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The federal
government yesterday said it now has sufficient gas to generate power
stations, so Nigerians should look out for an improvement in the
sector.

Speaking after a
closed door meeting of the presidential committee on power, the
spokesman of the acting president, Imo Niboro, said the group is moving
forward on the issue of power.

This is coming as
Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) of Nigeria Limited Joint
Venture has signed a multi-million dollar pipeline contract that will
enable it supply more gas to power stations in the country. The SPDC,
in a statement on Wednesday, said it signed the contract with Daewoo
Nigeria Limited, on April 27, in Port Harcourt.

According to the
statement, the contract will involve the construction of pipelines that
will take gas from SPDC’s operated fields at Utorogu, Adibawa and
Agbada to the domestic gas network owned and operated by the Nigerian
Gas Company. The aggregate length of pipelines covered by the contract
scope is 90 kilometres.

Repositioning the sector

Mr. Niboro said in
Abuja that the closed door meeting was one of the strategic meetings
being held to re-position the power sector.

“The petroleum
minister gave us some good news that we now have a sufficient gas to
power our traditional power stations. So that will lead to some
considerable improvement in power in the next few months.

“We also looked at
the issue of hydro-power, which dot’s most part s of the north and
south west. Many of them are structurally completed, what is required
is the turbines and we looked at those issues and we are going to make
sure that those turbines are put in place so that in the next few
months, they can be up and running. ”

He added that the
increase in gas is one of the gains of the amnesty process. “If you
follow the trends, there have been fewer disruptions in production
processes and that has brought gas into the system,” he said. l

Pioneering gas supply

Speaking at the gas
signing ceremony, Mutiu Sunmonu, SPDC managing director, said: “This
project is of high importance to us as a company and also to the
nation. Electricity is key to national development, and we are pleased
to increase our capacity to supply more gas to power stations, in
addition to other efforts we are making.

On completion of
the project by the end of next year, the pipelines are expected to
deliver some 250 million standard cubic feet of gas per day to the
domestic gas supply system.

The SPDC Joint
Venture pioneered gas supply to industries in Nigeria in the 1960s, and
still supplies over 75 per cent of the domestic gas market, mainly for
power generation, and continues to increase its contribution.

In 2008, SPDC began
producing electricity from the newly-built Afam VI power plant,
increasing Nigeria’s electricity capacity by about 15-20 per cent.

The plant is powered by gas from SPDC’s Okoloma gas plant, which
opened in 2008 and has the capacity to increase the nation’s gas supply
by approximately 20 per cent.

Jimoh Ibrahim, the
current chairman of Nigerian Eagle Airlines (former Virgin Nigeria
Airways), on Wednesday in Lagos disclosed that his company will next
week announce a new brand name for the carrier.

Mr.Ibrahim, who is
also the chairman of the NICON group, the company that bought over the
country’s flag carrier last week, disclosed that the airline is
technically fit but financially sick, adding that there is going to be
structural changes in the company to stabilize its operations.

“There will be a
name change and the name will reflect the image of our nation and by
next week latest I am going to brief the media on the new name,” he
said. “If I buy any foreign company, I change the name to reflect
Nigeria even if Virgin gives me their name for free of charge I will
change the name.”

Virgin Nigeria was
launched in the country, amidst fanfare, in 2005.Last year, the company
changed its name to Nigerian Eagle Airlines after cutting ties with its
founder – Virgin Atlantic Limited.

Prior to the name
change on September 17, last year, British billionaire and chairman of
Virgin Atlantic disclosed that the founding company of Virgin Nigeria
was looking forward to selling its 49 per cent stake in the carrier,
for which it did pay a sum of about $25m in 2005.

The new owners,
NICON group, disclosed that the airline’s fleet would be increased to
seven aircraft, which are expected to focus on domestic routes and
regional routes, stressing that the number will be increased to 17 in
the future to expand the suspended long haul operations.

