• Cautions Council Chairmen against Discrimination on Party Lines
• Unveils Donors List

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, on Monday, commenced another round of distribution of the COVID-19 relief items, calling on the coordinators to ensure that the foodstuff get to the less privileged and vulnerable people in the state.

Senator Douye Diri gave the charge during the flag-off of the distribution of the items witnessed by legislators from the state and the national assembly, local government chairmen and some stakeholders at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.

A press release by his Acting Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, quoted the governor as having directed the eight council chairmen and their councillors to demonstrate integrity in the distribution of the foodstuff and ensure that it cuts across political party lines.

According to Senator Diri, “as you go to your various local government areas to distribute these relief materials, make sure that there is no distinction between PDP and APC.

“The COVID-19 pandemic does not know who is PDP or APC. The underlying issue is that they are all Bayelsans. The relief materials should get to all who need them, particularly the downtrodden, because this government is poised to carry everyone along.

“I urge you to ensure that the distribution of these items is successful and done peacefully. Having experienced the first distribution of garri in the state, this time around we are following it up with enough security.

“So, we have invited more personalities and leaders to be part of the distribution process. The security will follow these items to their various local government headquarters.

“We have also invited other leaders to be involved in the distribution of items to their wards and communities.”

The governor disclosed that the state had begun the process of setting up its own laboratory and testing centre for viral infections apart from the Coronavirus disease.

He said he had already approved N60 million for the procurement of equipment for the centre to be established at the Bayelsa Medical University.

He added that officials of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) would be invited to inspect and certify the centre when it is ready.

The governor enumerated food items procured by his administration to include 6,000 bags of beans, 6,070 bags of garri, 10,750 cartons of noodles and 185 packs of bottled water.

Others are 175 cartons of tin tomato, 700 cartons of soft drinks, 35 gallons of palm oil, 68 bags of salt, 69 bags of sugar, 38 cartons of seasoning and 70 gallons of vegetable oil.

Senator Diri, who equally highlighted items donated by corporate organisations, expressed gratitude for their gesture and enjoined others to follow suit.

According to him, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board donated to the state government 75 bags of beans, 300 bags of rice, 70 bags of garri, two ambulance vehicles and other pharmaceutical items.

He said 7Up Bottling Company also donated 2,004 packs of bottled water, 8,400 cartons of soft drinks while Mee&Kay Ltd gave 100 cartons of instant noodles.

The state government, he noted, also took delivery of 350 bags of rice and 300 bags of garri from Ecobank Plc while Crunchies, a fast food outfit in Yenagoa, donated 50 cartons of noodles.

Other items donated include 300 bags of rice from the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, Sterling Bank N100 milliion, Niger Delta Development Commission N100 million while the Nigerian Agip Oil Company promised that in partnership with the NNPC it would build a South-South health centre for the fight against COVID-19 and other viral diseases in the state.

The distribution chart of the relief items had Brass local government area with 50 bags of rice, 500 bags each of beans and garri, 900 cartons of noodles, 10 packs each of water and tin tomato, salt and sugar 7 bags each.

The chart indicated that Ekeremor local government had 60 bags of rice, 600 bags each of beans and garri, 1,080 cartons of noodles, 12 packs each of water and tin tomato, salt and sugar 7 bags each.

Kolokuma/Opokuma received 55 bags of rice, 650 bags each of beans and garri, 1,170 cartons of noodles, 11 packs each of water and tin tomato, 7 bags each of salt and sugar.

Nembe had 65 bags of rice, beans and garri 650 bags each, 1,170 cartons of noodles, 13 packs each of water and tin tomato, salt and sugar 7 bags each.

Ogbia got 65 bags of rice, beans and garri 650 bags each, 1,170 cartons of noodles, water and tin tomato 13 packs each, salt and sugar 8 bags each.

Sagbama is to distribute 70 bags of rice, 700 bags each of beans and garri, 1,260 cartons of noodles, water and tin tomato 14 packs each, salt and sugar 8 bags each.

Southern Ijaw received 85 bags of rice, beans and garri 850 bags each, 1,530 cartons of noodles, water and tin tomato 17 packs each, 12 bags each of salt and sugar.

