Nigeria, ready for nuclear energy –FG

NaijaAgroNet:

The Minster of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said Nigeria was ready to commence the production of nuclear energy, as she had secured the necessary certification from the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Stating that Nigeria had started a nuclear program 17 years ago, he also said Nigeria has also “produced 25 graduates of master’s level under certification by the International Atomic Energy Agency. He also said that we (Nigeria) are at the stage of developing a design for financing, after which we would move to the design for construction.

“If all things go well, by quarter four of next year – that is the schedule that I met – we should have started construction, so that is what I meet“ he said.

Fashola said it was important for Nigeria to focus on the gains and safety of nuclear energy as obtained in other developed countries and since the whole world was moving toward a cleaner fuel and the use of more sustainable form of energy, Nigeria could be an exception.

The minister further said that diversifying the nation’s energy mix would lead to the utilisation of the various forms of renewable energy sources in the country but the developed countries could only share the technology with countries ready keep to the standards in the utilisation of the technology. This, according to him, will ultimately make electricity cheap in the country.

“What we are thinking about is long-term solution. We need a solution that will endure for generations to come.“When you design a power solution, design it so that the next coming generations can use it,” Fashola said.

Okoli Vincent/Vanguard/GEE

 

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WHEAT FORUM TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY VIA LEVIES

 NaijaAgroNet:

The Wheat forum, currently sent a request to the South African Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), on behalf of the directly affected groups in the winter cereal industry, for the introduction and promulgation of the following statutory levies (VAT excluded), to be collected and administered by the Winter Cereal Trust, for a period of four years reports NaijaAgroNet.

This is line with the current statutory measure regarding levies on winter cereal as promulgated by Government Notice No. 38201 of 11 November 2014, which currently amounts to R17/ton (excl VAT), which will expire on 30 September 2016.

The proposed levies will be utilised for the funding of information, quality and grading, transformation, administration, capacity building, research, the Supply and Demand Estimates Committee, and pre-breeding research as opposed to seed breeding which the soon to expire levy was used for. This will result in lower amount levied.

It was gathered by NaijaAgroNet that the Wheat Forum could not reach consensus on the final amount, manner of collection and the specific utilisation of a seed breeding levy which led to industry stakeholders submitting two alternative applications for statutory levies aimed at seed breeding and technology for wheat and barley, which will be published for comments at a later stage.

It was further gathered by NaijaAgroNet that the levy funds will partly compensate for the diminished funds for research and also to make provision for new research projects to be funded.

Okoli Vincent/GEE

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FG to establish N750bn agriculture fund

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government disclosed plans to establish a N750 billion agriculture fund in collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr. Heineken Lokpobiri, affirmed this at the 2016 national summit of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), with the theme: “The Role of Poultry Industry in the Economic Revival of Nigeria” stated that the Federal Government is committed to diversifying the economy away from oil and revive the agricultural sector to boost the economy.

According to him, access to credit is one of the biggest challenges farmers are facing which is why the government has made this move to revive the agricultural sector. In addition the federal government is also talking with Islamic Bank which has agreed to provide about $ 2.5 million which will be rooted through Bank of Agriculture and Commerce Bank and at a single digit rate to finance different agric programmes.

He also disclosed that talks are being held with the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) for funding in the same sector.

“The present administration is committed to make agriculture attractive by making funds accessible and affordable as no business can survive with high interest rate charged by commercial banks. Already, there exist some funding from CBN that even the poultry farmers can access at an affordable interest rate of nine per cent but the contention is that nine percent is too high. We are trying to make credit not only accessible but available and affordable,” Lokpobiriemphasised.

In addition, he also promised to use all means at his disposal to harmonize taxes on farms – “and that since poultry products are food items, they should not be taxed.”

Okoli Vincent/GEE

 

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Scientists drive efforts for cleaner energy

NaijaAgroNet:

Scientists have mapped the movement of electrical charge through a material known as a metal organic framework or ‘MOF’ to improve on cleaner energy efforts, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to scientists at The Manchester University, United Kingdom, MOF was designed to host charge in future vehicle fuel cells which offer a greener alternative to traditional combustion engines.

By using a combination of X-ray and neutron techniques, NaijaAgroNet gathered that scientists now have a better understanding of the flow of charge in the material, and could begin to design more efficient fuel cells in pursuit of cleaner energy.

NaijaAgroNet reports that fuel cells convert the chemical energy of a fuel into electricity by means of a chemical reaction, and there are a variety of fuel cells available, with polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells currently used most widely.

