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Tag: yuletide

  • Yuletide: No plans to increase petrol pump price from N145 – PPPRA

    The Executive Secretary Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Abdulkadir Saidu on Tuesday refuted the growing speculation on the purported imminent price increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol), noting that the retail price of Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) remains at the subsisting price cap of N145 per litre.

    According to him, in a statement issued to reporters in Abuja, marketers should ensure that there is no price distortion in their respective retail outlets.

    The PPPRA, he said, shall continue to carry out its oversight function of monitoring exercise in depots and in all the filling stations across the country, to ensure adherence to the regulated price and to nib in the bud other forms of sharp practices at retail outlets.

    He specifically warned that adequate sanctions await any erring filling stations found wanting.

    The Executive Secretary commended the petroleum oil marketers in the country for embracing dialogue with Federal Government to resolve the issues arising from payment of the outstanding fuel subsidy claims, noting that embarking on strike is not always the best option to address any industrial dispute, irrespective of the circumstances because the multiplier effects is always too much to bear.

    The PPPRA boss therefore appealed to the leadership of the Oil Marketers Association to cooperate with the Federal Government to find a workable solution to the issue emanating from the payment of subsidy arears. He further assured the oil marketers of PPPRA’s continuous support, cooperation and collaboration at ensuring a conducive industrial climate where the best of the oil and gas sector could be showcased.

    Mr. Saidu also assured Nigerians of PPPRA total commitment to service delivery and uninterrupted petroleum products supply and distribution especially during this festive period and beyond.

    He therefore, appealed to motorists and other PMS consumers to desist from panic-buying, as PPPRA is working hard with other Agencies of government to ensure that there is no short fall in the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

     

     

  • Yuletide: Lagos govt donates trailer-loads of Lake Rice to Security Agencies

    In the spirit of the yuletide season, the Lagos State Government on Saturday donated trailer-loads of Lake Rice each to the Armed Forces, the police and other security agencies in the State.

    A statement by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, said the latest donation to security agencies was part of the token to appreciate law enforcement agents for their commitment and sacrifice to ensure security of lives and property in the State.

    The State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode had, while launching the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Emblem on December 20, 2017, equally donated N25million to the Nigerian Legion as well as trailer-load of Lake Rice to aid the welfare of the families of fallen heroes.

    According to Ayorinde, “The latest gesture by the State Government to security agencies for the festive celebration is a continuation of the token to appreciate them by the State Government for their efforts at maintaining law and order in the State.

    “Lagos is indeed blessed with dedicated security personnel and despite all that have been done in the past and is still being done to assist security agencies, such as provision of critical logistics, allowances, insurance benefits, among others, the onus is on government to continue to utilize every opportunity to appreciate and motivate them to continue to put in their very best.

    “Security, being one of the tripod upon which the administration of His Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode is built, will continue to be given top priority to ensure safety of lives and property, as well as to grow the economy of the State,” the Commissioner said.

    There are 600 full bags of rice in each of the trucks donated to the security agencies.

  • NEMA, FRSC inaugurates ‘Operation Eagle Eye’ operation in Kano

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in conjunction with Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) on Saturday in Kano flagged off ‘Operation Eagle Eye’operation to handle road emergencies.

    The operation was an initiative of NEMA in collaboration with the lead Agency, FRSC with assistance and support of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Nigeria Red Cross Society.

    Speaking at the occasion, the NEMA Kano Head of operations, Malam Nura Abdullahi said the exercise was aimed at rescue activities and strict enforcement of traffic rules and regulations as part of measures to enlighten road users during and after the yuletide.

    According to him, the main objective of the exercise was also to sensitize motorists, road unions, passengers and the public to adhere to traffic rules and regulations.

    He said the initiative was also aimed at complementing other stakeholders especially the Federal Road Safety Corps in tackling road accidents in the country.

    He said NEMA officers and stakeholders that included FRSC, NSCDC and NRCS would be stationed in strategic places to monitor and ensure non reckless driving, sensitize drivers to be moderate on their speed limit and avoid drunken behaviour.

    During the flag-off campaign, leaflets on safe driving were distributed to drivers along the ever-busy Kano-Zaria road.

  • Yuletide: Police beef up security nationwide

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris has ordered a comprehensive operational strategy to beef-up security nationwide during the Christmas and New Year.

