NNPC Targets 650,000bpd Refining Capacity, Opens Bids for Co-location of Plants 'Kachikwu did not say Fuel scarcity would end by April 7'
Chineme Okafor in Abuja with agency report
In its bid to reduce fuel importation in the foreseeable future, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that nine companies have submitted bids for the co-location of new
refineries within the complexes of its three existing refineries in Kaduna, Warri and Port Harcourt. This is just at the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,
Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has clarified that he never informed the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) last Tuesday that the fuel shortages will end between April 5 and
7, but assured THISDAY in a phone conversation that concrete measures had but put in place to end them soon. NNPC said in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr.
Garuba Deen Mohammed, that the open bid exercise was a demonstration of the determination of the federal government and NNPC to increase the nation’s refining
Electricity Restored After System Collapse... Page 12
capacity from 445,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 650,000bpd. It quoted its chief operating officer (COO) of refineries, Mr. Anibo Kragha as making this disclosure when the technical bids of the companies were opened in Abuja. Continued on page 6
Friday 1 April, 2016 Vol 21. No 7645. Price: N150
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TODAY'S WEATHER
ABUJA 16°C-33°C
MAIDUGURI 15°C-35°C
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& RE A S O
ENUGU 22°C-34°C
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KANO 11°C-33°C
LAGOS 23C-31°C
PORT HARCOURT 20°C-30°C
Buhari Confirms THISDAY Report, Says He’ll Review Budget Before Assent US authorities to meet with EFCC on return of stolen funds Plans $600m investment in Nigeria
Tobi Soniyi in Washington D.C.
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in Washington D.C. confirmed THISDAY’s exclusive report on Monday, when he said that he would critically review the 2016 Appropriation Bill passed by the National Assembly
before assenting to it. Speaking at a meeting with the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, Buhari said that in view of the controversial alterations and padding of the budget proposal, he needed to review the Appropriation Bill to be Continued on page 6
World Bank to Spend $800m in Rebuilding N’East Ndubuisi Francis in Abuja The World Bank is setting aside $800 million in support of the rebuilding of infrastructure devastated by years of Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast. The United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Fatma Samoura, who disclosed this yesterday, stated that the global body was increasing its presence in Borno and other Northeastern states
devastated by insurgency. Samoura, who is also the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Nigeria, spoke in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, during a courtesy visit to Governor Kashim Shettima. She, however, expressed regret that the UN was having challenges in mobilising resources for Nigeria in view of the humanitarian crises in Continued on page 8
OBASANJO AS STATESMAN
L-R: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prince Andrew of Britain, and Mr. Dayo Israel, who received the Outstanding Service to the Commonwealth Award, during the Commonwealth Day Service and Commonwealth Africa Summit, which held recently in London and had in attendance the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, former UN Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Anan and other members of the British royal family