Day: June 25, 2023

Mr Debo Olujimi, Chief Executive Officer, Emadeb Services Ltd., says the company will begin importation of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS), known as petrol, into the country from July.

Olujimi confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

He said that Emadeb was among the three energy companies licensed by the Federal Government to import petroleum products into the country.

NAN recalls that President Bola Tinubu granted licences to Eterna Plc, Emadeb Energy Services Ltd., and Asharami Energy to import petrol into the country from July.

The three oil companies were given permission to import petrol by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

The companies are the first among the six oil firms licensed to import petrol by July.

Following the withdrawal of the petrol subsidy, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. said it is no longer the sole supplier of petrol in the country.

Prior to the subsidy removal, the company served as the country’s last-resort supplier, ensuring a steady distribution of petroleum products.

On June 15, the Chief Executive Officer of NMDPRA, Mr Farouk Ahmed, said that three oil marketers would start importing petroleum products from July.

Ahmed said the oil marketers reached an agreement to enhance cooperation with security agencies, with the aim of facilitating the seamless supply and distribution of petroleum products.

He had said: “Already, three oil marketers will from July this year start importing petroleum products into the country.”

“There are six companies who said they want to import fuel in July.

“Of course, all the others may import in December, in November, or anytime but those who expressed interest to bring in fuel in July, there were six of them as of this morning.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Acting Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Olukayode Egbetokun, has scheduled a meeting with the 79 Police Mobile Force Squadrons Commanders to brainstorm on his new operational strategies.

This is contained in a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Sunday in Abuja.

He said the meeting will hold on Monday at the Force Headquarters, Abuja

Adejobi said the meeting is to update the commanders on new operational strategies for improved training, deployments and enhanced tactical engagements for better public safety and general security in the country.

He said the I-G had pledged to improve the general security of lives and property in all ramifications in the country.

“The I-G has reiterated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force, under his watch, to attain its primacy in the internal security architecture of Nigeria.

“In furtherance of his vision and painstaking drives to achieve his goals, the I-G will be meeting with Commanders of the Police Mobile Force Squadrons Commanders on Monday,”he said.

Adejobi said the I-G had also said that present leadership of the force had outlined an array of policing approaches that would be of immense importance to public safety.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

A middle-aged man, simply identified as Glory, on Friday, lost his life at Bethel Estate, a community in Oba-Ile, Akure, as flood continued to ravage more communities in the state capital.

According to the landlords association, the man, who was said to be a Federal Government worker, was coming from work when he was swept away by flood on Friday.

The Assistant Secretary of Landlord Association of Bethel Estate, Oba-Ile, Pastor Gbenga Ojuloge, confirmed the incident while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Akure.

Ojuloge said that the community needed government’s intervention to help dredge the waterways to prevent future occurrence.

NAN reports that several communities suffered from severe flooding on Saturday, as many access roads were cut off due to the rainfall that started on Friday and lasted more than 24 hours.

Ojuloge said that the waterway had turned into death trap, claiming lives every year.

He said that all the efforts made by the community to ensure that the flood was kept at bay every year had not yielded any result.

“We are using this opportunity to draw the attention of governments at all levels to what is going on in our community.

“This is the main access road to the community but the flood is already taking what we have used our sweats to construct.

“Everything you can see on the bridge was done by the landlords in the community, but we discover that the flood will just come and push everything away. So we are calling on government to come to our aid.

“On Friday, we lost a person here. This is because all the waters coming from Ijapo, Alagbaka and Oja-Oba are passing through here. So immediately it rains, there is no access to our community again,” he said.

Also speaking, one of the landlords, Mr Olusola Osupala, said once it rained, access to the estate was always cut off.

Osupala said that the community had written to several intervention agencies to help save the situation, but all to no avail.

Another landlady in the community, Mrs Oluwtosin Ibitoye, said that the death of the young man was painful, adding that she was part of the rescue party to save his life.

Ibitoye said once it rains, the road would be cut off, while residents would not be able to go in and out of the work again.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Inner Wheel (IW) District 911, an NGO, has pledged continuous support to humanitarian services for which the organisations is founded on.