    A statement by the Force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood in Abuja on Friday, said Idris
    directed all Commissioners of Police and Assistant Inspectors General of Police to ensure adequate security of lives and property of Nigerians.

    He said the police boss also directed all Commanders of Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) to comply with the safety order.

    Moshood added that Special Forces and specialized units of the Force, including Special Tactical Squad, Special Protection Unit, Border Patrol and Explosive Ordinance Department have been mobilised across the country.

    “Police Federal Highway Patrol Teams, Safer Highway and Divisional Patrol Teams have been mandated and are under strict instruction to be polite, civil but strict in ensuring security and safety of travelers and other road users,” he said.

    The spokesman said that Idris has equally directed the Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Commissioners of Police to ensure that no roadblock was mounted in the country.

    “The personnel of the force will be on 24 hours round-the-clock surveillance and robust vehicular patrols throughout the Yuletide and the New Year,” he said

    He said adequate deployment would be carried out in places of worship and venues of celebration including strategic public places, recreation centres, shopping malls, business plazas and motor parks.

    The police boss called on Nigerians to provide useful information to the personnel of the Force deployed in their localities.

     

    NAN

     

  • Yuletide: FRSC deploys 100 personnel on Benin-Ore Expressway

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ore Unit Command, Ondo State, says it has deplored 100 personnel, four patrol vehicles, two towing vehicles and an ambulance on the Benin-Ore expressway.

    The Unit Commander, Mr Philip Ozonnandi, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ore.

    Ozonnadi said that the measure was to ensure free flow of traffic and safety of lives and property on the route during the yuletide.

    The FRSC boss urged motorists plying the road to always slow down and park well whenever they were waved down by FRSC personnel for routine checks.

    He warned them against drugs and alcohol intake which might result in fatigue and cause them to sleep while on the wheel.

    Ozonnandi implored drivers of heavy duty vehicles to always pull off the road whenever they were tired to take a rest before continuing their journeys.

    He said the special FRSC road patrol would start on Wednesday nationwide.

    The unit commander, however, urged the public to call the FRSC toll free emergency line 122 in case of any emergency on the Benin-Ore expressway.

     

  • Yuletide: Naira falls by 0.55 per cent to Dollar, now exchanges for N365/$1

    Yuletide: Naira falls by 0.55 per cent to Dollar, now exchanges for N365/$1

    …as experts predict further depreciation

    The naira depreciated marginally by 0.55 per cent at the parallel market week-on-week to close at N365 on Friday.

    The local currency had closed at 363/dollar last Friday.

    Currency retailers and analysts said the development came on the back of increased demand was occasioned by activities heralding the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

    This came despite the frequent interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The President, Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria, Mr. Aminu Gwadabe, said the development was part of foreign exchange market fluctuations.

    He said, “The spikes maybe as a result of the renewed political spending that is going to be a threat to naira stability; secondly, the differential exchange rates at the various official window is also discouraging genuine competition among operators which the parallel market always survived on.”

    The interbank window of the nation’s foreign exchange market had last Tuesday received a boost of $210m from the CBN.

    The interventions were made at the wholesale, the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises, and invisibles segments of the market.

    The Acting Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, had said the bank offered the sum of $100m to the wholesale segment, while the SMEs and invisibles segments received the sum of $55m each.

    He reiterated that the releases were meant to boost liquidity, trade and ease of remittances for legitimate personal commitments.

    According to a currency analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, the naira will likely depreciate further this week following the suspension of the Open Market Operations by the regulator.

    He said, “Once you have interest rate at this low level, traders can avoid money to buy from the foreign exchange either for Christmas goods or to speculate. It has started from last week when naira closed against the Dollar at N365. For me, it might get to N370 if care is not taken.

    “The stop in OMO sales by CBN might be revised soon and CBN might start issuing OMO to mop-up liquidity from the system.”

    The naira also depreciated by 0.15 per cent to N360.96 at the Investors and Exporter Foreign Exchange window on Friday.

    Total volume traded in the I&E FX window for the last week stood at $579.92m against $900.50m in prior week.

    Inflows recorded during the week include Open Market Operation and Treasury Bills maturities valued at N70.83bn and N131.42bn, respectively, while outflows comprised foreign exchange and bond sales, valued at $210m and N77.59bn, respectively.

