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FG to inject N14bn for corps members’ allowances, others — MINISTER

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FG to inject N14bn for corps members’ allowances, others — MINISTER

 

NaijaNews reports that to boost the welfare of serving National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members, the Federal Government will be injecting about N14 billion into the scheme as corps members’ allowances, the Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said.

Dare, who stated this at the opening ceremony of the 2023 NYSC annual management conference in Abuja yesterday, however, charged the top management of the Scheme to think outside the box to develop and initiate reforms to maintain the relevance of the Scheme.

He also stated certain events in the country, particularly the #EndSARS mass protest of 2020 and the February 25 presidential election had taught stakeholders the lesson that no segment of the country could ignore the demands of the youths without consequences.

The minister said: “The final document and the approval is been awaited for us to increase and improve the quality of the uniforms of our corps members by increasing the amount of money (for it) almost double.

“We also plan to increase the amount of money for bicycle allowance, feeding allowance, and compensation to the staff.

“All of that has been done and has gone to the relevant agencies and Ministry of Finance. I’m sure that as it makes its way to the presidency it will get a positive response that will see an injection of fourteen billion (N14bn) into the corps and welfare for the NYSC.

“I, therefore, want to challenge the NYSC to depart from the norm and think outside the box. Take the road less traveled and come up with critical reforms that will make the NYSC better than what it is.

“We need internal reforms because we deal with a very sensitive population. Since the #EndSARS happened, and then the February 25 and the March 18 elections, no segment of this country can ever or should ever ignore the youths of our country. They make up 41 per cent of the voting population.

“The youths of this country deserve investment in skills but also those of us entrusted with taking care of them must be sensitive to their needs and also to the issues that are affecting them today.”

The Minister, however, expressed optimism that the proposed NYSC Trust Fund bill would soon receive President Muhammadu Buhari’s assent, stressing that the initiative would make fund available for Corps entrepreneurs to establish their businesses and advance their trainings in the Scheme’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

He said: “Just last week, I received the final document of the passed NYSC Trust Fund Bill awaiting the assent of the President. I have returned it to the presidency with a resounding ‘yes’ so the president can give his assent.

“Under the NYSC Trust Fund, we have a major component to extend the SAED programme from three weeks to one year and to provide matching fund at the end of the service year.”

Earlier, the Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, noted that since the establishment of NYSC in 1973, it had remained a reference point for other organisations due to its vital roles in the promotion of national unity and integration.

“It is also a reference for peaceful co-existence among Nigerians of diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and free movement of labour.

“The contributions of the scheme in the areas of health, education, rural infrastructure, culture and tourism, sports, conduct of elections, population census and job creation, amongst others are enormous. They have earned it commendations from within and outside the country,” he added.

Ahmed commended the contributions of all stakeholders to the achievements of the scheme so far, saying the NYSC would use the conference to consolidate and build on them by evolving new ideas for greater impact.

He, therefore, called on critical stakeholders to support the scheme toward addressing some of its challenges, adding that he was also hopeful that the NYSC Trust Fund would be actualised soon.

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#CHIVIDO24: See Loved Up Photos From Davido and Chioma’s Pre-wedding Photoshoot

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Naijanewsngr reports that Davido and Chioma have released their pre-wedding snapshots and videos, asserting that their wedding, which is scheduled for the 25th of June, 2024, is OFFICIAL.  Fans have tagged the wedding to be the final bus stop for a love that stood the test of time. They have asserted that the four year wait after the release of Davido's song 1 Milli where he featured his now Fiance, has been worth it.  See pictures and Videos from the Pre-wedding photoshoot;

 

Naijanewsngr reports that Davido and Chioma have released their pre-wedding snapshots and videos, asserting that their wedding, which is scheduled for the 25th of June, 2024, is OFFICIAL.

 

Fans have tagged the wedding to be the final bus stop for a love that stood the test of time. They have asserted that the four year wait after the release of Davido’s song 1 Milli where he featured his now Fiance, has been worth it.

 

See pictures and Videos from the Pre-wedding photoshoot;

#CHIVIDO24: See Loved Up Photos From Davido and Chioma's Pre-wedding Photoshoot

#CHIVIDO24: See Loved Up Photos From Davido and Chioma's Pre-wedding Photoshoot

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AREN’T THEY BEAUTIFUL!!

 

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Dangote Refinery to set up terminal in the Caribbean for export of petroleum products

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Dangote Refinery to set up terminal in the Caribbean for export of petroleum products

Dangote Refinery to set up terminal in the Caribbean for export of petroleum products

Dangote Refinery is planning to set up a terminal in the Caribbean to export petroleum products to countries in the North American region.

Aliko Dangote, the president and CEO of the refinery, made this disclosure on Wednesday at Afreximbank’s Trade and Investment Forum in The Bahamas.

The business mogul said the company can easily supply petroleum products to the region within 18 to 20 days.

According to Africa’s richest man, the company will sign a bilateral agreement with the region to construct the terminal for the exportation of its petroleum products.

“I know the price in the Caribbean in terms of petroleum products is very high. We produce it cheaply. We can always bring it here. We can set up a terminal and we’ll be able to fix their needs.

“We will have a bilateral agreement with them and also bringing in stuff from there is not more than 18 to 20 days maximum. And then we need to set up a terminal.