In addition, NaijaAgroNet gathered from experts that the performance of a fuel cell depends on the electrolyte, the porous material at the centre of the cell which controls the flow of charge - to boost its efficiency, hence scientists are developing smart membranes with new materials to produce more charge.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that a team from The University of Manchester linked up with others, including the University of Nottingham, have mapped the atomic structure and workings of the metal organic framework using intense X-rays at the UK’s Diamond Light Source ‘super-microscope.’

Media Relations Officer, The University of Manchester, Joe Paxton, told NaijaAgroNet that these scientists then used neutrons to map the flow of charge, known as proton conduction, in the material for the first time.

The results, also published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, found that the protons move freely within a sphere, rather than the more common ‘jump diffusion between sites’ mechanism. This new knowledge will enable the design of improved proton conducting materials by optimising the pathway that the protons take.

Drs Sihai Yang and Martin Schröder, group leaders from The University of Manchester, said, “The success of this work will not only create new knowledge on metal organic frameworks, but also enable the building of next generation fuel cells that operate at a wider temperature range and with higher efficiency. This will help bring this technology into a reality.”

Dr Claire Murray from Diamond Light Source, said “This represents really beautiful chemistry in a new and exciting area of research. Up until now, metal organic frameworks have been mainly used for gas absorption, but scientists hope to be able to exploit proton conductivity for the production of green energy fuel cells that can operate at high temperatures and in dry conditions. Because the X-rays we generate are so intense, researchers can reveal the structure of materials in very fine detail, enabling the detection of tiny changes that could impact on their performance.”

Now the team have cracked the mechanism behind proton conductivity in the material, they have returned to the laboratory to use this information to design and study new materials with increased conductivity.

Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops 

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Two herdsmen get 20yrs jail term in Delta

      
NaijaAgroNet:

On Monday in Asaba, a Delta State High Court sentenced two Fulani herdsmen, Hassan Abidu and Yakubu Salem, to 20 years in jail with hard labour, on a two-count charge of unlawful possession of firearms, reports NaijaAgroNet

The charges were preferred against them by the Attorney General of the State, punishable under under Section 3(1), of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R.II, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.

They were both sentenced to 10 years imprisonment each with hard labour and without an option of fine on the two counts.

According to prosecution, on or about February 23, 2015 at 6a.m., the Ibusa Police Division received a distress call that a group of suspected Fulani boys numbering about six were sited around Power Line, Ibusa armed with dangerous weapons including firearms which led to their arrest and prosecution.

Okoli Vincent/Vanguard/GEE

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Low sperm count, goat meats to rescue

NaijaAgroNet: 

A Nigerian professor of Applied Zoology, Stephen Oluwagbemiga, has revealed that low sperm count could be boosted by consumption of goat meats, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking at the annual lecture of the National Association of Zoology Students (NAZS), University of Ilorin in Kwara State, last Friday, Prof. Oluwagbemiga said that people with low sperm count should consume more goat meats and foods that contain different nutrients to boost their fertility.

Oluwagbemiga who is a lecturer at the Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, and dwelt on “Relevance of Zoology in Contemporary Nigeria” at the lecture, also warned Nigerians against feeding too much on junk foods, pointing out that the advice on low sperm count booster, became necessary because of the increase in the number of infertility in the country and people with deficiency in calcium.

He stressed that insufficient calcium in the body could adversely affect how peoples’ hearts and other parts of the body function, highlighting the need for people to increase their calcium in-take by eating crayfish, snails and biscuit bones.

Oluwagbemiga further said zoologists had been proffering solutions to some of the nation’s health challenges, including guinea worm infection, sleeping sickness and mosquito bites.

Equally speaking, the Kwara State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe, commended the students for organising the lecture and urged them to face their studies, and reading widely.

Isaac Oyimah with additional report from TheEagleOnline/GEE

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Good bye to oil subsidy regime, but …

Feature@NaijaAgroNet:

With the hike in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as fuel in this part of the world, Nigerians may be saying good bye to oil subsidy regime, but the next path is beclouded, writes REMMY NWEKE.

From the gallery:

Historically in 1978 fuel pump price was 15kobo per litre and increased to 60k in 1990. Two years later in 1992, it added 10k to become 70k and barely a year it subsequently jumped to N3.25k per litre and later same year added N6.75k to become N11 per litre which remained for a while.

Since Nigeria was then under military it was mass anticipation that once there is democracy, it could scale down, but alas, it became the first casualty in the list of democracy dividend as in year 2000 pump price moved up to N20 and before December 2000 added N2k to become N22 per litre.