    The overnight lending rate contracted weak-on-week by 192 basis points to 4.33 per cent, following improvement in system liquidity to N855.82bn, from N78.96bn in the previous week.

     

  • Bleak yuletide as PENGASSAN insists on nationwide strike Monday

    Bleak yuletide as PENGASSAN insists on nationwide strike Monday

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Saturday insisted that its planned industrial action will commence on Monday.

    The group however, noted that it was ready to discuss with the government and other concerned organisations on the strike.

    According to PENGASSAN, nothing has changed since it issued a statement to announce that its meeting with the Federal Government to avert the strike ended in a stalemate.

    This is coming as the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ndu Ughamadu, told newsmen that the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, has been meeting with the unions in the oil sector to ensure stability in the industry.

    Ughamadu was optimistic that the NNPC would be able to persuade the association to rescind its decision to embark on strike by Monday, as the planned industrial action had led to panic buying in Abuja.

    He said long queues of motorists had been noticed at the few filling stations that dispensed petrol on Saturday.

    PENGASSAN on Friday announced that it would embark on an indefinite strike on Monday, following a stalemate in the peace meeting which the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, brokered between the union and Neconde Energy Limited.

    The oil union and Neconde had been embroiled in crisis over allegation of anti-worker practices.

    The union alleged that the management of Neconde wrongly terminated the employment of some of its workers, and threatened to go on strike if the sacked workers were not recalled within 72 hours.

    The issue made the government to initiate a meeting between the two parties in Abuja last week, but the meeting ended in a deadlock.

    When asked if the union would halt the strike should the government meet with its officials on the matter, the Public Relations Officer, PENGASSAN, Fortune Obi replied, “One thing you should know is that at PENGASSAN, we are a body of professionals and we are open to discussion at all times because we believe in dialogue. We keep our doors open for effective discussions and that has been our style.”

    Meanwhile, many motorists queued for petrol on Saturday, as some users of the commodity said they were stockpiling fuel in order to have enough should PENGASSAN embark on strike on Monday.

    “It’s better to stockpile fuel now because PENGASSAN is going on strike by Monday, and once that happens, the fuel scarcity situation will worsen,” said one of the motorists at the largest NNPC mega station along the Kubwa-Zuba Expressway identified only as Sam.

     

  • Anambra, Delta Governments partner to ease traffic during Yuletide

    The Anambra Government and its Delta counterpart have strategized to ease traffic on both ends of Asaba and Onitsha during the Yuletide.

    Gov. Willie Obiano of Anambra said this at the launching of the 2017 “Ember Month” awareness campaign in Onitsha on Tuesday.

    The theme for 2017 Operation Zero Tolerance campaign is: “Right To Life On the Highway Not Negotiable”.

    Flanked by the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Obiano said the ultimate objective was to ensure that there was no casualty during the period.

    “Christmas is a time for merriment; we appeal and also warn road users to be careful with the way they drive.

    “I have provided 25 speed and alcohol detectors to be used on the road. Vehicles that are not road worthy will be impounded.

    “I want to emphasise that the use of cell phone while driving will not be permitted. Avoid speeding, overloading, one-way driving and ensure you fasten your seat belts and pedestrian bridges where available,” he said.

    The governor also said 40 ambulances would be made available in all major junctions for unforeseen situations, while doctors would be placed on alert during the period.

    The corps marshal assured that all the 22 critical corridors of the nation’s road network would be effectively managed.

    He warned all tipper drivers to remove the extra planks used for overloading, noting that any driver arrested would be prosecuted and have his vehicles impounded.

    He commended Obiano for creating enabling environment for social and economic development as well as his support for the corps in the state.

    The FRSC Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone RS5, Mr Kehinde Adeleye, explained that the choice of Onitsha for the campaign launch was informed by its economic activities and strategic location along traffic corridors.

     

  • Yuletide: US, UK warn citizens, insists Boko Haram may bomb Abuja, 12 northern states

    The United States and the United Kingdom have issued stern warnings to its citizens in Nigeria, especially those resident in the North and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to avoid crowded places as dangerous insurgent group, Boko Haram may carry out its bomb threats during the yuletide.

