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Okowa Signs 2022 Appropriation Bill of N479bn
DAN DENT (ASABA)
SPONSORED BY: H&H
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Thursday in Asaba assented to the state’s 2022 Appropriation Bill of N479 billion.
The governor also signed five other Bills, including Delta State House of Assembly Service Establishment Bill 2021, Delta State Registration of Community Development Associations Bill 2021, Delta State Debt Management Bill 2021, Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Bill 2021 and Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, 2021.
Signing the Appropriation Bill, Okowa assured Deltans that the state would strive to implement capital projects embedded in the 2022 budget as well as complete all ongoing projects before the end of his tenure.
He commended the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the bill, and said that his assenting to the Bill before end of December would avail the state government the opportunity to further plan towards its implementation from January, 2022.
“You just witnessed the signing into law of six bills that were passed by the House of Assembly this last quarter of the year, 2021.
“We thank God for the good work the House has done; the very important one is the Delta State Appropriation Bill 2022, now signed into law.
“I must thank the House for giving speedy attention to the Bill because with the signing into law today, it will help us to plan and to start early in 2022.
“I do know that it went through a full legislative process and I must thank the House for the great job that they did which enabled us to pass the Bill on the 30th of November.
“I want to reassure Deltans that we will continue to do our best. We are very much aware that there are financial challenges in the country today, but we will continue to do our best within the limits of the resources available.
“We are very much hopeful that there will be a turnaround in 2022, and I hope that we will be able to execute the capital projects that are contained in our budget, both the new ones and the ongoing before the end of our tenure,” he said.
On the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, Okowa said that the law would enable the government to tackle erosion and flooding issues in the state head-on.
“I want to also appreciate you for the passage of the Delta State Erosion and Watershed Management Agency Bill, signed into law today.
“We are very much aware that there is a lot of devastation in the ecosystem in some parts of our state. This is following through the advice that was given to us by the World Bank.
“We can now actually focus more in dealing with flood and erosion challenges across the state,’’ he said adding that the Delta State House of Assembly Service commission Amendment Bill was very important for the smooth running of the service of the House of Assembly.
On Asaba Specialist Hospital Bill, the governor said that the law was very key to the effective management of the hospital to enhance universal health coverage in the state.
“This law is very important to us because we have decided that there is a need to have a separate law governing the establishment of this hospital.
“And, I can attest to the fact that there is a lot of decency and commitment in the management of the hospital.
“There’s obviously a public-private-partnership in the management of the hospital and I know that it’s been helping our people a lot.
“They have rendered quality services to the people since they opened for operation in 2020 and I thank God for the basic and specialist health services they have provided for Deltans and non-Deltans who live in the state.
“One needs to visit the hospital and see the number of patients being attended to on daily basis; so, I want to thank the lawmakers for the passage of the Bill which has been signed into law,” he stated.
Okowa said Delta State Debt Management Law seeks to regulate and manage the State’s borrowing and debt portfolio in line with international best practices, explaining that “It seeks to establish the Debt Management Department in the Ministry of Finance.
“It is one of the requirements to ensure the functionality of the Ministry of Finance as it concerns the debt management of the state.
“It is our hope that this particular department would be able to manage the debt of the state even beyond my tenure.”
He lauded the Assembly for the prompt passage of the Bill to regulate the activities of community development associations in the state.
“Another important bill is the one to regulate the activities, operations and leadership structures of development association in the state.
“Like the Speaker had earlier said, there are many of our communities where people tend to ignore even the constitutions written by the communities and lord themselves over other persons in the community.
“This bill will enable us have some levels of regulation over what happens in our community development associations.
“To make them more functional and to ensure that these associations are tenured and that people will no longer lord themselves over others in the communities, even against the constitution that brought them into power.
“I thank the House of Assembly by ensuring that these six bills were passed this end of year. You have done quite a lot for us,” he stated.
