Day: August 29, 2024

The Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), has advised the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals and other modular refineries in the country to sell refined products to oil marketers in Naira.

The association said that ‘this is imperative as the refiners will also be getting the crude in Naira’.

Its National President Benneth Korie made this appeal while briefing newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Bola Tinubu recently directed the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL) to sell crude oil to Dangote and other modular refineries in the country’s currency.

‘I also want to express our support for the president’s directive to sell crude oil in naira.

‘We hope that our refineries will reciprocate by selling refined products in naira, thus stabilising the market’, he said.

Korie said that to ensure a balanced distribution, the Dangote’s refined products should be made available to a broader range of stakeholders.

He listed the
stakeholders as the NNPC Trading, NNPC Retail, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).

He included others as the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) and NOGASA.

This inclusivity, according to him, would facilitate sustainable and widespread distribution across the country.

He urged the Federal Government to expedite the commencement of the Port Harcourt Refinery slated for September to alleviate the current shortages and ensure that the products were distributed among the same stakeholders.

He called for the reduction in the price of Automotive Gas Oil – diesel – to lower transportation costs and reduce the price of petroleum products.

‘With Dangote’s refinery production and crude oil transactions in naira, we expect a reduction in diesel price.

‘NNPC Ltd. should leverage its shares in Dangote’s refinery to drive down
these costs, which will lower transportation expenses and reduce market prices’, he said.

On issue of smuggling, he said, there was the need to redesign distribution channels to prevent illegal exportation of petroleum products.

Korie, while explaining that ‘road constitutes 45 per cent of the delay in the delivery of the petroleum products’, urged the government to improve transportation network.

He advised the government to expand and revamp railways for bulk cargo to enhance logistics.

He also urged the federal, states and local governments to discourage the multiple taxation on the nation’s highways.

On inflation, he urged the government at all levels to prioritise agriculture by making farming more attractive, profitable.

According to him, this can be done by subsidising agricultural inputs and equipment to address public apprehension over rising costs.

‘Extension workers should also be deployed to educate farmers on modern techniques such as irrigation and fumigation,’ he said.

Source: News Age
ncy of Nigeria

The Federal Government has reiterated commitment to meet the September deadline set out for the commencement of the African Energy Bank (AEB).

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja when Dr Omar Ibrahim, Secretary-General, African Petroleum Producers’ Organisation (APPO) visited him.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria, on July 4, was granted the hosting right for the Africa Energy Bank after beating Ghana, Benin Republic, Algeria, South Africa and Cote D’Ivoire in a keenly contested bidding.

To ensure the bank’s operationalisation, APPO Secretary-General called on African oil-producing member countries to contribute their subscription fees of 83 million dollars, aiming for the bank’s inauguration in September 2024.

Lokpobiri said it was working assiduously to resolve the issues bordering on the host country agreement, the headquarters building and the balance of the subscription.

‘We are working very seriously to
fulfill all the things we have signed up to do before the end of September, so that the bank can actually start off.

‘We want to emphatically state that Nigeria is committed to meeting her obligations as a host country. We are working day and night to ensure that we meet the September deadline,’ he said.

He said the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Amb. Nicholas Ella, and him, had been meeting daily, while the permanent secretary had been spearheading the technical team to ensure that everything was done within the time frame.

He commended Ibrahim for the excellent job he had done for APPO, adding that since his assumption as the Secretary-General, APPO had been rebranded and grown exponentially to its current level.

‘And we Nigerian are very proud of you, not just as our ambassador, but as an ambassador of Africa.

‘Anytime you speak, the rest of the world listens because of your depth of knowledge and the way you have been rated globally as far as the energy community is concerned,’ he said.

The mi
nister, while urging him to join in building the bank to a strong level before exiting as the Secretary-General, said he supported all the countries, though criteria was clearly spelt out but Nigeria won squarely.

Earlier, the Secretary-General, who was on his first visit to Nigeria after it won the AEB hosting right, commended the ministry for its efforts toward the establishment of the Bank, an initiative of the APPO and Afreximbank.

‘There are issues. One is the host country agreement, second is the headquarters preparing it and the third is to make up the difference between what Nigeria pledged and what Nigeria has paid so far.

‘Everybody is looking up to Nigeria. Ministers of other countries are asking me, when are you moving? When are we starting,’ he said.

He then appealed to the Federal Government to conform with its promise to APPO which informed the decision to give Nigeria the hosting right.

‘As a Nigerian, I am very happy, pleased and very proud of what you have done. I want to make it very c
lear, Nigeria won and won fair and square.

‘And I want to say that really Nigeria should be proud of its team in APPO, the minister, the permanent secretary and consultants.

