Canada will ban the import of Russian crude oil in response to the country’s military operation in Ukraine, Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau said.
“Today, we are announcing as well our intention to ban all import of crude oil from Russia,” Trudeau told a news conference.
On Feb. 24, Russia launched a special operation in Ukraine, responding to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people’s republics for help from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the operation was solely targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and emphasised that the civilian population was not in danger.
The United States and its European partners responded by imposing unprecedented sanctions targeting several major Russian banks and high-level Russian government officials. (Sputnik/NAN)
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says there is need for synergy between the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Supreme Courts of member states.
Osinbajo was the special guest of honour and keynote speaker at inaugural session of the 2022 African Court of Human and Peoples’ Rights attended by leaders from across the continent and beyond on Monday in Arusha, Tanzania.
The theme of the event is: “The African Court and the Africa we want”.
The vice president proposed that the court after its own ruling, should make some recommendations for the consideration of the Supreme Courts of member states.
Osinbajo said, however, that by extant constituted documents of the court and the AU Charter, the court was not in position to adopt the proposal but amendments could be made in that regard.
He expressed concerns that the gains of democracy in the continent might be reversed by the recent coups d’états in Mali, Chad, Guinea, Sudan, and Burkina Faso and the attempted coup in Guinea Bissau.
“The AU has made it clear that unconstitutional changes of government will not be a part and cannot be a part of the Africa we want.
“It is refreshing that the African Court is keenly aware of this imperative; in the case of Association for Peace and Human Rights and Cote d’Ivoire, the court held that the African Charter on Democracy forms part of the African human right purpose for which it has jurisdiction to interpret and apply .
“And I respectfully urge the court to reinforce these emerging norms whenever it has the opportunity to interpret the charter and related instruments.
“And also to stress the necessity for good governance as a safeguard against undemocratic and unconstitutional upheavals in African states.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has joined members of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), the Christian community, particularly clergymen in Nigeria and abroad, in celebrating with Pastor Enoch Adeboye on his 80th birthday, March 2.
In a congratulatory message issued by his media aide, Mr Femi Adesina, on Tuesday in Abuja, Buhari felicitated the wife, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, family members, friends and relations as the General Overseer turns an octogenarian.
He commended Adeboye for walking the path of a righteous man by dedicating his life to the service of God, and humanity.
The president recalled his private and public meetings with the renowned preacher and teacher of the Bible over many years, most remarkably the visit when he was recuperating in London in 2017.
He appreciated Adeboye’s warmth and friendliness, which he also extended to leaders and others from all walks of life.
According to the president, Adeboye’s contributions to the betterment of Nigeria and other countries stand out clearly as testimonies of his divine calling.
He also lauded him for impacting greatly on the nation’s education, health and infrastructural development, which include many urban and rural roads.
The president saluted the focus of the RCCG leader on works of the Kingdom and peace for the nation, praying that his path would be like a shining light, with grace for good health and strength. (NAN)
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has called for a scale up on sustainable investment in fossil fuel sector, considering the role of oil and gas in the global energy mix.
Mr Farouk Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, made the call in Abuja on Monday at the Fifth edition of the Nigerian International and Energy Summit (NIES 2022).
Ahmed said while geopolitical risks and the energy transition continued to destabilise oil prices, it was in our interest as a nation to scale up sustainable investment in the fossil fuel sector for global energy mix.
He called for strategic insights and ingenious approaches that must be emplaced towards promoting energy security, economic stability, growth and sustainable development of the Nigerian energy sector.
This, according to him, could be achieved by using the extensive resource of the nation, especially gas and interfacing with key stakeholders on all areas of regulatory enablement of the midstream and downstream energy value chain.
The authority’s chief executive thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, for the focused leadership that has been sustained over the energy sector of the economy.
“The outcomes of your leadership role in this sector (PIA 2021, 2021-2030 Decade of Gas, implementation of key infrastructural Projects-AKK, strategic focus on enhancing domestic refining capacity, expansion of gas utilisation, etc.) has set clear legacies.
“These will guarantee the sustainable development of this critical sector in ensuring energy security for Nigeria/Nigerians and socio-economic revitalisation using our rich hydrocarbon resource.
“This edition has clearly evolved into becoming a strategic enabler for critical energy policy definition and review, as well as a veritable investment opportunity for this Industry,” he said.
He advised all participants to use the 2022 summit to deepen the gains that have been made in the transformation of the energy sector in Nigeria.
The summit has its theme as “Revitalising the Industry: Future Fuels and Transition.’’
He said it was appropriate in both domestic and global context of ensuring clean and sustainable energy availability and could have not come at any better time in the fast-paced race of the world towards the clear aspirations of net zero emissions targets.
In an address, Mr Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPC), said Nigeria was committed to net zero emission by 2060.
NNPC GMD Malam Mele Kyari
Kyari said companies and businesses must act and do things differently while regulators must embark on different kinds of regulations, including different policies by policy makers for us to achieve the objective.
“We are energy deficient and energy poverty and have a huge gap there to be filled.
