Burning oil fields in Iraq poses threat to civilians – UNEP
NAN-F-26
Field
Cairo, Oct. 27, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Near-suffocation due to what appears to be a scorched-earth policy employed by Islamic State militants is causing further suffering to civilians in Northern Iraq, a UN agency said on Thursday.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement fires are set in an apparent response to the ongoing military offensive to drive the extremist group out of its stronghold of Mosul.
It said that a total of 19 oil wells have been set ablaze by armed groups near the town of Qayyarah, South-east of Mosul, with citizens and security forces exposed to toxic fumes.
Iraqi authorities have blamed the blazes on Islamic State.
The agency said that last week, stockpiles of poisonous materials stored at the Mishraq Sulphate Factory near Mosul also caught fire, leading to a large toxic plume spreading over dozens of km.
“Iraqi health authorities, supported by the World Health Organisation, treated more than 1,000 cases of suffocation in towns and villages bordering Mosul.
“This week, a water plant was reportedly affected by fighting, leading to a chlorine gas leak,’’ UNEP said without specifying the location of the facility.
UN Environment Chief Erik Solheim has described it as sad episode. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/AFA
Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Felix Ajide
============================
NAN-HE-22
Oil
Ismaila Chafe
Abuja, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari says there is the need to instil a new culture of transparency and efficiency in the
nation’s oil and gas industry to increase production.
Buhari stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the public presentation of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources’ 7 BIG WINS – a short and medium
term priorities to grow Nigeria’s oil and gas industry from 2015 to 2019.
He stated that an efficient oil and gas industry will ensure that agriculture, solid minerals, and other critical sectors of the economy
are supported to grow and contribute more to the nation’s economy.
Cue in audio 1 (Buhari)
“There is also a dire need to instil a new culture of transparency and efficiency in the industry, streamline operations along best practices
by championing and implementing strategic reforms at every layer of the industry.
“This will help us improve oil and gas production, explore our frontier basins, improve our local refining capacity, and above all
build sustainable partnerships with the oil producing communities.
“If we are able to plug the leakages and tighten loose systems that characterized this industry in the days of high oil prices, we are
convinced that we can do even more with the little that we are getting at the moment, than we did even in the time of plenty.’’
Cue out audio 1 (Buhari)
The President maintained that the petroleum industry remained critical to the Nigerian economy of today and the future in spite of the
current challenges.
“The golden era of high oil prices may not be here now, but oil and gas resources still remain the most immediate and practical keys out
of our present economic crisis.’’
He said oil and gas resources remained critical enablers for the successful implementation of the nation’s budget as well as the source
of funds for laying a strong foundation for a new and more diversified economy.
According to him, this is a national imperative and a core thrust of his administration’s economic policy.
He reaffirmed his administration’s determination to resolve the socio-economic and security challenges in the Niger Delta region.
He reassured that his administration’s resolve and capacity to work with all stakeholders to restore normalcy would guarantee success in
the Niger Delta region.
Cue in audio 2 (Buhari)
“As you are aware, recent developments in the Niger Delta have temporarily limited our oil and gas production and supplies.
“However, let me reaffirm that whatever challenges we are currently facing in the region, our resolve and capacity to work with all
stakeholders to restore normalcy will guarantee success.’’
Cue out audio 2 (Buhari)
Buhari congratulated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachickwu, and his staff for their foresight and vision for the
oil and gas industry.
According to the President, the oil and gas roadmap reflects the vision and aspiration of his administration for the oil and gas
sector.
He, therefore, urged all stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to deliver on the expectations contained in the Petroleum Industry
Road map.
The President solicited the support and cooperation of the media, local and foreign investors as well as other critical stakeholders in
the oil and gas industry “as we seek to consolidate CHANGE in this very important sector of our national economy’’.
In his remarks, Kachickwu explained that the public presentation of the short and medium term priorities to grow the Nigerian oil and gas
industry was aimed at developing a stable and enabling oil and gas landscape with improved transparency, efficiency and stable investment
climate.
He expressed the hope that the ongoing reform in the oil and gas sector would provide huge investment opportunities in infrastructure
development, oil and gas facilities, operations and maintenance across the oil and gas value chain.
Cue in audio 3 (Kachikwu)
“We can decide today to face the current challenges and build our economy using our bountiful gas resources.
“In just a few years, if we work hard, we can see Nigeria become a net exporter of petroleum products rather than an importer, something
that will have very dramatic effect on our foreign exchange earnings and reduce the pressure on foreign reserves.
“We can begin to work to create thousands of jobs that will be of great benefit to the host communities.
