Energy
Shell’s pipeline spills 213 barrels of crude into Bayelsa community
The Okordia-Rumekpe 14-inch crude truckline operated by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) has discharged some 213 barrels of crude oil into Ikarama community in Bayelsa. SPDC’s Media Relations Manager, Mr Bamidele Odugbesan, confirmed the leakage and said that probe into the incident had been concluded. A Joint Investigative Visit’s (JIV) report obtained by newsmen on the incident on Thursday confirmed that the incident occured on April 7, while the investigation was concluded on April 12. JIV is a statutory probe into the cause of any recorded spill incident involving the oil firm, regulators, host communities and state ministries of environment. The JIV report concluded that the spill was an operational mishap traced to equipment failure which impacted nearby palm trees and fish...
Ryan Mason dedicates first Tottenham win to Ugo Ehiogu
Getty Images Tottenham Hotspur interim manager, Ryan Mason, has decided his first win in charge to former coach Ugo Ehiogu, who passed away four years ago. Ehiogu, aged just 44, suffered a cardiac arrest at Tottenham training ground, where we worked as Under-23s coach. Mason, who held the same position before being promoted to first-team duties, worked with Ehiogu while coming through the ranks as a Spurs player. Today marks the four-year anniversary of the tragic passing of our former Under-23s Coach Ugo Ehiogu. 🤍 Always in our hearts. His memory fondly lives on. pic.twitter.com/U1SOQ73zg6 — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) April 21, 2021 On the anniversary of Ehiogu’s death, Mason made a winning start to life in temporary charge of his boyhood club. “I want to dedicate that one...
Iran says 60% enrichment meant to show nuclear prowess, is reversible
Iran began enriching uranium to 60% purity in order to show its technical capacity after a sabotage attack at a nuclear plant, and the move is quickly reversible if the United States lifts sanctions, the Iranian government said on Tuesday. Talks in Vienna aimed at bringing the United States and Iran back to full compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal have been further complicated by an explosion at Iran’s main uranium enrichment facility at Natanz. Iran has responded by saying it is enriching uranium to 60%fissile purity, a big step towards weapons-grade from the 20% ithad previously achieved. The 2015 pact between Iran and world powers had capped the level of enrichment purity at 3.67% – suitable for generating civilian nuclear energy. Iran denies seeking a nuclear weapon. “The start of 60% ...
DPR: We’ve accurate record of crude production
File Photo The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Friday debunked claims that the exact volume of crude oil produced in the country was not known. Mr Paul Osu, Head, Public Affairs, DPR, in a statement issued in Lagos, said every litre of crude produced in the country was adequately captured during the process of extraction. Osu said it was the responsibility of the DPR to monitor and account for crude oil production as basis for determining government’s revenue through royalty payments by operators for sustainable development. He said: “As a further step to boosting crude accounting process from production to export, DPR recently launched the National Production Monitoring System (NPMS). “NPMS is an online platform for direct and independent acquisition of production data from oil...
Ex-President Obasanjo urges Ogun government to partner stakeholders on waste management
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged Ogun government to partner stakeholders in the waste management sector to enable the state to achieve a cleaner environment. Obasanjo stated this when the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) team visited him at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), on Thursday in Abeokuta. He commended Gov. Dapo Abiodun for establishing the agency for proper sanitation, saying that this was a demonstration of his determination to ensure a cleaner environment in the state. “I am advising the governor and his administration to partner with the various stakeholders in the waste management sector. “This will help the state to reap its efforts at making the environment clean, which is the main reason for establishing the agency,” Obasanjo said...
Analysts: Printing currency could hurt economy
Analysts have expressed concerns over a recent claim that the federal government resorted to printing money to augment the monthly allocation to the three tiers of government, warning that it could heighten inflationary pressure with dire consequences for the country’s exchange rate and economy. The analysts, in separate interviews with newsmen, warned that a sustained policy of printing the currency, if not well managed, would hurt the economy. The concern came on the heels of recent revelation by Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, that due to the dwindling revenue in the face of declining oil revenue arising from the growing sources of alternative sustainable energy, the federal government had to print money to augment the amount available for sharing by the federal, state and lo...
