Monday, Sep tember 26, 2011
Page 30, THI SDAY, Vol. 16 No. 5999
news
BusinessWORLD
JeT Devfll Contribu.te 5% to Nigeria's GDp, Says Minister 1_ ICf :oJ
M
inister
meet the goors of the ministry.
Com!lluni~tions
?rut orlile mandate oflhc min· iso)' is 10 SUPJlOlI go\'mlntCrlt 's
of and Technology Mtli, Ornolvla JI,hll'lOll, IloU predicted thaI Information Commuilic-dtion:; TcctUlology (lCT) would account ferr five per «'Ill of Nigt'ria's Gross Domeslic Protluct. (GOp) betwccn the cum: nt financial yearand 2015. The Mini-.teriqrke in Lagos Ilt a rrenlt stnl«:holders' round· table, when: it w"\.. acknowl· alged thnt Nigeria has had tremendous ~ in the tele, ennIS industry dur to !he liber· alisallon of the ~ tor. She told Ihe a pDI;:ity Bndi· ence fmm i:oth pi. blic ar.! private sector< in lb.' leT SCCIor 11131 lilt new mini.!.l.ry would co-ordiuAt!!, facilitate, and
By S ill/day Okol1i drive: the de\"elopmenl of llle leT induslry to incfCllSC i~ contribution to Nigeria's Gross Donnrie Product (GOP). for global competitiveness. With concerted efforts from public and priY:lle of the Nigerian economy, Ihe Mi nister said U\3t the COUll try could be Ir;rnsfomled <\$ a major fCf hub for knawblge incubalion and .....ealth creation, 'The m ini~try wlll create a focused, efTecti...:: and inlegr.d.etI R:gulatOl)' frnmewOllk for 1Ix: implementation of go\'t:m, men! ocr policies in order to
leT legislatj\'I;: :lgeoda that will
service
a.~
a kgal Struc1un:: for
implementing government policies and ochie'o'!:mclIl of lIS
goals and
obP:ti~'n
in genc:rol
and for the lc r sector in panic. ular," she said. Sheassurtd lhat!he ministry would suP{lCn the use of ICT for the focilitation of cfficielll, eITtcti\'I;: and Ir.UISparent govt:rnanee in Nigeria. Dispanl1t 310ailability and
un-axmlinaled de\'tklpmcnl of leT .skills and C3l*=ity. acconJ· ing [0 the minister, wm: pan of the axlsll'llinlS and clulJr:nges hilldcring the u,'t:lopnJent of tile Nigerinn ICT industry, Raising awareness and
MEETING THE
l
5~nglhenifll! imp lC'mentation of inTelil.'l;:tunl pmpc'ny laws. setting of leT parbl digital
M:tven. prorooting local soft· ware innO\'illlo n, promoting
nwket ~arch and inilialh'eS. articulating and publicising egoyemmenl . OC'I."OI1ling to her, would be part of policy dirttlion and intenrc mion from 2011 through 2015.
A
wnrri.bascd group. Ihe Niger Della Indigenous MOYement for Radical Ol.lIIge (NOIMRq, s,1id il had IXlmrnenccd tilt mobilisation of "'Omen from lIlt Niger Delta locripple tilt operations of some of Ihe
Gov...
.,
OPEC Recognises NTC as libya's Representative
T
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flEI!!1MiIm
CHIKA/JNIIN,~-M"w'ACHUKU
&li@!I~
"""",' IOORl .&ttll&!infy & industry
_-
ENERGY
...