‘You have earned the respect of your colleagues. And I want this to be sustained,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister, Professor Blade Nzimande, has called on the National Advisory Council on Innovation (NACI) to convene a summit to discuss transformation within South Africa’s national system of innovation (NSI).

Speaking in Pretoria at the launch of the 2024 Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Indicators Report, Nzimande said that the summit should bring together stakeholders to address the remaining barriers to achieving a fully transformed innovation system.

Despite the report highlighting increases in the numbers of women and Black academic staff at higher education institutions in South Africa, the Minister said there is still much room for improvement.

‘We must recognise the ongoing challenges in transforming our STI landscape. We need to ensure that our NSI truly reflects the demographics of our nation, particularly in terms of race, class and gender,’ he added.

According to the report, university enrolments in South Africa increased by 12% between 2012 and 2021, w
ith a 41% rise in the number of graduates.

Black African academic staff representation rose to 43%, marking substantial progress in gender and racial equity.

Meanwhile, scientific publications increased from 3 693 in 2000 to 27 208 in 2022, securing a global share of one percent.

Diversity among authors has also improved significantly, with the percentage of women authors rising from 32% in 2005 to 45% in 2022, and contributions from black academics growing from under 15% to over 52%.

The Minister said the ongoing transformation of the NSI is about ensuring that the benefit of innovation is shared equitably across society.

This includes enhancing access to science and technology education for young people from working-class and poor backgrounds to ensure they can become future scientists and innovators.

However, he said the positive increases in university enrolments and graduates, coupled with the growing representation of women and Black African academic staff, were testament to government’s commitmen
t to building a more equitable and inclusive scientific community.

The National Research Foundation, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last week, said that, among 4 212 rated researchers in South Africa, Black South Africans account for 38%.

Nzimande believes this was testimony to the commitment to transform the country’s research landscape.

The STI report, titled ‘Measuring science, technology and innovation to guide their contribution to socio-economic development’, highlights South Africa’s advancements and the challenges that remain.

Commissioned by NACI, the report provides data and insights that inform policy decisions by government, helping to shape strategies aimed at improving the country’s STI landscape.

The report reveals that South Africa invested R2.4 billion in national research infrastructure and R1.2 billion in the National Equipment Programme, strengthening research capabilities across the country.

The nation’s e-Government Development Index improved from 0.49 in 2012 to 0.74 in 202
2, with its global ranking jumping from 101 to 65 out of 193 countries, reflecting significant progress in digital inclusion.

Manufacturing exports increased by 11.7% between 2021 and 2022, with medium and high technology (MHT) exports showing strong growth.

The sector saw a notable rise in patent filings and publications in emerging technologies, including digitalisation and nanotechnology, indicating a robust commitment to innovation.

The report identified ongoing challenges, including low research and development (R and D) intensity, declining international patent applications, and reduced venture capital investment.

South Africa’s patenting activity has declined significantly over the past few years.

Domestic patents granted decreased from 694 in 2019 to 513 in 2022, while patent applications abroad dropped from 1 457 in 2020 to 968 in 2022.

Additionally, patents granted by the European Patent Office decreased from 80 in 2020 to 38 in 2022.

However, there was a slight increase in patents granted by
the US Patent and Trademark Office, from 125 in 2021 to 150 in 2022.

‘As we move forward, it is imperative that we make targeted and sustainable policy, institutional, and resource interventions to address the challenges identified in the 2024 STI Indicators Report. Our goal is to place science, technology, and innovation at the core of South Africa’s national development agenda, the Minister.

CEO of NACI, Dr Mlungisi Cele, underscored the importance of addressing these challenges with a comprehensive strategy.

Source: South African Government News Agency

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) has instituted disciplinary action against officials who were alleged to have been involved in the use of cellphones at a Western Cape correctional facility.

This is according to DCS Minister, Dr Pieter Groenewald, who was answering questions in a sitting of the National Assembly on Wednesday.

A video of an inmate at the Goodwood Correctional Centre went viral on social media in July in which he is heard describing prison life as a ‘soft life’.

‘It was quite clear that some of our officials were part of this breach. After an investigation, a total of six officials were identified for disciplinary actions to be instituted against them. An investigation was conducted and completed. The area commissioner of Goodwood took a decision…to institute the disciplinary action.

‘The status at the moment is that all six are formally charged. Two of the six are finalised and four are still in process,’ Groenewald said.

The Minister said the department is exploring ways to
block signal at prisons but this brings its own challenges.

‘There are various ways to deal with this matter of cell phones and connections from within our facilities. But it’s not that simple. For instance, you can have a jammer but some of our facilities are close to highways and the community itself and you cannot restrict the jamming just to the centre. That will have an influence on the community.

