N78.9bn FG refund deepens rift between Rivers’ main rival political parties
Ben Eguzozie
June 23, 2020
…tiff costs state N355bn, economy strained further by Covid-19 pandemic …unemployment rising with debts The recent refunds by the federal government of a total N148.14 billion to five states which undertook repairs of federal roads in their domains, is now a source of bitter tussle among the two main political parties in Rivers State – […]
NAOC JV commissions medical centre in Delta State to support effort against COVID-19
Ben EguzozieJune 18, 2020
…completed 405 projects in 4 states in 8 years Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its joint venture partners, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Oando Oil Limited, have commissioned temporary medical centre in Asaba, Delta State to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 pandemic. The facility was inaugurated in the presence of Delta […]
Excitement rules Cross River over N18.39bn FG refunds, amid state’s financial strain
Ben EguzozieJune 4, 2020
Ben Eguzozie, in Port Harcourt Cross River people and their governor, Ben Ayade, appear quite excited over N18.39 billion approved by an inter-ministerial committee to be refunded the ‘weakest sister’ of oil region states. Comments from the state’s governor, Ayade and other state officials are that of excitement and a relief from mounting financial strain […]
World Bank, AfDB, inaugurate $550m solar off-grid power plants to serve 30,000 MSMEs, 300,000 households in Bayelsa
Ben EguzozieJune 4, 2020
…targets universities, teaching hospitals in Nigeria Global money lender, the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), in collaboration with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) under the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), have commissioned multiple solar off-grid power plants, with a total capacity of 134.64 kilowatts (kW) in communities in Bayelsa State. The project, which comes […]
Rivers reviews 2020 budget 48% to N300.370bn
Ben EguzozieMay 29, 2020
…also reviews MTEF Rivers state government, like the national government, Nigeria, has undertaken a 48 percent downward review of its 2020 state budget. The budget has moved from the initial N530.813 billion (530,813,357,619.00) to N300.370 billion (300,370,071,183.00). The state government said the move is in line with the present economic realities occasioned by the novel […]
Akwa Ibom-run airliner, Ibom Air, ramps up operations with fourth aircraft acquisition
Ben EguzozieMay 21, 2020
Akwa Ibom State is carefully ramping up an aviation business it began nearly four years ago, with increase in its aircraft fleet in a bid to capture a bigger share of Nigeria’s much-unharnessed industry. The government run airlines company, Ibom Air, has taken delivery of a fourth aircraft, a 90-seater CRJ900 bombardier, thereby expanding the […]
Imo joins Ekiti to slash RoW telecoms charges to N145 as Uzodimma signs executive order
Omobayo AzeezMay 21, 2020
By Omobayo Azeez Imo State, a subnational in the Eastern part of the Nigeran federation, Wednesday joined Ekiti State in the southwest, to slash the controversial Right of Way (RoW) charges for telecommunication companies in the country. Hope Uzodimma, the state governor, signed an executive order that will now see the charges for RoW in […]
Rivers governor puts Port Harcourt on 24hr lockdown, as $25bn state economy lay prostate
Ben EguzozieMay 5, 2020
… warns UPTH medical director …oil, gas firms to pre-submit entry requests before flights …commits 188 persons to prison over executive order violation Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Monday took his hard-stance, combative disposition in administration to ultra levels as he announced a 24-hour dusk-to-dawn curfew and a total lockdown of the entire […]
NDDC forensic audit: Key staff named in huge graft
Ben EguzozieApril 29, 2020
… ordered to proceed on mandatory leave The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has placed some key members of its staff on mandatory leave with full benefits, pending the conclusion and outcome of the on-going forensic audit. The action, according to Berekadumo Pondei, the acting managing director of the commission, is based on the advice […]
NDDC management locked in N5.55bn COVID-19, Lassa fever contracts controversy
Ben EguzozieApril 28, 2020
… Says it hardly paid out anything more than N4bn …Spent N1.045bn on coronavirus fight Newly established interim management committee (IMC) of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), inaugurated barely weeks back to go through the books and clean the commission’s Augean stables, having operated for two decades with a less-than salutary performance, has itself fallen […]