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APC chieftain says petrol, electricity deregulation exposes PDP, Atiku hypocrisy

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LG polls: APC candidate cautions supporters against campaign of calumny

…Says Atiku’s comments clearly reveal his two-facedness!***

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was being hypocritical by criticising Federal Government’s recent decision to increase petroleum pump price from N143 to N151 per litre and to deregulate the petroleum sector.

The party said this in a statement issued by Mr Yekini Nabena, a chieftain of the party, on Wednesday in Abuja.

The party also accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who was PDP presidential candidate in the 2019 presidential election of being “two-faced” for speaking against the decision.

The PDP it would be recalled had in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan rejected the new fuel price and hike in electricity tariff.

“The PDP vehemently rejects the fresh increase in the price of fuel to N151 per liter and electricity tariff to N66 per kwh under the APC and its government,” Ologbondiyan had said.

He demanded for a reversal of the prices to avert what he called a national crisis.

According to him, the increase will result in upsurge in costs of goods and services and worsen the biting hardship being faced by Nigerians.

The APC, however, said it received with some amazement comments attributed to the PDP and Atiku Abubakar on the development.

The APC spokesman said the PDP and Atiku’s reaction to what had been adjudged an inevitability by many experts clearly depicts the height of hypocrisy demonstrated by them on issues relating to the country’s progress and well being.

“It’s rather unfortunate, if truly, the comments reported by a section of the media, condemning the removal of petrol subsidy, is attributed to Atiku Abubakar.

“Atiku’s comments clearly reveals his two-facedness and portrays him as a man not only acutely lacking in integrity but one that should never be trusted,” Nabena said.

Also read:  FG: Fuel, electricity subsidies no longer feasible

According to him, the former vice president was part of the government that created the corrupt petrol subsidy monster and also the chaos in the electricity sector.

Nabena added that a further portrayal of Atiku’s hypocrisy was his pretentious promise to deregulate the downstream petroleum sector by privatising the NNPC.

“Atiku made the sale of NNPC to his friends and the deregulation of both the PMS and the electricity sector the hallmark of his 2019 presidential election misadventure,” he further said.

Nabena recalled that Atiku had argued at different fora in 2018 and early 2019 that NNPC and the power sector must be disbanded through privatisation if they must be efficient.

He also recalled that Atiku’s campaign platform, during the electioneering, emphasised on the liberalisation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.

“Recently, specifically in June, 2020, Atiku, in a tweet, hailed the Buhari administration’s drive to remove subsidy on petrol, saying that the stoppage of subsidy and price-fixing is a right move,” Nabena said.

He noted that even Atiku’s Economic Adviser, Mustapha Chike-Obi, had the decency to hail Federal Government’s decision to remove subsidies for petrol and electricity.

He maintained that judging from its background as a party that instituted the subsidy regime in the petrol sector, the PDP lacked the moral to question an honest move by the Buhari-led administration to find lasting solutions to the problems it caused.

He stressed that the PDP describing the deregulation of the price of petrol by the APC-led government as callous and cruel was rather sarcastic.

This, Nabena said, was especially so, given the pain and anguish suffered by Nigerians on long queues at petrol stations when the PDP-led government presided over a corrupt subsidy regime.

He added that it was therefore laughable that the same set of people would turn around and condemn decisions taken to fix the mess they created in the system.

“The PDP’s outburst indeed exposes once again its real fraudulent character and plot to patronise Nigerians and make them suffer in perpetuity by keeping a fraudulent subsidy arrangement that feeds a few individuals at the expense of the masses.

“Judging from the foregoing, the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and comments attributed to them should not be taken seriously,” he said.

He added that in line with the drive to deregulate the oil sector, the petroleum products pricing template now reflects competitive and market-driven components.

He further said that this had in turn freed up cash to fund the ongoing development of critical infrastructure across the country.

 

Economy

YULETIDE Decorations: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

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YULETIDE Decorations,: LASG To Divert Traffic At Ajose Adeogun

The Lagos State Government will divert Traffic, away from a section of Ajose Adeogun Street in Victoria Island, for the mounting of end-of-the-year decoration, for a duration of three weekends starting from Saturday 19th October 2024.

The aforementioned exercise, according to Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi,  will be carried out in three phases with each phase focusing on different sections of the street. 

To this end, the following alternative routes have been mapped out for motorists during the cause of the mounting; 

 During the First Phase which will cover Jubril Martins to Chicken Republic – (Saturday, 19th and Sunday, 20th October 2024)

Traffic inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to the other half (existing section) of Ajose Adeogun Street by VCP Hotel to form contra-flow traffic and exit at Eko-Hotel Roundabout to continue journeys.

Alternatively, Traffic inward to Eko-Hotel Roundabout from VCP Hotel will be diverted through Jubril Martins into Muri Okunola to link Patience Coker and access Ajose Adeogun Street to connect destinations.

