Again, Buhari orders NNPC to search for oil in North

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For the second time in three weeks, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has received an express order from President Muhammadu Buhari to explore for oil in the North.
This time, the President directed the national oil firm to commence exploration activities in the Benue Trough. The Benue Trough is a major geological formation underlying a large part of Nigeria, extending about 1,000km North-East from the Bight of Benin to Lake Chad.
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, disclosed the President’s directive on the oil expolration in the North while receiving a delegation from the Benue State Government at the corporation’s headquarters in Abuja.
About three weeks ago, the President had directed the corporation to speed up its prospect for oil in the region, specifically in the Chad Basin and Kolmani River, following the reported discovery of hydrocarbons by Shell in the area.

The 19 northern state governors are also fired up about the prospect of oil production in their domain as they have hired a British firm through the Northern Nigeria Development Company, which they jointly own, to carry out the exploration activities.
But energy analysts and several socio-cultural and other interest groups on Tuesday expressed divergent views on the pressure by the President on the NNPC as regards oil exploration in the North.
The NNPC GMD, in a statement from the corporation on Tuesday, said the new directive was in line with the current efforts to guarantee energy security of the country.
Baru said, “Very close home, we have exploration activities on the Frontier Basin, that is in the Chad; and there are some areas close to the Kolmani River where Shell has made indicative discovery of hydrocarbons and Mr. President has directed me to go into that area to further explore the magnitude and prospects of those finds.
“We are taking steps to get into those regions. We will reinvigorate the frontier exploration and see how they collaborate with the Northern Nigeria Development Company that is holding Block 809 where some of the finds have been found. We will also do the same at the Department of Petroleum Resources for the other blocks that have not been assigned, and work towards proving the prospects of that region.”
But the Ijaw Youth Council and Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group while reacting to the presidential directive said it was a good initiative but came at a wrong time.
The IYC, an umbrella body for the Ijaw youths worldwide, said that the timing for the directive was wrong because of the prevailing situation in the oil industry at the international market, which made such a venture economically unwise.
A statement signed by the spokesman for the group, Eric Omare, said one would have expected that President Buhari-led government should focus on diversifying the nation’s ailing economy, especially areas where the different regions had comparative advantage over the other.
“Ordinary, the IYC would be excited by not just a Presidential directive to explore for oil in any part of the North but discovery of oil in the North. This is so because we strongly believe that the struggle of the people of the Niger Delta region for equitable distribution of oil money would become a reality once oil is found in the North as well.”
On its part, the National President of the Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group, Kingsley Oberuruaria, posited that while the directive was good, it was a self-serving step to further annihilate the people of the region from benefitting from its God-given natural resources.
Oberuruaria explained that the desire of the President was to cut the region out of the country’s scheme of things once oil production fully came alive in that region while the Niger Delta, which had been feeding the nation, would forever be neglected.
The Niger Delta youth leader posited that such a presidential directive should be put into various ailing industries in the country such as the Delta Steel Company in Aladja, Delta State, which he said was capable of employing hundreds of thousands of unemployed Nigerian youths.
“I’m sure this directive was as a result of the prevailing crisis in the Niger Delta region. President Buhari has been looking for ways to cut off the region instead of being resolute to develop the region which has been neglected by every successive government,” he said.
But two prominent leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa and Yinka Odumakin, differed on the issue.
Arogbofa, who is the Secretary-General of the association, said it would be part of the way to restructure the country, which the association had been clamouring for.
He said, “There is nothing wrong if they find oil in the North. That is why we are calling for restructuring; if that is his (Buhari) own restructuring agenda, it is okay. We already have oil in the South and if he orders for prospect of oil in the North, there is nothing wrong in that .”
But the group’s spokesman, Odumakin, said it was a wasted effort. He recalled, “Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyde, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in a memorandum on Nigerian Constitutional Conference wrote in 1958: The North fears and dislikes the more educated Southerners and if they were not economically bound to the federation, they would be glad to be quit of it. What he stated has not changed much till date and this may explain the desperate search for oil in the North at a time oil is becoming worthless.”
Also, the President, Campaign for Democracy, Bako Usman, said the President was not getting good advice.
He said, “What is worth doing, they say, is worth doing well. We as a people need to acknowledge the fact that this government needs an effective economic direction. For now, most people around Mr. President on the pay roll of taxpayers money are just but ill Advisers.
The Pan-northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum, said it was not aware of the Presidential pronouncement on oil exploration in the region.
The National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Muhammad Ibrahim, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Tuesday that he was not aware of Buhari’s order to the NNPC to prospect for oil in the region.
The Head of Energy Research, Ecobank Capital, Mr. Dolapo Oni, said the move must have been informed by the need to reduce the reliance on the Niger Delta and reduce the country’s vulnerability to attacks in the region.
He said, “But, at a time when we don’t have enough money to run the economy, even though oil servicing charges are a lot lesser now due to the drop in oil prices, it is still not the right time to dedicate a large amount of money to search for oil in the North.
“Ideally, the idea will be a concession and allow companies do whatever they need to do. If we want to do 2D and 3D seismic, we can do it, gather that data and allow oil companies to come and do their own search. But if we are dedicating the NNPC’s scarce resources to going beyond the 2D and 3D, I think it may not be the best of time.”
The Project Director, Uquo Gas Field Development, a joint venture project by Frontier Oil Limited and Seven Energy, Mr. Abdullahi Bukar, described the renewed efforts towards exploring for oil in the Benue Trough and Chad Basin as a very good development.
He said, “I hope that a well-thought-out policy will be put in place because anything that will increase Nigeria’s oil and gas reserves is very welcome.”
The Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said the discovery of oil in Niger Republic must have been a major boost for Nigeria to continue to prospect for oil in the Sahel region.
Describing the effort to diversify the nation’s oil and gas production as a good move, he said, “It depends on the level of resources being committed to it. I think it is something the government needs to be very circumspect in committing resources to it. It is very likely that what would be achieved in the Chad Basin will be marginal deposits. So, I don’t think the government is going to be too bullish in terms of the resources it is going to commit to such effort.”
The Director-General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, said, “There is nothing wrong in getting more oil. But my worry is the dependence on non-renewable resources without adding value to it.”

