Says Dangote petrol price won’t be fixed

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, has directed  petrol marketers to open Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, points at their filling stations to increase accessibility for consumers.

The Chief Executive, NMDPRA, Engr Farouk Ahmed who disclosed this during a meeting with key oil marketing companies in Abuja yesterday, said new applications for retail licences would no longer be approved without CNG points.

Ahmed who described the push by the Federal Government to encourage the use of CNG as an alternative to petrol as a revolution, said the government was determined to reduce the burden of petrol on the economy.

“We hope to see very soon CNG add-ons in most of our upcoming and larger petrol stations just like we have PMS, AGO and DPK so that we can have easy access for the consumers. But first, we have to address the supply side and we are working with the producing companies, our sister agency, NUPRC and NNPC Limited as well as GACN (Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria) to ensure that the product is also available at competitive cost to the consumers.

“This will align us with the President’s objective of transforming the country into more CNG for mobility rather than depending heavily on PMS. So, we are appealing to the companies to also invest and ensure that the point of sale for CNG is available to consumers.

“Once we are done with consultations, we will require that CNG add-ons be put in petrol stations and for new applications, one of the requirements will be that you must have CNG add-on in the petrol station”, he said.

On the recent shortage of petrol across the country, Engr. Farouk blamed it on the logistics problem faced by NNPC Limited in moving product from offshore to onshore depots.

He stressed that though the government was encouraging local refining of petroleum products to reduce imports, it would not compel oil marketers to buy from Dangote Refinery as the decision was commercial. 

“We allayed the fears of the marketers and we told them that Dangote refinery is a major achievement in our country because in the past we were importing every litre of petroleum products we required except those supplied by modular refineries. And as an oil producing country, we believe at NMDPRA that we should support our local industry. And that is why we encourage our marketers to patronize our local refineries.

“But, at the same time, it is a commercial decision that they will have to make between the suppliers and the clients. NMDPRA will not determine how much it is sold or how much you are buying. It is their own decision to go to Dangote refinery and purchase, and for Dangote refinery to determine the price it will sell. As a regulator, we are only interested that the nation is well supplied”, he added.

Super Eagles coach, Finidi George has promised to make Enyimba International Stadium as his first point of call in search of home- based players for the Eagles.

The Enyimba International Stadium is the home ground of Nigeria Premier Football League side Enyimba.

Finidi revealed that he is hopeful of selecting at least one player to play in the Super Eagles from the People’s Elephant.

The former Enyimba coach revealed this during his farewell speech in Aba.

“Definitely I will still come back to Aba to watch Enyimba play because my duty now is to mix the Super Eagles team up with the home based players,” Finidi told the media in Aba.

“Aba definitely will be my first destination when I come to watch Enyimba play. Most likely I will see one or two that I can take with me to the Super Eagles.”

DAILY POST recalls that Finidi George was unveiled as the Super Eagles coach on Monday.

A 38-year-old Ipswich Town manager, Kieran McKenna could be the next boss at Manchester United.

The Red Devils have reportedly started talks with representatives of the manager as they search for Erik ten Hag’s potential replacement.

As per a report by Santi Aouna on FootMercato, the young manager’s past experience with the Red Devils and his exceptional display at the Championship side has seen him get on the list.

Kieran McKenna has won back-to-back promotions with Ipswich Town as they return to the Premier League next season.

McKenna was the U18 coach at Old Trafford in 2016 and was later promoted to assistant manager under Jose Mourinho before leaving in 2018.

He was appointed as the Ipswich Town manager in December 2021.

The report, however, added that England national team boss, Gareth Southgate remains the top candidate for Manchester United.

Apart from the England boss, McKenna, Graham Potter, Thomas Tuchel and Robert De Zerbi have all been linked with Manchester United.

… gives FG 2 weeks to reinstate governing councils, resolve 2009 agreement

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has threatened to embark on another nationwide strike to protest absence of governing councils in all federal universities across the country among other issues the government is yet to address.

The body which recalled that the federal government dissolved governing councils of the universities in May,last year,has asked Nigerians to hold the government responsible for any decision it takes to protest the action of government.

President of ASUU,Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke,spoke at a press conference ,Tuesday,in Abuja, said the union rejected all the “ongoing illegalities and flagrant violation of university autonomy in public universities as a result of non reinstatement/reconstitution
of Governing Councils.”

Osodeke insisted that Nigerians must hold the federal and state governments responsible if the matter of governing councils was allowed to degenerate into an avoidable industrial crisis.

The latest ASUU statement came following its National Executive Council,NEC meeting, held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, between Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th May, 2024.