Yenagoa received 75 bags of rice, beans 750 bags, garri 750, noodles 1,350 cartons, water and tin tomato 15 packs each, 9 bags each of salt and sugar.

Other beneficiaries include the physically challenged persons, internally displaced persons, youth corps members, Bakassi returnees, motherless babies home and non-indigenes.

……Says it is astonishing that a law firm of a silk can drag the legal profession into the mud

The Deputy General Manager, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, (NBET) Sambo Abdullahi has debunked the story published by the Cable.ng that NBET has appeals against the court order on removed internal auditor.

In a right of reply sent to Swift Reporters, Sambo Abdullahi said that the letter dated 17^th March, 2020, which was said to have come from Babalakin & Co attached to the Cable.ng story bears no name of the author which is against the tradition of lawyers.

He further said, “An x-ray of Babalakin & Co’s letter shows a clear misrepresentation of fact on what transpired between my good self and NBET and the judgement of the National Industrial Court. It is astonishing that a law firm of a silk can drag the legal profession into the mud. Abdullahi said

Excerpt is the full text of the Right of reply:

Right of Reply

RE: NBET appeals against court order on removed internal auditor

You reported a story on the appeal of the judgement delivered by Hon Justice Oyejoju O. Oyewumi of the National Industrial Court on March 11, 2020, in suit No-NICN/ABJ/349/2018 between Sambo Abdullahi (myself) vs Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET), Dr Marilyn Amobi, Hon. Minister, Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. After evaluating and analysing of the evidence before her, the judge declared and ordered as follows:

1. That the suspension of the claimant’s salary and emoluments is wrongful
2. That the refusal of his annual leave for 2017 and 2018 is wrongful, and unfair labour practice and against international best practice.
3. That his claims for denial on access to National Health Insurance Scheme benefits fails.
4. That the second defendant (Dr. Marilyn Amobi) lacks the vires to unilaterally suspend punish and/or withhold the salary, emoluments and all other benefits accrued to the Claimant.
5. That the Claimant is entitled to all his salaries and emoluments and all other benefits accruable to him as staff of the first defendant from 22^nd December 2017 till today 11^th of March, 2020.
6. The Claimant claim d fails.
7. All sums awarded in this judgement is to be paid within 30 days of this judgement, failure upon which it attracts 21% interest thereon per annum.

I wish to note from the outset of this Right of Reply that the letter dated 17^th March, 2020, which was said to have come from Babalakin & Co attached to your story bears no name of the author. This is against the tradition of lawyers. I know very well that all documents so generated in respect of my case by Babalakin & Co have names and seal of lawyers who authored them, and they were properly signed and sealed. This particular letter is suspect!

What I see on this particular letter is an inscription, “Babalakin & Co” as signature. I want to believe that there is no human being bearing Babalakin & Co.

NBET acted on the advice of the law firm of Babalakin & Co in appealing the judgment of the National Industrial Court delivered on the 11^th of March 2020, as contained in their letter attached to your story (https://www.thecable.ng/nbet-appeals-against-court-order-on-removed-internal-auditor/amp) dated 17^th March, 2020, addressed to the Managing Director, Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc with attention: Dr Marilyn Amobi. An x-ray of Babalakin & Co’s letter shows a clear misrepresentation of fact on what transpired between my good self and NBET and the judgement of the National Industrial Court. It is astonishing that a law firm of a silk can drag the legal profession into the mud. For clarity and integrity, I will respond as follows to the misrepresentation of facts as contained in the letter of Babalakin & Co:

Background: This grossly misrepresented facts and also concealed vital information on what happened in the court. This paragraph failed to give the actual chronicle of the fact of the case. As an appointed NBET head of internal audit, I flagged serious irregularities in the dealings and transactions involving Dr Amobi which she started barely 2 months of her resumption as MD/CEO. These allegations have been confirmed by the EFCC, ICPC, BPP and Auditor General of the Federation in their various reports widely published in both electronic and print media indicting Dr Marilyn Amobi and exonerating me. (https://www.thecable.ng/exposed-how-nbet-md-raked-in-millions-through-fraudulent-contracts)

In an attempt to get me traumatised through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation who was Dr Amobi’s colleague at the defunct Continental Merchant Bank, she redeployed me to Learning and Development unit which I petitioned to then Hon Minister of Power, Works and Housing (the Supervising Ministry). My salary and other emoluments were then stopped via a memo dated 27^th December, 2017, pending the outcome of my petition to the Hon Minister. This was contained in the document tendered before the Court and not challenged by either by Dr. Marilyn Amobi or her Counsel Babalakin & Co.

