Dangote refinery expands free fuel delivery to Kano, Imo, and more states to ease consumer burden - ITREALMS

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has widened the scope of its free petroleum product delivery initiative to include Kano, Imo, Anambra, and Nasarawa States, a strategic move aimed at cutting distribution expenses for independent petroleum marketers and lowering pump prices for consumers, reports ITREALMS.

The initiative initially launched with deliveries covering Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Kaduna, Abuja, and Delta States. It is engineered to remove the heavy financial burden of transporting petroleum products over long distances from the refinery to various parts of the country. By absorbing these delivery overheads, the refinery eliminates a critical cost component traditionally built into the downstream distribution chain.

WISER 2026: Nigeria targets integrated early warning systems in 18 states by 2030 - ITREALMS

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To mitigate the health risks posed by climate change, key Nigerian agencies led by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) have commenced the co-development of a national multi-hazard early warning system, reports ITREALMS.

The initiative, flagged off at the National Early Warning Services for Health (WISER) workshop held at the WMO Regional Training Center in Oshodi, Lagos, is a direct response to Nigeria’s third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0).

Otti to FG: Additional states in South East, desirable - ITREALMS

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The Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has addressed a misleading narrative circulating in the media suggesting his opposition to the creation of additional states in the South East, reports ITREALMS.

Governor Otti's stance on the creation of new states in Nigeria remains unchanged, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor, Ferdinand Ekeoma made available to ITREALMS on Sunday.

Dangote buys 12m barrels of crude oil from United States for refinery operations - ITREALMS

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The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has advanced plans to buy some 12 million barrels of crude oil from the United States, reports ITREALMS.

The refinery resorted to crude importation as local supply challenges hindered the new $20bn refinery’s push to reach full refining capacity.

U.S. Commercial Service hosts NUSA event, honors Nigerians - ITREALMS

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The United States (U.S.) Commercial Service Nigeria, led by the Commercial Counselor, Julie LeBlanc and Commercial Attaché Blake Murray, hosted over 450 Nigerian companies for the Networking with the USA (NUSA) Awards and Business Networking Event at the Civic Center in Lagos, reports ITREALMS.

The NUSA Appreciation Event is organized to honor Nigerian business owners who promote U.S. products and services and who have contributed significantly to the achievement of the goals and objectives of the U.S. Commercial Service in Nigeria - expansion of trade and investment between the United States and Nigeria.

States should leverage Child Nutrition Fund to double investment in MMS says CS-SUNN - ITREALMS

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The 36 States across the nation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been urged to leverage the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) to double investment in Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) says the Civil Society on Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), reports ITREALMS.

Making this call in Lagos during a media engagement for improved reportage on the uptake of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for Anaemia Prevention and Control in Nigeria, the Executive Secretary, CS-SUNN, Mr. Sunday Okoronkwo, explained that Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) is a catalytic financing matching fund by UNICEF that enables national governments to double their investments in essential nutrition commodities including MMS, for the prevention and treatment of anaemia.

FG urges states to protect critical national infrastructure, allow facility maintenance - ITREALMS

ITREALMS: 

The Federal Government (FG) has urged states nationwide to protect Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) which includes telecom infrastructure to pave way for unhindered maintenance of facilities in their domain, reports ITREALMS.

Reacting to what it tagged as very serious, unpatriotic and corrupt activities of some criminal elements within the public service, who have continued to engage in acts capable of undermining the national security, FG through the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami) frowned at harassment and vandalisation of telecom infrastructure at the states.

“The office of the Honourable Minister has received several complaints from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) about the unfortunate incidences of forced closures or outright destruction of Telecommunications Infrastructure in some parts of the country. Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) and other telecommunications facilities are reportedly being vandalised and MNOs, are hindered from delivering the requisite services to the consumer by state owned Agencies in some parts of the country,” he said.

ALSO READ: ALTON’s eight-point demands to Pantami - ITREALMS

Also in a press statement by his spokesperson, Uwa Sulaiman available to ITREALMS, the Minister noted that in a recent correspondence the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) confirmed and emphasised that, telecommunications infrastructure are a Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), and are central to national security.

In addition, he noted that these actions constitute a violation of relevant laws of Nigeria and are a threat to national economic development as most businesses nowadays, depend on services provided by telecommunications operators.

In line with the provisions of the Cybercrime Act of 2015, Telecommunications Infrastructure are designated CNI and therefore, any acts of vandalism or deliberate obstruction of service delivery is deemed unlawful and punishable by law.

Chuks Egbuna/DoP

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NIHSA warns 13 states over impending flood - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has listed Anambra, Rivers, Bayelsa and 10 others states as flood prone and warned residents to be watchful, reports ITREALMS.

Also on the NIHSA watch list are Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Adamawa, Taraba, Benue and Nasarawa states.

Disclosing this, the Director, Engineering Hydrology, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA), Engr. Clement Nze, informed ITREALMS at the weekend, that the riparian states and communities by the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue and their floodplains, due to systematic daily rise in the water levels on both rivers Niger and Benue, ought to be watchful.

 “Records from our measuring stations in Lokoja (River Niger) and Makurdi (River Benue) clearly show this,” he declared.

