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Gas eruption: NSCDC, NEMA, Fire Service mobilise to contain spread in Enugu

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Gas eruption: NSCDC, NEMA, Fire Service mobilise to contain spread in Enugu

…LCCI embarks on gas use sensitisation across 5 locations in Lagos***

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has deployed no fewer than 20 personnel to secure the site of a natural erupted gas flaring at Caritas University, Emene, Enugu State.

The NSCDC spokesman in Enugu State, Mr Danny Iwuchukwu, told the newsmen in Enugu on Friday that the Corps also deployed four operational vehicles at the site.

Iwuchukwu said that the deployment was done on Wednesday as the NSCDC Command got the alert of the incident.

He noted that the Commandant of NSCDC in Enugu State, Mr Valentine Afrika, quickly sent a dispatch of armed personnel and vehicles to ensure that the erupted gas, which went into flames, did not escalate within the neighbourhood.

“We are here and our men will continue to remain here to ensure that the natural disaster does not spread and destroy people’s houses, farmlands and other economic valuables within the site of the incident.

“We are also here to ensure that nobody will take advantage of the incident and cause any mayhem,” he said.

The spokesman said that NSCDC personnel had sealed the area close to the site against any human movement or activities.

Speaking to newsmen, the South-East Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Tickman Tanimo, said the Agency since Wednesday mobilised the Federal and Enugu State Fire Services to the site to ensure that the gas fire did not escalate.

Tanimo said that the Agency had mobilised the NSCDC, its staff and Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to be on the ground 24/7 to monitor development at the site.

“We have also informed the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA), Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the development.

“For now, the area is cordoned from people and the fire is within control,” he noted.

Newsmen recall that a statement issued by NOSDRA on Thursday in Yenegoa, Bayelsa, confirmed that the Agency received reports of a gas leak which engulfed into a fire in Emene, Enugu State.

Mr Idris Musa, Director-General of NOSDRA, said that the gas leakage was caused by water drilling activities which hit a gas reservoir at Emene in Enugu.

Musa, who described the development as natural gas, said that emergency response efforts were underway to avert disaster from the incident.

“There is a natural gas problem at a borehole drilling point at Caritas University, Emene, Enugu. In the course of drilling very deep to reach the aquifer, the drilling hit the gas level.

“The Chief Executive of Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has been notified.

“The Zonal Head of National Emergency Management Agency has secured the assistance of both Federal and State Fire Services

“Efforts are ongoing to secure more technical assistance to bring the situation under control,” Musa said.

In the same vein, the Lagos Chamber of the Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has begun the second phase awareness programme on the benefits of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) across five locations in Lagos.

The newsmen report that the sensitisation would hold for five Fridays in Ikorodu, Agboyi Ketu, Igando Ikotun, Agbado Oke Odo and Lagos Island zone, respectively.

The event tagged: #EkoforGasforEko on Friday in Lagos, was organised by the LCCI Liquefied Petroleum Gas Group and Community Development Committee (CDC).

The pilot scheme which took off at the Sabo market, Ikorodu, saw the distribution of 15 cylinders and industrial burners to participants.

LCCI has sensitisation exercise at Sabo market, Ikorodu, Lagos on Friday

Dr Michael Olawale-Cole, President, LCCI, said the programme was designed to intensify awareness on the benefits of using LPG as alternatives to biomass (charcoal, firewood) and kerosene.

Olawale-Cole recalled that in 2013, the LCCI alongside the Lagos State Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources organised the first phase of the Eko Gas scheme which involved the distribution of 20,000 units of 3kg and 6kg filled LPG cylinders across the state.

He added that the move was in line with the chamber’s mandate to promote a conducive business environment and with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 7 on access to reliable, sustainable and modern energy.

Olawale-Cole noted that usage of biomass and other dirty fuels led to harmful, destructive outcomes and diseases such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, breathing problems, lung cancer, and asthma, among others.

