Month: October 2023

 

By Biola Lawal

Abuja (Flowerbudnews): Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel Tanimu Aduda says there was urgent need for development banks to fuel growth of the African nations’ energy sector to boost their economy.

Amb Aduda said that the banks and other investors should address the critical economic challenges faced by developing nations, particularly in Africa

He made the call in Abuja over the weekend during a meeting with AFDB consultants,who had paid him a visit as part of engagements with critical stakeholders on the Nigeria Economic Support Reforms Program/Appraisal Mission.

This was disclosed by Oluwakemi Ogunmakinwa,a Deputy Director and Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

While welcoming the visiting team that had come to discuss budget policy support, with specific focus on the power sector, Ambassador Aduda expressed frustration at the prolonged discussions and technical assistance provided by development partners such as IFC, IMF, World Bank, and the AFDB.

He firmly stated that Nigeria was well aware of its challenges and immediate needs, without requiring external guidance to reiterate what was already known.

In the high-level discussions that followed,the Permanent Secretary outlined four key considerations in the energy sector where investments were needed.

(*Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Amb. Gabriel T. Aduda, and members of his team pose for a photograph with AFDB consultants following engagements with the visiting group for discussions on Nigeria,s economic reforms. The event took place in Abuja on Friday, September 29,2023.)

These he stated as; Power infrastructure- Expansion of national transmission grid lines; Gas infrastructure- Building of trunk and distribution pipelines across the country for domestic ingestion of gas and payment of gas arrears,

Aduda said that the government had made appreciable progress on the issue and would soon be presenting a model for repayment to Mr President for approvals in the manner of either incremental production or tax credits to producers for pay back over time.

On gas pricing, he revealed that the Ministry was working on the matter with the belief that the pricing template could not just be a one-cap-fits-all affair and added that the Ministry will have the willing buyer – willing seller cap with strategic gas- based industries rates which may involve some form of government intervention as incentive etc.

Aduda emphasized the importance of attracting investors to seize these opportunities, with focus on creating mutually beneficial partnerships.

He proposed tolling the new power grid and gas pipelines to facilitate investor payback, while ensuring affordable access to gas for Nigerian households and potential exports.

Amb Aduda criticized engagements labeled as technical assistance and,also, highlighted the need to move beyond endless discussions and take concrete actions in order to address well-known challenges.

The Permanent Secretary asserted that Nigeria was ripe for viable investment decisions and joint ventures that could deliver immediate and long-term benefits to its citizens.

Concluding, Amb Aduda emphasized that the success of the endeavour would hinge on bankable feasibility studies that could pave the way for investments in gas and power infrastructure.

He expressed willingness to collaborate with development partners to achieve these objectives. (Flowerbudnews)

 

 

By Flowerbudnews

Enugu: The former General Manager of Enugu State Tourism Board, Chief Steve Odo, says under his watch he grew the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the Board to 243 per cent increase in one year.

 

Odo disclosed this to journalists in Enugu on Sunday while revealing the verifiable standard and other mile-stone achievements and records he set at the Board, which he met comatose.

 

According to him, during my first one year in office the Board’s IGR increased from N2,571,000 in 2020 to N6,263,000 in 2021 (243.6 percent) representing 143.6 per cent increase.

 

“In 2022, we generated the sum of N5,591,000 which is less than the previous year due to sit-at-home syndrome etc. However, this amount represents 217.5 per cent and an increase of 117.5 per cent of what was generated in 2020 before I took over.

“In compliance with the Enugu State Tourism Law 2013 Section (18); I submitted detailed progress reports to his Excellency, the Governor through the Honourable Commissioner for Culture and Tourism every year as required by Law for the two years of my service.”

“Before I took over, there was not even one hotel captured in the entire Enugu North and Enugu West Senatorial Zones as a result hotels and other tourism related enterprises were not aware of their responsibilities to the board requiring first that we have to create awareness which we embarked on and achieved.

 

“We have captured about 150 hotels (big and small) in the two senatorial zones and registration/classification is ongoing.

 

“This added to that of Enugu East Senatorial Zone comes to about 494 hotels (big and small) captured in the entire state,” he said.

 

This, he said, was against a total of 150 hotels captured before I took over; while registration and classification of hotels were also ongoing before I handed over.

The former general manager said that the Board’s Audited Accounts by an External Auditor was last done in 2013, which was nine years in arrears.

 

“However, within my two years in office, the Board’s Audited Accounts have been completed up to Dec. 31, 2022 and the external auditors paid fully.