At the meeting, the union undertook a dispassionate and comprehensive review of the status of its engagements with Federal and State Governments on how to reposition Nigeria’s public universities for global reckoning and competitiveness.

The meeting also took a critical look at the worsening living and working conditions in universities and the nation at large.

Osodeke said the meeting received alarming reports on the failed promises of the Federal and State governments towards addressing the lingering issues that forced the union to embark on the nationwide strike action of February-October 2022.

He said:”As our union has consistently stated, salary awards are no substitutes for a negotiated Agreement. Each negotiated Agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria (FG) and ASUU is a comprehensive package that captures not the just salary component but also a gamut of requirements for benchmarking a competitive university system designed for addressing the developmental challenges of Nigeria.

“ASUU’s demand for negotiated salary and other conditions of service is anchored on the International Labour Organisation’s (ILO) Convention No. 98 which underscores the principle of collective bargaining.

“The last FGN/ASUU Agreement was in 2009. Consequent upon the union’s advocacy spanning almost one decade, our union went into the renegotiation with the FGN as in 2017.”

On the issue of governing councils, he said,”the NEC observed with dismay the continued erosion of autonomy of public universities, contrary to the provisions of the Universities Miscellaneous Act (1993, 2012).”

He added:”The illegal dissolution of Governing Councils by the Tinubu Government and many state governments has paved way for all manner of illegalities in the Nigerian university system.

“University administrations now place advertisements for the appointment of Vice-Chancellor without authorization from the appropriate quarters – the Governing Councils.

“Outgoing vice-chancellors, working in cahoots with the federal and state ministries of education, are illegally running the universities on daily basis.

“They routinely usurp the powers of Governing Councils to recruit and discipline staff as well as manage university finances in manners bereft of transparency and accountability, ” he added.

The union further lamented the unending grip of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, saying that the platform is a fraudulent one that inflicted unprecedented hardship on Nigerian academics and corruptly distorted university operations with respect to payroll management.

“ASUU also lamented the socio-economic crises in which our nation, Nigeria, is currently engulfed are multifarious and multidimensional, no thanks to the massive injection of neo-liberal policies of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

“The NEC therefore, condemned in strong terms the seeming refusal of federal and state governments to decisively address all outstanding issues with the union.

“NEC shall reconvene after two weeks from the date of the NEC meeting to
review the situation and take a decisive action to address the issues,” he added.

A professor of political economics, Pat Utomi, has revealed that the proposed mega party for the 2027 elections in Nigeria would not be like the conventional political party Nigerians are used to.

According to him, the party would be based on real issues, values and ideologies that can shape human progress.

Speaking on Tuesday during an appearance on Arie TV, Utomi lampooned the current crop of politicians in the country for always ignoring real issues but instead, focus on attacking one another based on religious, ethnic and other grounds.

“My first point of call is to create this new tribe and the new tribe is not a political party. It is a movement focused on values that shape human progress. In this, we understand, look, this politician settles against one another by talking about ethnicity, religion, and all of that.

“Nobody has become richer because of the ethnic group he comes from or has had a better life because of the religion he comes from. So they use it, and in this age, it’s very easy to play propaganda politics and put people against one another. In the end, everybody loses.

“We play a zero-sum game. So let’s accept certain fundamental values: the dignity of the human, human solidarity, and work ethic—all of those things,” he said.

Speaking further, the former presidential candidate said people that would be a part of the platform would have ideologies and goals that the citizens can hold them accountable for.

He said: “As people begin to walk their talk and live in this domain, you can say to these people that the only way that you can change the world is through a political party.

“So we have an initiative to then say, Here is a political platform in development that’s values-driven, that has to have an ideology and goals that people can be held accountable for. All of this must be in place and tested before the people.

“It can happen fairly quickly—more than people realize. Look at what happened in Senegal. It can become more challenging, depending on how the young people in Senegal manage it.”

According to Utomi, people are fed up with the political class in Nigeria and something must be done to save the country.

“I mean, somebody gave me an analysis and said, ‘Nigeria will be in popular insurrection within the next four months,’ the way things are going. Somebody sent me this analysis from Nigeria just two weeks ago, and I’m saying to myself, “we have got to stop our country,” he submitted.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has disclosed that he inherited a huge debt burden from the Nyesom Wike administration.

Fubara made the revelation on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Aleto-Ogale-Ebubu-Eteo Road, also known as Old Bori Road in the Eleme Local Government Area of the state.

He said the contractors who handled the affected projects are returning for outstanding payments.

Governor Fubara, who did not give an estimate of the debt, said he is now compelled to speak out after being pushed by his detractors.

