FG grants energy firms N20bn waivers

The Federal Government granted about N19.662 billion in waivers and exemption to energy firms in the country in five months, between January and May 2014. Electricity-new The amount is 51.23 per cent of the N38.381 billion allocated to water resources in the 2014 budget; 31.48 per cent of the N62.45 billion allocated to Power; 31.75 per cent of N61.928 billion allocated to Petroleum Resources; and 29.5 per cent of the N66.645 billion allocated to agriculture. Data from the Budget Office of the Federation, in the Ministry of Finance, indicated that oil and gas firms enjoyed about N18.881 billion in waiver and exemption, while power companies enjoyed N780 million. The Government also reiterated its commitment to tackling the epileptic power situation in the country, and addressing the issue of estimated billing. To this end, it granted N326.174 million in exemptions to two prepaid electricity meter companies, Momas Electricity Meters Manufacturing Company Limited, and Mojec International Limited, for the importation of metering facilities. Specifically, Momas got two exemptions: the first worth N32.272 million for the importation of semi-knock down meters, one and three phase normal credit meters, one and three phase standard prepayment meters and all other related equipment. The second exemption was N163.69 million for the importation of meter plastic machines and accessories, compression mould machine and all other meter related equipment. On the other hand, Mojec International got N130.213 million in exemption for the importation of machinery, equipment and components for single and three phase pre-paid meters. Indorama Eleme Fertilizer and Chemicals Limited accounted for 53.4 per cent of the total waivers and exemption granted to energy firms in the period under review, with a total of N10.5 billion. Specifically, Indorama enjoyed a N6.96 billion waiver for the importation of the machinery, equipment and spare parts for the utilisation of Nigeria natural gas to bring about an increase in power generation. The company was also granted a N3.54 billion waiver for the importation of fertiliser equipment, catalysts and chemicals, pile and spare parts among others. Chevron Nigeria Limited followed, enjoying a waiver of N4.88 billion for the importation of machinery, equipment and spare parts for Escravos Gas to Liquids (EGTL) and a host of other pipelines. United Cement Company of Nigeria got N1.969 billion in exemption for the importation of machinery, equipment and spare parts aimed at boosting natural gas utilisation and power supply. NIPCO Plc got N1.087 billion in exemption for the importation of machinery, equipment and spare parts. Other energy firms that got waivers and exemptions in the period are: Green Fuels Limited — N14.37 million for the importation of machinery, equipment and spare parts for compressed natural gas to Independent Power Plants (IPPs), and Edo Cement Company Limited — N240 million for the importation of gas generators, plants, machinery, equipment and spare parts. Accugas Limited got N30.87 million in exemption for machinery, equipment and spare parts for pipeline; Exterran Nigeria Limited got N66.09 million in exemption for the acquisition of natural gas powered compressors and spare parts, while Procter and Gamble got N29.754 million in exemption for machinery, equipment and spare parts. Others are Sumal Foods Limited — N42.878 million; Federal Ministry of Power/Marubeni Engineering Corporation — N454.185 million and De United Foods Industries Limited — N19.978 million.

Ebola vaccine trials to start in Switzerland this week

Ebola vaccine trials are set to start in Switzerland this week after receiving the green light from the country’s authorities, the World Health Organization said Tuesday. Swiss regulators announced they would allow trials of an experimental vaccine made by Britain’s GlaxoSmithKine, and tests on some 120 individuals were set to get under way at the CHUV hospital in Lausanne this week, the WHO said. “This marks the latest step towards bringing safe and effective Ebola vaccines for testing and implementation as quickly as possible,” the UN’s health agency said in a statement. There is no licensed treatment or vaccine for the deadly Ebola virus, which has killed nearly 5,000 people in the outbreak centred in west Africa. The experimental GSK vaccine is one of two considered particularly promising by WHO. Called ChAd3, it is based on a genetically modified chimpanzee adenovirus and trials have already begun in Mali, Britain and the United States, the WHO said. “The trial will test the safety of the vaccine and its capacity to induce an immune response,” it said. It added that results of the trials in Switzerland and elsewhere will “provide the basis for planning subsequent trials involving several thousand participants, and for choosing vaccine dose-level for efficacy trials”. A second experimental vaccine being fast-tracked on the WHO’s recommendation, Canadian-discovered rVSV, is set to soon start trials at the University Hospital of Geneva. Trials of that potential vaccine have already begun in the United States and are also set to soon start in Germany, Gabon and Kenya. “If shown to be safe and effective, either of the vaccines could be scaled up for production during the first quarter of next year, with millions of doses produced for wide distribution in high-risk countries,” WHO assistant director general Marie-Paule Kieny said in the statement. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/10/ebola-vaccine-trials-start-switzerland-week/#sthash.nYN14ufw.dpuf