Presenting the Bills, the Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Sherrif Oborevwori, said that the Bill went through all legislative process before being passed.
He said that with the timely presentation of the Appropriation Bill, 2022 and its subsequent passage by the House, the State was on a good start for year 2022.
“I am confident that the budgetary provisions for 2022 will meet the yearnings of our people and the developmental needs of the State, because it is indeed a realistic budget,” he said.
On the passage of Debt Management Bill, the speaker said the State had complied with the requirements of the World Bank’s State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme, and the World Bank Disbursement Linked Indicator 7.
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NNPC E&P Ltd, NOSL Hit First Oil in OML 13, Akwa Ibom State
NNPC E&P Ltd, NOSL Hit First Oil in OML 13, Akwa Ibom State
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
NNPC Exploration and Production Limited (NNPC E&P Ltd), NNPC Ltd’s flagship upstream subsidiary, and Natural Oilfield Services Ltd (NOSL), a subsidiary of Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Ltd (SEEPCO), announce the successful commencement of oil production at Oil Mining Lease (OML) 13 in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria.
The production, which commenced on the 6th of May 2024 with 6,000 barrels of oil is expected to be ramped up to 40,000 barrels per day by May 27th
, 2024.
The first oil flow from OML 13 is a historic milestone in the partnership between NNPC E&P Ltd and NOSL, highlighting their dedication to driving growth and development in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, which remains a vital component of the nation’s economy.
The achievement does not only signify the culmination of rigorous planning and execution by the teams involved, but also represents a new era of economic empowerment and development opportunities for the host communities.
Furthermore, for Nigeria, the first oil from OML 13 holds some significance as it contributes to the country’s efforts to increase its oil production capacity, which is crucial for meeting domestic energy needs and driving economic growth.
The NNPC E&P Ltd and NOSL partnership is also committed to operating in a manner that is safe, environmentally responsible, and beneficial to the local communities.
News
NCDMB Exec Sec Visits Pipe Coating Firms, Pledges Support For Local Capacities
NCDMB Exec Sec Visits Pipe Coating Firms, Pledges Support For Local Capacities
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has reassured stakeholders of the industry that oil and gas service companies that have established capacities in the country will continue to enjoy patronage through the award of contracts from operating companies in the industry.
The Executive Secretary NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe made this commitment on Friday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State when he led officials of the Board and Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) to visit companies that deliver pipe coating and related services.
The team visited Brightwaters Energy Limited, formerly known as Willbros Nigeria Ltd, Solewant Nigeria Limited and Pipe Coaters Nigeria, managed by Tenaris Nigeria Ltd.
The Executive Secretary said the visits were to assess the companies’ facilities and determine how the Board can galvanize the industry to patronise them.
He underscored the importance of getting first-hand information on in-country capabilities before making key decisions on oil and gas projects.
He insisted that operating companies must support and patronise local oil and gas service companies in compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
Ogbe emphasized that activities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry must be used to create employment opportunities for the nation’s teeming youths and help to resuscitate the economy, in line with the aspirations of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
The Chief Executive Officer of Brightwaters Energy Limited, Mr. Scott Gregory thanked the Executive Secretary for leading the visit while highlighting that Brightwaters, formerly Willbros carried out Nigeria’s first pipe coating in 1962.
He recalled that the facility had 3,000 employees some years back, executing various spheres of oil and gas projects. He conveyed the management’s aspiration to return the firm to those high-performance levels and sought the Board’s support to win oil and gas projects that would resuscitate the sprawling facility.
“We feel that we can be a positive contributor to Nigeria through the capacities that we have. We want to bring real, true value to the table,” he added. He admitted that the coating facility had suffered downtime, but assured that the plant would be up and running within 60 days of the award of a new contract.
The Chairman of Tenaris Nigeria, Dr. Ernest Nwapa welcomed the NCDMB’s team to PCNL’s facilities. He commended the efforts made by the agency to push local content in the industry, attributing it to the good culture that had been established at the Board over the years.