The governor expressed his intension to appear for project commissioning project with “white paper” detailing project funding.

Governor Fubara clarified that his administration has not engaged in conflicts with the federal government, saying it has instead received support, although challenges persist due to the interest of an insider.

According to the governor, the reconstruction of the Old Bori road will provide an alternative to the dilapidated section of the Eleme axis of the East-West road.

He said: “My story as a person will not be complete if Eleme is not mentioned, that is the truth. Maybe, if I have not started from Eleme, I will not get to Level 14. At least I started here before I got to Level 14.

“And for the records, this contract was awarded to CCECC on the 14th of August 2023 not by “I” but by this administration and as we go further, we will be going with a White Paper showing the record and amounts this project was awarded.

“This project was awarded at N6.7bn and I can say boldly no kobo is remaining, we have paid the contractor completely without owing. The purpose of this is to let the world know that if there is one problem this administration has it is debts.

“Most of the projects commissioned (by the last administration), the contractors are still coming for their balance payments running into millions and billions. I have said I don’t want to talk because I am part of that system but when they keep pushing me, I will say it so that we will see the nyansh of the fowl.

“But let us leave that one until when they are ready, we will also be ready. The small one we are doing now, they are not sleeping, I wonder what will happen when we do the big one.

“The Problem we have is accumulated debts from the past government.”

Says employees on same level can earn different wages

THE Federal Government yesterday hinted that formulation of an innovative wage system that would be based on employee’s productivity in the civil service was underway.

Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, NPC, Dr. Nasir Raji-Mustapha, dropped the hint in Abuja, while enlightening Nigerians on what the agency stood for and its mandate.

The DG explained that with the system, workers on the same level could earn different salaries, adding that the decision was being taken because it realised that productivity was a key factor in the growth of the country’s economy.

“We are in the process of developing a productivity-led wage system that will ensure that those who are productive are rewarded for their efforts irrespective of their grade level. Under the proposed system, employees on the same salary scale can earn different wages,” he said.

Fielding question on whether the proposal had the support and input of organised labour, he said such a policy couldn’t be carried out without the input of organised labour.

He said: “Of course, labour as a critical stakeholder is being carried along in this exercise. As researchers, we don’t just do things without considering the recipient of the reports.

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that no child is left out of school.

He gave the commitment at the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD) Nigeria’s campaign launch, “WeAreEqual,” with the theme: “Education as a Powerful Tool for Change: No Girl Left Behind,” hosted by Oluremi Tinubu.

Addressing a distinguished audience of First Ladies from across Africa, government officials and members of the diplomatic corps, President Tinubu highlighted the critical role of education in fostering gender equity and providing equal opportunities for all.

He told the African First Ladies to feel free to ask him of anything that would make it possible for every child to access education, saying, “If there’s anything you want me to contribute, I’m ready and available.” He commended the efforts of African first ladies in advancing gender equality and lauded the initiatives undertaken in various African nations to empower women and girls.

“I salute the commitment and dedication of the African First Ladies, as members of OAFLAD, to advance gender equality and narrow the gender gap in opportunities and appointments across the African continent.

“This campaign, spearheaded by your excellencies, holds significant importance for us in Africa. I, therefore, congratulate you all. I particularly congratulate my dear wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, who has chosen education as a primary tool to champion this campaign nationwide.

“I remember it all started in Lagos. I am aware that this campaign has been successfully launched in 15 other African countries, focusing on health, education, economic empowerment and gender based violence. I am also delighted to learn of all the various initiatives that you have embarked upon in your respective countries. I celebrate you all.”

The President underscored the importance of creating inclusive educational opportunities for all children, particularly emphasising the significance of supporting the girl child.

He praised the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls in Nigeria by the First Lady, a programme aimed at offering a second chance for young girls to pursue their education and contribute meaningfully to national development.

Tinubu emphasised the transformative power of education, citing it as a cornerstone for national progress and prosperity. He called for concerted efforts to eliminate structural inequalities that hinder women’s advancement and stressed the need for policies that promote women’s rights, education, and economic empowerment.

He said: “It is noteworthy that the launch of this laudable campaign in Nigeria came with the reintroduction of the alternative high school for girls by the First Lady. This initiative offers a second chance to young girls who have dropped out of school to further their education and fulfil their dreams and aspirations and become a very important contributor to the development of our nation.

“I am happy to note that the foundation stone of one of the schools was recently laid in Osun State, western Nigeria, by the First Lady. More schools are underway across the country, supported by state governments, and the Federal Government through the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and other development partners. Nigeria’s First Lady, in her remarks, explained that the #WeAreEqual campaign is a year-long, continent-wide initiative, led by OAFLAD. She added that the campaign, which she describes as significant, unites African First Ladies, partners, and allies in their collective effort to advance gender equity and bridge the gender gap throughout the continent.