6-year-old boy dies protecting his mother from attacker

South Africans across the country, the social media, the community of Jan Kempdorp and the Northern Cape on Monday August 15th, joined the family of six-year-old Kutlwano Garesape in mourning the brutal death of the young hero.

According to local media, Kutlwano and his mother were walking to school at Jan Kempdorp in the northern Cape when they were attacked on Friday. The child was stabbed repeatedly with a broken bottle by an assailant identified as Tefelo Dikole‚ 32‚ who has already appeared in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrate’s Court.
Segomotso Garesape‚ 42‚ was attacked while walking her two sons‚ aged six and eight‚ to school after they missed their bus. Kutlwano slapped and kicked the man as he attempted to strangle his mother‚ screaming: “Let go of my mommy”

“I heard my child crying out for me and I saw him trying to defend himself with his hands. The man just kept on stabbing him‚”

People from across the country have conveyed their condolences to the family and offered to help them. The attack was met with outrage and heartache on social media.
Daphne Mufamadi tweeted‚ “Im shattered by the Killing of 6 year old Kutlwano Garesape‚ stabbed to death trying to protect his mother”
Community members meanwhile protested outside the court and opposed bail for the accused, calling for him to be kept behind bars. They labelled the attack on Segomotso Garesape and her two young children as a savage act and said the attacker “must pay”.

“This is a small community where we all know each other. The fact that the mother knew the attacker, and he continued to hurt her, is just shocking,” one community member said. ” This angers the community even more as this incident now inflicts fear in all of us and we feel that we are not safe. As a parent, you now really worry about the safety of your children – because this woman and her children were attacked during the morning hours whilst they were walking to school. It is heartbreaking …. as the child died in his mother’s arms.”

The Premier of the Northern Cape, Sylvia Lucas, also expressed her condolences to the family in a statement released on Monday.

“This senseless and insensitive attack comes during a month when we actively advocate for the rights of women. There can be no justifiable reason or explanation for one person to inflict so much pain and suffering on an innocent child. Kutlwano had his whole life ahead of him and one merciless act destroyed the life of a child, that of his parents and the community at large. More disturbing is the fact that this innocent boy was on his way to school to obtain an education. The community of Jan Kempdorp and the Northern Cape has been deprived of a future leader and we thus call on all communities to always stand up and protect the wellbeing of our children. This senseless act cannot and will not be tolerated. The Northern Cape provincial government expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and community at large and calls on especially men to defend and uphold the rights of our women and children. We have full confidence that the law enforcement agencies will deal with the matter in the appropriate manner and with the urgency it deserves,” said Lucas.

Kutlwano’s father, Frank Jacobs, said that the family did not attend court proceedings on Monday as they were at the mortuary in Hartswater. He said they will make an official announcement on Kutlwano’s funeral later.

“We wish to have the funeral this coming Saturday, however, the autopsy is still being conducted and we will afford the law enforcement agencies an opportunity to conclude their investigation. The funeral will be held in Taung but we will release further details later this week,” Jacobs said.

The case was postponed to August 22 for a formal bail application.

Ugandan TV Disowns Staff Caught Having S*x In Office

The news desseminators have now become the news. Nation Media Group in Uganda is currently in the news after two employees were caught on the camera having s*x in the office.