The Ministry on 3 (three) separate occasions directed Dr Marilyn Amobi to rescind her decision on stoppage of my salaries since the Ministerial Committee did not find any wrongdoing on my part. Dr Marilyn Amobi defied the lawful directives of the ministry and this necessitated the then Permanent Secretary (Power), Mr Louis Edozien, to escalate the matter to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 26^th November, 2018, which till date has not said anything on the matter. Because the OSGF kept mute on the matter and the injurious act continued to the extent that my employment was threatened, I approached the National Industrial Court as my last hope on the 7^th day of December, 2018.

Review of Judgement– I was perturbed by paragraph 2.1.1 of Babalakin & Co’s letter wherein it alleged that NBET Preliminary Objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court on competency of the suit was not ruled upon in the 11^th March, 2020, Judgement of Hon. Justice Oyewumi. This is not true as the decision of the Court is contained in page 13 of the copy of the judgement attached to the story published by TheCable. Also, Paragraph 2.1.2 of the same letter misconstrued and misinterpreted the Federal Government Circular on dissolution of Board dated 14^th August, 2015. The said circular clearly directed all the Chief Executive Officers of parastatals, NBET inclusive, to refer all matters requiring the attention of the Board to the President through the Permanent Secretary (PS) of their supervising ministry. For avoidance of doubt, Dr Amobi since her assumption of office in August 2016 has been complying strictly to this circular to the extent that she receives directives from the PS (Power). It may interest you to note that as at 30^th December, 2016, a clear 19 months after the pioneer Board of NBET was dissolved, Dr Amobi’s annual leave was sought and approved by PS (Power).

By an email between Dr Amobi and PS (Power) in which I was copied, she acknowledged and confirmed the supervisory role of the ministry of power over NBET where she wrote “Thank you very much for granting me the opportunity to have this 5 days working annual leave, ………. Sambo Abdullahi will be available to attend any engagement. He will also steer forward strategies to implement any directives that you set out for NBET. Of course, if there are things that statutorily I should not do during this 5 days, and whilst I am on annual vacation, I am very confident that Sambo will make appropriate decision that would promote the public interest whilst being in the best interest of the organization. He comes highly recommended”. (Emphasis are mine).

From this paragraph and the findings of the court, it is a clear fact that Ministry of Power has supervisory role over NBET. Dr Marilyn Amobi’s refusal to pay my salaries despite the ministry’s directives is unconscionable act which was supposed to have ended with the judgment of 11^th March, 2020.

Lawyers are supposed to be ministers in the temple of justice. As such, a lawyer is supposed to advise his/her client without fear or favour truthfully. Paragraph 2.1.3 of Babalakin & Co’s letter is another clear misrepresentation of what happened in the court. The letter dated 20^th March 2018 was admitted in court as Exhibit SA18 and a clear preview of Babalakin & Co’s final written address signed by one Olayinka I. Arasi Esq on behalf of NBET and Dr. Marilyn Amobi, did not challenge or object to the admissibility of the document. Other documents they challenged were succinctly dealt with by Hon. Justice Oyewumi in her judgement. It beats my imagination for a lawyer who had in his address confirmed that Exhibit SA18 was admissible to turn round and inform his client that he objected to same, but the court did not rule on it. Court proceedings are public documents. Dr. Marilyn Amobi should do herself a favour by obtaining the Certified True Copy of the proceedings and confirm the concocted stories bandied in the advice of BABALAKIN & CO.

I want to believe that the law firm of Babalakin & Co was ill briefed on the issue of the alleged Disciplinary Hearing Committee (DHC) proceeding which was orchestrated 12 months after the stoppage of my salary and other emoluments. Babalakin & Co alleged in their letter that the DHC was diversionary as same was constituted for an entirely different infraction(s).