Delta government commends Nigerians in Diaspora for developmental efforts
The Delta Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Lawrence Ejiofor, has commended the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) for its efforts toward the development of the state. Ejiofor made the commendation during a courtesy call on him by the former National Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora, Europe Chapter, Mr Kenneth Gbandi, on Friday in Asaba. The commissioner expressed excitement at the idea of more developmental efforts from the private sector and assured them of the willingness of the government to create an enabling environment for development to thrive and for the promotion of partnerships. Earlier, Gbandi said that he planned to develop housing units in the state for Nigerians in the diaspora. He solicited partnership with the government in terms of access roads, adding that...
NACC seeks quick visa facilitation for members
The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce (NACC) has urged the American Embassy in Nigeria to do everything possible to facilitate the Visa processing for members of the bilateral Chamber especially when it involves business trips for national growth and development. The National President of the Chamber, Otunba Toyin Akomolafe, who spoke at the NACC’s 60th Anniversary Public virtual Lecture in Lagos, said this is imperative given the enormous benefits inherent in the natural resources of both countries to be harnessed by mutual benefit. “Given the wobbling economy all over the world occasioned by the global pandemic, it’s expedient for embassies especially the American Embassy in Nigeria to fastrack VISAs and other protocol involved for trade experts going to America for the sole purpose ...
NNPC to partner Borno government to establish gas power plant
The Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Alhaji Mele Kyari has said that the corporation will partner with Borno State Government to establish a Gas Power Plant following the vandalization of the national grid by insurgents which put the state almost three months into total blackout. Kyari who led a powerful delegation on a courtesy call on Governor Babagana Umara Zulum on Friday said, the Federal Government will not fold its arms and neglect the state which is been ravaged by insurgents, especially cut off from the national grid, as power is a source of income to the teaming people of the state. “We are here with my colleagues, the Head of Gas and Power Business, Engineer Yusuf Usman, Representatives of Greensville Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which is a...
DPR revokes Addax Petroleum oil mining licences
File Photo The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has revoked four Oil Mining Licences (OML) belonging to Addax Petroleum due to the non-development of the assets by the petroleum company. The affected assets are OML 123, 124, 126 and 137. Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos on Tuesday, the Director/Chief Executive Officer, DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu, who disclosed this, said it was discovered that over 50 per cent of the assets had remained underdeveloped, which he said was resulting to loss of revenue to the federal government. According to him, “Addax refused to develop the assets and Addax were therefore not operating the assets.” The DPR boss pointed out that going by the country’s Petroleum Act, “the first reason for a revocation is when you discover that...
House minority caucus flays $1.5 billion approval for rehabilitation of Port Harcourt refinery
The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives Tuesday described the approval of $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt refinery as a huge scam and a ploy by unscrupulous elements to siphon public funds. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had recently at its virtual meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari approved $1.5 billion for the rehabilitation of the refinery. But, the caucus in a statement by its Leader, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, while rejecting the amount, said the figure is outrageous and heavily inflated, demanding an immediate review of the cost. The lawmakers noted that while they are in support of any genuine effort to bridge energy deficit in Nigeria, such should not be used as a ploy by corrupt individuals to fleece the nation. The caucus called...
DPR: Market forces should determine gas prices
File Photo The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has advocated that market forces should be allowed to determine gas prices to guarantee the security of supply and demand of the commodity. Mr Sarki Auwalu, the Chief Executive Officer, DPR, disclosed this while presenting keynote address at the pre-summit conference on “Decade of gas’, in Abuja, on Monday. Auwalu said that the right and market-based pricing of gas was critical, as it would assure producers of returns on their investments. He also outlined five critical levers for gas development, especially as Nigeria moves to leverage its abundant gas resources for national growth, diversification of the economy and to use gas as the fuel for economic transformation. According to him, the levers include availability, accessibility, a...