NDLEA Arrests 51yr Old Single Mother From Kwara With Cocaine, Heroin

Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
(NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport
(MMIA) Lagos have apprehended a 51 year-old mother of four
children with 3.44kg of cocaine and heroin hidden inside body
cream. The drugs were found in her possession during the
outward screening of passengers on an Emirate flight to China.
NDLEA Airport commander, Hamza Umar who confirmed the
arrest gave the name of the suspect as Alade Muyinotu Alade.
According to Hamza, “Alade Muyinotu was caught with drugs
at the central screening area on her way to China. During
search, 150 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.725kg and 150 wraps
of heroin weighing 1.715kg concealed inside body cream were
found inside her luggage. The total weight of the drugs is
3.44kg. The case is currently under investigation”.
In her statement, the suspect said that she was offered 4,000
dollars to smuggle the drugs to China. “I used to import clothes
from Dubai and China when business was going on well with
me. I even had a shop at Balogun market. My problem started
when I lost my shop and was unable to rent another one. Since
then things have gone from bad to worse. My major concern is
that I have four children living with me and I am separated
from my husband. It was a friend that introduced me to the
people that gave me the drugs. They bought my return ticket
and offered me 4,000 dollars” Alade stated. She hails from
Kwara State.
Chairman/Chief Executive of the anti-narcotic Agency,
Ahmadu Giade described the action of the suspect as
unfortunate. In his words, “China is one of the countries with
capital punishment for drug trafficking. It is unfortunate for a
mother of four children to get involved in such a criminal act.
If not for our vigilance that led to her arrest, she would have
been killed abroad and her children left to suffer endlessly”
Giade stated.
The NDLEA boss urged stakeholders to be more dedicated to
the country’s drug control efforts, stressing that a drug-free
society is a crime-free society.
The suspect will soon be charged to court.
Ofoyeju Mitchell
Head, Public Affairs,

Minimum wage deregulation: TUC gives Senate one-week to clarify position

Lagos – The Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Saturday gave the Senate a one-week ultimatum to clarify its position on the removal of Minimum Wages Laws from the Exclusive List. In a communiqué jointly signed by the President of the union, Mr Bobboi Kaigam, and the National Secretary, Mr Musa Lawal, TUC said this was necessary before a follow-up action. The communiqué came at the end of an emergency meeting of the TUC Central Working Committee (CWC) in Lagos. According to the communiqué, the purported amendment by the Senate, if allowed to stand, would produce a number of undesirable implications. “The CWC observed that there are conflicting reports as to the true state of affairs. “ So, the leadership of the National Assembly should clarify the true position of the amendment within one week from today. “We say `NO’ to the minimum wage deregulation and we resist the attempt with our capacity. “The CWC-in-session mandated the leadership of TUC to relate with the NLC and allies in civil society organisations to mobilise without further delay for a follow-up action.’’ It said the amendment would create a chaotic and potentially destabilising industrial relations environment in the country. “Politics will be introduced into wage determination, in particular during elections, as was the case in the First Republic among Regional Governments. “Minimum wage which is a product of collective bargaining should not be made a state law, because both the private and public sectors are involved,’’ the communique read. It also added that the amendments would negate the spirit and practice of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 131 which the nation domesticated in the 1979 Constitution. “While we give them one week, our mobilisation has commenced. Immediately after the expiration of the one week, there will be follow-up action and nothing more. “We will not get back to them anymore. We want the Senate to be very explicit,’’ the TUC said. The communiqué commended the House of Representatives for voting to retain the minimum wage on the exclusive list in its amendment. The removal of the minimum wage from the exclusive list empowers states and individual employers to decide on and set their own minimum wage. This would be done without recourse to the national minimum wage.(NAN)

Sea pirates abducts six oil workers, four policemen in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha, Yenagoa Fear has heightened along the creek of Bayelsa State as suspected sea pirates have reportedly abducted six oil workers and four policemen in Nembe council area of the state. The attacks, it was learnt, were carried out separately in the troubled creek, where armed pirates have been terrorizing passengers boats. The gunmen, according to report, seized a gunboat on Friday belonging to the marine component of the Nigeria Police Force at about 1.30pm. The gunboat, it was learnt, was escorting a barge owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) when it came under attack. The hoodlums, who were operating in a speedboat, were said to have laid ambush for the gunboat and opened fire on the policemen. The policemen were reportedly caught unaware by the pirates who took control of the gunboat. The incident, which according to sources, occurred along Santa Barbara and Nembe waterways caused panic among travellers, many of whom were forced to delay their trip for fear of running into the hoodlums. Most of the travellers were said to be heading to Okpoama on the Atlantic fringe of Brass council area for the funeral of former Governor Tmipre Sylva’s uncle. Others were forced to wait at Ogbia jetty until they got information that the route was safe before they embarked on their trip. A security source said three policemen and the gunboat operator were kidnapped after the gunmen seize control of the boat. “Policemen escorting Agip barge were attacked on Friday. The gunboat and the policemen were all taken away. The policemen were three including the driver of the boat making them four. “The barge and its occupants escaped because the gunboat was the target of the pirates. This incident happened along Santa Barbara and Nembe route at about 1.30pm. The pirates were after the gunboat and the police arms,” said a security source who pleaded anonymity. The source also confirmed that six persons working for a company identified as Icon Xearex were abducted at Oluasiri in Nembe in a separate incident. He sad the pirates attacked a boat owned by the company in the early hours of Friday and took the workers away. “There was another incident at Oluasiri. As a matter of fact six persons were kidnapped. They were in a boat called Icon Xeareax. Six persons were abducted from the boat belonging to that company. The company is suspected to be an oil-servicing company”, he said. Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said he was in Abuja for a programme