It is important to appreciate the chronology of events in NBET after the stoppage of my salaries to the setting up of the DHC. The allegation being tried by the DHC were already in public domain months before I was alleged to have divulged same.

https://ngnewsonline.com/exposed-misappropriation-of-public-funds-in-nbet-by-its-md-ceo-dr-marilyn-amobi/,

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2018/04/15/finally-azura-deploys-450mw-in-national-grid-raises-nigerias-power-output/

https://ngnewsonline.com/power-scam-nbet-md-ceo-dr-marilyn-amobi-awards-contract-worth-thousand-of-dollars-to-her-company/

http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/nbet-boss-marilyn-amobi-in-n77million-housing-allowance-scandal/

https://persecondnews.com/2018/04/06/amoeba-nbet-boss-in-multi-million-naira-travel-expense-scandal/

The DHC committee were members of the NBET Parastatal Tenders Board who are part of the approval of the fraudulent activities I raised audit queries on which necessitated the stoppage of my salaries and which was being investigated by anti-graft agencies then. The complainant (Ms. Itohan Ehiede) was also part of the judges. There is nowhere in the whole world you can be a judge in your own case.

In fact, it was documented to the management that considering the composition of the DHC membership, I cannot get fair hearing. Expectedly, two of the DHC members were lawyers who ought to rightly recuse themselves having registered my fear of denial of fair hearing via memos to the DHC. The DHC was also one characterised by violation of the NBET Human Resources Policy Manual and other extant circulars.

On the issue of denial of annual leave, it is common sense and the practice in the civil service that all leave should adhere to the policy of the organization. For NBET, it is compulsory that I obtain the approval of my line manager before proceeding on annual leave which I sought and secured from Mr Abba Aliyu, GM, Project, Research, Learning and Development, contrary to when I was head of internal audit where I was expected to obtain approval from Dr. Amobi who was my line manager in that department.

The leave for 2017 was approved by my line manager, but returned by Ms. Itohan Ehiede (Head, Corporate Services) which prevented me from proceeding on the leave till date. NOTE: Ms Itohan Ehiede is not Abba Aliyu’s line manager. I was perturbed by the authority exercised by Ms Itohan Ehiede over my leave till date. The court held that this was wrongful.

Recommendations/ further steps: Paragraph 3.1.1 recommended to Dr. Amobi to proceed on appeal based on the grounds debunked above. The suggested recommendation for stay of execution was to further dehumanise me and my family for exposing fraudulent activities running into billions of naira perpetrated by Dr Marilyn Amobi.

The law firm of Babalakin & Co also recommended to Dr. Marilyn Amobi to continue disciplinary hearing proceedings which she started in 2018 to punish me for an act which the anti-graft agencies and the court had vindicated me and indicted Dr. Marilyn Amobi on. The law firm also suggested that Dr Marilyn Amobi should set up a fresh or new disciplinary hearing committee to try me for an offence which is yet to be committed: https://www.thecable.ng/nigeria-how-not-to-fight-corruption/amp; https://www.thecable.ng/icpc-to-prosecute-nbet-md-indicts-her-of-fraud

Babalakin & Co in paragraph 3.1.2 advised further that the new DHC which Dr. Marilyn Amobi will set up should comply strictly with NBET Human Resources Policy Manual in order not to give any room for a successful challenge of NBET’s action in court. Paragraph 3.1.5 further advised that, I “may be suspended with half or no pay” pending the endorsement of the DHC recommendation to none existing NBET Board Committee on HR.

By this suggestion of Babalakin & Co, it literarily means that the law firm admitted that NBET and its management have not been complying with the approved NBET HR policy manual. How does the law firm of Babalakin & Co fit into the operation and policy of NBET by making such suggestions? What is the legal profession turning to if this is coming from a learned silk’s office? 

CONCLUSION: SUMMARY OF COURT JUDGEMENT

In as much as every individual is entitled to his personal view and observation, I wish to unequivocally make the following review of the court judgement of Hon Justice Oyewumi delivered on 11^th March, 2020, as my own understanding and perspective: A closer look at the 23-page judgement gives an insight to her Lordship’s stand on each order pronounced.