‘So what we are doing is looking is looking at technology. There is sophisticated technology to make it more focussed but it is expensive and we will have to look at our budget,’ he said.

The Minister vowed to crack down on errant officials in the department.

‘The first step to deal with corruption is to ensure that there are consequences for those officials who transgress. Consequence management is essential if you want to eradicate corruption.

‘I had a conversation with the members at head office…and I made it clear that corruption cannot only be fought by a minister but we must join hands to do it. Most
of the correctional services officials are honest, hardworking people with integrity but we will have to work together to identify the rotten apples and disciplinary steps must be taken against them,’ Groenewald concluded.

Source: South African Government News Agency

With Women’s Month drawing to a close, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) will host a seminar for women entrepreneurs on Friday.

Deputy Minister Zuko Godlimpi is expected to lead the seminar that is aimed at promoting women’s participation in entrepreneurship.

According to the dtic, the event will offer a unique opportunity for dialogue, building valuable connections, and exploring success strategies essential for women in business.

‘It will also serve as a platform to showcase the work of businesses supported by the dtic and its entities and the role the entities play in helping women entrepreneurs through various mechanisms, including funding, regulation and exports among others.

Friday’s seminar which will get underway at 9 am, will take place at the Industrial Development Corporation in Sandton.

Source: South African Government News Agency

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson says his department has issued tenders for the appointment of an independent investigator to, within 60 days following their appointment, provide a detailed report on what went wrong with the Telkom Towers building in Pretoria.

According to Macpherson, the report should detail who is to blame and what will be the best solution moving forward for the Telkom Towers to limit further wastage of taxpayer money.

Earlier this month, the Minister conducted an oversight inspection at the Telkom Towers.

The building was procured to serve as the South African Police headquarters in 2016 to the tune of nearly R700 million. Officials say to date, over R200 million has been spent on renovations and other services but the building remains empty due to lapses.

Addressing the media in Cape Town on Wednesday, Macpherson said in the coming weeks, a tender for a second independent investigation will be released to investigate leases which have been established by the
Department of Public Works and Infrastructure to ensure that these leases were completed within the confines of the law and that the state is paying market-related prices for each.

‘Shortly after my appointment, we initiated an investigation into an R300 million IT security breach that spans a decade. The investigation builds on the work Deputy Minister Sihle Zikalala started earlier this year when vulnerabilities were discovered in the department’s Information and Technology Systems,’ the Minister said.

Macpherson said preliminary reports since the extent of the security breach was found suggest that the amount of money stolen over the period confirms the seriousness of the matter.

He has also authorised the department’s legal services to assist the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) with litigation at the Special Tribunal to recover up to R20 million against Kroucamp Plumbers.

‘This case involves tenders received by Kroucamp Plumbers in 2015 and 2018, where procurement processes were found to be unlawful
and unconstitutional.

‘The SIU discovered that payments were made to officials in our department amounting to over R300 000, and these actions are indicative of corruption that we are determined to root out,’ the Minister said.

Macpherson said his goal is to make the department play a central role in using public assets for the public good and to help turn South Africa into a construction site which will ignite economic growth and create jobs.

‘Over the past eight weeks, I believe we have started to lay the foundation for the work to begin to see cranes in the sky all over South Africa,’ Macpherson said.

Central to the department’s strategy for increased infrastructure investment is to see the expansion and the capacitation of Infrastructure South Africa (ISA).

‘We want to ensure that ISA functions as the single point of entry for all priority infrastructure projects, streamlining processes and reducing inefficiencies that have previously hampered project delivery,’ Macpherson said.

This will not only i
mprove efficiency but also ensure that the department prioritise projects with the greatest economic and social impact.

‘And, this will increase investor confidence in public infrastructure projects, knowing that where Infrastructure South Africa is involved, construction projects are completed on time and within budget.

‘We are accelerating broader budget reforms by collaborating with the National Treasury to streamline the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) process and establish an Infrastructure Fund that reports directly to the National Treasury.

‘We are diversifying funding sources for infrastructure projects by focusing on PPPs, blended finance, and social infrastructure programmes. ISA will work closely with the National Treasury to direct investments toward projects with the highest GDP [gross domestic product] impact and job creation potential,’ the Minister said.

The Minister said as the department pushes forward with reforms to ignite infrastructure investment, it was important that the departmen
t get its own house in order to ensure that it delivers on the core mandate.

‘Accountability and transparency should be at the core of everything we do, while we work to eliminate corruption and abuse in all spheres of our organisation.’

Source: South African Government News Agency