Kevin Kaija, a producer of “Seeds of Gold” programme aired on NTV and Ann Nakawombe (photo below), a presenter at the same station, have been sacked after photos of them having s*x in the studio leaked.
NTV has also released a statement regarding the matter. The management claims that this is gross misconduct and that’s why they have been shown the door.


Source: NTV Uganda

Here’s What You Should About Annular Eclipse To Occur In Nigeria On Sept 1

According  to National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), an annular eclipse will occur in all parts of the country with different degrees of totality on Thursday, September 1st, 2016. Here are the facts.

This was made known in  a statement released by the Head, Media and Corporate Communications of National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), Felix Ale yesterday August 16th.
The statement says the highest degree of obscurity in Nigeria during the annular eclipse would be in the Southern part of Nigeria, particularly in Lagos, where it was expected to have 80 percent obscurity, while the lowest degree of obscurity would be about 45 per cent and this would be observed in the Northern part of the country, particularly in Sokoto. in Abuja, the annular eclipse will be observed at about 60%.
The eclipse is expected to occur between 7.15 a.m. and 10.03 a.m, with slight variations in actual timing across the country.
In Lagos, the first contact will occur at about 7.15 a.m, while the maximum eclipse will occur at around 8.30 a.m. and will end by 10.03 a.m.
The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja around 7.17 a.m, with maximum eclipse to be recorded at about 8.32 a.m. and the eclipse will end around 10.00 a.m.
NASRDA says  the eclipse is not a spiritual issue but a natural occurrence that can be accurately predicted by science. It warned that nobody should observe eclipse with unclad eyes as such act can lead to permanent damage to the eyes. It also  appealed to the general public not to panic or attach any mystical interpretations to this event.

Don’t Blame APC Or Buhari For Halted PDP convention – Doyin Okupe

Former Senior special assistant to former President Jonathan on public affairs, Doyin Okupe has said APC and Buhari are not to blame for the halted PDP convention.

Mr. Okupe said the convention cannot and should not be blamed on their political adversaries. Rather the blame should rest squarely on the failure of internal conflict resolution machinery of the PDP, the surprising naivete and desperation of many to seize power and control the party and the gullibility of majority of the followership, who have become entrenched in the cesspool of pervasive impunity of our leadership over the years.
SEE ALSO: Policemen Seal The Venue Of Planned PDP Convention
In a statement posted on Facebook, the former special assistant said it is commendable that the NEC threw sentiments aside and extended the tenure of the controversial caretaker committee by one year and allowed for the future expansion of the membership of the committee.

The import of this is that the party has now officially jetissoned the “Microwave”strategy, hitherto, employed by the leadership, and allowed for ample time to address all issues. By allowing for new inclusions into the members of the caretaker committee, the leadership obviously has made room for possible reasonable negotiation with the Senator Amodu Sheriff ‘s group, which is inevitable and a political imperative, if the party must remain United.
Again, this is neither the time for victory songs nor a season for political vendetta. This is time for seeking lasting and honest peace, time to rebuild from current ashes of flames of the inferno, of political opportunism, greed, selfishness and blatant brigandry and impunity.
There may just be another chance to do it again especially now that our adversaries are burning their political access card.

Oshiomhole To Edo People: Punish PDP With Your Votes

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Tuesday called on the electorate in the state to “punish” the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with their votes come September 10, 2016, saying the party’s 16 years’ misrule is responsible for the current hardship experienced by Nigerians.
He spoke at a campaign rally for the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in the state, Godwin Obaseki, at Ikhin and Amoya, Owan East Local Government Area of the state.

According to Oshiomhole, the PDP leadership diverted funds meant to develop the country into their private pockets.
While pleading with the people to be patient with the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the governor noted that government is working round the clock to fix the problems it inherited.
“The PDP caused this hardship we are all going through. They pocketed the money meant to buy arms to prosecute the Boka Haram urgency in the Northeast.
“They also stole funds meant to construct roads, build airports and hospitals. They also caused the dollars to be far higher than the naira.
“But while we are pained, I will urge you all to continue to punish them with your votes”, he said.
While commending the people for keeping fate with the APC, the governor urged them to be patient as there was still more work to be done.
He stated: “We all know that we have worked as a government, but I want to tell you that there is still more work to be done. This is why we are asking you again not to relent on your support for the party.
“I want you all to vote Godwin Obaseki as governor, come Sept. 10, for these works left undone to be completed”.
Addressing the crowd, Obaseki promised that if elected, the focus of his administration would be human capital development, and advised the people not to be deceived by PDP’s “lies of working for the people when voted back to office”.
He said PDP’s 10-year administration in the state was a disservice to the people.
“People never knew that government is all about service before the coming of the APC government. Their government was all about sharing money against working for the generality of all.
“We will not allow any disservice again in this state, not especially after the wonderful work of this present government which I am part of”, the governorship candidate added.
Similarly, Mr. Pally Iriase, a member of the House of Representatives, told the people that it was only a good government that could bring good things to them.
Iriase, who represents Owan Federal Constituency, said that APC government in the state was good, and had shown and established that it was truly working for the people.

