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MOMAN gets new executive secretary

MOMAN gets new executive secretary
By Yunus Yusuf
MOMAN
Lagos, June 12, 2018 (NAN) Mr Obafemi Olawore, the Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), has retired from the organisation after 17 years in the saddle.
He is however succeeded by Mr Clement Isong.
Isong, at a news conference in Lagos on Tuesday, said that Olawore’s exit would create a serious vacuum for the association.
According to him, Olawore at several times champion the need for liberalisation of the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry to attract more investors.
Isong said that having mounted the saddle as the first executive secretary of MOMAN at a time of great uncertainty, Olawore was able to advance the objectives of the organisation while championing its position at major policy dialogue sessions.
“Olawore was executive secretary of MOMAN for 17 years and his tenure was excellently managed.
“It is on record that Olawore acquitted himself well on the job, liaising with all the major regulatory organisations such as DPR, PPPRA, PEF and others supervising the operations of the downstream sector as well as forging alliances with other industry on critical industry positions.
“A firm believer on the need for a deregulated downstream as opposed to operating in a subsidy regime where the government dictates prices.
“Olawore believes that Nigeria needs to borrow from successful market and competitive models where the market dictates prices and competition raises value and innovation to the benefit of the consumer,” he said.
The new scribe however said that the strides and achievements over the years of his predecessor would create a strong launch-pad for the next phase in the history of MOMAN.
Responding, Olawore lauded the support of the management in proving enabling environment for him to work.
The retired MOMAN scribe said that Isong is equally an experienced industry professional, who previously plied his trade at Total Nigeria.
He said Isong held various senior management positions across the company’s Africa operations from Nigeria to South Africa before taking up his new appointment as the executive secretary of MOMAN.
NAN reports that MOMAN is an industry comprising all the major players in Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas industry, which include Total, 11Plc (formerly Mobil Oil Nigeria), Conoil, Forte Oil, OVH Energy and MRS. (NAN)
YO/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

APC National Convention scribe resigns

APC National Convention scribe resigns
By Emmanuel Mogbede
Resignation
Abuja, June 2, 2018 (NAN) The Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Convention Committee, Sen. Benjamin Uwajumogu, has resigned his appointment.
Uwajumogu told newsmen on Saturday in Abuja that he took the decision for personal reasons to attend to some family issues.
He also explained the decision was especially to douse tension and calm fraying nerves, and to advance the progress of the APC in Imo.
He thanked the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for the privilege given him to serve.
The former scribe also thanked all those who stood by him and wished the National Convention Committee and the entire party a successful conclusion of the exercise slated for June 23.
Uwajumogu who said his resignation letter had been received by the party’s leadership, debunked insinuations that he embezzled the committee funds.
He maintained that he had kept a clean record and judiciously utilised all funds that were made available to the committee since it was inaugurated.
He, however, alleged that Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo is a “massive basket of fraud”.
This, he said, was especially so because most projects that were said to have been developed by the state government were non-existent.
He added that the governor should have been in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but for the impunity he presently enjoys.
According to him, Okorocha is running Imo as his personal estate, a development, he said, was now the concern of the entire South-East region.
Besides, he further claimed that the governor had lost popularity in the region because of his style of governance and high handedness.
He, however, said that the region had endorsed the second term in office of three officers from the region who are members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
He noted that the decision was not accepted by Okorocha whom he said was also not comfortable with his position as secretary of the national convention committee.
“Now that I have resigned as secretary of the committee, I hope Gov. Okorocha will accept the results that will come out from the National Convention,” Uwajumogu said. (NAN)
EEM/DOR/MST
Edited by Nyisom Dore/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Over 90% of Nigerians not captured by NHIS – Executive Secretary

Over 90% of Nigerians not captured by NHIS – Executive Secretary
NAN-H-51
NHIS
BY Muhammad Nasir Bello
Sokoto, Feb. 15, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Yusuf Usman, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), said on Thursday that over 90 per cent of Nigerians eligible for the scheme have not been covered.
Usman said this in Sokoto at a public hearing on a bill to provide for Contributory Health Care Management scheme organised by the state House of Assembly.
He noted that a lot need to be done to realise health for all Nigerians under the Universal Health Coverage.
The executive secretary urged the public not to be distracted by what they hear on or read in the media about his reinstatement by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Don’t be distracted by what you are hearing on the media. The real thing, it is corruption fighting us and we will fight back to keep faith with our responsibilities to Nigerians.
“We are here to work for our people and the country, and anybody who think we are doing it for ourselves or our office that person is missing the point,” he said.
Usman further said that he would not in any way be discouraged in his efforts at providing the required services to Nigerians.
He commended the Sokoto State Government effort at creating a sister agency in the state.
He assured that NHIS would support all states of the federation to create similar agencies for the benefit of citizens.
The Speaker, Sokoto state House of Assembly, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, represented by the House Leader, Mr Garba Bello (APC-Yabo), said the event was organised to collate the input of the public.
“This is to ensure that the bill is all encompassing as regards to the yearning and aspirations of the citizens before its passage by the Assembly,” he said.
He noted that the NHIS, which did not cover some major areas of health concerns, was primarily aimed at easy access of healthcare services at affordable cost.
“In line with our legislative responsibilities, we require an objective, factual and timely information for informed decisions for the benefit of the electorate.
“Therefore, the assembly deems it fit to ensure public hearing is conducted on every bill that affects the lives of the citizens.
“The scheme will cover all residents, all sexes and ages, all ailments and will be run from primary to tertiary health facilities across the the state,” the speaker said.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, said that the state government was concerned with passion to deliver quality healthcare services for people in the state.
He said that the bill was timely and necessary due to the health challenges and the need to provide easy access to facilities to the poor at low cost.
The commissioner disclosed that the state had earmarked N100 million for the take off of the health contributory scheme fund. (NAN)
BMN/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

FCT Administration seeks $100m AfDB BRT loan

FCT Administration seeks $100m AfDB BRT loan

NAN-H-107

Transportation

By Kabir Muhammad

Abuja, Feb. 17, 2017 (NAN) The Secretary, FCT Transportation Secretariat, Alhaji Hamid Suleiman, says the administration has applied for a loan of $100 million from the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the provision of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

Suleiman disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja

According to him, the BRT will be plying from the Eagle Square in Abuja to Auta Balaifi in Nasarawa State.

However, he explained that the loan was not part of the Federal Government borrowing plan.

“Meanwhile, $950,000 CTF grant has been approved for preparatory study of the pilot BRT corridor which is between Eagle Square and Auta Balaifi in Nasarawa state,’’ he said.

He said that the Nigerian Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF) is sponsored by Department for International Development (DfID) and administered by Adam Smith International of London is a support.

“It is to facilitate and accelerate infrastructure reform and policy development, institutional strengthening, legislation, capacity building, planning and regulation.

“NIAF has successfully conducted studies on FCT Travel Demand Survey, Conceptual Design of BRT infrastructure.

“It has also conducted viability studies of BRT services for FCT with the supervision of the BTR & TR,’’ he said.

The scribe noted that there has been improvement to ensure safety and orderly flow of traffic in the city.

Suleiman said the improvement include road markings, installation of traffic signs and signals, installation of delineators and other traffic control devices.

He said there was also the provision of cat-eye road signs, construction of bus shelters, installation of red light cameras and removal of speed bumps where necessary. (NAN)

KM/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola