Reunion Wire

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) on Thursday dismissed allegations of misappropriation of funds levelled against the leadership of the commission by its union members.

NUPRC management made this known in a statement issued in Abuja while reacting to the protest and allegations by the local branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The union, while protesting what they termed among others, the escalating critical concerns affecting staff welfare in the commission, made several allegations against Mr Gbenga Komolafe, the Commission Chief Officer (CCE).

Responding, the NUPRC management said that the allegations were deliberately aimed at seeking cheap attention and disparaging the integrity of the commission’s chief executive for purely sinister motives.

On the matter of purported illegal recruitment, it stated that the exercise carried out by the board was done in compliance with all procedures, and compliance certificate issued by the relevant organ.

It described the accusation of ‘appalling’ workers welfare as baseless, adding that staff were granted all entitlements and were adequately paid in line with the terms and conditions of service which had been greatly enhanced over the period.

NUPRC said the issue of sundry claims and travel expenses raised during the protest were paid from time to time depending on the availability of funds.

It stated that the imputation that the management misappropriated N10 billion virement and donated billions to political parties was libellous and entirely unsubstantiated.

“The purveyors of the falsehood are challenged to publish details of the account of the commission from where the donations originated and the accounts of the political parties involved where the N4 billion and N10 billion were deposited.

“Equally, the financial source documents (invoices) utilised to make the donations ought to be published.

“There is no way N14 billion can leave the coffers of the commission without trace, especially given how funds are allocated to the commission,” it said.

It stated that there was no truth in the accusation of inflation of contracts at the NUPRC, adding that the commission approved a sustainable template for the engagement and payment of external solicitors engaged by the commission.

According to the NUPRC management, the legal fees paid by the commission comply with the limit set by the Attorney General of the Federation who has the constitutional powers to issue such fiat.

“The framework has ensured that the very best lawyers are engaged by the commission and the legal fees expended are a reflection of the complexity and high financial exposure of the cases involved.”

The NUPRC management further stated that the allegation that it wasted N900 million on “dubious” sensitisation workshops, was without basis.

It added that adequate sensitisation of key provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 were necessary to ensure effective implementation.

“Specifically, justification for sensitisation on the provisions of Host Communities Development Trust (HCDT) across the Niger Delta region is apparent due to the high level of crude oil theft and vandalism of petroleum infrastructure with its devastating impact on Federation revenue.

“The sensitisation workshops were approved by the appropriate authority in line with due process and duly executed by the Health, Safety, Environment and Community (HSEC) department in line with the scope of duties and responsibilities.

“It is important to note that 13 slots of sensitisation campaigns were earmarked upon in 13 strategic locations within the oil producing zones and the campaigns are still ongoing.

“All documentary evidence including publications and video footage of the campaigns can be sought and obtained from the executive commissioner HSEC,” it said.

On the claim that it allegedly spent N500 million on renovations, it said it inherited offices used by the defunct Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which was only a subsidiary of the defunct Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

“The appointment of executive commissioners and recruitment of 140 extra staff given the new and added responsibilities of the NUPRC necessitated reorganisation and renovation of the commission’s offices across the country to accommodate its operations.

“Therefore, some of the offices, including those in the zones and fields, had to be restructured, refurbished and furnished to accommodate additional personnel and replace old and damaged furniture and equipment inherited at inception.”

The NUPRC said it didn’t spend N1.5 billion on luxury transportation, including flying private jets and first class, insisting that there was no time that the commission chartered private jets for the commission’s chief executive.

“The purveyors are challenged to publish the account details and invoices supporting the transactions in their nefarious claims.

“The terms and conditions of service as approved by the governing board in accordance with the provisions of the PIA clearly stipulate the classes of tickets for the purpose of international travel for all categories of staff including the commission chief executive.

“It is worth indicating here that the CCE is not a sole administrator, but operates under the guidance of supervisory structures emplaced by the PIA 2021 and the federal government.”

They union had on Tuesday and Wednesday held protests and barricaded the office entrance, alleging poor welfare, non-payment of outsourced personnel and 2023 staff medicals as well as outstanding upfront allowances.

Others according to them include non-remittance of pension deductions from staff salaries, poor working environment, insufficient working tools and outstanding salaries payment, among others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), has entered into strategic partnership with NIPCO Gas Limited to develop 56 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) stations across the country.

The NNPC Ltd said the partnership was part of its commitment to reducing carbon footprint and providing cheaper alternative fuel to motorists.

Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Malam Mele Kyari, Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., said the initiative was in addition to the phased deployment of 56 CNG stations planned by NNPC Retail across the country.

Kyari said the collaboration would expand the country’s CNG infrastructure, improve access to CNG, and accelerate the adoption of cheaper and cleaner alternative fuel to be used by buses, cars and tricycle, popularly called Keke NAPEP.

Speaking on its price when operational, Kyari said CNG price per kg would be determined by market forces, adding that the price would be very affordable because gas was more stable than petroleum.

He said the project would bring multiple benefits to Nigerians, including access to cheaper fuel, reduced cost of transportation, reduced carbon emission, create new business value chains and streams of job opportunities.

“Under the NNPC-NIPCO strategic partnership, 35 state-of-the-art CNG stations will be constructed nationwide, including three Mother stations.

“Once fully operational, the stations can service over 200,000 vehicles daily, thereby significantly reducing carbon emissions and associated impact on climate.

“The project will be rolled out in phases. The first phase, comprising 21 CNG stations, will support intra-city transportation and be ready by the first quarter of 2024.

