Fire Guts Doctors Quarters At Braithwaite Memorial Hospital PH

The management and staff of Braithwaite Memorial Hospital in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital have expressed concern over the fire incident that occurred at the doctors quarters on Monday.

The fire which started at about 3pm damaged the top floor of the 2-storey building.

Although the cause of the fire outbreak remains unknown, the State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has assured the management of the hospital of the state government’s intention to rebuild the affected quarters.

A panel of inquiry has also been set up by the Ministry of Health to ascertain the cause of the incident.

Eyewitnesses said that no life was lost in the inferno but property worth thousands of naira were destroyed.

FG Currently Not Paying Subsidy On Petrol

The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, says the Nigerian government has suspended the subsidy on petroleum products as at today, December 27, as a result of the current low price of crude in the international market.

Dr. Kachikwu said the non-payment of subsidy would remain the same, as long as market trends allow.

He told reporters on Sunday in Kaduna that if crude prices increase, there would be a review which would be tackled under the newly introducedprice modulation in the sector.

The price modulation, according to the Minister, is not an outright removal of petrol subsidy.

On December 17, the Minister said that the government was not interested in the removal of subsidy on petroleum products, but rather a price modulation that would reduce its involvement in pricing starting 2016.

He explained that a periodical review of the Petroleum Pricing Template and a flexible management of the pricing system would be considered.

The price modulation, the government stressed, would be predicated on a 97 Naira per litre projection, which would be a cap on the price of fuel with a gradual increment between the band of the current price of 87 Naira and 97 Naira until a fair price is reached in the pricing review.

Few days after he announced plans for a price modulation, he told reporters  that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation would announce a pump price of 85 Naira per litre of petrol in January 2016.

Dr. Kachikwu said that the new pump price was according to a PPPRA template which he signed off on Wednesday which would be the first reflection of the price modulation that will kick off fully in the petroleum sector by January 2016.

Following his inspection of the refinery in Kaduna State on Sunday, two days after a tour of the Port Harcourt Refinery, the Minister told reporters that a combined daily production of up to 10 million litres of petrol is expected from the four Nigerian refineries by January 2016. A production that is aimed at cushioning the current scarcity of petrol across the oil rich nation.

The production is only 50 per cent of their maximum production capacity of 20 million litres daily, but the minister says more locally refines petrol should be expected as the year unwinds.

Dogara Calls For Probe Of Anambra Gas Explosion

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, has expressed sadness over the death of several Nigerians in a gas explosion in Nnewi, Anambra State.

While calling for a thorough investigation into the incident which occurred on Christmas Eve, leaving several others injured, the Speaker said this was one incident too many that have claimed lives of innocent Nigerians.

‎He, therefore, called for a thorough investigation to ascertain the root and immediate cause of the explosion in order to avert a reoccurrence.

“It saddens me that at a time when we should be celebrating, some people have been thrown into needless mourning. This incident must be investigated to find out what exactly happened and how to stop it from happening again,” the Speaker said.

Dogara commiserated with the government of Anambra State and the families of the deceased and prayed for a speedy recovery for the injured.

Air Chief Boosts Troops’ Morale In Yola

Troops of the 5 Strike Group Battalion of the Nigerian Air Force, have been enjoined not to relent in their fight against insurgency even as the Christmas festivities continue.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Abubakar Sadiq, made the appeal on Saturday when he visited the troops in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State.

Air Marshall Sadiq commended the officers and men of the battalion for their efforts in curtailing terrorism in the north-east, especially in providing logistics support in the operations.

“The purpose of my visit to Yola is first and foremost to convey President Muhammadu Buhari’s greetings to our pilots and technicians who have been doing an excellent job in the north-east to deal with the internal security of insurgency problem we are having here in the north-east.

“The honourable Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff are in Damaturu, I was with them yesterday (Friday) in Maiduguri while they were with the troops in Damaturu, I am here (in Yola) to convey the greetings of Mr President to our pilots and technicians and to also have the opportunity to also celebrate the Christmas with them.

“In the past, you find the terrorists moving in 15, 20 Hilux vehicles attacking one village after the other, I’m sure you haven’t heard of that since the directive was given.

