Friday 17 May 2019
BUSINESS DAY
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news Edo 2020: Gowon endorses Obaseki for second term … says he is doing exceptionally well
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ormer Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, has endorsed G overnor Godwin Obaseki for a second term in office, noting that the governor has done exceptionally well in infrastructure and economic development in the state. Gowon, who is in the state with his wife, Victoria Gown, to attend the Founder’s Day celebration of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), urged the governor to continue the good work he has started. According to Gowon, “I was in Edo when he was elected governor of the state. I know the efforts he has contributed in the state. He should continue the good works he is doing as governor. He is doing exceptionally well.” He described Edo State as his second home, and that he was happy to be in the state, adding, “I am in Benin
to chair the 46th Founders’ Day anniversary of the UBTH and to launch the endowment fund to improve the institution’s service delivery. My wife is also here. She unveiled the institution 46 years ago.” Governor Obaseki commended Gowon for taking a special interest in the development of Edo State, noting that the establishment of UBTH and the University of Benin (UNIBEN) during his time as Head of State brought immense development to the state. “As far back as 40 years ago, he took a special interest in Edo State. He came with his wife and unveiled federal institutions in the state. That passion and commitment is still there and he decided to come again to add more value to what he started. It is something we should be proud of and thankful about,” the governor said.
UK-based Yinka Macaulay gives back to the needy Seyi John Salau
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rrangements are being concluded by Ibiyinka Macaulay, the UK-based businessman and brain behind the Ibiyinka Macaulay Foundation (IBMAC) to return to Lagos and give back to the needy members of society. The events will be kicked off with a press conference on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at the Civic Event Centre, 39, Modele Street, by Barracks Bus Stop, Surulere, at 12 noon. Immediately after this, he, along with family members and friends will pay visits and make donations to selected orphanages also at the Surulere axis of the state. The second phase of the donations will be held on Monday, May 20 2019. Specifically, this will involve the commissioning of boreholes, refurbishment of toilets, as well as the presentation of generators and television
sets to three lucky schools. The beneficiaries include Ajigbeda Girls High School, Salvation Army Primary School and Adebola Gibson Memorial Primary School, all in Surulere, Lagos. Furthermore, the round of donations will be concluded on May 21, with the feeding of the homeless people at the EbuteMetta area of the state. According to the philanthropist, he is compelled to assist the needy to show gratitude to God for sustaining his life, after surviving some serious health challenges which he has faced in the UK. For instance, in October 2011, he developed an infection called septicaemia. This resulted in septic shock. He woke up only to find himself at the Liver Intensive Care Unit of Kings College Hospital, London, after he had been in a state of coma for 14 weeks! But that was not all to his health challenge.
Police uncover plots to attack, destroy oil facilities … warn of dire consequences for law breakers Innocent Odoh, Abuja
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he Nigeria Police Force say they uncovered specific plots by some subversive elements who would be masquerading as climate and environmental activists to commence massive and coordinated attacks on oil installations across the country, especially in the Niger-Delta region and adjoining states. This was disclosed on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, stressing that these plots, which are politically motivated, are aimed at sabotaging oil instal-
lations with intended negative consequences on national security, economic development and global oil market. Consequently, he said the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had ordered Commissioners of Police nationwide, and particularly in designated states, to intensify their surveillance missions around oil facilities and other critical national infrastructure. The Commissioners of Police and other field Commanders had also been directed to put in place proactive measures aimed at neutralising these subversive threats and bringing the plotters to book, Mba said. www.businessday.ng
Collaborating to power Nigeria: L-R: M. K. Balaji, off grid sector lead, Power Africa Nigeria; Bamidele Faparusi, Ekiti State commissioner of infrastructure and public utilities; Ifunanya Nwandu-Dozie, SHS lead, Rural Electrification Agency/World Bank Nigeria Electrification Project; Wiebe Boer, CEO, All On; Olalere Odusote, Energy Lead, Lagos State Transition Team; Dozie Okpalaobieri, senior energy advisor, African Development Bank, at the quarterly Nigerian off grid energy sector donor/investor coordination meeting in Lagos.