This situation, he also said, calls for watchfulness on the part of the riparian states as there is still likelihood of occurrence of river flooding, noting that Shiroro Dam has already joined Kainji and Jebba Dams in spilling water, which has contributed to the steady rise in the water level.

As at Thursday, 6th September 2018, NIHSA’s hydrological measuring station downstream the confluence in Lokoja recorded a stage height of 9.89 meters and a discharge value of 21,326 cubic metres/second as against lower values of 9.43 meters and 19,762 cubic metres/second recorded on the corresponding date of 6th September 2012.

“From the foregoing, it could be said that all the indices that caused the 2012 river flooding have manifested, Except Spillage of Water from the Lagdo Dam. For the records, it was on 29th September 2012 that the maximum flood level of 12.840 meters and the corresponding discharge of 31,692 cubic metres/second were recorded at our station in Lokoja, downstream the confluence in 2012,” Eze pointed out.

Additionally, he said that by NiMet’s 2018 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) released earlier in the year, 28th September is the earliest cessation date of rainfall in Sokoto and Katsina, while December is the earliest cessation date for the southern coastal cities.

The implication of this, Nze explained, is that the Northern part of the country should be expecting more rains in the next three (3) weeks. High flows are still being expected from the upper catchment of the Niger Basin. The River Benue is equally rising, though the level of water as at today has not attained the level witnessed at this time in 2012. This rise in water level should not be attributed to any release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon. 

The Dam is still impounding water in the reservoir. The localized urban flooding incidents being witnessed in some cities and communities in the country are expected to continue due to high rainfall intensity of shorter duration, rainstorms, blockage of drainage system and poor urban planning, as well as coastal flooding resulting from sea rise and storm surges. States and Local Governments should endeavour to remove structures built within the floodplains, clear blocked drainages, culverts and other waterways.

In the light of the above, the following states that are contiguous to Rivers Niger and Benue should be on alert in the event of river flooding.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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FG releases another Paris Club refunds to states

ITRealms:

The Federal Government (FG) has released yet another details on State by State breakdown of tranche of Paris Club refund of over-deductions on Paris Club, London Club Loans and Multilateral debts on the accounts of States and Local Governments between 1995 and year 2002, reports ITRealms.

Director of Information at the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mr. Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta told ITRealms, Tuesday that a total of N243, 795,465,195.20 was made to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory upon the approval of the President on May 4, 2017, in partial settlement of long-standing claims by State Governments relating to over-deductions from their Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocation for external debt service arising between 1995 and 2002.

He also quoted the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun in a press statement made available to ITRealms as pointing out that these debt service deductions were in respect of the Paris Club, London Club and Multilateral debts of the FG and States.

“While Nigeria reached a final agreement for debt relief with the Paris Club in October 2005, some States had already been overcharged,” she said.

These funds, the Minister said, were released to State Governments as part of the wider efforts to stimulate the economy and were specifically designed to support states in meeting salary and other obligations, thereby alleviating the challenges faced by workers.

These releases, she said, were conditional upon a minimum of 75 per cent being applied to the payment of workers’ salaries and pensions for States that owe salaries and pension.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance is reviewing the impact of these releases on the level of arrears owed by State Governments,” she said.

Adeosun further said, a detailed report is being compiled for presentation to the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, as part of the process for approval for the release of any subsequent tranches.

Breakdown of payment to states below:

S/N	STATE	AMOUNT PAYABLE (NGN)
1	ABIA	5,715,765,871.48
2	ADAMAWA	6,114,300,352.68
3	AKWA-IBOM	10,000,000,000.00
4	ANAMBRA	6,121,656,702.34
5	BAUCHI	6,877,776,561.25
6	BAYELSA	10,000,000,000.00
7	BENUE	6,854,671,749.25
8	BORNO	7,340,934,865.32
9	CROSS RIVER	6,075,343,946.93
10	DELTA	10,000,000,000.00
11	EBONYI	4,508,083,379.98
12	EDO	6,091,126,592.49
13	EKITI	4,772,836,647.08
14	ENUGU	5,361,789,409.66
15	GOMBE	4,472,877,698.19
16	IMO	7,000,805,182.97
17	JIGAWA	7,107,666,706.76
18	KADUNA	7,721,729,227.55
19	KANO	10,000,000,000.00
20	KATSINA	8,202,130,909.85
21	KEBBI	5,977,499,491.45
22	KOGI	6,027,727,595.80
23	KWARA	5,120,644,326.57
24	LAGOS	8,371,938,133.11
25	NASARAWA	4,551,049,171.12
26	NIGER	7,210,793,154.95
27	OGUN	5,739,374,694.46
28	ONDO	7,003,648,314.28
29	OSUN	6,314,106,340.62
30	OYO	7,901,609,864.25
31	PLATEAU	5,644,079,055.41
32	RIVERS	10,000,000,000.00
33	SOKOTO	6,441,128,546.76
34	TARABA	5,612,014,491.52
35	YOBE	5,413,103,116.59
36	ZAMFARA	5,442,385,594.49
37	FCT	684,867,500.04
	TOTAL	243,795,465,195.20

Nonye Dom with additional reports from Doris Minimah/GEE

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