“The terrorists are now more or less suicide bombers because they can’t really move in large number to occupy our territory and kill our people.

“I think, to a large extent, we have substantially degraded their capacity and have been able to meet the deadline. What we are doing now, is just to improve what we have been able to achieve”, the Air Chief said.

Soldiers arrest seven Boko Haram bomb experts

The Nigerian Army has arrested seven suspected Boko Haram bomb experts who specialised in the production of Improvised Explosive Devices.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement on Sunday that the terror suspects were arrested by the soldiers in Kaduna.

He said that the seven suspected insurgents were picked up ‘after painstaking surveillance and proactive intelligence operations over a period of time.’

Usman said that the members were in Kaduna to conduct suicide attacks and perpetrate mayhem in the city during the festive period.

He recalled that some suspected Boko Haram bombers were also picked up by the security agents while attempting to detonate bombs concealed in food containers in public places in Maiduguri.

Usman said that the arrest of the suspects would aid the ongoing campaign against the insurgency in the North East.

The Acting Army spokesman said the insurgents were launching attacks on soft targets through suicide bombing, and harassment of isolated communities because the military had ‘technically defeated the Boko Haram insurgents in the field.’

Usman who urged members of the public to be more vigilant and security conscious, said that the terrorists were devising new methods to launch attacks on the citizenry.

He stated that the Boko Haram insurgents had started mingling with the members of the public to carry out their attacks, since the military overpowered them in the North East.

“Another catastrophe was averted in Kaduna State and other contiguous areas when troops of the Nigerian Army arrested seven suspected Boko Haram terrorists’ bomb and Improvised Explosive making Devices specialists.

“The terrorists were arrested in Kaduna after painstaking surveillance and proactive intelligence operations over period of time.

“From all indications, the suspects were in Kaduna to conduct suicide bombings, kill and maimed innocent citizens in the state and other surrounding areas during the festive period. Recall that recently in Maiduguri some of them were arrested while trying to detonate IEDs hidden in food containers in public places.

“The arrest of these suspects would no doubt assist in the fight against terrorism in the country; more so as the military has technically defeated the Boko Haram terrorists in the field, the terrorists have resorted to attacking soft targets through suicide bombings, IEDs and harassment of isolated communities.

“Therefore, the public are please requested to continue to be more vigilant and security conscious by reporting suspicious persons and movements to the security agencies.

“This request has become necessary because the terrorists have resorted to mingling with the public across the country after sensing the futility of their encounter with troops in the north east. Therefore, they adopt other methods of perpetrating violence in the society.” The statement read.

Fire outbreak: Wike relocates doctors to guest houses

THE Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has relocated doctors at the state-owned Braithwaite Memorial Hospital to government guest houses in Port Harcourt.

Wike’s decision to relocate the doctors and the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health with their families came shortly after fire gutted the doctors’ quarters.

The inferno, which came from the top floor of the two-storey building, started at about 3pm on Sunday.

Though nobody was hurt during the incident, the inferno damaged the top floor of the doctors’ quarters.

The state governor, however, sympathiised with  the doctors and management of the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital, Port Harcourt over the incident.

Wike, who visited the quarters to supervise efforts of fire fighters to put out the inferno, also announced the setting up of a panel of inquiry to establish the immediate and remote causes of the inferno.

He said, “I want to sympathise with the doctors affected by this fire incident. We thank God that no life was lost.

“However, I have directed the Health Commissioner to set up a panel of Inquiry to find out what led to the fire incident. If it is as a result of negligence, those involved will be sanctioned. We must endeavour to protect government property at all times.”

Wike commended the fire fighters from the State Fire Service, Shell and the Nigeria Ports Authority, who fought the inferno and prevented it from spreading.

He also declared that the state government would rebuild the burnt doctors’ quarters.

The governor was accompanied to the Braithwaite Memorial Hospital by the State Head of Civil Service, Mr. Rufus Godwins and Commissioner for Health, Dr. Odagme Theophilus.

FG not subsidising fuel currently – Kachikwu

The Federal Government is currently not subsidising premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol, the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has said.