Also in 2001, the federal government under President Olusegun Obasanjo increased pump price to N26 and three years later in 2004 scaled it up to N40 with the rhetoric political promise that the subsidy removed hitherto would be ploughed into bettering the lots of Nigerians. Incidentally the supposed pump prices have never been used to sale fuel in the south east and some parts of Nigerian cities, except Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

Prediction come true:

Major fears among Nigerians on this subject is that the cost of pump price may go up to about N150 per litre, but as proponents of removal like former governor of Nigeria’s Central Bank, now Emir Mohammed Sanusi II and Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the erstwhile Finance Minister; it would curb corruption in the oil sector, especially within Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and enable economic planning for all as Nigeria today does not fix oil prices.

“For instance, the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) as storehouse for all subsidy funds by then Head of State, General Sani Abachi was to enable government intervene promptly. Therefore to nail vices in oil sector, President Muhammadu Buhari must exhibit the political will to remove oil subsidy as the best gift APC-led government can give Nigerians at this time.”

The above was an extract of a piece conducted towards the end of 2015 and almost five months later and equally one year after the assumption of office by President Buhari, it came to pass that his administration through the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu penultimate Wednesday, May 11, 2016, adjusted the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol from N86.50 to N145, with immediate effect.

Oil sector analysts, told NaijaAgroNet that with this development, marketers are now free to bring in cargoes and sell, subject to meeting standard quality control, stressing that a benchmark of N145 per litre, is a recommended pump price, at which any trader, irrespective of the source of foreign exchange used to import cargo is guaranteed adequate profit.

Fuel Price debate according to Osinbajo:

But barely 24 hours after, the chairman of the Economic Committee and Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, conversely debunked the news making a round that the FG has removed oil subsidy from the Nigerian oil and gas system. According to Osinbajo, what the government did was to withdraw the monopoly hitherto enjoyed by NNPC to allow free market sales, insisting that “at $40 a barrel, there isn’t much of a subsidy to remove.”

A presidential press statement entitled “The Fuel Pricing Debate: Our story” and personally endorsed by the Vice President, said the decision to adopt a new measure was essentially informed by the non-availability of foreign exchange for the independent marketers to import fuel.

Part of which read: “Fellow citizens, I have read the various observations about the fuel pricing regime and the attendant issues generated. All certainly have strong points. The most important issue of course is how to shield the poor from the worst effects of the policy.  I will hopefully address that in another note.

“Permit me an explanation of the policy. First, the real issue is not a removal of subsidy. At $40 a barrel there isn’t much of a subsidy to remove. In any event, the President is probably one of the most convinced pro-subsidy advocates. What happened is as follows: our local consumption of fuel is almost entirely imported. The NNPC exchanges crude from its joint venture share to provide about 50 per cent of local fuel consumption. The remaining 50 per cent is imported by major and independent marketers.

Nigeria needs $225m to import fuel:

“These marketers up until three months ago sourced their foreign exchange from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) at the official rate. However, since late last year, independent marketers have brought in little or no fuel because they have been unable to get foreign exchange from the CBN. The CBN simply did not have enough. (In April, oil earnings dipped to $550 million. The amount required for fuel importation alone is about $225million!).

“Meanwhile, NNPC tried to cover the 50 per cent shortfall by dedicating more export crude for domestic consumption. Besides the short term depletion of the Federation Account, which is where the FG and States are paid from, and further cash-call debts pilling up, NNPC also lacked the capacity to distribute 100 per cent of local consumption around the country. Previously, they were responsible for only about 50 per cent, which was partly the reason for the lingering scarcity according to experts. 

Labour rejects hike in pump price, says N145 is cruel, insensitive:

However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) soon after, described the hike in petrol pump price by the Federal Government from N86.50 to N145 as cruel, insisting they will resist the Wednesday proclamation, and summoned emergency NEC meeting for Friday, May 13.

In reaction, the General-Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, described the hike as “unilateral increase in prices of petroleum products Wednesday by government represents the height of insensitivity and impunity that must be resisted,” asserting Labour would resist the hike alongside all the well-meaning civil society groups, decrying the imposition on the citizenry of criminal and unjustifiable electricity tariff and resultant darkness and other economic challenges brought on by the devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation, “the least one had expected at this point in time was another policy measure that would further make life more miserable for the ordinary Nigerian.”

As said by NLC, the latest increase is the most audacious and cruel in the history of product price increase as It represents not only about 80 per cent increase but it is tied to the black market exchange rate. Maintaining that the process through which government arrived at this is both illogical and illegal as the board of the PPPRA is not duly constituted.

“In our previous statements and communiques, we had stressed the need for reconstituting the boards of NNPC and PPPRA and prevent both away from the overbearing influence of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources who has assumed the role of a sole administrator,” the Labour posited.