New strategy

Mr. Ibrahim
disclosed plans of enlisting the carrier in the stock exchange under
its new name, adding that the current company has no issues with the
parent and founding carrier, Virgin Atlantic.

“My immediate plan
is to stabilize the airline with at least seven aircraft which we are
going to achieve shortly,” he said. “The plans include expansion of its
fleet to seven to capture the local market, regional routes and later
the international networks.”

Reacting to critics
who have questioned his ability to successfully manage the airline,
following the fortunes of defunct EAS airline that was later taken over
by his company, Mr. Ibrahim assured that there is no reason to worry.

“There is no fear
any where, if people have fears, it a self created fear, if I want to
mention people who successfully run any company in Nigeria, it is our
company because one of the greatest areas where people have respect in
us is the ability to turn around any company,” he said.

On fears that the new company might retrench some its workforce, the chairman disclosed that there are no plans to sack workers.

“Each aircraft requires a number of people that will service it,” he
said. “We are strategizing and turning round the airline, why should we
sack any worker? But if you are a fraudulent staff, you better start
running while the dedicated ones should expect their promotion.”

Apparently
fed up with the protracted tussle between members of the ruling family
in Ilaro town, over the selection of a new traditional ruler for the
town, the Ogun state government yesterday announced a 21-day ultimatum
for the families to agree on a choice of monarch, or forfeit the
opportunity.

The position of
government was made known by Tunde Alabi, the state’s commissioner for
Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, during a meeting with members
of the Asade-Agunloye ruling house in Abeokuta.

The commissioner
said that if the ruling house failed to put their house in order so
that government could install the new Olu of Ilaro and ruler of
Yewaland within the next 21 days, the state government would be forced
to choose a monarch from the next ruling house.

Mr. Alabi also
advised members of the Asade-Agunloye ruling house, made up of the Dada
Ibiyemi and Olusoji Olugbenle families, who are divided over the
kingship to unite and equally withdraw cases related to the suit from
court.

“The position of
the state government is that the two ruling houses involved in this
case should come together as one in order to have a monarch in Ilaro,”.

The Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs,
Babajide Oyeti, said the state governor, Gbenga Daniel, was not happy
about the case and had instructed state officials to mediate in the
impasse.

Jas Oyekan, who is
the regent-in-council, said it is the turn of the Asade -Agunloye
ruling house to produce the Olu of Ilaro, but they have not been able
to agree on a candidate.

Mr. Oyekan
expressed dismay that some of the indigenes of the town, including the
two feuding families, have accused him of nursing ambition of becoming
the next traditional ruler, which he said is not possible.

“The problem is
much on my neck and there is nobody that can talk on behalf of Yewa
except the paramount ruler which we refused to produce, I want peace in
Ilaro. It is the ruling house that does not want peace,” he said.

Chairman of the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN),Ilaro, Solomon Olagunade, also
appealed to the two families to be patient. He said this was the first
time the kingship tussle was taken to the courts.

Tajudeen Adewunmi,
Chief Imam of the town, also advised that the two families be patient
and endeavour to come together as one so that peace will reign.

One family

Adesola Shobayo,
the Director ofCivil Litigation and Advisory Services, Ministry of
Justice, also called on the families to withdraw the case from court
and settle it amicably.

“If, after this
meeting, they refused [sic] to produce Oba elect, we will advice the
government to go to the next ruling house,” he said. “They can’t
continue to hold us back. Our position is to advice the government.”

Spokesperson for
the Dada Ibiyemi family, Haruna Dada, said they decided to take the
case to court when they realized that the Olusoji Olugbenle family
wanted to cheat them. He gave his assurances that the case would be
withdrawn from court once they received clear agreement from the Asade
Agunloye house that they are one family.

“Before we took the case to court, we wrote to the state Governor,
the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Ilaro
Elders’ Council but there was no response from all of them,” he said.
“The way forward is that it is the turn of the Dada Ibiyemi to produce
the Olu of Ilaro. Let them agree that we belong to the same ruling
house, we are one family.”