The district’s Chairperson, Mrs Olufolake Ajayi, made the pledge during their Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos on Saturday.

Ajayi said that Inner Wheel Nigeria, a member of the International Inner Wheel (IIW) body operating under six district’s namely: D911, D912, D913, D916, D325 and D9110, was organised to promote true friendship and selfless ideals.

She thanked all members for being part of D911 success story in the 2022/2023 IW ‘Working Wonders’ year, saying that the district was regularly featured in the IIW news bulletin.

“Our year runs from July 1 to June 30 and when I started the year, I flagged off a vocational training and empowerment programme in August to empower 29 young adults.

“The training covered four different vocations in catering and confectionery, fashion designing, makeup artistry and information technology.

She added that the beneficiaries were each empowered with working tools relative to their vocations.

“Laptops, ovens, makeup kits and sewing machines were given out to ensure that the beneficiaries can be empowered to make a living for themselves in the society,” Ajayi said.

The chairman said that 11 widows were each empowered with N50,000 during the International Women’s Day celebration in March while 10 others were handed soft loans of N100,000 each.

“Also, the amount contributed by D911 Work Wonders Inner Wheel members was N300,000 towards the Pakistani Flood relief funds and N530,000 towards Syria, Turkey Earthquake Fund.

“D911 also collaborated with other district chairmen to alleviate the sufferings of some of our members in D916, affected by floods in Nigeria.

“Apparently, all clubs performed effectively well and the district was readily available to support and assist where and when necessary,” she said.

Ajayi, however, said that the district’s main challenge was the economic climate in Nigeria toward raising capitation fees to stay as members of the IIW organisation.

“With the current economic climate and unstable forex exchange forces, raising the money can sometimes be challenging,” she lamented.

The president promised to support the new chairman, who would be kicking-off her tenure in July 1, by guiding her so that the district could keep recording positive philanthropic feats.

The new district Chairman-elect, Mrs Magdalene Adegoke, said that the organisation sourced money from good citizens and charitable individuals to carry out humanitarian projects while promoting international understanding.

“The IW will be 100 years old in 2024 and I will happen to be the centenarian district chairman.

“I will continue to put smiles on the faces of the less privileged and continue with the trainings and empowerment projects.

“Since it’s a centenary year, anything that I’m going to do will be done in hundred folds, however, subject to the money that we will be able to raise for projects,” she said.

Adegoke said that her administration would also look inwards to cater for elderly members among them in the organisation as well as those in old people’s home.

In the same vein, Mrs Omotolani Martins, President, IW Club, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said that the organisation was all about service to humanity.

“If you can not give, you can not be in this club because your ability to reach out to the middle, poor and the less privilege is non-negotiable,” she said

Also, Ms Omolola Fakeye, Chartered President, IW club of LUTH said that Martin’s administration had done well in terms of carrying out diverse projects in LUTH especially, for the Accident and Emergency unit.

“Inner wheel club of LUTH appreciates the Lagos University Teaching Hospital management for their support all the time till date,” Fakeye said.

One of the beneficiaries of the training scheme, Ms Onye Ejiofor, said that she was elated to have been trained in baking and benefited ovens after the scheme.

“The ovens are very fantastic and I’ve been putting them to good use,” she said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has vowed to enforce Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) in bread processing in the country.

This is contained in a statement by the agency’s resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, on Sunday in Abuja.

The statement disclosed that NAFDAC’s Director-General (DG), Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, made this known during her meeting with members of the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Lagos State Chapter.

Represented by Mrs Eva Edwards, the agency’s Director, Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (FSAN), Adeyeye said the move would encourage the association’s special task force to rid the industry of unwholesome practices.

She urged members of the association and other confectionery stakeholders to always imbibe the culture of GHP for the benefit of the public.

The DG said that the agency would not compromise the quality of bread, a staple food among Nigerians.

She noted that the agency was sensitive to the increasing costs of ingredients in production, but said this should not be an excuse to undermine safety, quality and endanger the lives of consumers.

