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  Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar has called for synergy between Nigeria and Qatar to foster gas diplomacy, energy transition from non-renewable energy. According to him, there will be lots of key benefits in the Nigeria-Qatari relations for Africa and global gas sectors.  In a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the Honorable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Minister was speaking while delivering a lecture at the Doha Diplomatic Institute on February 29th, 2024, on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State visit to the State of Qatar.   The Minister posited that Qatar and Nigeria are blessed with hydrocarbon deposits that place them at the center of the new energy equation. He also said that while Qatar has the third largest gas reserves in the world and Nigeria is best known as Africa’s largest oil producer, he enthused that Nigeria is a gas province, with a bit of oil. “We are sitti...

  The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)  has reduced electricity supply to the Aba Ring-fenced Area that compromises nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State by more than 50%. According to sources close to Aba Power which serves the nine LGAs but who asked for anonymity in the media because they are not authorized to speak to the press on the issue, the reduction started last week, with supplies dropping from 25 Megawatts to 10MW without any official explanation or apology. The Aba Power Managing Director, Patrick Umeh, confirmed the drastic reduction in a brief telephone conversation with journalists this afternoon but declined further comment because “I am in Lagos right now attending a critical meeting of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC)”, where he once served as the Commissioner for Market Rates, Market and Competition. Aba, Nigeria’s centre of indigenous technology and local manufacturing, needs 100MW to achieve electricity stability, ac...

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company PLC (EEDC) has explained that the poor power supply cur BBrently experienced by its customers across the South East is beyond the organisation. The company attributed the situation to low energy generation, which has resulted in a drop in power supply availability. The Head, Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, who made this known on Monday, appealed to customers to bear with them. According to him the development has resulted in low generation, leading to a reduction in the quantum of daily megawatt hour (MWH) of energy allocated to distribution companies nationwide, thereby impacting the quality of service to its customers. “We understand the inconveniences this situation has caused our esteemed customers and appeal for their understanding as it is beyond us,” Ezeh appealed. “We can only distribute what is allocated to us” Effort is being made by the various stakeholders in the power sector to address t...

  The Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP) says it will shut down and suspend production in all water producing factories in Enugu State due to unbearable high cost of production. This is contained in a statement issued by the Chairman of ATWAP,  Enugu State Chapter, Tony Edike and its State Secretary, Sir Clems Nwamadi, on Sunday in Enugu. The statement was issued after members of ATWAP Enugu State Chapter held an emergency meeting in Enugu on Feb.8, 2024, on challenges confronting all members of the association. It said from Monday, Feb. 12 to Thursday, Feb.15, 2024 all Table Water Producers in Enugu State including Sachets and Pet Bottles are required to down tools and suspend all production. According to the statement, "this is to enable us to seek a workable solution to the many challenges being faced by our members". “The current harsh economic situation in the country especially as it affects materials and other logistics for the productio...

Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Wednesday flagged off the reconstruction of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia road, a major corridor linking the state capital with some strategic communities in Abia North. It was celebration all the way from Umuahia to Akara in Isuikwuato down to Abiriba, as Governor Otti and his entourage made the various stops to formally flag off work on the 67.6 kilometres stretch which is being handled by three different reputable construction companies. Speaking at the various flag-off points, Governor Otti said his government was in a hurry to recover lost grounds, the reason the road is divided among three companies to undertake the reconstruction simultaneously. The stretch from Umuahia end to Uzuakoli, about 22.6 kilometres, is being handled by Craneburg, while Isuikwuato to Abiriba, 22.5 kilometres, and Abiriba to Ohafia, 22.5 kilometres, are being handled by Ferotex Construction Company and CCECC, respectively. The Governor ...