Nwapa, who was the pioneer Executive Secretary of NCDMB expressed delight that some of the oil and gas projects that had been pending for nearly ten years were now being developed and expressed hope that existing local capacities would be maximized in the execution of those projects.
The team was taken around the company’s facilities and shown the various equipment of PCNL in readiness for the award of new contracts. Nwapa pledged the commitment of the company to meet the expectations of clients as well as allow them to participate in the supervision of the work in their factory.
The PCNL facility covers an area of 160,000 m2 in the Onne Free Trade Zone. The company offers Anticorrosion, CWC, Thermal Insulation, Internal and Bends Coating plants as well as Double Jointing and Anode Installation Facilities.
At Solewant Group, an EPCI and Pipe Coating Company, the NCDMB delegation was shown round the company’s facilities as well as the new investments, such as the 5mega watts generators, procured to guarantee power supply to the facility.
Accompanying Engr. Ogbe on the facility visits were the Director Projects Certification and Authorization Division (PCAD), Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, General Manager PCAD, Engr. Maurice Iwhiwhu, Special Technical Assistant (STA) to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Mofe Megbele, Deputy Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr. Obinna Ezeobi, and other staff members of the Board.
The SPDC team was led by the General Manager, Nigerian Content Development, Mr. Lanre Olawuyi.
News
Halilu Tasks NASENI Finance Managers On Effective Resource Management
Halilu Tasks NASENI Finance Managers On Effective Resource Management
AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM
SPONSORED BY: H&H
The Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu has underscored the importance of effective resource management, emphasizing the Agency’s responsibility in administering public funds for the benefit of Nigeria.
L-R: Coordinating Director, Engineering Infrastructure Directorate, NASENI, Prof Bagudu Gwandangaji; Support Officer/NASEN Desk Officer, OAGF, Mr. Mustapha Marafa; Deputy Programme Manager, System Support and Sustainability Directorate, OAGF, Mr. Jeremiah Asanato; Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Mr. Khalil Suleiman Halilu; Coordinating Director, Finance and Accounts, NASENI, Alh Ibrahim Baba Dauda; Coordinating Director, Science Infrastructure Directorate, NASENI, Prof Umaru Gaya during a one-day sensitization workshop on Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) policy and guidelines for financial managers organised by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation held at NASENI Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
The EVC stated this while declaring open one-day sensitization workshop on Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) policy and guidelines for financial managers of NASENI in collaboration with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) held at the Agency’s headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday, May 14, 2024.
The workshop was aimed at enhancing financial management practices for NASENI principal officers, directors, managing directors and accounting officers system-wide.
Urging the participants to take the workshop with all sense of purpose, the EVC/CEO called for accurate financial record-keeping and the adoption of innovative processes which remain integral in the GIFMIS policy. He stressed the significance of staff training and capacity development to ensure the discharge of duties to make NASENI a preferred public sector employer in Nigeria.
While warning staff on classified documents, Mr. Halilu said confidentiality in financial management is a crucial aspect and called for strict adherence to public service regulations regarding the integrity of official information.
He further emphasized the Agency’s 3Cs initiative of Collaboration, Creation, and Commercialization as NASENI’s core operating principles, expressing confidence in achieving the Agency’s goals in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Deputy Programme Manager, System Support and Sustainability Directorate, OAGF, Mr. Jeremiah Asanato, giving overview of the GIFMIS, said it is aimed at integrating budgeting and government expenditure. He emphasized that the policy will help to address irregularities, corruption, and other fraudulent activities in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
In his vote of thanks, Coordinating Director,Finance and Accounts, NASENI, Alh. Ibrahim Baba Dauda, appreciated all Finance and Accounts Directorate staff from across NASENI centres system-wide for attending the workshop. He challenged them to start thinking of making NASENI an independent revenue-generating agency.
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