Mrs. Tinubu added that the campaign was focused on four main pillars, namely health, gender-based violence, education and economic empowerment, to rally stakeholders and call for action around each of these key issues.

“To promote the “#WeAreEqual” campaign in Nigeria, I have decided to use education as a tool, while also not neglecting other pillars of the campaign, many of which are also being championed under the scope of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), which is led by my office to complement the efforts of the administration of Mr. President.”

A core follower of Chief Nyesom Wike, Senator Olaka Nwogu has stated that the plot to probe the past administration by the Rivers State Governor, Sir. Siminalayi Fubara, is a mere witch-hunt that will escalate the ongoing crisis.

The former senator and elder statesman, who represented the Rivers South-East in the National Assembly said any attempt to initiate any probe at this stage of the crisis would be viewed as vendetta.

Nwogu, who was reacting to move by the state government to set up panel to probe activities of the state government in the past said such probe would never be objective as Fubara and Wike ran the same administration.

Nwogu said the present disposition of the governor has negated all the peace overtures and spited the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He said: “There is nothing extraordinary about investigation except that in the circumstances we find ourselves it will not appear as something done to promote good governance.

“It appears as designed for witch-hunt or to endorse a particular label already put on somebody. Recall that when this started they started saying that the Minister was asking for certain percentage of money which is not true.

“It was dealt with when the governor came to meet with the elders and we met with the Minister where he recanted most of the things he wrongly labelled the minister as part of the reconciliation process.

“This completely negated the instruction the President gave and the mediatory efforts of the President. The governor is saying that the President wasted his time. It is something Rivers people must be careful about.”

Nwogu said the claimed probe was diversionary, adding that it is preconceived to bring the former governor who has done well for the state down.

He said: “It is preconceived to hoodwink people to think the other way. How is Wike and Fubara different? They ran the same government. One was the gatekeeper of the other. This is going to be very selective.

“This is an attempt to criminalise a good governor that was the envy of the entire nation. We should be careful at how far we escalate this. Let me urge for caution. Let me ask people to be mindful.”

He said all the sin the former governor committed was making Fubara a governor observing that it become obvious that the Minister has been the victim and not the aggressor.

“All the time they say the governor is a victim the Minister is the aggressor but if you look carefully, you will understand right from the beginning all the Minister did was to make him a governor. So he has been at the receiving end.

“So he is actually a victim of unwarranted and undesired attack. This agenda is unfolding and it is very terrible agenda of our state. This is the direction. This is a direct spite on the President. If he chooses to abandon the eight-point agenda and to pursue this course, it means he has no respect for President’s intervention.

Kylian Mbappe was named France’s player of the year on Monday at an awards ceremony in Paris, as he comes to the end of his seven-season stay with Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe, 25, picked up the prize for the best player in Ligue 1 at the UNFP (French players’ union) Trophies gala for the fifth time in a row after a season in which he has scored 44 goals in all competitions for PSG.

The France captain last week confirmed he will leave PSG at the end of the campaign when his contract expires, with Real Madrid expected to be his next destination.

“It is a page that is turning, a chapter of my life that is going to close,” Mbappe said.

“Ligue 1 will always have an important place in my life. It is the only league I have known in my career up to now.

“I have always tried to be an honourable representative of this league,” he added.

“I will miss it for sure. It is a part of my life that is coming to an end. What is coming next is very exciting but that is something else.”

Mbappe played his final home game for PSG on Sunday and scored as the champions suffered a shock 3-1 defeat against Toulouse.

That goal took him to 27 for the season in Ligue 1, eight goals more than the next best marksman, Lille’s Canadian striker Jonathan David.

The season is not finished yet, with Mbappe’s PSG having two more Ligue 1 games to play this week before the French Cup final against Lyon on May 25.

Mbappe saw off the other nominees for an award voted for by his fellow players and handed over by Marie-Jose Perec, the French former 200m and 400m Olympic champion.

His PSG teammate Ousmane Dembele had also been in contention along with Pierre Lees-Melou of Brest, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Marseille and Edon Zhegrova of Lille.

PSG’s domestic dominance was reflected in the other awards, with teenage midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery named young player of the season and Gianluigi Donnarumma the best goalkeeper.

Eric Roy of Brest was named coach of the year after leading the modest Brittany club to European qualification for the first time in their history — with one game left they are guaranteed to finish at least fifth, meaning a Europa League place at worst.