“The second phase, comprising 35 CNG stations, will support inter-city transformation and will be ready by the first quarter of 2025,” he said.

To deepen and sustain this initiative, the GCEO said the NNPC Ltd. had floated NNPC Prime LNG Limited for domestic LNG production and supply.

He said the deployment phases would be in Short, medium and long term.

He explained that the short term would cover immediate deployment in major cities, utilising existing NNPC Retail and NIPCOS stations to co-locate the CNG refueling stations and also provide workshop for vehicle conversion/retrofit.

“The Medium Term will cover deployment across the country to deepen the utilisation across the country to provide more vehicle conversion workshops and partner with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMS) for supply of re-fuelling stations, conversion kits LNG/CNG trucks, among others.

“The long term will cover In-Country Production to capture and penetrate regional markets with design and production of key refueling equipment, conversion kits among others,” he said.

He said it was also collaborating with Miju Auto Gas, a leading CNG kit OEM, based in India, to set up training and conversion centres to facilitate in-country conversion of vehicles from petrol to CNG.

According to him, NIPCO Gas Limited is currently operating 14 CNG stations across Nigeria and has converted over 7,000 vehicles to run on CNG.

He further explained that NIPCO’s technical competence and field experience will bolster the initiative’s success and amplify its positive impact on the nation’s economy.

Speaking, the Managing Director, NIPCO, Mr Nagendra verma, said working with NNPC Ltd would deepen gas utilisation.

Verma, while stating that it has 12 years experience in the distribution of auto CNG, added that NIPCO would continuously work with NNPC Ltd towards gas market expansion.

He assured that it would meet the expectations of Nigerians in providing economic fuel.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The IREDE Foundation (TIF), an NGO focused on supporting children living with limb loss, has called for inclusive budgeting and implementation of Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) policies for children with disabilities

Mrs Crystal Chigbu, the Executive Director TIF, said this at a Town hall Meeting on Mainstreaming Disability-Inclusive Budgeting for Children with Disabilities in Abuja.

Chigbu said the call became imperative because in spite of the numerous policies and laws on PWDs in Nigeria, fiscal provisions like budgetary allocation to operationalise these laws at all level of government have not been as expected.

She said PWDs still suffer the same challenges of discrimination, and marginalisation among others even in the budget process.

“We carried out a baseline line survey about two years ago and realised that there was no budget set aside for education for children with disabilities and as a result, they are not mainstreamed into education.

“So, you find out that a lot of children with disabilities stay back home because they are not able to go to school, even those that want to go to the inclusive schools their houses are probably very far away from the schools.

“The teachers are not well equipped to deliver effectively and as a result, the children are left behin .The whole essence of this project is for us to bring the attention of the government to this.

“This is so that going forward, we can start to have the education of children with disabilities being budgeted for because we know if its been budgeted for then we have the likelihood to have it implemented.’’

According to Chigbu, it is critical for us that this happens, that is the whole essence of this project.

She said the foundation inspires actions so that child amputees and their families would live an independent and limitless life and advocate for the full implementation of inclusive education legal frameworks at all levels.

“Inclusive education is not just a mere concept but a core of the foundation, it is our belief that children with disabilities should have equal access to quality education within mainstream schools, alongside their peers without disability.

“An inclusive environment fosters empathy, compassion, and understanding among children, which ultimately creates a more inclusive society.

“Inclusive education does not only improve academic outcomes, but also enhances social skills, self-esteem, and overall well-being of that child.

“ When we embrace inclusive education, we are paving the way for a future where children with disabilities can lead independent and self-sufficient lives,’’she said

Chigbu said that the town hall meeting brought together different stakeholders from the organisations of persons with disabilities, parents, policy makers, people who can in one way or the other affect decisions at the national and state levels.

This, she said was to ensure quality access to education for children with disabilities.

Mrs Angela Ajala ,TIF, Board Member and Education Expert ,said that inclusive education was not just about providing equal access, it was about fostering inclusive minds that celebrate diversity and embrace collaboration.

Ajala said that prioritising disability-inclusive budgeting would empower schools and educators to provide tailored support and resources to children with disabilities, ensuring that no one was left behind.

She said that the town hall meeting provided an excellent opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences and reflect on how best to design and implement effective and sustainable collaborative practices toward inclusive education for children with disabilities.

“Together, we have made substantial progress in mainstreaming disability-inclusive budgeting for children with disabilities. However, our journey is far from over.

“Let us reawaken our collaborative spirit, for it is through our collective efforts that we can truly make inclusive education a reality for every child. But we cannot stop here

“Let us reawaken our determination to make inclusive education a budgetary priority.’’

Mr Theophilus Odaudu, the Programme Manager, West Africa, Disability Rights Fund (DRF), said DRF provides support to organisations of PWDs across the group look to advance disability rights .

Odaudu said the support to the project by Irede Foundation for children with disabilities was hinged upon the principle of `leaving no one behind and not in for us without us’.

“As an organisation, we support persons with disabilities or provide even more support to those who are marginalised among the community like children with disability, whose voices are hardly heard.

“So, this project is meant to project the needs of children with disabilities, to advance their rights and to call for more budgetary allocation to ensure that issues that has to do with children with disabilities are not left behind.’’

Odaudu said that Nigeria has a lot of policies and laws on paper but the challenge lied with implementation.

He, therefore, called on ogranisations to continue the advocacy to ensure that policies where not just on paper but implemented.

He also called for increased budgetary allocation, accountability and monitoring to see how it could bt well channeled to ensure that children with disabilities benefited from it.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria