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Palliatives: Fubara Confirms Receipt Of FG’s N2bn …Receives 16,800 Bags Of NGF Rice …Inaugurates Distribution Committee
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, yesterday, confirmed Rivers State Government’s receipt of N2billion and 16,800 bags of rice as part of the palliatives to help the poorest of the poor deal with the biting effect of the fuel subsidy removal in the State.
The governor, who disclosed this while inaugurating the state’s Palliatives Distribution Committee, explained that the N2billion came from the Federal Government while the rice was put together and shared among the states by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).
A statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Rivers State Governor, Boniface Onyedi, at the Government House in Port Harcourt, quoted the governor as saying that, “The country is at a cross-road because of the removal of subsidy which has brought much hardship in the lives and businesses of virtually everyone.
“For that reason, states, the Federal Government and other well-meaning individuals are providing succour under the circumstance. In that order, the NGF in their bid to alleviate the situation, decided to distribute to each state, about 16,800 bags of rice.”
“We are also in receipt of N2billion, which is part of the relief measure. It is not just about sharing money, but applying it to something that will touch the lives of those that are in dire need, those going through much pressure at this particular moment. We will come up with a decision very soon, and we will give your (committee) directive on what to do when the time comes.
On modalities for fair sharing of the rice, Fubara said, “the rice is not about party, it is about the State. We thought it wise and proper to bring in all the Local Government (LG) chairmen, since you represent your respective areas. You are not the LG chairman of the PDP, but the LG chairman of your entire LGA.
“I won’t tell you what to do, but I think it should be a communal formula. My major charge to you is to ensure that in the course of discharging this duty, don’t tag it party. Though it may not solve the entire problem, it will touch those who really need this support.”
On the Chairman, Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amb Desmond Akawor, chairing the Palliative Distribution Committee, the governor explained, “It is not because he is PDP chairman, but because he is quite knowledgeable in handling these kinds of assignments and he does them very well. I have also taken the time to bring members of the EXCO in on this team.
“This is a call to service. Take it as a very serious assignment, as whatever you are doing will definitely rub off on us as a government.”
In his response, the state Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who is also Chairman of the Palliative Distribution Committee, Amb. Desmond Akawor noted, “We know we are going through excruciating pains at this point in time in the history of this country. For us to have been given this assignment, we consider it very solemn.
“For our state, we have already been doing this through various channels to alleviate the sufferings of our people. We give you one assurance; we will not disappoint you.”
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Tinubu Pledges Peace, Justice, Development in Ogoniland….Fubara Lauds President on Peace Talks
President Bola Tinubu has assured the people of Ogoniland that his administration will prioritize peace, justice, and sustainable development in the region.
The President said this during a closed-door meeting with the leaders of Ogoniland led by the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja, yesterday.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed details of the meeting in a statement titled ‘President Tinubu pledges peace, justice, development in Ogoniland.’
At the meeting, Tinubu called for unity and reconciliation, urging the Ogoni people to set aside historical grievances and work together to achieve peace, development, and a clean environment.“
We must work together with mutual trust. Go back home, do more consultations, and embrace others.“We must make this trip worthwhile by bringing peace, development, and a clean environment back to Ogoniland,” Tinubu said.
“We cannot in any way rewrite history, but we can correct some anomalies of the past going forward. We cannot heal the wounds if we continue to be angry,” he added.
Tinubu directed the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, to coordinate the negotiations as he called for inclusive consultation and mutual understanding.
The President commended the delegation for embracing the Federal Government-led dialogue and emphasised the need for collaboration, trust, and inclusiveness to resolve lingering issues in the region.
He asked ministers, the NNPCL, and the Rivers State Government to cooperate with the Office of the National Security Adviser to achieve this mandate.Tinubu told his guests, “It is a great honour for me to have this meeting, which is an opportunity to dialogue with the people of Ogoniland.
“It has been many years since your children and myself partnered to resist military dictatorship in this country. No one dreamt I would be in this chair as President, but we thank God.
“Many of your sons present here were my friends and co-travellers in the streets of Nigeria, Europe, and America. I know what to do in memory of our beloved ones so that their sacrifices will not be in vain,.
”Fubara thanked the President for his support of the Ogoni people and for welcoming an all-inclusive representation of the people to the Presidential Villa.
He said the meeting was a follow-up to an assignment the President gave him through the National Security Adviser.
Emphasising the importance of resuming oil operations in Ogoniland, the governor pledged the delegation’s commitment to adhering to the President’s instructions and providing the necessary support to achieve the government’s objectives.“
What we are doing here today is to concretise the love and respect we have for the President for being behind this meeting and for him to tell us to go back and continue the consultations with a timeline so that the resumption of oil production in Ogoniland will commence,” Fubara said.
On his part, Ribadu commended the Ogoni people for their trust in President Tinubu and for embracing dialogue as a path to meaningful progress and enduring solutions.
