Business
Ocean Surge Threatens $4.5bn ECOWAS Facility
The Customs Area Controller of Seme Border, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, has lamented that the multi-billion dollar Nigeria-Republic of Benin joint border control facility at Seme is under threat.
According to the Command’s helmsman, unless urgent measures are adopted to remedy the situation, raging ocean surge might sweep away the $4.5billion Seme Border control modern facility built by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Donated by the European Union (EU) to the ECOWAS and commissioned in 2018, the border control facility is jointly operated by Nigeria and Republic of Benin, and houses all the security agencies from both countries that operate at the Seme Border.
Nnadi made this disclosure while briefing members of the Senate ad-hoc Committee on Customs and Excise during an oversight visit recently at Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Nnadi, said there was need for urgent measures to address the menace of ravaging ocean surge at Nigeria’s end of the sprawling border control facility.
According to him, one of the residential buildings in the barracks area of the command has already completely gone under the waters, while a second building is at the verge of being submerged due to the sea surge.
“No one knows when and how the next surge would happen, it could be when people are asleep.
“You can imagine the quantum of loss in terms of lives and property that could occur if such a disaster happens at night. My own official residence is about six metres away from the second building that is at the verge of being submerged, so you can imagine how close the surge is to us.
“This is why urgent remedial measures are required in the interim while efforts are made to address the menace on a more permanent and sustainable basis”, Nnadi said.
He listed other challenges at the command to include poor public power supply to the border facility, saying that there has only been power supply to the area twice since January, a development that negatively impacts cost of operation, especially given the increase in the pump price of petroleum products.
The Tide gathered that several letters had been written to the Managing Director of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC), which is in charge of supplying public power to the area.
Meanwhile, none of the letter has changed the situation, even as the letters have not been replied to as at the time of filing this report.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Francis Ade Fadahunsi, while reacting to the concerns raised by the Customs boss over the worsening sea surge, having inspected some parts of the joint border control facility, noted that the committee came on the visit at the behest of the leadership of the National Assembly, especially the Senate, and would therefore tender its report.
Fadahunsi, who is a retired Assistant Comptroller General of the Service, assured that the committee would do a comprehensive report on the entire visit, which must also feature all the observed challenges facing the Command, which is one of the revenue nests of the Federal Government.
The Comptroller also briefed the committee on the operational activities at the command, saying that out of the N1.9billion revenue target given to the command for the 2023 fiscal year, it has collected a total of N1.6billion as at July, which represents 72per cent increase compared to the N884million collected in the comparative period of 2022.
He also reeled out some of the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives by the command for the host communities, which include the renovation of the Badagry General Hospital and donation of drugs and other healthcare materials by the Customs Officers Wives Association, donation of football jerseys and other sports materials to various youth groups within the border communities.
By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), the country’s satellite operator, has called for immediate promolgation of policy action that will enable the country to harness the potentials of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
NIGCOMSAT, also warned that Nigeria risks missing out on Africa’s projected $1.2trillion share of the global AI economy by 2030.
Managing Director of NIGCOMSAT, Nkechi Egerton-Idehen, disclosed this in a statement issued at the weekend following her participation in the Meeting of the National Council for Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
“Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries, economies, and societies worldwide, with projections that it will contribute up to $15.7trillion to the global economy by 2030. Africa stands to gain $1.2trillion of this if the right policies and innovations are in place”, Idehen said, citing a PricewaterhouseCoopers report.
The NIGCOMSAT MD underscored the transformative potential of AI in agriculture, highlighting its applicability in Benue State, widely regarded as Nigeria’s “food basket.”
According to her, machine learning tools could revolutionize agricultural practices by improving pest detection and optimizing planting schedules using satellite imagery.
“AI offers us the chance to not only flourish economically but also to achieve food security. However, we must ask ourselves if we are prepared to manage this technology responsibly”, she added.
Idehen also noted that internet access remains a significant barrier to AI adoption in Nigeria.