Global energy investment stabilises at $1.8trn in 2018 MIKE OCHONMA
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new report on global energy investment in 2018 points to an ongoing misalignment between approved expenditure on new fuel and power projects and meeting the twin goals of security of supply and decarbonisation. The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) ‘World Energy Investment 2019’ report, released this week, states that global energy investment stabilised at $1.8 trillion in 2018, following three consecutive years of decline. Power investments, at $775 billion, continued to outpace fuel investments for the third year in a row. The gap narrowed, however, as a result of a 4 percent rise in upstream oil and gas investment to $505 billion. Expenditure on renewable energy declined, while energy efficiency
investment remained flat. The report attributes the fall in renewables investment partly to a flattening in net capacity additions, but also to a fall in the costs of technologies such as solar photovoltaic, onshore wind and battery storage. After adjusting for cost declines, renewables investment activity is up by 55 percent since 2010. Nevertheless, the IEA cautions that output from low-carbon power investment is failing to keep pace with demand and that a doubling of renewables spending is needed to align spending with climate commitments made as part of the Paris Agreement. Meeting the climate targets would also require more investment in nuclear and a rising level of spending on electricity networks, the IEA states. In fact, the report points to a marked divergence between the investment decisions in 2018 – which
NIMASA commences process to end gas emission on vessels AMAKA ANAGOR-
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s part of efforts to end greenhouse gas emissions from vessels, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on May 10 had an inaugural installation of a fuel consumption data collection device, known as the Thorium-X tablet, on board a Nigerian-flagged fuel tanker vessel, named MT KINGIS. The pilot project came as fallout of the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) conference held in Kenya in March, aimed at reducing fuel consumption by vessels. It was also targeted at developing countries, and Nigeria was made a priority and nominated for the pilot project. Speaking at the ceremony, Dakuku Peterside, director-general of NIMASA, reiterated the Agency’s commitment to global best practices in the execution of its mandate of regulating the maritime industry. Peterside, who was represented by Felicia Mogo, head of the Marine Environment Management Unit at NIMASA, said the agency was ensuring that Nigeria
kept to global best practices with a commendable track record in administration and regulation in the maritime sector. “NIMASA was chosen to lead the project in Nigeria, being the chosen country in the West and Central Africa region. This pilot project will last a year but the data will be reported to the Kenyan portal, then it goes to the IMO global portal after every voyage,” he said. “Reports will be collated and sent after a three-month period. The findings and analysis are then recorded and reported at the end of the year to inform the country the amount of fuel being consumed annually on each voyage and how much GHG is being emitted,” he said. The launch of the fuel consumption data collection device is in line with the decision of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to reduce fuel consumption by vessels as well as Green House Gases (GHG) and Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission on voyages. NIMASA was nominated to operate the project in Nigeria, which has become a focal point and so nominated as a country of interest in Africa for the pilot project.
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included continued growth in global coal power fleet, despite a 3% fall in overall coal power investment to $60-billion – and the investments required to remain consistent with the climate commitments made in the Paris Agreement. In addition, new conventional oil and gas projects fall short of what would be needed to meet continued robust demand growth. “The bottom line is that the world is not investing enough in traditional elements of supply to maintain today’s consumption patterns, nor is it investing enough in cleaner energy technologies to change course, IEA executive director Fatih Birol says. “Whichever way you look, we are storing up risks for the future.” The report also highlights an ongoing imbalance in the geographical spread of energy investments, with nearly 90% of energy investment in 2018 concentrated in high- and upper-middle income countries
and regions. “High-income countries, with just over 15% of the global population, accounted for over 40% of energy investment in 2018.” In sub-Saharan Africa, energy investments declined 15% compared with three years ago, owing to the fall in oil and gas spending offsetting a small increase in renewables. Power investment in the region grew 8% in 2018 and has grown by over 80% since 2010. This growth has all come from generation, over 65% of which was in renewables. Spending on grids – critical for electrifying a large part of the population without access and connecting new generation – has stagnated. “In many countries, investment is hampered by weak regulatory frameworks, lengthy project timelines, persistent financial strains on utilities and limited public finance,” the report states.
Special Olympics Nigeria commemorates World Malaria Day Anthony Nlebem
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pecial Olympics Nigeria, through its ExxonMobil Foundation sponsored Skillz for Life initiative, celebrated the 2019 World Malaria Day in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, recently at the Home School for Handicapped, Ijokodo, Ibadan. The event themed “Zero Malaria Starts with Me,” witnessed a series of activities such as the Family Health Forum (FHF), where Health Talks on Malaria and HIV with demonstrations, Voluntary Counselling and Testing on Malaria and HIV, distribution of mosquito nets and a Unified soccer tournament. In an opening remark by Sylvester Oboh, project coordinator, Special Olympics Nigeria Skillz for Life Programme, stated that, despite the availability of a cure for malaria, it has remained a killer disease across the country. Hence, the need for a continued awareness creation and provision of necessary support to communities prone to malaria especially for people with intellectual disabilities. “We also @Businessdayng
express our profound gratitude to our partners like ExxonMobil for their support, we have achieved a lot over the years in helping parents of children with special needs” he added. Sylvester also noted that, the delay in this year’s celebration was to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities PWID’s in the state’s education system had the chance to participate in the celebration following the Easter holidays. The event also recorded a huge turn out with over 350 People with Intellectual Disabilities and their family members from all over Ibadan and its surrounding environs in attendance. Also, in attendance were community members from around the Ijokodo community who were truly amazed at the great work Special Olympics Nigeria is doing with PWIDs in the state. Also addressing guests at the event on malaria infection, causes, prevention and treatment was Olusegun Ralph of Royal Heritage Health Foundation, who stated that, Malaria infection is transmitted when bitten by a female anopheles mosquito.