The
federal government’s post amnesty programme could only achieve
meaningful result if activities of oil theft and proliferation of arms
are reduced to the barest minimum on our waterways, the Flag Officer
Commanding, Western Naval Command, Ola Ibrahim said yesterday in Akure.

Mr. Ibrahim, who
led a team of Naval Chiefs on inspection of ships in formations under
his command to pay a courtesy visit to the Ondo State Governor,
Olusegun Mimiko, said all hands must be on deck to checkmate
proliferation of illegal arms to coastal communities.

“There is direct
relationship between oil theft and small arms proliferation. This is a
big problem which had resulted in loss of materials and men by the
Western Naval Command. However with the appropriate protection of the
water ways and economic activities taking place there, the country will
be better for it,” he said. “We must all rise up to make sure that the
post amnesty programme is successful by checkmating illegal
transporting of arms to the riverine communities which is being used by
militants as their base” He stressed further that the Nigerian Navy was
ready to work hand in hand with the state government to make the
waterways in the state crime free.

Mr. Ibrahim said
the conception of the Forward Operations Base is essentially to shorten
reaction time within crisis period in the area of operations, stressing
that the base is part of infrastructure that must bring about the
quality of service the Nigerian Navy renders for national development.

Mr. Mimiko charged
the Nigerian Navy to consolidate on the gains of the Federal Government
Amnesty Programme in 2009 by making the Niger Delta Waterways free of
criminal activities.

Ondo Naval Base

He said the presence of the Forward Operations Base (FOB) at Igbokoda,

in the oil-rich
Ilaje Local Government area of the state, was appreciated by the state
government as an additional means of securing lives and property in the
area.

“The establishment
of FOB will also serve as a deterrent to would-be criminals in our
waterways,” he said. “It will no doubt have positive effects on
securing the strategic oil and gas business in the Niger Delta region.

“The situation is much better now, but I think you are prepared to
confront any eventuality. The Amnesty Programme of President Musa
Yar’Adua administration has reduced illegal bunkering and economic
sabotage in the Niger Delta.”

Aware of the
challenges of election monitoring, the Inspector General of Police,
Ogbonna Onovo, has directed the Assistant Inspectors General of Police
(AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) manning all the respective
zones and state commands across the nation to start preparing their men
for the next general elections.

Deputy Inspector
General of Police in charge of ‘D’ (Investigations) Department, Israel
Ajao, disclosed this yesterday in Ibadan, during a working visit to
Zone 11 of the force. He said Mr Onovo’s order was designed to make the
men of the Nigeria Police well prepared in order to play their role
more effectively in the coming elections.

Mr. Ajao said
special trainings are going on in all commands across the country to
properly ground policemen on what are expected of them when they are
assigned to monitor elections.

“We want our men to
know what to do and what not to do during elections. That is why the IG
has directed all the AIGs and CPs to start the special training for the
men, so that we will get things right this time,” he said.

The police boss
also revealed that the array of commendations coming the way of the
Nigerian Police in respect of the conduct their men in the last two
elections in Anambra and Abuja confirmed that the police can discharge
its duties during elections effectively.

Speaking on crime
fighting, which is the core of policing, Mr. Ajao said the IG has
ordered that the police start employing the old beat system to reduce
crime to the barest level in the country.

The system demands
from the DPOs good understanding of the environment where they operate,
as well as friendly rapport with the residents to the extent that
useful information that could lead to foiling of crime at planning
stages are regularly available to the police.

Though, he agreed
that many of the crimes committed in the urban centres are often
executed with sophisticated weapons, Mr. Ajao confirmed that the beat
system remains the most effective means of fighting crime in most of
the police divisions in the country.

According to him,
the system will make the police more proactive as they would not be
waiting for crimes to be committed before acting.