DSS Arrests Traditional Ruler In Bayelsa

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday arrested a traditional ruler of Agrisaba community in Nembe local government area of Bayelsa State, King Walter Agiri, over boundary dispute between Agrisaba and Oluasiri in the council.
The traditional ruler’s arrest was however, hailed by the Bayelsa Renaissance Movement, BRM, which commended the DSS for taking the bold step as part of efforts to find lasting solution to the problem.

It was learnt that King Agiri was arrested by the security agency in Yenagoa, the state capital, and whisked away to the command’s headquarters for interrogation.
BRM in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Mr. Rondson Irokari, faulted the claims by some Agrisaba elders that the monarch was nabbed following a protest against the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in the community.
According Irokari, an independent investigation by the group revealed that the DSS arrested the monarch following security breaches in the area.
Nembe local government area was where three soldiers were recently killed by suspected militants.

Ban On Conference Souvenirs Not Solution To Economic Crisis, Says APC Senator, Shehu Sani

The senator representing Kaduna Central on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Shehu Sani, has said that the recent Federal Government’s ban on conference materials and souvenirs was not a solution to the nation’s economic challenges.
Sani made this known when he featured at the News agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

The APC-led Federal Government had last month announced a ban on the procurement and distribution of conference bags, T-shirts and other souvenirs at events such as conferences and seminars funded by federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures and efficiency drive in the utilization of public funds.
But the senator, who is Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, said the ban would contribute little or nothing to tackling the current economic problems in the country, describing the measure as cosmetic.

SEE: FG Bans Conference Bags, Souvenirs At Workshops/Seminars

The lawmaker urged the government’s economic team and other relevant stakeholders to find lasting solution to the nation’s challenges rather than discouraging small-scale businesses from growing.
He also urged the Federal Government to give a human face to any new policy on internally-generated revenue.
According to him, any policy on revenue generation that will affect common Nigerians negatively will make life unbearable for them.
“IGR should not be about making life unbearable for the people, because you want more money to do your own project.
“It should be about targeting very key areas of business that will further add to revenue.
“We have the upper, middle and lower class and I think the lower class of Nigerians has suffered enough.
“They have suffered enough from previous governments and they should not suffer now in the name of trying to revive our economy”, he said. (NAN)

Police Arrest Suspect In the Murder Of Imam In N’York

Police have arrested a man in Brooklyn man in connection with the murder of an imam and his assistant in New York. The suspect, Oscar Morel has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder.

On Saturday, Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and his assistant, Thara Uddin, 64, were shot in the head at about 1:50 p.m. in Ozone Park,after prayers at a nearby mosque and police reportedly found the revolver used to kill both men at the home of the suspect. The motive for the murder is not yet known altthough some reports suggest it could very well have been a hate crime as both victims were dressed in religious wear.

Multiple Court Orders Leaves PDP Convention In Doubt

ments have created confusion for the Peoples Democratic Party. On Monday, a ruling by Justice Abang Okon of the Federal High Court in Abuja suspended the convention scheduled for August 17.
The Peoples Democratic Party has been in crisis for the better part of the last four months after the removal of Ali Modu Sheriff as National Chairman. Modu Sheriff, who contended that his removal was illegal refused to step down, effectively dividing the party into two factions.

The second faction is led by a caretaker committee headed by Ahmed Makarfi. A court order had earlier sacked the Makarfi led caretaker committee.
Another faction of the PDP has obtained an order from a federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt allowing the convention to go on. It is unclear if the convention will go on as planned.

Footballers not entitled to bonuses in Rio — Dalung

Youth and Sports minister Solomon Dalung has stated that the national U-23 football team were not entitled to receive match bonuses at the ongoing Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
The team, who qualified for the semi-finals after beating Denmark 2-0 on Saturday, had threatened to boycott the quarter-final match against the Danes if their outstanding allowances and the five months salaries owed coach Samson Siasia were not paid.
Dalung said the team’s outstanding camp allowances for 11 days were paid on Saturday.
Dalung stated, “I spoke with the captain of the team Mikel Obi and I explained to him that match bonuses are only paid to players during the World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations but not at the Olympic or Commonwealth Games. This is their first appearance at the Olympics so the players may not know that they don’t pay match bonuses at the Games.

“We have paid all outstanding camp allowances for the Rio Games to the players so we owe them nothing. On Siasia, the federation has admitted that they owe him five months salaries. He was owed before he agreed to take the team to Atlanta, so making it an issue now after qualifying for the quarter-finals is not in the interest of the country. I have appealed to the coach and the players to put the country first before personal interest. All other issues that need to be addressed will definitely be addressed after the Olympics,” the minister said.