“I also met a workforce of the lowest ebb of staff morale with over 80 per cent record of absenteeism and left a highly motivated workforce with less than 20 per cent of absenteeism,” he said.

 

Odo noted that before he took over, the Board’s monthly overhead/subvention was far less than the basic salary of worker, adding that through financial data collection and reports to relevant arms of government, we were able to secure adequate monthly subvention/overhead.

 

He revealed that the office had been in darkness since the closure of Hotel Presidential but he restored light (electricity) and procured a meter for the office.

 

He said: “There were no functional toilets in all the offices of the Board, but I resuscitated the eight toilets in the offices.

 

“It is on record that I initiated payment of staff pensions since the inception of the Board and have no record of arrears up to the month of May, 2023 when I handed over.

 

“No retired staff of tourism board was being owed up till the date we were all asked to handover”.

“The World Tourism Day, which is celebrated on Sept. 27 by tourism stakeholders all over the World, was first celebrated by the Board during my first year of service.”

 

Odo said that during his period in the office, the Board launched a functional website on a special arrangement with a firm – Arichi Global Synergy – who have commenced registration and digitalization processes with the hotels before we were abruptly asked to land over.

 

The former general manager said that he started the remittance of staff salary (PAYE) deductions to the State Board of Internal Revenue Service (EBIRS), which hitherto was being retained due to paucity of funds.

 

According to him, my passion for hospitality and interest in Staff Welfare made me introduce End-of -Year Christmas Party for members of staff every Dec. 22 for the period I served.

 

Asked his advice to Gov. Peter Mbah, he said that “Enugu State is a hidden treasure of tourism.”

 

“I urge the new administration to focus on creating an enabling environment that will encourage private investors to partner with the government to achieve sustainable tourism development in Enugu State,” he said. (Flowerbudnews)

 

By Biola Lawal
Abuja (Flowerbudnews): As Nigeria celebrates her 63rd Independence anniversary, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu, has described Nigeria’s 24 years uninterrupted Democracy as a fulfilment of the dreams of Nigerian founding fathers.

Princess Akobundu stated this in her message to Staff and Stakeholders of the Agency to mark Nigeria’s 63rd independence anniversary on Sunday, a statement by Marcel Anyatonwu,
AUDA-NEPAD Media Unit disclosed.

The AUDA-NEPAD/APRM Boss urged other African countries to emulate Nigeria:s good democratic governance gesture.

She said that Nigerians ”have every reason to celebrate despite the few challenges facing the Nation which the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) had shown strong commitment in tackling since assumption of office”.

According to Princess Akobundu, Nigerians, particularly the youths, should not give up on the nation, noting that countless opportunities abound in the country which could be explored to make a good living for all.

“Youths of any nation is her strength and therefore, Nigeria is blessed to have nearly 65 percent of her population as youths.

“President Tinubu has shown his great disposition to working with youth through his appointment of youths into key and sensitive positions in recent times.

“I also call for concerted effort from all Nigerians in supporting the Renewed Hope Agenda which encapsulates the 8 point Agenda of Mr President aimed at building the Nigeria of our dream,” she said.

“No nation can develop without the full cooperation and contributions of her citizens,” Akobundu added.

Princess Akobundu said that AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria would continue to attract partnership, investment opportunities, resource mobilization and other goodwill from well meaning organizations, countries and partners, desirous of contributing to the growth of the Nation.

Akobundu recalled that at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly, the Agency was able to secure a partnership deal between Nigeria, Princeton University and the African School of Economics leading to the signing of an MOU by the Minister of Education on the sidelines of the UNGA

Again it held a high level investment summit with investors and partners in collaboration with the AUDA-NEPAD Continental secretariat with a view to attracting investments in land restoration programmes of the government.

She said with the huge interest shown by investors, partners and other participants at the event, Nigeria would soon start reaping the benefits.

Akobundu hinted that the Smallholder farmers project initiated by the Agency had been attracting a lot of interest from local and foreign investors, adding that the agency would continue to implement with vigor, all its flagship programmes.

It will be recalled that the Agency successfully conducted Nigeria’s APRM Second Peer Review and it’s recommendations and findings report was adopted as a guide to other African nations with similar challenges at the 2022 African Union Summit.

The Review proferred solutions on five thematic areas namely: Economic Governance and Management; Democracy and Political Governance;Socio- economic Development; Corporate Governance; and Cross-cutting Issues. (Flowerbudnews)