Back to the beats

“The police should
be proactive,” said Mr. Ajao. “We should not be waiting till crimes are
committed before we act. The DPOs need to be friendly with members of
their communities to be able to get information that would be useful in
foiling crimes. The DPOs should be our eyes and ears in the communities
where they operate.

He also informed
that the police will not take things easy for any vigilante group who
operates without the knowledge of the police as this brings more
problems than solution to crime fighting.

Mr. Ajao said the
DPOs have been directed to register all vigilante groups in their
areas, including information about members of the groups.

Commenting on
recent attacks on police stations, the police boss said the IG has
directed that security be beefed up at all stations and police barracks
across the country to forestall possible attack from members of the
public.

“A situation where
people will attack police stations and cart away our arms is no more
acceptable to us,” he said. “If this continues to happen, we are
sending wrong signals to the public. If we cannot protect our stations
and barrack, how do we protect them?”

In order to arrest
the situation, Mr. Ajao said the IG has directed that special security
be provided for police stations, divisions and barracks to ward off
invasion from disgruntled elements.

Cowardly officers

Although the police
is desirous of having well educated men within its fold, the DIG hinted
that the institution has stopped unofficial schooling by its men.

“The police would
expect whoever wants to go back to school to apply properly and secure
approval before going,” he said, adding that the arrangement would give
the police the privilege of knowing officers that were on duty..

He said such record
will allow the institution to maximize the use of its scanty manpower,
which is said to be affecting its operation currently.

Instructing the
DPOs to reduce number of policemen in their administrative sections,
Mr. Ajao noted that majority of policemen carrying files at police
stations could be trained to combat crime in the society.

He also announced
the police leadership’s renewed zero tolerance to acts of cowardice,
saying but for the cowardice of some members of the Ogun State police
command, the area commander killed during last year’s crisis in
Ijebu-Ife would not have suffered the fate.

Baba Adisa Bolanta,
Oyo Command’s Commissioner of Police, said the command has embarked on
training of its men, especially in the area of weapons handling to
avoid cases of accidental discharge.

Mr Ajao was accompanied by Mohammed Yesufu, AIG of Zone 11, comprising Oyo, Osun and Ondo States police commands.

The management of
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), on Tuesday,
debunked media reports that the Managing Director of the Port Harcourt
Refining Company (PHRC), Bashir Abdullahi, Turai Yar’Adua’s brother,
was sacked from the services of the Corporation in the wake of the
changes announced on Monday by the Minister of Petroleum Resources,
Diezani Alison- Madueke.

The NNPC, through a
statement signed by Levi Ajuonuma, its group general manager in charge
of Public Affairs, said “the former MD of PHRC is on a six months
Exploration and Production Attachment programme with Shell Petroleum,
which would see him traverse seven countries across the world where
Shell has its E&P Platforms.”

A national newspaper had, on Tuesday, reported in one of its lead stories that ‘Turai’s brother sacked in NNPC changes.’

Mr. Ajuonuma said
the report amounts to “deliberate mischief and celebration of
ignorance. The fact is that Mr. Abdullahi is one of the most
experienced chemical engineers on the pay roll of the Corporation. And
in recognition of this, the NNPC top management nominated him to attend
the six months SPDC facilitated E&P exposure course, beginning from
February 2010,” he said.

He added that
during the period, the former PHRC MD will tour Shell E&P operation
platforms in the Hague, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Houston, Canada,
Singapore, Qatar and Brunei.

The NNPC
spokesperson said that the essence of the training is to prepare Mr.
Abdullahi for higher responsibilities. “The course outline covers
intensive training in such areas like Economics, Strategic Planning,
Traditional E&P Business, Emerging Technologies, which also
includes Deep Water, Tar sands and Gas to Liquid,” he said.

The change

The NNPC further
said that Anthony Ogbuigwe, who was on Monday confirmed as the
substantive managing director of the Port Harcourt Refinery, has been
acting in place of Mr. Abdullahi since February 2010.