“We can begin to attract investments and make Nigeria a citadel of investment as an investment destination in Africa and we can begin to
take our rightful place in the comity of nations and develop policies that are essential to move the industry forward.”
Cue out audio 3 (Kachikwu)
The minister announced that Buhari would meet with stakeholders from the Niger Delta and oil producing communities as part of efforts to
achieve lasting peace in the region.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlights of the event were the broadcast of the television documentary and the
presentation of the 7 Big Wins by President Muhammadu Buhari. (NAN)
SYC/YEE
Edited by Emmanuel Yashim
=====================
NEPC advises entrepreneurs to adopt zero oil businesses
NAN-H-51
By Muhammad Adam
Export
Yola, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has advised business stakeholders in Adamawa to adopt zero oil plan to boost their revenue generation.
Mr Ambikpute Andy, the Regional Coordinator of the council, gave the advice during a one-day stakeholders’ forum on zero oil plan held in Yola on Thursday.
Andy, who said the era of depending on oil money was over, tasked participants to diversify their economy to the non-oil revenue generation.
“I called on the business people of Adamawa to adopt the zero oil plans with the aim of diversifying the economy of the state for increased revenue generation.
“It will ensure job creation, poverty reduction and increased revenue profile of the state,” he said.
He said that among the reasons for organising the forum was for the state to effectively develop its non-oil sector.
He said that the forum would create opportunity to share experiences and perspectives from different critical sectors.
Mr Geoffrey Garba, Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Commerce and Industries, said that the forum was at the time when government was making efforts to boost its revenue generation.
Garba said that presently, the state government was making arrangement with some local and foreign firms to explore the huge solid mineral deposit in Adamawa. (NAN)
AMA/IKU/MST
Edited by Tayo Ikujuni/Muhammad Suleiman Tola
NAN-HE-24
Forum
Birnin Kebbi Oct 27 2016 (NAN) The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Kebbi says it will soon launch its agent banking programme to extend financial services to the rural areas.
The Branch Controller of the bank, Hajiya Asmaú Baba, said this at a customers from in Birnin kebbi on Thursday .
She said under the scheme agents of the bank would be providing financial services to customers in areas without banks.
Baba said the bank wanted ensure financial inclusion of grassroots communities, adding that an enlightenment campaign on the programme had started.
She said under the scheme individuals could access up N50, 000 without collateral.
On the bank’s intervention in agriculture Baba said the loan recently given out to farmers in the state was meant to cover both production and processing of agricultural commodities.
She said the forum was organised to sensitized customers and the general public on the activities of the babk as regards to accessing facilities and agricultural loans.
The Controller commended the state government on proper handling of the bank’s Anchor Borrower Program which improved rice production.
A customer, Malam Shuaibu Adamu, commended the bank for organizing the forum.
He said the forum was timely, educative and beneficial to the customers which would go along way in ensuring food security. (NAN)
BKD/YAZ
UN says burning oil fields in Iraq poses threat to civilians
NAN-F-13
Field
Cairo, Oct. 27, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Near-suffocation due to what appears to be a scorched-earth policy employed by Islamic State militants is causing further suffering to civilians in Northern Iraq, a UN agency said on Thursday.
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement that fires are set in an apparent response to the ongoing military offensive to drive the extremist group out of its stronghold of Mosul.
It said that a total of 19 oil wells have been set ablaze by armed groups near the town of Qayyarah, South-east of Mosul, with citizens and security forces exposed to toxic fumes.
Iraqi authorities have blamed the blazes on IS activities.
The agency said that last week, stockpiles of poisonous materials stored at the Mishraq Sulphate Factory near Mosul also caught fire, leading to a large toxic plume spreading over dozens of km.
“Iraqi health authorities, supported by the World Health Organisation, treated more than 1,000 cases of suffocation in towns and villages bordering Mosul.
“This week, a water plant was reportedly affected by fighting, leading to a chlorine gas leak,’’ UNEP said without specifying the location of the facility.
UN Environment Chief Erik Solheim described it as sad episode.
“This is sadly just the latest episode in what has been the wholesale destruction of Iraq’s environment over several decades.
“From the draining of the marshlands to the contamination of land and the collapse of environmental management systems said.
On Oct. 17, Iraqi forces, backed by Kurdish forces and a U.S.-led air alliance, started a high profile campaign to dislodge IS from Mosul.
Iraq has since reported advances in the mission.
The Sunni extremist militia captured Mosul and other large areas of Sunni-populated northern and western Iraq in a lightning offensive in mid-2014. (dpa/NAN)
NAN-F-25
Climate
Sydney, Oct. 27, 2016 (dpa/NAN) The Bureau of Meteorology and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation said on Thursday that Australia will experience more extreme hot and dry days.
