Delta militants over withdrawal of quit notice to Yoruba, northerners

    Former Vice President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, Atiku Abubakar has commended Niger Delta militants for withdrawing a quit notice earlier served to persons of Northern and Southwestern descent to quit the South South region.

    Atiku who made the commendation in a statement forwarded to TheNewsGuru.com by his media office, said instead of divisions, what the federal government must do is restructure the federation till it achieves a resemblance of an almost perfect union.

    The statement reads, “Just as I commended Arewa Youths for listening to good counsel and withdrawing the ill advised Quit Notice to people of Igbo origin to leave the North before October 1 or face consequences, I similarly applaud Niger Delta youths for rescinding their counter Quit Notice to persons of Northern and Southwestern descent to quit the South South region.

    “This news could not have come at a better time as when Nigeria defeated Cameroon 4-0. The Super Eagles scored four goals and none of those goals were scored in the name of Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba or indeed under the aegis of North or South. Each and everyone of those goals were resoundingly for Nigeria.

    “No one disowns a child when he or she is almost 60. Nigerian is too old and too big to fail. Instead of divisions, what we must do is restructure our federation till it more closely resembles the almost perfect union that our Founding Fathers chiseled together at the various pre Independence conferences.

    “There is enough in Nigeria for everyone’s need and to meet every bloc’s aspirations. What we need is not uniformity but harmony. Just like an orchestra, we may all sing differently, but when our voices are blended, together, they give off a richer more melodious symphony than would ever have been possible if we were to sing individually.

    “I urge all Nigerians to be hopeful. To be great, every nation must go through struggle. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, if you are going through struggles, keep going. We will go through and emerge better than before. This is my promise to Nigeria.” He concluded

  • Amnesty programme has so far trained 14,366 ex-agitators – Boroh

    The Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh has said about 14,366 ex-agitators were trained in the programme.

    Gen. Boroh spoke at News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja, yesterday.

    He explained their capacities has been developed in agriculture, automobile engineering, and aviation, with a further look at the sports sector.

    “As we speak, we have trained over 5,000 in education-capacity development, and over 22, 000 in skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development.”

    He said the programme granted amnesty to 30,000 ex-agitators of Niger Delta.

    Gen. Boroh said from now till December 17, more ex-agitators would be graduating from the scheme.

    According to him, its education programme is winding down and there is need to graduate more beneficiaries.

    He said education is a pivotal investment for human and economic development, influenced by the environment within which it exists.

    Gen. Boroh said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration was aware today’s youths need specific skills to survive the competitive world.

    The presidential aide said beneficiaries, now graduates, were aware of the socio-economic scenario of the nation and can help in developing the region and the nation.

    According to him, the beneficiaries can contribute towards nation-building.

    “From now till December 17, you will be hearing of graduations because we are winding down and positively for that matter as well as empowerment.

    “We are using government institutions, we think the resources we spent in this programme will be better utilised within the country.

    “That is why we are using government-owned institutions instead of institutions abroad, this is our focus.

    “Right now, we have trained about 14,366 ex-agitators in the programme and their capacities have also been developed in the areas of agriculture, automobile engineering, aviation sector and then we are also looking at the sports sector,‘’ he said.

    He said other areas included skill acquisition, entrepreneurship and educational development.

    Gen. Boroh stressed the need to sustain peace in the Niger Delta toward ensuring infrastructural development.

    He said the existence of peace was not negotiable as it will bring development in infrastructure, among others, in the region

    According to him, before now, Nigeria has a lot of infrastructure that were functioning, such as Ascon Oil Company in Delta State, rolling mills, railways and roads.

    He added that most of these were destroyed by conflicts in the region

    Boroh said the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) was to ensure peace and replace damaged infrastructure.

    The coordinator said we should revamp these infrastructure to create jobs that will bring peace, stability and development in the region.

    He said: “I was a young man 84/85 in Warri, I was a battalion militant when these infrastructure were functioning and massive jobs were created but now they have become moribund.

    “It’s a concern for the government to ensure that at least some measures of start over to revamp these infrastructure are achieved to create job opportunities that will ensure peace, stability and development in the Niger Delta region.”

    The Presidential aide praised the administration for bringing infrastructural development as well as peace to people of the region.

    He said the economic impact that infrastructure improvement has on nation building cannot be over-emphasised.

    According to the coordinator, the growth of any country’s economy hugely depends on the status of its infrastructure.

    He added that the dearth of infrastructure places serious limitation on human capital development.

    “The programme is one of the pivotal institutions responsible for ensuring peace, stability and development of the Niger Delta region.

    “We express deep gratitude and appreciation to Mr President for ensuring that his commitment during his campaign has come to bear.

    “He ensured that the Niger Delta region is of concern to him and that he would, with support from others, ensure the region is peaceful, stable and developing.’’

    On money spent so far, he said ‘’frankly speaking, peace is expensive…, it is difficult to calculate the exact figure.

    “But importantly, there is now peace; people are happy,’’ he said.

    Boroh, however, reiterated the government’s commitment in ensuring lasting peace in the area.

     

  • Niger Delta elders withdraw ultimatum to FG after meeting with Osinbajo

    Niger Delta elders withdraw ultimatum to FG after meeting with Osinbajo

    Leaders of the Niger Delta region under the aegis of Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF), on Thursday night withdrew the November 1 ultimatum issued to the Federal Government to implement its 16-point agenda.

    Briefing journalists after the meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu said all the contentious issues were resolved.

    According to him, “Several issues were discussed issues relating to University at Okerenkeko, issues related to development in Niger Delta generally, issues related to the amnesty program and how well it is working, issues related to NDDC operations in Niger Delta.

    “It was very exhaustive, we looked at the 16 point agenda how far we have gone.

    “Today was environment of peace, calm friendliness and mutual dialoguing of issues so that they will understand where we are coming from and some of the most pressing concerns that they have.

    “Obviously PANDEF as a very responsible organisation always alerts us where there is an alarm bell that is going on. I think I see the ultimatum more in terms of an alarm bell. The small urgency that is required to do certain things. It is not an alarm in the sense of we are going to pull off the top relationship.

    “They did, in fact, placed their loyalty and their willingness to work with us to find solutions to the problems and the Acting President took notes of them.

    “It wasn’t an ultimatum it was a warning for the needs of urgency. The alarm is that we need to hurry up with a lot of problems, people are frustrated, people are tired. People want to see positive action in all the problems.

    “They probably think that we are not fast as we should be.”