Headlines
Petrol shortage has nothing to do with politics – Sylva
The Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has explained that the recent shortage of petrol across the country has nothing to do with politics, assuring consumers that the Federal Government has taken adequate steps to improve supply of the product.
Chief Sylva who spoke to journalists in Abuja after visiting petrol some stations yesterday blamed factor aside the control of the government for the scarcity of petrol.
He assured consumers that normalcy has returned and would be sustained prior to and after the general elections.
According to him, “Mr. President directed that we must ensure that the fuel supply situation is normalized quickly and that is why I have to leave everything I am doing to ensure that we are able to sort out this problem.
“You can see that a lot has been done and all hands have been on deck. NNPC Limited, NMDPRA and everybody in the supply chain have really come together to see that this problem is resolved.
“It is unfortunate a few people tried to think that there is politics involved but this has nothing to do with politics, I can assure you. When problems like this you try to find out what caused it. It might be due to natural disaster like we had with the flood and anything can trigger it. We are not saying we have control of all the factors because there are natural factors that we are not in control of but as far as the factors that we are in control of, we are now control of those factors. I can assure you that between now and the elections, and beyond we will not have these queues anymore”.
On the long term solution to the crisis, the Minister said the government has invested heavily in the rehabilitation of the nation’s four refineries, pointing out when the repairs are concluded, coupled with the government 20 percent skate in Dangote Refinery, petrol would be readily available.
“The government is seriously engaged in the rehabilitation of the refineries. The Port Harcourt refinery is at advanced stage, the Kaduna refinery has just been awarded and we are hoping that we will beat the deadline. Warri refinery rehabilitation is also progressing well and we have to take 20 percent stake in Dangote refinery. There are also modular refineries coming on stream.
“These are effort by the government to ensure that this problem is solved permanently. This is not something that can be achieved by the waving of a magic wand. But I can assure you that when everything come together, Nigerians will have President Buhari to thank for it because has laid the foundation for the final resolution of this problem”, he added.
Headlines
Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna
The Kaduna State Water Services Regulatory Commission (KADWREC) says it is partnering media practitioners towards revamping water services in the state.
Mr Dogara Bashir, the Executive Chairman of KADWREC, disclosed this on Monday at a one-day workshop organised for media practitioners on regulation of ‘Water, Sanitation and Hygiene’ (WASH) activities held in Kaduna.
Bashir said the commission was aware of the importance of the role media practitioners played in the society.
He stated that the workshop was to provide an avenue to liaise with them as important stakeholders on water supply and sanitation services in the state.
Bashir said: “As media practitioners, we believe you are a gateway to the citizens so, the workshop would acquaint you with some of the regulations already in place so that you can in turn transmit it to the public
“The state of water services in Kaduna State is in dire need of attention and the State Water Corporation and KADWREC were established towards addressing the seeming challenges.
“The commission is mandated to ensure better service delivery and regulation of water and sanitation services in the State.
“The idea is that once the regulations are developed, we send them to the State Ministry of Justice to gazette and then we get the state government to endorse and give the go ahead to commence the implementation of the regulations
“We intend to implement them fully come January, 2025 God willing, as we have embarked on advocacy activities having gone to zones 1 and 2 where we talked to traditional rulers, security agencies and the Judiciary.”
He disclosed that a special Court has already been attached to the commission by the Chief Judge of the State for service providers who may likely violate regulations.
The chairman further said that amongst the commission’s objectives include ensuring security, reliability and quality of service in the production and delivery of water to the consumers as well making regulations to control the sinking of boreholes.
Others included; maximising access to water services by promoting and facilitating consumer connections to distribution systems in urban and rural areas.
According to Bashir, they also include ensuring that regulatory decision-making has regards to all the relevant health, safety, environmental and social legislation applying to the water sector.
Bashir further said that the commission collaborate with the relevant state and federal agencies on water policies.
Crime
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud
The police in Lagos have dragged two women, Mmesuma Ofunna, and Blessing Adimekwe, before an Ojo Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, over alleged obtaining money by false pretence.
Ofunna, 22, and Adimekwe, 25, were arraigned before the Magistrate, Mr L K J Layeni, on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, obtaining by false pretence, stealing and conduct likely to breach peace.
They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
The prosecutor, ASP Simon Uche, told the court that the defendants conspired with others now at large, to commit the offence on Oct. 26 at the Okokomaiko area of Ojo.
He alleged that they had obtained the sum of N70, 000 from one Faith Ahamefule, with a promise not to post her nude photo on social media.
The prosecutor alleged that the defendants later posted the nude photo of the nominal complainant on social media, knowing that their promise was false.
He alleged that they stole the N70, 0000, thereby conducting themselves in a manner likely to breach public peace.
The offence contravenes the provisions of sections 168(d), 287, 314, and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
The court granted the defendants bails in the sum of N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.
He adjourned the case until Jan. 8, 2025 for mention.
Headlines
Driver jailed 6 months for attempting to steal a car
A Jos Magistrates’ Court on Monday, sentenced a 37-year-old driver, Ahmad Umar to six months in imprisonment for attempting to steal a car.
The Magistrate, Shawomi Bokkos, summarily tried and sentenced the convict after he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Bokkos in his judgment, ordered the convict to pay an option of N30, 000 fine or spend six months in prison.
Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Ibrahim Gokwat, told the court that the case was reported on Oct. 10, at the Area Command Police station through a distress call by one Sydney Peacemorie the complainant.
Gokwat said the complainant parked his Toyota RAV4 in front of Access Bank and went inside to carry out some transactions, only to return to find the convict inside his car.
“The convict unlawfully opened the car and was in the driver’s seat when the complainant raised alarm and he was apprehended, but his accomplice escaped.
“The convict was severely beaten by a mob but was rescued by the police,” said Gokwat.
“The prosecutor said that the offence contravened the Plateau Penal Code Law.
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