On the wrongful suspension of my salary and emoluments, the judge on pages 19-20 confirmed that my remuneration was stopped long before disciplinary process was taken against me. This in her words was putting the cart before the horse. It is germane to state that my salary was stopped since 27^th December 2017 and I was issued a query in 2018 for absence without leave which was never a reason adduced in a memo communicating the stoppage of my salary. More so, the court said that assuming but not conceding that absenteeism was a ground for the stoppage of my salary, the stipulated procedures as contained in the NBET Human Resources Policy Manual which governs the relationship and conditions of service between NBET and myself was never followed by NBET.

On the wrongful refusal of my annual leave for 2017 and 2018, the judge noted that it was unfair labour practice and against international best practice. “It is trite in the world of work that annual leave is a statutory right of an employee and every employee is entitled to same. In fact, the contract of claimant’s employment recognizes his right to leave as expounded in Exhibit SA9”. Her Lordship went further to support her stand with ILO Convention C32 Revision in 1970 for holiday with pay.

Dr Marilyn Amobi (2^nd defendant) was said to lack the vires to unilaterally suspend, punish and/or withhold the salary, emoluments, and all other benefits accruable to me. Successfully, this matter broadly shows the power of the Hon Minister of Power on its supervisory role over NBET and its management. The Minister by the Guideline Regulating the Relationship Between Parastatal/State Owned Companies has power to direct the Boards of any parastatal under it on issues which border on policy that affects conditions of service of staff. The Minister in this regard is the Minister of Power as same was confirmed by NBET through its sole witness (Ms. Itohan Ehiede) where she confirmed before the court that NBET and its management since the dissolution of the pioneer board in 2015 has been taking instructions from the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and that Dr. Amobi attended and cooperated fully with the ministerial committee on NBET staff matters which she accompanied her. The import of which is that Dr. Amobi agreed to the supervision of Ministry of Power, Works and Housing through the Minister over the management of NBET.

Furthermore, the court confirmed the provision of the above guideline on the issue that the Board of any parastatal under it and/or even the Managing Director i.e. in this case MD NBET must consult the Minister (Minister of Power, Works and Housing) before any change in policy which bothers on public interest and/or can generate public controversy. By this pronouncement of the judge, we can safely conclude that the Accountant General of the Federation erred in his duty by posting its staff to NBET without recourse or request for the approval of the supervising ministry through the NBET MD/CEO, as posting of treasury staff to NBET (Finance and Internal Audit) bothers on policy issues in which Dr. Marilyn Amobi must secure approval from the Minister of Power before implementing same. The court affirmed that the Board is responsible for the conditions of service of staff in any organization. Salary and emoluments bother on conditions of service. Dr Marilyn Amobi was held to lack the vires to unilaterally suspend my salaries.

The crown of the judgement was the order of the judge for the payment of my salary and emoluments and all other benefits accruing to me as staff of NBET since 22^nd December 2017 when same were stopped. On this, the judgement reads at page 21: “It is right to re-emphasis that claimant’s employment in this case has not been determined but that his salary and other entitlement were withheld by the 1^st and 2^nd defendants. I have held Supra that the 1^st and 2^nd defendants, contrary to its terms and conditions of service withheld the claimant’s salary and other emoluments wrongfully. Although, the 1^st and 2^nd defendants argued that he did not work as stated by his line manager vide Exhibit SA13, I find from Exhibit SA13 that his line manager did in fact state at paragraph 1 of that memo to the 2^nd defendant that he engaged the claimant on different tasks. The import of which is that the claimant did actually work and thus entitled to be paid his salaries and emoluments.”

THE ABOVE QUOTATION CONNOTES JUSTICE FOR THE OPPRESSED!

Sambo Abdullahi

Deputy General Manager

Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, (NBET)

Abuja

The Journalists Global Foundation (JGF), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has tasked the federal and state governments as well as media owners in the country to make the welfare of journalists their priority especially in the face of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and stay-at-home order by the federal government to check the spread of COVID-19.