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Enugu State Government has once more asked residents of the state to be patient following the delay in water project. The State Commissioner for Water Resources, Felix Nnamani who  made the call during a One-Day Sensitisation and Policy Dialogue on Enugu State Water Sector Law 2021 and Water Supply in the state on Wednesday said the delay witnessed is as a result of the ongoing road projects currently ongoing across different areas of the state. Nnamani further explained that the delay was also due to the ongoing maintenance on the water reticulation lines and changing of old pipes, adding that the government is ready, having cleaned up and refurbished old reservoirs. The event organised by Water Sanitation and Hygiene For Impact and Development (WASHFID) in collaboration with Network of Water Rights Initiative (NEWARI) and the Enugu State Government is themed, “Improved Water Supply in Enugu Through Effective Implementation of Water Law”. The Commissioner said there...

The Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, has knocked contractors and ministry engineers for conniving to sabotage road construction projects in many parts of the country. The Minister, at the weekend, chided the contractors handling the Enugu-Port Harcourt road (Abakpa – Emene junction section) during an inspection tour of the project. The Minister, during inspection, discovered that the contractor used substandard materials to do the job, even when the government engineers were on the ground to supervise the project. Umahi also complained about the use of unqualified engineers on government project sites by the contractor. “We paid N33 billion on this job since September, yet nothing reasonable has been done on the job. And we are here under our nose, you continue to fill the job with useless laterite. If it is even laterite, it’s a different ball game, but this is clay. “By right, he is not even supposed to be on the job. Only COREN registered engineers are allowed to be on our project...

  The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar has thrown his weight behind the establishment of Nigeria-Benin Republic permanent Commission.  The Minister gave the nod on Wednesday when he received in audience the Nigeria, Advocacy Group for the Establishment of a Permanent Joint Commission between Nigeria and Benin Republic in Abuja.  The group was led by Amb. Oguntuase Kayode, Chairman of the group's Governing board.  "This issue of the Nigeria Benin Joint Commission is one that is on the front burner, but it's also important to note from our records here that in Nigeria Benin Joint Commission does exist it's just gone silent. It's already in existence and went sort of I wouldn't want to use the word comatose, for lack of a better word slowed down in 2014 and it's one that needs to be resuscitated.  "And I believe that is happening organically because there's a lot happening bilaterally between the two countries." He added, ...

Civil Society Organisations as well as Media organisations have urged Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger to stop transforming to civilian Rulers. They stated this in a communique they issued at the end of CSOs, Media interactive Meeting on the state of ECOWAS and regional integration in West Africa. The communique signed by CSO’s, Media organisations read thus; “The stability of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as a regional bloc of economic, human and political development has been threatened in recent years by political instability and security challenges in some member states. Since August 2020, the region has recorded several coups where democratic governments have been toppled and constitutional procedures trampled.” The CSOs, Media Organisations went further in their communique to state in their preamble that to address these challenges, civil society organisations (CSOs) in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, including the West African Civil Society Forum (WAC...

Kidnappers have abducted passengers of two Abuja-bound buses in the Inele-Eteke Ogugu, New Road area of Kogi East district. It was learnt that the incident involved a GIG and ABC Transport buses heading to Abuja from the eastern part of the country. A source said that the GIG bus left Umuahia in Abia State at 7:30 am on Saturday on its way to Abuja, the nation’s seat of power. In the wake of the abduction, he said GIG had contacted security services to track down the abductors. Meanwhile, Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the incident. The command’s spokesman William Ayah in a Monday statement said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the area, local vigilantes, and hunters have been in the bush in an effort to rescue the victims. He said the incident involved the GIG bus with 12 passengers and a Sienna bus belonging to ABC Transport with two occupants. But the driver of GIG Motors was later rescued by security operatives, the spokesman added. According to him, Kogi S...

  ….As IGP directs National Cybercrime Centre to Sustain Fight Against CyberCrime, Fraud In furtherance of the Police's zeal to safeguard Nigeria's, and by extension, global cyber space, the Nigeria Police National CyberCrime Centre, on Thursday, 1st February 2024, advancing on the heels of a clinical investigation, arraigned one Wilfred Bonse before the Federal High Court Abuja.   The suspect, one Bonse, a resident of Flat 6 block 9, Aso garden Estate karsana, Abuja, allegedly participated in a case of conspiracy to commit computer-related fraud, money laundering and sundry offenses to the tone of 50 million naira contrary to sections Section 14(1) of the Cybercrime (prohibition, prevention, ETC) Act ,2015, Sections 20(a)(b) & 21(a) of the money laundering (prevention and prohibition) Act, 2022. The arraignment was a step further in the pursuit of justice in the investigation of Patricia security breach. The case is also a boost to the relentless efforts of the Niger...