‘’You should have full confidence to give your family members what you have produced to eat. Avoid using expired raw materials and contaminated packaging materials.

“The overall objective of GHP in the food processing sector, including bakeries, quick service restaurants, is to ensure the safety of food from the starting materials to the final products.

“GHP must be strictly adhered to from the beginning to the end of the production process, as finished products should not be exposed to the ravaging onslaught of rats and other pests in the Lagos metropolis. ‘

“Food raw materials/ingredients that are not properly sealed, compromised packaging, infested by rodents or their droppings, or not adequately labelled, should not be used.

‘’Detergents, disinfectants, engine oil/lubricants should be kept away from food raw materials. If baking operations will endanger the health of the public, then the agency will not hesitate to take a decisive action.

“As a responsive agency, NAFDAC is prepared to support the association’s businesses to survive and thrive,” Adeyeye said.

She further stressed that production facilities should not be sited in locations that can compromise the safety and quality of the finished products, such as near a cemetery or directly opposite a toilet or soakaway.

According to her, there is no way the agency will stand aloof while the health of the public is put at a risk.

She further said that equipment used in production should be impervious and not erode or react with the food during processing.

Adeyeye said that the equipment should be properly installed and arranged to enable easy cleaning of the immediate environment, and allow for free movement of personnel.

She maintained that vehicles used for transportation of chemicals, or any hazardous materials should not be used to transport bread, and that finished products should be adequately protected from contamination.

According to her, medical tests should be conducted periodically to ensure that the personnel producing the food are healthy and do not have diseases that could be transmitted through food.

She said that food handlers are also not expected to work with open wounds; ‘’when they are ill, they should be excused from work.”

She said that the principles of food safety and GHP should be adopted and maintained in any food production or processing facility.

The NAFDAC boss advised the Master Bakers on the need for proper labelling of their products, which includes listing of the ingredients contained in the finished products.

She disclosed that the ingredients that weigh the most are listed first, while emphasising the importance of indicating date markings on the labels so that the consumers are properly informed accordingly.

The statement also quoted the Acting Chairman of the association, Lagos State Chapter, Mr Matthew Ayoola, as commending the initiative of NAFDAC by engaging his members on the way forward with their businesses.

He pledged that his members would use the knowledge imparted on them at the engagement to further enhance the quality of their products in the State.

Ayoola, however, disclosed that his association had set up a task force with a view to bringing forward any recalcitrant member to NAFDAC for necessary guidance towards compliance with the regulations, and sanctions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nasarawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board says the board was able to secured an accommodation closer to the Masjid Al-Haram for its pilgrims in Makkah as directed by Gov. Abdullahi Sule of the state.

The Executive Secretary, Alhaji Idris Al-Makura, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday in Makkah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

NAN reports that it’s the responsibility of state pilgrims boards to secure decent accommodations for their pilgrims in Makkah based on the arrangements with of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

Al-Makura said the board, aside from accommodating its pilgrims in a five-star hotel, also engaged the services of the best caterers to provide well-balanced diet to its contingent.

“Nasarawa State is blessed now because of the governor we have in power in the person of Engineer Abdullahi Sule.

“I am not bragging, but you can go to the Nasarawa State pilgrims accommodation in Makkah to confirm by yourself.

“It’s only Nasarawa State pilgrims that were accommodated in about 0.6.8 kilometers to the Masjid Al-Haram. That’s less than one kilometer to the Haram.

“There is no other state in Nigeria that is closer to the holy mosque than Nasarawa pilgrims and this was achieved because of the commitment of our governor and we will continue to put him in prayers for him to record more achievements.”

The executive secretary called on all Nasarawa pilgrims to reciprocate the gesture of the governor by exhibiting good conduct throughout the hajj period from Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah till they return to Nigeria.

“Myself and the management staff of the board held a meeting with all the pilgrims and admonished them to continue to protect the image of Nigeria not just Nasarawa State.

“And they should exhibit a good conduct, they should stay where they ask them to stay in Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah and also to avoid going to where they are cautioned not to go near.”

Source: News Agency of Nigeria