RJ C/tiknA"'an ~NII·uchtt/""
(jeneraLAbtJuUcll al· Badri ....'ll.~ quoted by the agency to OOl"e said at lhe just-mllc:luded Gulf Intelligence EoefJy Forum in Oullai, Saudi AlOIbia and it~ Gulf OPEC allies had raised their oil pmJuction O\"CI" die last few nlOOlIIS,aficr failing to com·incc othe:r OPEC nlenlbcr5 nl IIlrir lao;! I1IC:I:ting in \r.c:llna iuJullC to rni«c OOtputlO make lip r.... 1hc: lou of Libyan crutk since
-
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lJt.DA EROKE (LMxu1
CRUSO::: OSAGtE
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ERCJ.4OSa.E A8IOOIJN (CI1pIaI MilO E.IIOFOFt AU([ C~
~...Q!!J.IlYI~
JAMES EMEJO /NiIIbn) (;aptlI(1
!!I~~ EFEMI~
OBN-IA 0iW. ~ IJatk!IC
SMlAOEG8E
~
Edi':II
February, Badri said those counfries are likely 10 gradually ~~ their outp.n IS Libya's production teCO\1:r5 tow:vd$ ~wllfb"Cls ,
B:K!ri, who IVl\'I the Libyan minister for ten )'Con (1990-2000) IU1d headed ils NalKmaI Oil COfpOr.l.tion (NOC) until 2006, ~id pnxIuc. t'OIi in fields in central Lib)'R could be bnck to pre· war 1e\'I!:ls in 15 months. while other IIR"3S might take loogc:r,Sorne liby.1I\ oil fields h.'I't: ~tly reslortcd production bul il remains uoclear when 1I1e)' will ~tum 10 prt:-"''':lr 1eYe1 ~ of about 1.6 mil· lion b:uTrls p!T"day, He ~d: "'As long flS Libya ~tans 10 produce mOfc: anoJ mon::, it is in Ihe ocher OPEC ml:IJlbcr.o;' best. in\cf1:Sl to pmduc-e less", He iIddcd: "I doIl'l ~,[J( to IIlClnbeI- countries indio \idua.lly about dli5; II Ie nw ket sons itself 01.11," In Augu!\! , SOIudi Arabia raised it~ production of oil and alie mpled to pC:BUiltle OIhcT opEC membc:r5 to do IIIC same in order to Slabil i~ oil prices arnid WlCCIt.-unlY in Ihc: global economy. To IICIp comp::ns.lle for tilt inimlalion:1l rnar1:el"s loss of 1.6 million barrels a day of Libyan erudc as enrly as February. &udi OUlpul fOfC abo>-c 9.8 million baml5 a dar b)' Juoc froTll 1V1JUr.! 9.1 million in February. 1bat. wa~ tril1Vl1l:d back 109.6 millirfl b."Urcls iI d,1Y in July, after the JUlIC announcemenl by llle Intcn~"IliooaJ Enetiy Agency 01 a plnllncd 6()..million,banel
eneru
sedor in 3Chie\'ing digital Nigtria, she ASSUm.l that the ministry would il1Cl"ta5e the panicipation of Nigerian companies in the ICT induSI!)', adding Ihat the privale sector "wid nlso be im'o h-etl in the w't:lopmenl of locnl b lent, in line with yisiOil of the govern· mefU to build a digibl econo.my and illformatiOfl society,
Warri Group TIueatens Oil Operations in N'Delta
·,"f1Jrogina Dir«'fIrlChi~f £.xec"tiJ"t Offrcu, £",~~ Halik U ntilrd, Mr. ,Uml«l KII"" (rigld),lrnd GtII'tmor U¢ Im~ ofCrou Nil," 5tnlt. during tJ (!I/lrt~$J l+sit 111 G"''fIr1U''~lII l1tJ"x~, CaJlr/Jar'Mrtallify
he Oq;allisalion of Petroleum Exporli ng Counlrio: (OPEC) said it h3.~ rec()gniscd the: Natioml Transitional Council (NTC) no; Lib)' I'~ ~ nla ti\1:, Libya is OIl ! of the major oil producers in Afnca and 1\ commined mem')l:f ofOPEC, The OPEC~ recognition, actt>rdi ng to a repon by Aljazeern C3I1~ I ficr lilt United Nalions appfOlc:d a Libyan request 10 rn--redll CfIl'OYS of dx: counlT}"s interim !O''l:mrnr!:1lI M Tripoli's rok: rel'rescnlatil'es ;\1 tile wOfkl body l:r;t FriLL1Y, ''OPEC 1\ III 1~lIise tilt NTC nnd 1I1C" will sit in 1111: S1nx: d lllir:' OFEC"s Sc:cn:tal:'