“For AI tools to be effective, basic digital infrastructure is essential. Addressing this gap must be a priority.
“AI is happening. We have the opportunity to manage this technology revolution responsibly, both in Africa and globally, through innovation and governance”, she said.
In August 2024, the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy released a draft National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, aiming to position Nigeria as a global leader in AI.
Corlins Walter
The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council, Chief David Omereji, has said the council has so far spent over N1 billion for the electrification of communities in the area.
Omereji said this while addressing staff of the council at the council headquarters recently.
He said the move was part of his administration’s resolve to ensure peace and development of the LGA.
According to him, the Council spent about N29 million on monthly basis for the maintenance of the Emohua Local Vigilante group known as OSPAC, with each member being paid a stipend of N100, 000 monthly.
He diaclosed that 11 out of the 14 wards are currently enjoying electricity, while efforts are on to light-up the remaining ones.
“I also want to use this opportunity to inform the political class for purposes of records and for the understanding of the people that the Council under my watch have done more than enough”, he said .
The Emolga boss explained that all that have been achieved were through the personal effort of the Council, without support from anybody as rumoured in some quarters.
Omereji further reaveled that a number of other projects, including roads, fencing of schools, hospitals, courts premises, and reconstruction of some abandoned buildings at the Council Headquarters are being undertaken by his administration.
He enjoined the people of the area to support his administration’s drive to bring purposeful development to the LGA.
The Emohua Council boss, who reiterated his hatred for noise making, stated that his works would speak for him, and solicited the support of staff of the council and the entire people of the area.
He noted the fact that some people may not be happy with his achievements, saying that he would remain focused, while advising critics of his government to do so constructively with facts and figures.
King Onunwor
The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) has raised some ethical questions over a Financial and Technical Services Agreement (FTSA) between Sahara Energy and West African Gas Limited (WAGL), an affiliate of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC).
MOSOP said the agreement was not done in good faith, not in the interest of the Nigerian people, and did not follow due process.
Foremost Ogoni born activist and MOSOP leader, Fegalo Nsuke, who made this known in Abuja, weekend, described the Sahara-WAGL deal as fraudulent, deceptive and an insult on the intelligence and integrity of the Nigerian nation.
Nsuke called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to cancel that FTSA between Sahara Energy and WAGL, noting that the agreement is fraught with irregularities and deceptive.
“What Sahara and the NNPC did in the FTSA between Sahara and WAGL is shameful and depicts high level corruption in public service of our country.
“WAGL is an affiliate of Sahara and the NNPC. How then can Sahara go into an agreement with its own affiliate? It’s as good as going into an agreement with itself. This is deceptive and fraudulent”, Nsuke said.
He continued that “Sahara Energy is certainly not a company the Ogoni people want on their soil and we are calling on Mr. President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to terminate any deal between the NNPC and Sahara Energy over OML 11, and to allow for an inclusive arrangement that considers a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in the distribution of revenues from natural resource extraction on Ogoni soil.
“The last Ogoni Congress has been unequivocal on the Ogoni demand for justice and has given a clear path to resolve the three decade old conflict between all critical parties.
“It will be good to explore this path to peace and development for Ogoni and for our country”.
Nsuke accused Sahara Energy and the NNPC of frustrating the progress made by MOSOP to achieve a permanent solution to the Ogoni problem.
He urged a presidential intervention with deep consideration for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in order to permanently address the problem.
He noted that Sahara Energy should give up on the Ogoni area to allow for an engagement in the interest of the country and the people.
Recall that MOSOP and Sagara Energy have recently been engaged in a row in what MOSOP describes as an unholy relationship between Sahara Energy and the NNPC over OML 11.
MOSOP expressly rejected Sahara Energy and called for a fair treatment of the Ogoni people in natural resource extraction in Ogoni.
It noted that Ogoni people, led by MOSOP, paid the sacrifice to take the oil from Shell, hence “the position of MOSOP must be taken into consideration in decisions relating to resumption of oil production in Ogoni”.