It said that the country would also experience a longer and fierce fire season while parts of the country will see worse droughts, as well as more flooding.
The biannual report, State of the Climate, released said surface temperature has increased about one degree Celsius since 1910, since the government started recording data.
According to the report, between 1910 and 1941 there were 28 days when the national average temperature was in the top extremes recorded while year 2013 experienced 28 such days.
“Australia experienced its three warmest springs on record in 2013, 14 and 15, temperature and rainfall during this period is critical to southern Australia’s fire season.
“Due to drier and hotter weather, the fire season will be harsher and longer across large parts of Australia.
In recent years, bush fires have already extended into spring and autumn routinely, which was not normal in the past.
“Climate change is happening now; it’s having a tangible impact on Australia,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s climate monitoring manager Karl Braganza told reporters at the launch.
He said the record-breaking extreme heat will be considered normal in 30 years’ time, as well as extreme weather events.
According to the report, rainfall between May and July, the growing season for winter crops, dropped almost 20 per cent in the southern region since 1970.
It said that April-October rainfall reduced by around 11 per cent since the mid-1990s in the same area.
Meanwhile, rainfall in the north has increased since the 1970s.
The Australian government has been criticised for being too slow to make necessary changes regarding environmental protection, as well as meeting pollution targets and adopting green technology.
It heavily relies on fossil fuels like coal and the country still has not ratified the Paris accord on climate change. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/AFA
Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Felix Ajide
============================
NAN-HE-28
Shares
By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma
Lagos, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Thursday, maintained a positive trend due to impressive third quarter results declared by some quoted companies for the period ended Sept. 30, 2016.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the market capitalisation inched N40 billion or 0.43 per cent to close at N9.355 trillion compared with N9.315 trillion posted on Wednesday.
Similarly, the All-Share Index which opened at 27,120.39 rose by 116.39 points or 0.43 per cent to close at 27,236.78 as a result of price appreciation.
NAN reports that Total led the gainers’ table, growing by N29.72 to close at N319.72 per share.
Lafarge Africa came second with a gain of N4.11 to close at N48.62, while Unilever gained N1.99 to close at N50 per share.
Cadbury added N1.12 to close at N13 and Okomu Oil garnered 99k to close at N41 per share.
On the other hand, Seplat recorded the highest price loss, shedding N15 to close at N375 per share.
Forte Oil trailed with a loss of N6.05 to close at N117.45, while Flour Mills dipped 19k to close at N19.31 per share.
UAC Property lost 17k to close at N3.24, while Eterna Oil dropped 14k to close at N2.81 per share.
FBN Holdings was investors delight, exchanging 30.83 million shares worth N92.49 million.
Access Bank followed with an exchange of 19.69 million shares valued at N111.63 million and Transcorp sold 13.97 million shares worth N13.97 million.
Diamond Bank transacted 10.89 million shares valued at N12.40 million, while Unilver traded 10.71 million shares worth N535.58 million.
In all, investors bought and sold a total of 155.59 million shares valued at N1.76 billion exchanged in 2,648 deals.
NAN reports the stock exchange recorded a turnover of 159.99 million shares worth N1.74 billion traded in 2,396 deals, on Wednesday. (NAN)
JNC/IGO
TCN urges electricity stakeholders to comply with rules of engagement
NAN-HE-17
Market
By Kingsley Okoye
Abuja, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) The Transmission Company Of Nigeria (TCN) and Independent System Operator (ISO) say stakeholders in the electricity sector should comply with market rules by embracing discipline in conduct of their businesses.
The Managing Director of the TCN, Mr Abubakar Atiku, made the call at a workshop for stakeholders in the nation’s electricity industry in Abuja on Thursday.
The objectives of the workshop are to sensitise participants to the development in the electricity market, educate them on the implementation of market rules and orders of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).
The workshop, with the theme “ Billing and Settlement Challenges in Transitional Electricity Market”, is designed to discuss current level of compliance by stakeholders to market rules and engagement in the industry.
TCN’s managing director, represented by Mr Tom Uwah, Managing Director, Transmission Service Provider (TSP), said stakeholders in the nation’s electricity value chain had defaulted in one way or the other with the compliance requirements.
Atiku said that the most critical impact of non-compliance was that of financial liquidity as it affected service providers who were not covered by the payment guarantee in the market.
He said that payment to TSP had been slow, adding that the slow pace was constituting a challenge to the maintenance, reinforcement and expansion of the grid.
“You may also wish to know that there is an inbuilt penalty for excess transmission loss which affects TSP revenue; we can only improve all these if the cash flow is improved.’’