The minister disclosed !hat she woold harmonise the vari· ous d i~par.lIe poliM that cur· rently ga'o't:fT1 the leT sector and den:lopment of a n:uional leT policy. and as.!'iural p;!rtic. ipalll5 Ihal !he ministry ....1)Uld enntribute 1oW:uds ~ting IlJ1 enabling environment for the growth of the sector, Regarding role of private
release from the United States and OIlEr de\-ciupN n:Ilions' ~otkpilc:s; bUl il ruse ngru n to ahoul9.8 miU ion barrels a day in August,according to Reuters, based 00 fiJlft1:S from Ihe Joint Org.'Utisa.tions Data InitiDlh't:, a produc:er<OllSUnlCf information ~g.::: progrannl1C,
ENERGY By Ejiofor Alike Inlemational Oil Companies (IOCs), over their alleged subyersion of Ih" Nigerian COlllentACI, TIlt group "Iso called on the rukra1 Go\'emrllCl1l nnd rele· YlInl agencies 10 call1he parellt oonlpOlnies of Ihcse 10Cs to educate tllelll un the ACI, which was signed by the Prutdent on April 22. 2010, In a $.I3tefTlCnt el~ by its President, Mr, Nell y Emma; Secretary. flir, John S:\iIOf, and the Public Relmions Officer (PRO), Mr. Mukoro SIMley, the group decried the altitude of IIIC 10Cs low:trd~ local con· tractor,;. "Each time the NNPC rec· ommends qualir..."lI local con· trnclOO to the IDes, Ihey will rejeel the rc:commendatiQJI from NNPC, Aflcr ~nes of nltthll~. they will now reluc1.1(111)' IlCcept our 10C":l1 iontrac· ~ in lheir technical tendcr, "Bul after our brothers. who hal'l: bu ilt enpacil) for lhe i ndu~try, submit technical len· der, they will come OUI with millS)' ucuses to f~il ~ locnl oonlntClon recommend· ed by NNPC, They are always looking for ()IJC ~ason nr Ihe olher 10 knock out OUt people in fal"Ollf of tlx: fOldgn engi. oemn! contmelon;' the group s:lid TIlt group also acruscd tilt oil majcn of "Ioding il o\'er"' Ihe local operators m th e industry. According to the grwp, the 10Cs feel lllC)' ha\"C
theapatity to influence policy makers arod flout tilt country's laws, '1hey feel Ihal Ihey arc lhe oil giants Ulal control oil lind gas operations in Nigeria and lfIat l he~ ciln lalk to ilny body to $lOP Ihe implementation of illlY Act that will not fnl"IJur IItCm, but !his group ....anls to make it elc:lr to Ihc:m thallhcy canrlOl h:!I"e !heir way this lilT1C around:' the sllltement adtIed, While urging Ihe r"t'dera1 Go\'en l1l1Cl1t 10 5.1oclion sOllle of the 10Cs for allegedly not c;m)'ing local cont rncl ~ along, the group \Yarned tilal Ihey ""ere sel 10 frustrate tlx: affected companies, "'Sollie key Nige ri;m emplo)·tts in those COlnp.'nie~ are \ ioI11ting lhe Act because of their sdli<h intCTeSlS, and we wanllo lei them knfll\' IhOlt we are SCi 10 fruslrate IIIO!«: companies th.1t tllC)' mc usmg 10 dlC:!1 our people, We ~ going to mobili~ Niger Della women 10 lhe "'Ofk ~lId of some of tJlCSC companies to crif1fl1t' their (lperalions wheTcn:r tllCy are wflliling in the region:- the statement s.,id. n .... groul' also urged the parclll ""OInp;!n~ of sonIC of Ihe 10Cs look inlo !he !lClh'i· lie~ of their 5ubsidiOlflU in Nigcna, so as noI 10 el1d3n,.cr ihl"it bu~~<eS in tile oll,rich region. It called on Ille PcltoleulII and Natuml G3S Senior Staff l\ss()ciallOl1 of Nigeria (PEN· GASSAN) 10 ~ um"' on an t' tnCfgency mee ting to urgc their membctli in top mana~· men! pll!liliol1s in the 10Cs 10 implement the Act in Ihe mterest of the Nigerian economy.