According to Kachikwu, the development was due to the current market realities in the international prices of crude oil.

The minister, who disclosed this on Sunday, also stated that the situation would likely continue for as long as the fall in crude oil prices persist, adding that he was rather interested in keeping the supply of petrol efficient and less expensive than on dwell on subsidy removal.

He explained that the Federal Government had not deregulated the downstream petroleum sector which would have led to the removal of subsidy on petrol.

Kachikwu noted that the government was currently modulating the pump price of petrol to ensure that the supply of the product was in line with trends in the market.

He said, “Let me say that we are expending too much energy on semantics. There are two critical issues here, one is should the Federal Government continue to fund the gap that we see? This huge N1tn, and I think everybody is on the same page that as much as it is, we need to get out of it.

“Where we have a disagreement is if we get out of it, should we sell products at certain price or should you let free markets to roll in so that you can skyrocket prices? Today, there is no subsidy, we are selling products at N87, in January, we will look at what the trend is, we will announce prices, if that is less than N87, we will announce it and if it is more than that, we will have to announce it.

“My concentration right now is to make sure that the refineries are working, the more they work,  the higher the chances that I will be closer to the sort of pricing we are comfortable with than when they are not working, that is why you see me putting a lot of energy in going around the refineries.”

Son kills father on Christmas Day in Enugu

A youth, Anselm Ugwuoke, is currently on the run after killing his father, Paulinus Ugwuoke, 60, on Christmas Day, in Enugu State.

The incident occurred in Imilike-Agu, a community in Udenu Local Government Area of the state on Thursday during Christmas.

It was gathered that, at about 10pm on the fateful day, Anselm and some of his friends had a heated argument with his father at their family house.

The subject of the disagreement is unknown, but our correspondent learnt that the matter took an ugly turn when Anselm struck his father with an object.

Paulinus, the father, reportedly collapsed, and became unconscious, following the development.

He died shortly after receiving the fatal blow.

However, after noticing that his father had died, Anselm took to his heels, in company with his friends.

The culprit is yet to be apprehended.

His elder brother, Sunday Ugwuoke, who expressed shock and sadness at the tragic incident, urged the police and other security agencies to ensure that Anselm was brought to book.

He said Anselm would not get away with the crime.

“I am still in a state of shock over what has happened but I know we will still get Anselm,” Sunday said.

The spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, said the police were on Anselm’s trail.

Amaraizu said the police were equally investigating the incident.

He added that the victim’s remains had been deposited in a mortuary, adding that an autopsy was to be conducted on the corpse.

Two children, others die in Enugu road crash

Four persons lost their lives in a car crash at Umumba, Ezeagu, in Enugu State, along the Onitsha-Enugu expressway, on Christmas Day.

It was learnt that the accident involved two commercial buses over-speeding from opposite directions of the road.

A head-on-collision between the two vehicles resulted in the death of about four persons, while several others sustained injuries.

Spokesman for the Enugu State Police Command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the development, said the persons confirmed dead in the accident include one of the commercial bus drivers, and three passengers.

Nigeria Scraps Fuel Subsidy, Cut Petrol Price To N85 Per Litre

The Nigerian Government announced on Friday that it has scrapped the Petroleum Support Fund, also known as fuel subsidy.

Speaking to journalists at the Port Harcourt refinery where he had spent Christmas inspecting the facility, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, said the government could no longer pay the subsidy due to the fraud tainting the scheme.

Mr. Kachikwu, who is also the Group Managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), also added that the government could no longer afford the payment due to the dip in its revenue, caused by the drop in crude oil prices.

He said a new pricing template he signed off on Thursday effectively removed the payment of subsidy on petrol and that oil marketers would be informed of the development in the coming days.

The official price of petrol is N87 but it is sold for higher prices in many states of the federation.

When pressed on what the new price of petrol would be following the removal of the subsidy, Mr Kachikwu said it would sell for below the current official price, maybe as low as N85 per litre.

“It (new pricing regime) is out,” the minister said. ”I signed off on it yesterday (Thursday). I imagined that in the next couple of days the marketers would get advice on that. The nice thing about the PPPRA, where I signed up on it yesterday is that the price will be far below N87,” he said.