The Foundation made the call in a press statement issued on Monday, April 20, 2020, in Abuja, and jointly signed by the President, Chioma Amajor, and the Secretary, Chizoba Ogbeche.

The JGF expressed worry that salaries and emoluments of most media workers was not in tandem with the minimum wage, even a number of media houses are owing journalists backlog of salaries and wondered how such media workers and their families are coping with the adverse socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The statement commended media organisations that are living up to expectation in ensuring the welfare of journalists in their employ and urged them to sustain the tempo while urging defaulting media organisations to emulate the pace setters.

While commending the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) for taking steps to ensure the safety of journalists in the course of carrying out their constitutional duties during the lockdown, the NGO, however, called on the union not to relent in its effort towards making defaulting media organisations offset the arrears of entitlements owed to journalists in their employ.

The group further called on the federal and state governments to provide protective health consumables for journalists, especially those working during the lockdown, just as the Foundation tasked media practitioners to strictly observe the prescribed health measures against the COVID-19 pandemic to avoid being the news while reporting the news.

By Mohammed Baba Busu

The Nasarawa State Government says the vehicles purchased for 24 members of the state House of Assembly were ordered before the outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the country.

The government offered the explanation in a statement by Mr Yakubu Lamai, the Director General, Strategic Communication and Press Affairs to Gov. Abdullahi Sule, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Monday.

Lamai emphasised that the vehicles were purchased long before the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic and in accordance with extant laws.

He urged the public to disregard insinuations that the state has no single ventilator but has purchased vehicles worth N500m for the state lawmakers.

The spokesman said the state government had ordered for the ventilators and was awaiting delivery.

The director-general described the report as ‘false and misleading’.

“The ventilators have been ordered and we are expecting them anytime soon,” as confirmed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Dogo Shammah, he stated.

“Nigeria recorded its first case of Coronavirus on the 27th February, 2020, in Lagos and while many other states were still grappling with what to do.

“Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule instinctively mandated staff of the Ministry of Health to immediately transport and escort 832 students on Exchange Programme from 18 participating states schooling in Government College, Keffi, and Government Girls College, Wamba, back to their respective states.

“Before COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic, Nasarawa State became one of the earliest states in Nigeria to develop an actual case Management Protocol to handle symptoms of Covid 19 at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) in Lafia, ” Lamai said.

He therefore urged the people of the state to disregard the speculation that the state government purchased brand new Toyota vehicles worth N500m for the state lawmakers.

(NAN)

…As PPMC Prepares to Deploy Automation App for Marketers

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured Nigerians of availability of sufficient petroleum products to guarantee hitch-free celebration of Easter.

The NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru, gave this assurance in a press release on Wednesday in Abuja.

Dr. Obateru quoted the Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. Musa Lawan, as saying that although there are restriction of movement orders in parts of the country, PPMC has maintained steady supply of petroleum products across the country, adding that the Company has enough products in its marine and land depots that could last another two months.

“I want to assure Nigerians that the PPMC has enough petroleum products to go round as they prepare to celebrate Easter. We have up to 2.53billion litres both in marine and in our inland depots. There is enough petroleum products in stock, and as we speak, some vessels laden with petroleum products are en route to the country,” Lawan informed.

He revealed that the PPMC would soon automate its processes, maintaining that the deployment of the application would reduce face-to-face interactions with marketers and promote transparency of all its operations.

He commended the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum (ADTOP), the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), operations staff at the depots and other stakeholders for ensuring the free flow of petroleum products to every nook and cranny of the country in spite of the restriction of movement in some states of the Federation.

He also urged Nigerians to avoid panic buying or stock-piling of petroleum products because of the associated danger and risks.

Nigeria’s independent telecoms regulatory authority, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), has embarked on the building of six Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Parks to promote socio-economic transformation of Nigeria.

In a press release on Sunday, 12^th April, 2020 signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Nigerian Communications Commission, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, he said that the ICT Parks are to provide Innovation Labs and Digital Fabrication Laboratories (Fablabs) for use by ICT innovators and entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into products and prototypes; provide a Commercial Hub for ICT capacity building and digital skills; create employment and entrepreneurial activities; and facilitate smart city deployment across the Digital Industrial complex.