NLC strike imminent:

NLC further said, the allusion to the fact that this increase was arrived at after due consultation with stakeholders is not only ridiculous and fallacious, because it goes to show that the brief meeting held penultimate Wednesday, during which government was advised to shelve the idea until at least it meets with the appropriate organs of the Congress was in bad faith.

Accordingly, NLC said, they urged the government to revert the prices to what they were. “We would want to put everybody on notice that we shall resist this criminal increase with every means legitimate.” Just as an emergency NEC meeting was promptly scheduled for Friday, May 13, 2016 to decide on the next line of action. Meanwhile, NLC affiliates, state councils and civil society allies are requested to commence mobilization immediately.

The following day, being Thursday, May 12, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) issued a four-working day ultimatum to the Federal Government to reverse itself or face industry action nationwide at the expiration of the ultimatum on Tuesday midnight; undoubtedly putting Nigerians into panic buying and stockpiling of food stuffs and daily needs.

NLC and its affiliates in a letter addressed to all the state presidents, secretaries of labour unions, directed members to sensitise all their colleagues towards embarking on indefinite strike cum mass protest action slated to commence on Wednesday 18, May 2016 across the country till further notice.

Therefore, NLC, advised member unions including the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, to liaise with the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress in their states for further arrangements concerning the protest and give this directive a widest publicity it deserves.

FG ‘Nicodemusly’ turning against Nigerians:

Reacting to the imminent strike by NLC, a social crusader and human rights activist, Emeka Ononamadu, said the Federal Government is coming through the back door like Biblical Nicodemus; to impoverish Nigerians, in what he described as “… Nicodemusly turning against the people.’ His position was however, premised on the electioneering campaigns of the president, Muhammadu Buhari during 2015 elections.

He posited that the people, who posed as supporters of fuel price increase in 2012, did not deny that it will have a genocidal effect on poor Nigerians. Alleging this government and their cohorts, may have instigated the recent fuel scarcity as an alibi to force the price up and the standard of living lower. This attitude that whatever this government does is correct should be jettisoned by the accomplices parading themselves as human right advocates or civil society jobbers.

Ononamadu insisted that people who are on well-paid jobs to protect defenseless citizens “should not ‘nicodemously’ turn back to haunt those they are supposed to protect,” stressing that he looks forward to actions and measures NLC would pilot to tell this government that power is still with the people.

This, he alleged, is the same government that is harbouring thieving former PDP members who looted this country and thier respective states. Just as he hope those who support this fuel price increase will not in the future deny thier positions like many who voted in this regime have all denied ever supporting President Buhar, when there were other alternatives after APC and PDP. Some CSOs, have forgotten also work for any government in power, but was consoled that time will tell.

On way forward:

Ononamadu’s submission proffered some solutions including “if 5 licenses are given to people to set up modular refineries in each zone of the country, fuel will become available at less than N50 by the current exchange rate of about N300 per Dollar. Stressing that again, government, like this regime initially promised to make direct purchases without middlemen or women at zero profit. Thus, he advised Nigeria to use letters of credit from reputable financial firms without worrying about immediate sourcing of dollars, until modular refineries become operational.

Government, he said, could even use the crude swap measures with high level transparency and monitoring to overcome the problems associated with it, arguing there are too many options available but the government must decide on the best path to protect citizens than a furnace of adversity in the name of undefined deregulation.

Industry observers also find it disturbing that FG invariably may not have a clue to what its policy on oil and gas at this time is or should be, thereby giving rise to lots of condemnation of the supposed removal of subsidy or partial deregulation, given that nowadays, fixing price for product which is not in her pool, let alone availability is inimical.

At the time of this report, Nigerians are largely confused and even every individual becoming ‘pocket economists’ while asking why it took NLC this long after over two months of fuel scarcity without any pronouncement, but all of sudden find its footing because it felt shortchanged in the scheme as its rank has been divided with a faction emerging.

Also, industry analysts are asking some salient questions including “Why must we be in more danger than the period the country’s leadership was seen as very corrupt? Why is the pump price increase not called deregulation, end of subsidy, if it ever existed, or any name? They attributed these to the era of free oil money which may have beclouded the knowledge of all Nigerian leaders in recent past from ideas that could make Nigeria great.

Like earlier enunciated, to nail vices in oil sector, President Buhari must demonstrate the political will to remove oil subsidy holistically as the best gift APC-led government can give Nigerians at this time and allow the market forces to determine the path to stability of petroleum products in this country, as was done in telecommunications sector and also pave the way to stablising the economy rather than the confusion therein.

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