Ms. Alison-Madueke,
speaking at the State House, Abuja on Monday, announced a redeployment
exercise that cuts across the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR),
the NNPC, and some of its subsidiary companies.

She said the
changes and personnel movements are with a view to “greater efficiency
in line with the aspiration of the Acting President, Goodluck Jonathan,
for the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.”

Following a petition by some civil society groups
seeking the trial of former military president, Ibrahim Babangida over
his alleged indictment by the Okigbo Panel, the nation’s Attorney
General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, has requested for a
signed copy of the Okigbo Report from the group.

Responding to the petition, sent two weeks ago by 10
Nigerian civil society groups, Mr. Adoke acknowledged the receipt of
the petition in a reply dated April 16, 2010 signed by his Special
Assistant, Tunde Busari, requesting “for a signed copy of the Okigbo
Report attached to your letter under reference.” The groups, in another
letter to the Minister’s office yesterday, welcomed Mr. Adoke’s
response and his interest in the matter, which they described as
‘unprecedented.’ They said the minister’s response demonstrated the
willingness of the Acting President to exercise the requisite political
will to tackle the impunity of perpetrators of corruption, “which is
the single most important factor for the prevalence of high level
official corruption in the country.” The group however said a copy of
the report submitted to the Minister along with the petition is genuine
and reflects the original copy of the Okigbo’s Report, which they claim
is also in the custody of the government.

“Given that the Okigbo report is a public document,
and the huge public interest to see justice done in the matter, we urge
you to use your good office and leadership as the Chief Law Officer of
the Federation to obtain the original copy of the report from the
cabinet office through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation,” they wrote. The group also drew Mr. Adoke’s attention
to the fact that a member of the Okigbo panel, Ufot Ekaette, is now
serving with the incumbent government. They directed the Attorney
General to meet him, as he “will have original copy of the report.”
“Accessing or obtaining the original copy of the Okigbo report is a
public function, which would be best performed through the Office of
the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and in criminal matters
like this, the government can also be asked to submit the original copy
of the Okigbo report by way of subpoena,” the groups said, adding that
“pursuing the above suggested course of action will ensure that
substance and justice prevails over technicality.”

Time for concrete action

They called for a concrete action within one week of
the receipt and/or publication of this letter, given the minister’s
expressed interest.

“We are leaving open the possibility of taking all
appropriate legal actions nationally and internationally to ensure full
compliance with Nigeria’s voluntary international anti-corruption
commitments, including under the UN Convention against Corruption,” the
group said in the letter. “Prosecuting the case and recovering any
missing public funds would have significant implications for the fight
against corruption in Nigeria. It will also send a strong message to
the citizens and the international community that the government is
capable of preserving the legitimacy of governmental activity.” The
letter was signed by the directors of all the groups, including the
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); Access to
Justice (AJ); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC);
Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF); Women Advocates and Documentation Centre
(WARDC); Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA); Committee
for Defence of Human Rights, (CDHR); Partnership for Justice (PFJ);
Nigeria Voters Assembly (VOTAS) and Centre for the Rule of Law (CFR).

The groups sent a petition to the Attorney General on 7 April 2010
expressing concerns about the continued failure or refusal by
successive governments to prosecute those involved in the mismanagement
of $12.4 billion.

The Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, yesterday said the current
review of the 1999 Constitution is not a self-serving exercise aimed at
benefiting the sitting members of the National Assembly.

Mr. Bankole, who
stated this before the House commenced voting on the amendment of the
constitution, said it is a joint effort by Nigerians to achieve a
people’s constitution because of the inadequacies of the document,
which has been in operation for nearly 11 years.

“Let me be clear:
this important project of constitution amendment is not a self-serving
exercise for the benefit of this National Assembly. No. It is a
conscious and concerted effort by Nigerians to achieve a people’s
constitution in view of the observed inadequacies in the procedure of
promulgation and vital contents of the 1999 Constitution,” he said.

