DWS withdraws government waterworks draft regulations

The Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) has announced the withdrawal of the proposed regulations relating to access and use of government waterworks and surrounding State-owned land for recreational purposes.

The draft regulations were published in the Government Gazette on 24 March 2023, for a second round of public comments to solicit inputs from various stakeholders and members of the public who have interests in accessing and using the departmental infrastructures for recreational purposes.

“The draft regulations were withdrawn after considering the public comments received during public consultations as well as from written comments. Newly proposed regulations will be reissued once the reviewing process is concluded,” the department said in a statement.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Moove rolls out R284m Investment Conference pledge

Moove, a mobility financial technology (fintech) company, has rolled out a R284 million investment, which it pledged at the fifth South African Investment Conference hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in April 2023.

As an impact driven fintech, Moove exists to provide financial services to those who are unbanked or underserved by traditional lenders, so they can obtain revenue-based financing and access a path to asset ownership and financial stability.

It does this by embedding its alternative credit scoring technology onto ride-hailing, logistics, mass transit, and instant delivery platforms, using proprietary performance and revenue analytics to underwrite customers that have previously been excluded from financial services.

“The pledged amount of R284 million was invested in the purchase of more than 2 000 vehicles in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

“These vehicles were deployed to mobility entrepreneurs operating in these cities. Further investment of R300 million will soon be allocated to the purchase of 1 400 new vehicles, with further funding and vehicle allocation taking place in 2024,” said the Managing Director of Moove South Africa, Warren Peters.

Peters said the initial investment created over 2 000 jobs across mobility entrepreneurs, Moove employees and the technical resources employed at dealerships in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“We anticipate future funding to create opportunities for an additional 1 400 mobility entrepreneurs and an estimated 50 additional jobs through our network of partners and service providers,” Peters said.

The investment, Peters said, allows Moove to offer financial inclusion to mobility entrepreneurs. It creates opportunities for deserving South Africans, who are currently excluded from access to certain financial services, and who aspire to become mobility entrepreneurs and asset owners.

Moove operates in various cities across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and India. These include Lagos, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Dubai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and London.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Moove rolls out R284m Investment Conference pledge

Moove, a mobility financial technology (fintech) company, has rolled out a R284 million investment, which it pledged at the fifth South African Investment Conference hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in April 2023.

As an impact driven fintech, Moove exists to provide financial services to those who are unbanked or underserved by traditional lenders, so they can obtain revenue-based financing and access a path to asset ownership and financial stability.

It does this by embedding its alternative credit scoring technology onto ride-hailing, logistics, mass transit, and instant delivery platforms, using proprietary performance and revenue analytics to underwrite customers that have previously been excluded from financial services.

“The pledged amount of R284 million was invested in the purchase of more than 2 000 vehicles in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

“These vehicles were deployed to mobility entrepreneurs operating in these cities. Further investment of R300 million will soon be allocated to the purchase of 1 400 new vehicles, with further funding and vehicle allocation taking place in 2024,” said the Managing Director of Moove South Africa, Warren Peters.

Peters said the initial investment created over 2 000 jobs across mobility entrepreneurs, Moove employees and the technical resources employed at dealerships in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“We anticipate future funding to create opportunities for an additional 1 400 mobility entrepreneurs and an estimated 50 additional jobs through our network of partners and service providers,” Peters said.

The investment, Peters said, allows Moove to offer financial inclusion to mobility entrepreneurs. It creates opportunities for deserving South Africans, who are currently excluded from access to certain financial services, and who aspire to become mobility entrepreneurs and asset owners.

Moove operates in various cities across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and India. These include Lagos, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Dubai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Mumbai and London.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Pipelines rehabilitation contracts award based on industry norms – NNPC Ltd

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has clarified that the contracts for pipeline rehabilitation were awarded based on evaluation criteria and in accordance with industry standards.

The management of the NNPC Limited made this known in a statement on Sunday while reacting to reports in some sections of the media alleging underhand dealings in the contract award.

It said the contracts, which were advertised, were awarded based on rigorous evaluation criteria and in line with industry norms.

“The attention of the NNPC Ltd has been drawn to reports in an isolated sections of the media alleging underhand dealings in the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of pipelines across the country.

“It is crucial to provide accurate information to address any misconceptions and ensure transparency in our operations.

“We would like to state categorically that these reports are fallacious and designed to bring the good name of the Company into disrepute.

“NNPC Limited is deeply committed to adhering to the highest standards of transparency and global best practices in all our activities, and this includes our contracting process,” it said.

The NNPC Limited, while re-emphasising its commitment to transparency, said it subjected the selection process to a competitive tender guided by Bureau of Public Procurement standards, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission expertise, and the active involvement of a Transaction Advisor.

It said it also had representations from NEITI and the Ministry of Justice in the project development team and the evaluation exercise.

It listed the composition of Consortium members per lot spread across Nigeria.

“LOT 1: Oilserve Ltd, Chu Kong Steel Pipe Group Company Ltd, Saudi Crown Oilserve.

“LOT 2: MacReady Oil and Gas Services, COBRA Instalicios S.A, Control Y Montajes Industriales and International De Pipelines, Iron Products Industries Ltd, Batelitwin Global Services Ltd, Bauen Empresa Constructora SAU, Sanderton Energy Ltd, The Spanish National Association of Manufacturers.

“LOT 3: A A Rano, Zakhem Construction Nigeria, Bablinks Resources Ltd, VAE Controls S.R.O and LOT 4: MRS Oil and Gas, CPPE Nigeria Ltd

“It is imperative to emphasise that these contracts are Build, Operate and Transfer agreements, and selected partners are to finance the rehabilitation and do not entail the transfer of control of these assets to any particular company,” it said.