Atiku said it was important that operators in the electricity market should abide by the rules and meet with the market obligations to maintain a viable value chain.
The Managing Director of ISO, a business unit of TCN, Mr Musa Gumel, said there was the urgent need for stakeholders to respect the rules.
According to him, the rules include the Electricity Reform Act 2005, the Grid Code, the Market Rule, Meter Code and others designed to ensure the success of the sector.
He said the ruling documents should be the basis for operational relationships for stakeholders, noting that the abuse of the rules would lead to under performance of the sector.
He appealed to stakeholders to resort to the rules to resolve all disputes instead of engaging in self help and litigations. (NAN)
Lafia, Oct.27,20169 (NAN) The Nasarawa State House of Assembly is considering initiating a law to restrict the rearing of cattle in schools and urban centres across the state.
Hon. Daniel Ogazzi, Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, made this known while on an oversight visit to the State College of Agriculture, Lafia.
“We are considering initiating bill for a law to restrict the rearing of cattle in schools and urban centre across the state in the interest of peace and national development.
“We will liaise with those in position of authority, Fulani community leaders and also lawyers for their advice on how to ensure that the law, when enacted, serves the purpose for which it was initiated,” he said.
He said the visit was to assess the institution’s 2016 budget performance so as to guide the committee properly in assessing requirements to be included in the 2017 budget.
“The aim of this visit is not to witch hunt but assess the 2016 budget performance of the institution, with a view to addressing any challenge, if any.
“It is only the committee that knows the budget details or performance of the institution in the 2016 fiscal year and we need it as a guide for the 2017 fiscal year,” he said
Ogazzi assured the institution of the committee’s readiness to address some of its challenges in order to improve the standard of learning in the state.
Earlier, Dr. Mohammed Danlami, Provost of College, said that apart from money for the payment of staff salaries, nothing was released to the institution for capital projects due to lack of fund as a result of the recession facing the nation.
He said that shortage of man power, inadequacy of vehicles for management staff and the non- accreditation of some courses in the institution, among others, were some of the challenges facing the institution and therefore solicited for support.(NAN)
NATO agrees to support EU anti-migrant operation off Libyan coast
NAN-F-14
Support
Brussels, Oct. 27, 2016 (dpa/NAN) North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), defence ministers have agreed to assist the European Union’s anti-migrant-smuggling mission off the coast of Libya, alliance Chief Jens Stoltenberg confirmed it on Thursday.
The EUNAVFOR MED naval mission also known as Operation Sophia was launched in 2015 to tackle migration flows from northern Africa to Italy and to reduce the number of deaths in the Mediterranean Sea.
During their two-day talks in Brussels, the NATO ministers agreed to provide the EU with reconnaissance and logistical assistance for the military operation.
“Within two weeks, NATO ships and planes will be in the central Mediterranean.
“Greece and Turkey had pledged both ships and maritime patrol aircraft, while Italy and Spain would also provide air assets,” Stoltenberg said.
Nine vessels currently taking part in Operation Sophia, which has helped save the lives of close to 16,000 migrants, according to the EU.
The bloc said that the mission also began training the Libyan coastguard and navy to help disrupt migrant smuggling activities.
“An initial 78 trainees and their mentors are on board two EU ships to learn skills ranging from basic seamanship to the application of human rights and international law.
In the first nine months of 2016, 132,000 migrants travelled illegally across the central Mediterranean route to reach Europe, according to the International Organisation for Migration.
“The situation in the Mediterranean remains extremely serious and we continue to see illegal human trafficking and tragic loss of life at record-high numbers,” Stoltenberg said.
He said many deaths were recorded in 2015 on the Eastern Mediterranean route between Turkey and Greece.
That was the key migration route to Europe until a deal between Brussels and Ankara stemmed the flows.
The ministers agreed to continue NATO’s presence in the Aegean Sea, where the alliance helps patrol the waters for migrant boats and supports Greek and Turkish coast guard operations.
However, the future of the mission is uncertain after December, when Turkey takes over the leadership from Germany.
The Turkish defence minister gave no assurances about the mission, NATO sources said on condition of anonymity.
Ankara has always been critical of the Aegean operation, fearing in part that it could reflect badly on its own ability to manage the situation.
Broader EU-NATO cooperation was also on the agenda with both sides agreeing to work out practical steps by December aimed at better aligning their organisations.
Countries such as Germany and France back the initiative, while others are wary of too much overlap.
Over dinner on Wednesday, the NATO defence ministers had discussed the alliance’s support for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State extremist group in Syria and Iraq.
They agreed to start the in-country training of Iraqi officers from January.
Until now, NATO has done this in neighbouring Jordan. (dpa/NAN)