The Speaker, who
alongside his deputy, Usman Nafada, did not vote on the amendments,
urged the lawmakers to conduct themselves in such a way that they would
be remembered as members of the 6th National Assembly who allowed
patriotism, sincerity, and conscience to guide them in doing the right
thing for the nation.

Recalling that
Nigeria is operating its 10th Constitution since 1914, he reminded them
that the exercise was a rare opportunity to deepen, broaden, and
consolidate those key institutions needed for the growth and sustenance
of our democracy.

More responsive House

“This is our chance with history. Let us use it well to bequeath lasting legacies to our nation,” the Speaker stated.

Mr. Bankole said
members would continue to work towards building a more responsive and
people-oriented House of Representatives, which every member would be
proud of.

“We will also continue to support the executive arm towards the
realisation of our full potential as a blessed nation, rooted in the
ideals of sustainable democracy, even as we all know that governance is
a social contract between the government and the governed,” the Speaker
said.

The Enugu State House of Assembly has
passed the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Bill into law. This
followed the presentation of a report from the joint committees on
Health and Judiciary and its third reading during the plenary at the
House on Tuesday.

Chairman of the Joint Committee, David
Atigwe noted that with the passage of the bill, affordable health care
services would be provided for all levels of income earners in the
state’s civil service.

Ruling on the motion to pass the bill,
the Speaker, Eugene Odoh, commended members for their useful
contributions since the inception of the bill.

He apologised for the delay in the
passage of the bill which, he attributed to other official engagements,
urging implementing agencies to put necessary arrangements for its
immediate implementation.

“With the passage of this bill, the contributions of Enugu State
civil servants will not be in vain as it will enable them to access
health care services at minimal costs,’’ he said.

Aero Contractors,
one of Nigeria’s oldest commercial airline involved in domestic and
regional transport business, may suspend its flight operations
following accumulated debts of about $200m.

The airline, which
has been in regular negotiations with its banker (Oceanic Bank Plc) for
about six months, disclosed that it has now reached a point where it is
difficult for the carrier to operate on the terms of discussions with
the financial institution.

“Though flight
services might be affected if this continues, Aero is still flying and
operations are still on,” said a reliable source at the carrier on
Tuesday in Lagos.

Meanwhile, the
airline in a statement “regrettably” disclosed that the unilateral
decision taken by the bank on the morning of April 23, have effectively
prevented the carrier from paying its suppliers and lessors, including
Canadian Helicopter Company (CHC).

“The dilemma
centres on the allocation of historical debt. The management teams at
Oceanic Bank and Aero have been in constant dialogue about this matter
for the previous six months. However, they have been unable to agree on
a resolution that will allow Aero to continue trading as a going
concern,” said the carrier in a statement.

The carrier,
however, disclosed that it has approached Nigeria’s minister of
aviation, Fidelia Njeze; the National Security Adviser, Aliyu Mohammed;
and the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority
(NCAA), Harold Demuren, in the belief that they will intervene as an
arbitrating party between Aero and Oceanic.

Commenting on the
development, the airline’s chief executive officer, Shaf Syed,
disclosed that the carrier is poised to set itself on a better
pedestal, regardless of the thorny condition.

“Despite the
difficult situation that Aero finds itself in today, I am sure the
strategic importance of Aero Contractors to the national economy will
be appreciated and good sense will prevail all around,” he said.

“We have every
confidence that Aero will be able to set itself on a good platform and
we look forward to a bright future, serving a third of the Nigerian Oil
& Gas industry and 1.5 million passengers each year.”

It would be
recalled that Aero Contractors commenced the online sales of reduced
promotional airfares varying from N7,000 to N3,000 across all domestic
routes, which it covers for one way trips.

The airline, which is notable for the introduction of online
check-in of passengers, recently introduced an advanced pricing
strategy and price optimisation application called Aviator, which has a
capacity of making available 26 different types of fare on every flight
for passengers.