The Economic Community of West African State has expressed concern over the political circumstances that led to the postponement of Presidential Election in Senegal following uncertainty that surrounds the disqualification of several candidates from running in the elections. In a statement, the ECOWAS Commission calls on the “competent authorities to expedite the various processes in order to set a new date for for the elections. The Commission further urged the entire political class to prioritize dialogue and collaboration for transparent, inclusive, and credible elections. The ECOWAS Commission in the statement salutes President Macky Sall for upholding his earlier decision not to run for another term, and encouraged him to continue to defend and protect Senegal long-standing democratic tradition.

By Jacob Igwe Emmanuel, PA to the Deputy Speaker The Deputy speaker of the Federal House of Representative and member representing the good People of Nigeria starting from Bende federal constituency, Distinguished Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu through the federal ministry of housing and Urban development has gotten approval for a mind-blowing construction of 1,500 housing units capacity in Bende Town.  In few days from now, Bende town will begin to experience mind-blowing construction as the town and it's environs will be turn into a construction site.  The renewed hope we voted for in Bende through the deputy speaker is taking another dimension to bring development and beautification of her land as many roads will be fully constructed.  Meanwhile, approval has been given by the Governor, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti for the land to be used.  The 1,500 RENEWED HOPE HOUSING housing units will be located from welcome to Bende to Onu-iyang bridge. It has also be...

  The Southeast Zonal Chapter of the Electricity Consumers of Nigeria (ECAN) has criticised those it described as mortal enemies of the geopolitical zone for "working against the takeoff of the Geometric Power plant in the Osisioma Industrial Estate in Aba which will enable Aba Power, Nigeria's newest distribution company, to experience quality and uninterrupted electricity supply to nine of the 17 local government areas in Abia State which the power utility services". In a statement in Enugu today, the ECAN Southeast chairman, Engineer Joseph Ubani, and the secretary, Comrade Chris Okpara, said that "the forces against Southeast progress went to work immediately the media published that Geometric Power, the largest investment in the Southeast, is about to be commissioned". The association accused the anti-Southeast forces  of using  a group of unknown pipsqueaks to spread negative rumours about the utility on the social media "where there are no editors or...

By Aishah Umar Sanda The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has for long been the cornerstone of regional cooperation and integration, fostering economic, political, and social ties among its member nations.  However, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso’s declaration of their withdrawal from the regional bloc has raised concerns about the potential negative consequences for the countries and the broader West African region.  Without these countries, it could be harder to address common challenges and work together effectively. It could also affect trade within the region.  Additionally, the security cooperation among member states might also be affected which could have implications for tackling issues like terrorism and organized crime in the region. ECOWAS has been playing a crucial role in promoting peace, security, and economic development in West Africa since it was founded in 1975.  With the departure of these three countries, the unity and collec...

Watch Live: https://signaturetv.org/inauguration-of-signature-televisions-high-chief-raymond-dokpesi-broadcasting-house-60th-birthday/ Ndigbo have been called upon to heed to the clarion call for a total paradigm shift in governance trajectory, cultural/traditional reappraisal, business/commercial practices and most importantly their economic orientation and political alignments.   Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe made this call while speaking during a lecture in honor of VinMartin Ilo, an ace broadcaster who marked his 60 th birthday, 25 th Wedding Anniversary, the launch of his book as well as the commissioning of Signature TV in Enugu on Wednesday. Speaking on the topic, ‘Not too late’, Senator Abaribe revealed that Ndigbo has reached a point where they must desist from self-indictment and re-evaluate the terms of engagement with social and political forces for the good of Ndigbo.     According to Abaribe, “it does seem that all we do in Igboland is to dwell o...