“Once we set up a terminal, they will have a very cheap oil. They will have cheap energy. And by having cheap energy, their own economy will grow faster,” Dangote said.

Dangote to also export Cement to the Region
In addition, the CEO of the $20 billion refinery mentioned that the conglomerate is not only seeking to invest in petroleum products in the region but also in cement.

Dangote stated that the company’s cement production capacity is nearly 52 million tons and will increase to about 62 million tons by the end of next year.

He added that the firm can meet the demand of the Caribbean market, creating a win-win situation for both parties.

“It’s not only about the oil. We now have a capacity of almost 52 million cement capacity. By the end of next year, we will be at 62 million of cement capacity. We are not only saying that we can bring in from Nigeria or from Africa.

“If they have limestones, we can also produce what can satisfy them. We’ve done that before in Africa and we should be able to free them up from the shackles of other people.

“If we the ingredients like the limestones etc, it’s a 28 months maximum. They can all be self-sufficient. It will be a win-win between us and them,” Dangote said.

What you should know
The Dangote refinery with a 650,000 barrel refining capacity has been described as the “game changer” of the oil and gas sector.
The refinery will be the largest in Africa and Europe once it begins full operation later next year.
According to reports, the $20 billion petroleum facility is expected to disrupt the $17 billion Africa-European market and reduce the continent’s dependence on imported petroleum products from Europe.
In addition, Dangote stated that the company is also eyeing the Brazilian market and other North American countries to supply refined products from the refinery.
“Our capacity is too big for Nigeria. It will be able to supply West Africa, Central Africa and also Southern Africa,” Dangote said in a panel discussion in Rwanda a few weeks ago.

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Dangote Refinery Mulls Lagos, London Stock Exchange Listings

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Dangote Refinery to set up terminal in the Caribbean for export of petroleum products

Dangote Refinery Mulls Lagos, London Stock Exchange Listings

The Dangote refinery is aiming for a dual listing on the London and Lagos bourses, a senior executive at the firm, Devakumar Edwin, has told Reuters.

Africa’s richest man and Chairman of the group, Aliko Dangote was earlier on Tuesday, quoted as saying he could try to list the company in Nigeria by the end of the year.

It is coming about six months after Dangote, also told the Financial Times of his intentions to publicly list the subsidiary of the Group, Dangote Petroleum Refinery on the Nigerian Exchange Limited.

At the time, Dangote stated that the company had resolved challenges about crude oil supply and was prepared for the listing.

The billionaire businessman already has some companies listed on the NGX, including Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar Refinery and Nascon Allied Industries.

The refinery managers said there was need to approach the London Exchange because the Nigerian bourse may not have the capacity to handle it exclusively.

Asked to comment on Dangote’s statement to local media, Edwin told Reuters: “We have listed all our businesses. The NSE (Nigerian Stock Exchange) will not have adequate depth to handle exclusively the petroleum refinery. We would have to take it to LSE (London Stock Exchange) but also list in NSE.”

The refinery, Africa’s largest, built on a peninsula on the outskirts of the commercial capital Lagos at a cost of $20 billion, was completed after several years of delay.

It can refine up to 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) and will be the largest in Africa and Europe when it reaches full capacity this year or next.

Dangote has been trying to secure crude supplies for his refinery. He has interests in Dangote Cement, Dangote Flour Mills and Dangote Sugar, all listed on the Nigerian bourse.

In May, the company reached its first supply deal with TotalEnergies, after it put out a tender for 2 million barrels of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland crude every month for a year starting in July, according to tender documents.

The company since earlier in the year, has been refining diesel, jet fuel and other petroleum products and is expected to begin the production of petrol in June.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has said it recorded 310 cases of crude oil theft in the past week.

In its weekly update on the activities of the national oil company, the NNPC said that the cases were discovered between May 18 and May 24.

“Between May 18 and 24, 310 cases were recorded across the Niger Delta region by several incidence sources,” the NNPC stated.

In Grey Creek, Akwa Ibom state, it said a fuel station selling illegally refined fuels into cans and drums was uncovered in the past week, revealing that 122 illegal refineries were also uncovered in Bayelsa and Rivers states

According to the company, they were spotted in Tombia II, III, IV, and Umuajuloke, in Rivers state; Iduwini, Biogbolo, and Ajatiton, in Bayelsa state, while 65 illegal connections were discovered across several locations in Akuwa Odoka, Umuajuloke, and Watson Point, also in Rivers state as well as along Soku Sand Barth pipeline in the state.

It added that vandalised wellheads were discovered in Tombia IIII in Rivers state and Egbema in Imo state, where a pit filled with crude oil from a vandalised wellhead was discovered.

In Ndoni, Rivers state, NNPC said it uncovered a vandalised pipeline channelled to a nearby oil pit, while five illegal storage sites were spotted in sacks, pits, cans, and in a fuel station.

The NNPC stated that 20 vehicle arrests were made in Delta and Imo states while 48 infractions were reported at sea. Also, 39 wooden boats conveying stolen crude or illegally refined products were seized and confiscated across several creeks in Bayelsa and Delta states, it said.

NNPC said 48 of the incidents occurred in the deep blue water, 40 in the western region, 134 in the central region, and 88 in the eastern region.

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