“We also understand the necessity of converting the internal combustion engine as form of transportation to something more climate friendly and efficient engine.
“But it is very clear to the world that gas will be the transition fuel. Transition must have sanity, there must be justice in energy transition.
“As a country we must address the issue of local production,” he said. (NAN)
Dr Mohammad Barkindo, Secretary-General, Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has dedicated the award conferred on him by organisers of fifth Nigeria International Energy Summit (NIES) to OPEC professional team.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NIES 2022 organisers conferred on Barkindo the award of International Petroleum Diplomacy Person of the Year at its gala night in Abuja on Monday
Reacting to the award, Barkindo told NAN that the modest accomplishments they achieved in the last six years in OPEC was due largely to the professional team work of his esteemed colleagues at the Secretariat in Vienna.The award which was presented by Mr Gabriel Lima, the Minister of Industry, Mines and Energy of Equatorial Guinea, was received on behalf of Barkindo by Mr Hasan Hafidh, Head, Public Relation and Information, OPEC.
“And the unflinching support of our Member Countries.
“I am humbled and flattered by the organisers of NIES who decided to bestow this prestigious award on us.
“I therefore dedicate this award to my colleagues at the Secretariat,” he said.
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, Schlumberger Nigeria, Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Huawei Enterprises, Greenville LNG Ltd., Samsung Heavy Industries and OVH Energy Marketing Company, TotalEnergies and Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board also bagged award.
Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd, also bagged the Energy Industry Leadership Award, among others.
The theme of the summit, which will end on March 3, is ”Revitalising the Industry: Future Fuels and Energy Transition.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Plans to review the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act 2005 to address and amend certain provisions are underway.
The Acting Director-General (D-G), Mr Micheal Ohiani made this known on Sunday in Abuja, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the operations of the organisation.
Ohiani said that having operated the Act over the years, there were certain provisions that needed amendment while there were some provisions that should be in the Act to make it more robust that were not there.
“Before ICRC came into being, there were some projects we call Legacy Projects that did not have Outline Business Case (OBC) certificates issued to them to show the bankability and the commercial viability of such projects.
“We have problems with such projects. However, moving forward what happens is that before a project is signed, you have the Contract Agreement, it is the Bible or Quran of the project.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has released guidelines for the operationalisation of its R200 policy.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the apex bank recently initiated the R200 policy in an effort to reduce exposure to volatile sources of foreign exchange and to earn more stable and sustainable inflows.
The policy is aimed at raising 200 billion dollars in Foreign Exchange (FX) earnings from non-oil proceeds over the next five years.
Ozoemena Nnaji, Director of Trade and Exchange Department of the CBN, in a circular on Monday, said that a major anchor of the programme was the Non-Oil Export proceeds repatriation Rebate Scheme.
Nnaji said that the rebate scheme was designed to incentivise exporters in the non-oil export sector to encourage repatriation and sale of export proceeds into the FX Market.
She said that only exporters of finished and semi-finished goods were eligible for the incentive.
“It is borne out of the need to develop new strategies aimed at earning more stable and sustainable inflows of FX, in order to insulate the Nigerian economy from shocks and FX shortages.
“Exporters shall qualify for the rebates only where repatriated export proceeds are sold at the Investors’ and Exporters’ (I&E) Window.
“Eligible transactions that qualify for incentives under the Scheme shall be Export of finished and semi-finished goods wholly or partly processed or manufactured in Nigeria,” she said.
The director listed registration with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), and sale of repatriated export proceeds at the I & E window as part of the guidelines.
She said that the guidelines would be subject to review from time to time as may be deemed necessary by the CBN. (NAN)
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, on Monday activated the newly-constructed Nigerian Army ultra modern Operations Centre in Abuja to coordinate and control its operational engagements across country.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, said this in a statement in Abuja.
Yahaya commended the former Chief of Army Staff and Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, Tukur Buratai, for his foresight in conceiving the project.
He said the new operations centre would serve as a command centre, situation room, as well as operational briefing center for the Nigerian army.
The COAS also expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for his untiring support, saying the Nigeria army is better poised to fight insecurity in the country.
On his part, Buratai commended effort of the current leadership in ensuring the completion of the project.
Buratai added that the earlier design of the edifice had been improved upon with several value additions that had upgraded the capabilities of the centre to international standard.
He said that the configuration was more befitting and highly professional in standard, saying that planning and execution were critical to successes of military operations.
According to him, to have a befitting ultra modern operations centre is an indication of army’s dynamism, seriousness and commitment to professionally perform its constitutional roles.
He enjoined the Nigerian army to continue to operate in collaboration with sister services and security agencies to fully attain its constitutional mandate.
The Chief of Operations (Army), Maj.-Gen. Olufemi Akinjobi, said the centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities that would enable it serve tripartite functions of command centre, situation room and operations briefing facility.
Akinjobi said the centre would afford Army Headquarters an enhanced reach and capability to quickly intervene, direct and influence ongoing operations. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