“Guided by Mr. President’s vision that every voice is heard and every interest is considered, my office, the DSS, the government of Rivers State and the Minister of FCT embarked on a diligent and consultative process to assemble this delegation,” Ribadu said.
He noted that the over 50-member delegation that met with the President reflected the rich diversity of Ogoni society, representing various constituencies, interests, and viewpoints.
“The presence of this delegation is a testament to the Ogoni people’s readiness to engage constructively in the pursuit of peace, justice, and sustainable development,” he noted.
A representative of the Ogoni leadership, King Festus Babari Bagia Gberesaako XIII, the Gberemene of Gokana Kingdom, expressed the community leaders’ willingness to engage in the process of finding lasting solutions to the lingering challenges in Ogoniland.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, said the Federal Government aimed to conclude the Ogoni cleanup within three to four years, with half of the project completed.
The delegation included Senators Lee Maeba, Magnus Abe, Olaka Nwogu, Victor Giadom, Kenneth Kobani, Monsignor Pius Kii, Leedom Mitee, Senators Bennett Birabi, Barry Mpigi, Prof. B. Fakae, among others.Also in attendance were the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh; Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari.
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have renewed plans to build the capacity of their geological agencies by leveraging the breakthroughs recorded by Saudi firms in mineral exploration.
Segun Tomori, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made this known in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
He said that this was on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
Tomori said the decision was taken at a closed-door meeting between a delegation from Saudi Arabia led by its Minister of Mining, Bandar Al-Khorayef, and Nigeria’s delegation led by Alake.
He said Alake proposed for both countries to collaborate on areas of economic advantage, urging partnerships based on the sector’s value chain.
Citing Saudi Arabia’s renowned gold market as an example, Alake said Nigeria’s gold refineries could access the Saudi market under protective clauses, guaranteeing expansion opportunities for both economies.
On his part, the Saudi Minister disclosed that its government and the private sector were working together to introduce new technologies for mineral exploration.
He emphasised that new products were showcased at the minerals forum conference to foster business partnerships and raise awareness of their applications.
Alake also met with officials of the Saudi Chamber of Commerce, where he canvassed their investment in Nigeria’s mining sector.
He urged them to leverage the large deposits of lithium and iron ore, which were being processed in Nigeria in line with the value addition policy.
To de-risk their investment, the minister promised to direct the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, to provide relevant data on their minerals of interest.
According to the minister, the global transition toward electric machines, which use lithium batteries, has positioned Nigeria as a critical supplier of minerals
Tomori quoted him saying, “Partnership with Saudi investors will encourage the export of finished industrial inputs.”
Acknowledging the investment in steel production in Saudi Arabia, the minister cited examples of companies processing iron ore to steel in Nigeria as precedents that could be replicated.
He said that Nigeria was committed to creating an enabling environment for investors to ensure smooth operations in mining projects.
The minister said they included the establishment of laboratories for the separation and analysis of mineral samples, among other facilities.
“Nigeria has the best certified laboratories for minerals in West Africa,” he said.
The Tide source reports that the 2025 Future Minerals Forum (FMF) with the theme: “Year of Impact,’ was held from Jan. 14 to 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The meeting was to bolster international collaboration in producing the critical minerals essential for the global energy transition.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed a total sum of N 1.424 trillion to federal, state and local governments. The total amount is derived from the federation account revenue generated in December 2024.
The disbursement, which was made at the January 2025 Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting held in Abuja, last Friday comprising distributable statutory revenue of N386.124 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N604.872 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) revenue of N31.211 billion and Exchange Difference revenue of N402.714 billion.
According to a communiqué issued by the committee, the total gross revenue of N2.310 trillion was available in the month of December 2024, while the total deduction for cost of collection was N84.780 billion, total transfers, interventions and refunds was N801.175 billion.
According to the communiqué, gross statutory revenue of N1.226 trillion was received for the month of December 2024. This was lower than the sum of N1.827 trillion received in the month of November 2024 by N600.988 billion.
Also, the gross revenue of N649.561 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in December 2024. This was higher than the N628.973 billion available in the month of November 2024 by N20.588 billion.
The communiqué stated that from the N1.424 trillion total distributable revenue, the federal government received total sum of N451.193 billion while state governments received total sum of N498.498 billion.
The local government councils received total sum of N361.754 billion and a total sum of N113.477 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.
On the N386.124 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N167.690 billion and the state governments received N85.055 billion while local government councils received N65.574 billion. The sum of N67.806 billion (13 percent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
“From the N604.872 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N90.731 billion, the State Governments received N302.436 billion and the Local Government Councils received N211.705 billion.
“A total sum of N4.682 billion was received by the Federal Government from the N31.211 billion Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL). The State Governments received N15.605 billion and the Local Government Councils received N10.924 billion.
“From the N402.714 billion Exchange Difference revenue, the communiqué stated that the Federal Government received N188.090 billion and the State Governments received N95.402 billion. The Local Government Councils received N73.551 billion, while the sum of N45.671 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue,” the communique stated.