So for the first time, people will understand that the pricing modulation I was talking about is not a gimmick. It is for real. We have gone to find out how we will be able to fluctuate this market to reflect what the reality of the crude market is. The objective is that one, we cannot afford to continue to subsidise.

“We can’t even understand where those subsidies were going to. There are a lot of fraud elements in it so we need to cut that off.

“The second is the earning capacity of the Federal Government is deteriorating by the day with lower prices of crude and come out more,” he said

The call for government to scrap the payment of subsidy on petrol has become louder recently following the drop in crude oil prices.

Last week, a leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress and former Governor of Lagos, Bola Tinubu, joined the call for the government to scrap the subsidy regime.

Mr. Tinubu,  who had opposed the removal of the subsidy under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, said subsidy was originally a good idea, but it had since been “perverted”.

He, therefore, urged the government to divert the money it is currently paying on subsidy to other social programmes and infrastructure that would have more rewarding impacts on the people.

“In a perfect world, I wish we could sanitize the subsidy regime and thus continue (with) it. However, I have reached the conclusion that there are too many demons in the system for this hell to be converted into good earth let alone heaven,” he said while speaking at the 10^th memorial anniversary of left-wing politician and scholar, Bala Usman, in Kaduna.

“I would choose to remove the subsidy and use the money to help people – let us feed our school children, with our local produce promote agriculture, create jobs and start erecting a social safety net for the vulnerable among us in true need,” he added.

On Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari told a joint session of the National Assembly that he had directed “the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to adjust its pricing template to reflect competitive and market driven components” that would keep the price of petrol selling at “N87 per litre for now.”

According to Mr Kachikwu, the President’s comment was informed by the analysis that was done that put the price at below the official price of N87.

“But in applying that where we landed when we did the analysis for the very first time was about N85 or N86 so it is below N87.

“And maybe the first price that will come will reflect it. That was why Mr. President said that prices will be N87 for now. And that is what we have in mind,” he said.

The announcement on fuel subsidy removal came two days after the Nigerian Labour Congress threatened it would vehemently oppose any cut on the subsidy regime.

At the end of its Central Working Committee meeting in Abuja, the NLC said the discordant pronouncements from government officials on plans to cut subsidy was creating panic and confusion in the system, even as it reaffirmed its opposition to any fuel price increase.

An attempt by the government to cut fuel subsidy in 2012 led to what came to be known as the #OccupyNigeria protest.

Nigerians were outraged when in the early hours of January 1, 2012, then President Jonathan announced the removal of subsidy from petroleum products.

The then president’s New Year announcement meant that PMS, which sold for N65 a litre – with subsidy – would go for N141, more than a hundred per cent increase.

This action translated into more than one hundred per cent increase in fares, food, rents and virtually every all goods and services in Nigeria.

Petrol is central to Nigeria’s economy and literally close to every Nigerian’s heart.

Expectedly, that announcement immediately drew Nigerians to the streets, sparking spontaneous protests across the country.

But it soon became clear that the subsidy regime was characterised by monumental fraud.

For instance, to benefit from the 2011 fuel subsidy largesse, some oil companies “manufactured” fictional oil ships (vessels) they claimed traversed seas and oceans of the world carrying imaginary petrol, with Nigeria the final destination of the product, a Technical Committee set up by the Federal Government discovered.

For supplying this phantom product to Nigeria, some seven companies pocketed a princely N13 billion naira from the 2011 fuel subsidy payments, the committee’s report, exclusively obtained by PREMIUM TIMES at the time, showed.

Some other companies, not wanting to create fictional vessels, decided to space- travel existing ones; such that real vessels, which were definitely in countries like China and UAE, were purported to have discharged petrol into storage depots in Nigeria at the exact time they were in those other countries. The 11 companies involved in this category of fraud pocketed N21 billion from the 2011 subsidy payments, the report said.

Sources in the oil industry revealed at the time that those companies were able to perpetuate the crime with the help of field officers of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory agency (PPPRA) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), men of the Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Custom officers, banks and others involved in the various stages of fuel importation.

The companies and their owners are still being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.