“Continuous use of dirty fuels could lead to premature deaths, increased childhood and adult illnesses and strain on the healthcare system.

“The smoke and pollution released when we burn kerosene is also damaging to the environment.

“Burning biomass and kerosene release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) which cause climate change; these existential problems to the entire human race is the rationale for the adoption of cleaner energy like LPG,” he said.

Olawale-Cole noted that in spite of the advantages of LPG over other energy options, the transition remains very low in Nigeria and Lagos state, in particular.

This, he said, informed the need for a sensitisation programme, as a contribution to the transition process which is critical to eliminate attitudinal barriers and socioeconomic misgivings about LPG.

“Though all energy sources will release carbon dioxide when compared to oil, LPG only releases 81 per cent of the carbon dioxide that oil does and compared to coal, LPG only releases 70 per cent of the carbon dioxide,” he said.

Alhaja Taofikat Allison, Iya Oloja, Ayangburen, Ikorodu market, lauded the initiative and urged the beneficiaries on its proper usage to encourage more initiatives like this in a follow-up scheme.

State Chairman, CDC, Alhaji Amusat Azeez, reemphasised the dangers of using coal, firewood and kerosene stove on overall health and the environment.

Azeez encouraged women to begin to transition to better cooking sources such as gas due to its more economical, healthier and faster benefits.

Mrs Ramota ogayemi, a beneficiary, also lauded the efforts of the chamber and pledged to not only put the gas to good use but spread the word around on the need to move to cleaner, alternative energy sources.

 

 

Economy

PETROL: ‘Be Wary Of Substandard Product Dumping’, Dangote Refinery Tells Nigerians

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PETROL: 'Be Wary Of Substandard Product Dumping', Dangote Refinery Tells Nigerians

…Says citizens’ health and vehicle longevity are seriously at risk!

The Dangote Refinery on Sunday warned that Nigerians may soon begin to buy substandard petrol, without much concern for either the citizen’s health or the longevity of their vehicles, except care is taken to prevent low products dumping by those open to connive with certain international traders.

The Group’s image maker and spokesman, Anthony Chiejina gave the warning, saying the group was constrained to raise the alarm, despite its desire to refrain from engaging in any media fights.

“We have lately refrained from engaging in media fights but we are constrained to respond to the recent misinformation being circulated by IPMAN, PETROAN, and other associations. 

“Both organisations claim that they can import PMS at lower prices than what is being sold by the Dangote Refinery. We benchmark our prices against international prices and we believe our prices are competitive relative to the price of imports”, Chiejina stated, stressing that the issue on ground was not about being able to land relatively cheaper petrol on ground, but the quality of such products.

“If anyone claims they can land PMS at a price cheaper than what we are selling, then they are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low-quality products into the country, without concern for the health of Nigerians or the longevity of their vehicles. Unfortunately, the regulator (NMDPRA) does not even have laboratory facilities which can be used to detect substandard products when imported into the country.

“Post deregulation, NNPC set the pace by selling PNS to domestic marketers at N971 per litre for sale into ships and at N990 for sale into trucks. This set the benchmark for our pricing and we have even gone lower to sell at N960 per litre for sale into ships while maintaining N990 per litre for sale into trucks.

“In good faith, and the interest of the country, we commenced sales at these prices without clarity on the exchange rate that we will use to pay for the crude purchased.

“At the same time, an international trading company has recently hired a depot facility next to the Dangote Refinery, intending to use it to blend substandard products that will be dumped into the market to compete with Dangote Refinery’s higher quality production.

“This is detrimental to the growth of domestic refining in Nigeria. We should point out that it is not unusual for countries to protect their domestic industries to provide jobs and grow the economy. For example, the US and Europe have had to impose high tariffs on EVs and microchips to protect their domestic industries.

“While we continue with our determination to provide affordable, good quality, domestically refined petroleum products in Nigeria, we call on the public to disregard the deliberate disinformation being circulated by agents of people who prefer for us to continue to export jobs and import poverty”, the Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer further said.

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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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