Food Security: W'Bcink Approves $6.Bm for FADAMA III Project s partS of cff0l1s in fighl. ing hun!,ocr and poYCrty in Nigeria, tile WOfld Bnnk has approl'ed $6.8 million for FADAMA 11110 boost food produclion m lly and impor-
A
AGRIC
necd~,
From )~111 AkimliJi
"A"""
Imion, S~nki"g
in Abuja during a
technical meeting to d i5CIIss
sustainable land m anagemcTll and FAOAMA III implcmen· 13ti on i~sues . tJ le lleting National Project Coordin:.tor, FADAMA III Proj~l , Mr. Tayu Adewunmi , said the Wmld Bank had already ~lcased S6OO.ooo as inilial cnpitDl fOf the project. 111is "'as M indication, he explained, tltal lilt b.1nk ~ serious wi th lhe FADAMA projccl and also interesled in e:nsuriflg adequate: rood pr0duction in tile country. Adcwunmi di5do.~ Ih nt the: grant WlIS CIt~fed 10 be utilised as from this trlon!h to ) 1st ofOc:ccmbcr, 20 13, where the World U:lllk tenm wOI.l lJ be c:.~pected 10 in~pect and moni· tor the Pfojcci for proper
SlaICS, nnd that the rUnd \\ould be: d;sbu~ occonIing to IIlrii
implementation, In his .....onb: "As 31 eIIly Seplember, tlus }"rnr, out of Ihe $6.l million promised FAoAMA III (Of food security project, S600JXIO had becn appM~ and dis~ 10 US. III order to m:l.ke judicious u~ of tllC fund. we OO\'t: opened Susminabk: Land Managmtent {SLf\n Desk. headed by Mohammad Saadu, who will e:nslR the judicious dislribution of fund aecording 10 ,'3rious la nd manngenx:nt in the 36 Staid of tile r-c:dCJation and Fedml Capital Terrilory
(Fen·-
Speaking more on how 10 tile fund had been released for 1111: project. the aeling Natio nal Coonlinator s,1id prnpo.<.1 1 ~ had bcen SClII from the "arious etfecth~ly di~burse
thrlt
"'As I nnl lalking to yuu I"'V, vinual1y all the 36 stale.. ill the: feder-uion has selll tilCir proI'Q'I· al and we are almldy wOfking on !hem. We will noI jllSI dole out money to Ihem bul we are in\'t:Stig..11ing thc:ir claims.'lO thai wr.:don't gr."I'! whal any flf them don 't desef\~. TIM:. Su~tnin.'bIc Land Man~gemcnl Desk i'l moniloring the pmjccl dala managemenl and flow I(J ensure tlml thillgs are done lICCOfdingly. 'ill's project. accoroing 10 the World Bank, is 10 ttnnin.,te by Decalllx:r 3 1st, 20 13 and th:It is why IV(.'. have p.11 in place land IIl3nagcment progr.unmc:, capacity building, and monitOfing evalualion wllereby llle pur· pose of tile grant wilt be effec· ti\"ely ach iC\~ wilhi n tile limr limit. At tile end of tile spccifled lime, ....1: would hal"!: tried ourbest in exceeding the lartc-I World Bank progrnmme (In fOO\J KCUrity in NigeriA :' he said,