An initiative of the current leadership of NCC, the ICT Parks Project involves the construction and equipping of fully-functional Tier-4 Digital Industrial Complex (DIC) in each of the six geo-political zones across the country.

The project concept is designed to support Federal Government’s ICT–related policies by facilitating the availability and accessibility of ICT services across the country and promoting their usage across all sectors.

The ICT Park consists of laboratories for ICT innovations and Commercial Hubs providing capacity building to ICT startups and entrepreneurial activities. The Parks are designed to have fast internet service (broadband) and constant power supply.

Commenting on the initiative at the weekend, the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC) of NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, said the Commission embarked on the project in all the six geo-political zones of the country with a view to building capacity for the Nigerian teaming youths in the area of skill acquisition and innovation to join existing initiatives towards accelerating socio-economic transformation of Nigeria.

“The whole idea of putting these two things (i.e. skill acquisition and innovation) at the forefront of this very important initiative is to produce youths that can be self-reliant, generate employment for themselves and for other Nigerians,” he said.

The Commission is starting the project with four ICT parks in Abeokuta for the South-West; Enugu for the South-East; Maiduguri for the North-East and Kano for the North-West, all of which are currently at different levels of implementation while the ones for North-Central and South-South are in the offing.

Danbatta, who stated that the project commissioning would take place at different times, possibly starting from end of this year, assured that, based on its national spread structure, no part of the country will be left out as beneficiaries of the initiative.

“The NCC ICT Parks Project is another move by the current leadership of the Commission to boost youth digital skills acquisition, promote innovations, provide jobs for the teaming Nigerian youths and ultimately support the overall digital economy agenda of the Federal Government,” Danbatta said.

Speaking on the expected tech products to be produced from the ICT Parks, Danbatta said: “Going forward, we hope to see software development, incubation and hardware development coming out from the ICT Parks. We also hope to see innovative applications that will leverage the broadband network, which the Commission is deepening in order to socially and economically transform our communities and societies.”

Danbatta urged the potential and would-be beneficiaries of the project, especially the youths to be ready to leverage the initiative, once ready, to empower themselves socially and economically.

“I would like to send out a very important message to our youths, especially those who are currently occupied with various innovative applications and those who have acquired the skills but are looking for where to put the skills to fruitful engagements, by incubating them, commercialising them, or giving publicity to these excellent initiatives, to be ready to leverage these facilities,” he stated.

The EVC added that there is going to be a centre in the ICT Parks to showcase the various initiatives by the youths in areas of apps, various software products developed and other innovations not only to local investors but also to the global investment community.

An ICT park comprises an area or location with concentration of ICT facilities which enable a concerted leap into the digital age by creating a dynamic environment in which local talent is incubated, cultivated, and shared. ICT parks are best tested and trusted institutional mechanisms to address the needs of technology-intensive, knowledge-based Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Nigeria has joined its other OPEC+ counterparts to bring into effect the agreement to cut 9.7 Million Barrels of supply following the alignment of Mexico.

In a press release on 12th April 2020 signed by Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Nigeria, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva, he said that the intervention of the United States of America resulted in Mexico agreeing to a cut of 100 KBOPD and to be complemented by an additional 300 KBOPD by US Producers.

The statement read, “This will enable the rebalancing of the oil markets and the expected rebound of prices by $15 per barrel in the short term.

“This also promises an appropriate balancing of Nigeria’s 2020 budget that has been rebased at $30 per barrel.

“As agreed, Nigeria will join OPEC+ to cut supply by 9.7 Million Barrels per day between May and June 2020, Eight (8) Million Barrels per day between July and December 2020 and Six (6) Million barrels per day from January 2021 to April 2022, respectively.

“Based on reference production of Nigeria of October 2018 of 1.829 Million Barrels per day of dry crude oil, Nigeria will now be producing 1.412 Million Barrels per day, 1.495 Million Barrels per day and 1.579 Million Barrels per day respectively for the corresponding periods in the agreement.

“This is in addition to condensate production of between 360-460 KBOPD of which are exempt from OPEC curtailment, the statement concluded.