During the Second Phase which will cover Molade Okoya Thomas to Mounis Bashorun section – (Saturday, 26th and Sunday, 27th October 2024). 

Traffic inward Ajose Adeogun Street from Eko-Hotel Roundabout will be diverted to a right turn into Molade Okoya Thomas to link Younis Bashorun to access Ajose Adeogun Street to continue journeys. 

During the Third phase of the project spanning 10 meters inward Ajose Adeogun (Saturday, 2nd November, 2024).

Motorists from Adetokunbo Ademola Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Ajose Adeogun Street to connect their destinations, while Motorists inward Eko-Hotel Roundabout on Ajose Adeogun Street will maintain a lane movement for about 10 metres into Eko-Hotel Roundabout.

The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi while imploring Motorists to note the ease of movement plan assured that the State’s Traffic Management Authority will be on ground to manage vehicular activities along the corridor to minimise inconveniences.

The Commissioner therefore advised Motorists to be patient, as the Partial closure is part of the traffic management plans for the commencement of End of Year Decoration of Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, by Zenith Bank PLC.

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Economy

NLC Kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Job Loss

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NLC kicks, Says Petrol Hike Will Further Deepen Poverty, Jobs Lost

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the current petrol price hike, stressing that the latest increase in the pump price of petrol will further deepen poverty as production capacities dip.

The Congress added that the increase would lead to more job loss with multidimensional negative effects, and therefore, demanded its immediate reversal.

NLC’s position is contained in a statement signed by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero on Wednesday in Abuja, titled, “What next after increase in pump price?”.

The labour leader said the previous increases had not produced any good results, rather, people only got poorer.

He said the Congress was dismayed by the latest increase in the pump price of petrol without commensurate capacity of Nigerians or mitigatory measures.

“Even following the logic of market forces, we find it an aberration that a private company (NNPCL) is the one fixing prices and projecting itself as a hegemonic monopoly.

“We challenge the government to go to the drawing board and present us with a blueprint for inclusive economic growth and national development instead of this spasmodic ad hocism and palliative policy.

“It needs no stating the fact that the latest wave of increase has grossly altered the calculations of Nigerians once again at a time they were reluctantly coming to terms with their new realities,” he said.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had raised the pump price of petrol by 14.8 per cent to N1,030 per litre from N897 across its retail outlets in the FCT.

Earlier in September, the NNPCL had increased the price of the product from N615 to N897.

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Economy

LASG Signs Mou For Green Line Mass Transit

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LASG Signs Mou For Green Line Mass Transit

…Assures that rail transit will seriously improve commuting within the metropolis

The Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Green Line Rail Mass Transit Project which is to span the expanse of Lekki corridor within the state.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Oluwaseun Osiyemi highlighted this, in response to questions raised by the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Transportation, led by Hon. Temitope Adewale, the Chairman during a courtesy visit of the committee to the ministry.

The Transport Commissioner stated that the addition of the Green Line to the existing Blue Line which has transported over 2 million passengers since its inception and the Red Line which will convey 750,000 passengers daily at its kick-off, will significantly improve commuting within the state. He also said that the plan for the second phase of the Blue Line, Mile 2 to Okokomaiko is underway.

Mr. Osiyemi also disclosed that the Ministry was currently working on creating 2 Interchanges to ensure the interconnectivity of the modes especially in areas where all of the available modes exist (Road, Water and Rail), adding that the interconnectivity of the modes was deliberate to ensure that there is no lacuna in the implementations of these plans.

Speaking on the areas of concern raised about the Lekki-Epe Corridor and the impact of the refinery along the axis, the Commissioner elaborated on the modality of the E-call Up System.

He explained that 7 trailer parks are available to prevent trucks from loitering on the corridor as well as an RFID which will ensure compliance with the e-call-up system as it will expose any truck not scheduled to be at the port or parks.

He also revealed that plans are also underway to ensure containers are moved via water on barges in ten’s to further reduce the congestion on the corridor.

In affirmation, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olawale Musa explained that the number one hindrance to fully digitised enforcement is the lack of data.

He decried that many motorists especially commercial vehicles submit incorrect data to the Government due to the use of agents to procure vital vehicular and driver documentation hence the continued use of physical enforcement. 

He further stated that the Ministry has prioritized training of its enforcement and traffic management officers to ensure that they deliver on providing sanity on Lagos roads.

The Chairman House Committee on Transportation, Hon. Temitope Adewale applauded the Ministry for living up to its responsibility as the first on the THEMES+ Agenda, he enjoined the Ministry to provide a project status report to enable the House of Assembly to monitor and stay abreast of the plans of the ministry and as well support the projects in line with their functions as representatives of the people.

Expatiating on the development, the Deputy Director Public Affairs, Bolanle Ogunlola (Mrs.) noted the presence of other members, which included Hons. Afinni Olanrewaju, Slyvester Ogunkelu, Olootu Emmanuel and Kazeem. O, alongside other Officers from the Lagos State House of Assembly, as well as the Management of the Ministry of Transportation.

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