    The two missions in their security advice cautioned their citizens against all but essential travels to Bauchi, Zamfara, Kano; Kaduna; Jigawa; Katsina, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe states during the Yuletide.

    The two countries stated that the risk of terrorist attacks was still high in the run-up to and throughout the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

    “Terrorist groups have threatened to conduct bombings and attacks in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) area during this period. You should avoid places where crowds gather, including religious gatherings and places of worship, markets, shopping malls, hotels, bars, restaurants, transport hubs and camps for displaced people,” the UK mission said in the updated travel advisory on its website.

    The same security warning was also echoed by the US mission, which asked Americans to review their personal security plans and avoid the states listed in the travel advisory.

    The two countries had issued the security advice ahead of the December 1 Id el Maulud holiday, which passed without any eventualities. This had made some members of the public assume that the threat was over.

    However, the US Embassy Information Officer, Russell Brooks, said the warning would stand till the end of the year, adding that it was not limited to the last public holiday in the country.

    The embassy had issued a warning thus: “The US Mission remains concerned about potential attacks in the states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, and Yobe; travellers are urged to avoid those states through the end of the year.”

    “If you construed the warning as referring to last Friday’s holiday (December 1), you are mistaken,” Brooks stated.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the police had also on Friday said the plot by Boko Haram to bomb Abuja and other states was real. The FCT Commissioner of Police, Sadiq Bello, however, said the police would work with other security agencies to make sure that the threat was not actualised.

    It was gathered that the police had deployed undercover operatives in strategic locations in the FCT to foil any terrorist plot.

    Security sources stated that agencies were also stepping up intelligence gathering and surveillance of dark spots which suspected Boko Haram members might infiltrate to carry out their dastardly act.

    The police, however, warned Nigerians to avoid extravagance and any act capable of exposing them to unnecessary attacks during and after the festive season.

  • Yuletide: Fuel scarcity will end soon, Kachikwu assures Nigerians

    Yuletide: Fuel scarcity will end soon, Kachikwu assures Nigerians

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, says the major cause of the fuel scarcity currently being witnessed across the country is shortfall in supply of petroleum products.

    Mr. Kachikwu, who stated this in a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja, however, said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, was making efforts to ensure that queues at filling stations disappeared in a couple of days.

    “Presently, queues in Lagos have reduced. We know that Lagos, Abuja, Benue, Port Harcourt were among the worst-hit areas.

    “Benue has been dealt with; Port Harcourt is quite moderated. Apart from these areas, other places in the country are probably liquid.

    “The major problem is the gap in terms of volume, because NNPC is the only one importing the product to the country,” he said.

    The minister assured that there was adequate storage facility for imported products, adding that emergency measures were in place to ensure that the products were available during the Yuletide and post-January.

    He said that four vessels laden with petroleum products would “berth in a few days and a total of 20 cargoes are also expected with petroleum products’’.

    Mr. Kachikwu said that the NNPC had, as at Wednesday, discharged products at its depots, adding that emergency supply, quick truck delivery and stricter monitoring were measures adopted to ensure that queues disappeared.

    He added that NNPC would use additional trucking to major cities using strategic reserves from Suleja, Minna, Gusau and Gombe.

    This, he said, would help to service Abuja, Kano and Sokoto axis to feed the North-West, North-East.

    “I have asked the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency to ensure stricter sanctions on any station that refuses to abide by the rules.

    “They need to take a firm action to ensure that we get quick results,’’ he said.

    Mr. Kachikwu further assured that the market would be flooded with more products to cushion effects of over-subscription through Kaduna refinery production, adding that Port Harcourt was expected to start producing 2.1 million litres of petrol per day.

    He said that it was expected that with the adopted strategies, the queues would “slide down’’ in one week.

    On long-term strategy, he said that ultimate result would come when the refineries resumed optimal production.

    The minister said that work would commence effectively in the refineries in January.

    The Executive Secretary of DPR, Modecai Ladan, said that many sanctions awaited filling stations found compromising the dispensing process, warning that the stations would be shut down or charged N275 per litre.

    He said that any station found hoarding products would either be sealed or its product auctioned or dispensed free-of-charge to consumers.

    Ladan added that depending on the offence, defaulters may be shut down for six months or blacklisted.