It said its objective was to enhance the integrity and functionality of the pipelines to facilitate the efficient transportation of crude oil to refineries and the distribution of its products across the country.

According to the NNPC management, the ownership of these strategic national assets remains with NNPC Limited, and are fully committed to ensuring their continued operation in the interest of over 200 million Nigerians.

It would be recalled that some sections of the media recently alleged that NNPC Ltd had awarded juicy rehabilitation contracts of the nation’s pipelines to four oil companies, including two downstream retailers. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

NUJ condemns alleged assault on NAN Assistant Chief Correspondent by VIO

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Chapel has condemned the alleged assault on Mrs Philomina Attah, an Editor/Assistant Chief Correspondent of the agency by an official of the Director of the Directorate of Road Traffic Services, FCT Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO).

This is contained in a letter to the director of the FCT VIO titled “PROTEST LETTER AGAINST ASSAULT OF A NAN JOURNALIST, CAUTION YOUR OFFICERS” dated Oct. 5.

The letter was jointly signed by the Chairman, Collins Yakubu-Hammer and Secretary, Funmilayo Adeyemi respectively and copied to the Minister of FCT and Chairman of NUJ FCT Council.

Others copied are the Chairperson of the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) FCT Chapter, Chairperson, Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) FCT Chapter, and the Executive Secretary, National Human Right Commission.

The union expressed sadness over the alleged unprofessional conduct perpetrated by a VIO Officer identified as Officer James, attached to the Idu outpost of the service.

“On Sept. 29, officer James assaulted Attah, an Editor/Assistant Chief Correspondent on her way to work to attend an editorial meeting.

“He stopped her in the middle of the road at the Idu Junction, Abuja and refused to allow her to pull over, claiming her papers had expired, even when it was pasted on her car windscreen that it would expire on Sept. 30, and she had already initiated the renewal process with the service.

“The said officer slapped her, calling her unprintable names. Some few minutes after the humiliation and assault, she got a text message via her phone that her vehicle papers renewal process was successful.

“In as much as the union will not want to press legal charges against the directorate/VIO and the said officer for now, we will appreciate it if you can call your officers to order,” the union said.

The union demanded a written apology by officer James of the Idu outpost of the service.

It also urged the directorate to take disciplinary action against officer James to deter other overzealous staff of the service.

The NAN NUJ pleaded with the director to look into the issue of neatness, civility/decorum, professionalism and sanity of the officers on the road.

“As partners in progress, we will always educate our members to ensure obedience to traffic signs, lights and renewal of vehicle papers as at when due” the union said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

NASS committed to securing Nigeria, says Rep

Rep. Ibrahim Almustapha-Rabah (APC-Sokoto) says the National Assembly is fully committed to securing the country.

Almustapha-Rabah, who represents Rabah/Wurno Federal Constituency spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.

” All of us at the National Assembly are working hard on one issue or the other either individually or collectively, the objective is the same, a better and secure Sokoto State and Nigeria.

” We hope these modest efforts and approaches will yield a positive result in the near future.

“ We are therefore on it securely, proactively and we are as always focused and alive to our responsibilities,” he said

Almustapha-Rabah said the problem of insecurity perpetrated by few of the criminally-minded elements amongst the citizens has eaten deep into the fabrics of the country.

He added that insecurity and its associated challenges had already overstretched the delicate communities.

” These communities were hitherto blossoming economic hubs populated by very active, happy and determined people.

” The landscapes were very green, richly endowed and highly fertile, ready for anything to grow for prosperity and wealth creation.

” Our blessed livestock population provides all we need to support not only our basic needs, but even self – help community projects and to, as well, support others,” Almustapha-Rabah said.

He said those beautiful sceneries have faded over the years, the simple reason being that the fertile lands provide a safe haven to miscreants.

Almustapha-Rabah said miscreants freely move with sophisticated weapons, killing, maiming, seizing livestock and kidnapping for ransom.

The lawmaker lamented that the insecurity situation was an act similar to a war of attrition, economic sabotage and annihilation.

” Unfortunately those criminal elements were nurtured by our collective action or inaction in addressing the identified gaps particularly in education and employment generation.

” The street boys, the out of school children, the Almajiris of the last 20 years are the grown up unemployed population we are managing today.

“ Some of them frustrated and hopeless went into drugs and crime, the nexus being failure to address some basic issues of needs and development in the past.”

He asserted that Education, Infrastructure, and Agriculture remain the major drivers of development and must be taken seriously for the state to succeed.

” At our level, there was virtually nothing we had not raised and discussed at the chambers on way and means and how to go about it,” the legislator said.

According to him, it is therefore going to be a mere repetition and a duplication of effort to continually bring up the issue for publicity sake.

“ More often, the resolutions passed by the National Assembly require time and funding to implement.

” We believe the present administration at both the Federal, under President Bola Tinubu and Sokoto State, under Gov. Ahmed Aliyu are committed to redressing the ugly trend.

”They have this zeal more than ever before to support those concerned security agencies to deliver on their constitutional mandates,” Almustapha-Rabah said.

He said that recently, the governor bought operational vehicles to further support the security agencies.

” We on the other hand as your representatives, having identified some of the gaps and the root cause of the problem, are working hard, though silently, to restore our infrastructure,” the lawmaker said.

Almustapha-Rabah listed some of their projects to include the dilapidated 81km Rabah-Bakura road, solar- powered lights, empowerment for women and recent efforts to restock livestock.

“ Efforts to get our children back to school, creating jobs through alternative and second chance opportunities for school drop-outs in the country among others, are our ongoing projects,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria