News
Coups: IAWPA Director Metchie urges African leaders to avoid regional catastrophe, wars
The African Director, International Association of World Peace Advocates (IAWPA), Ambassador John Metchie, has reacted to the new surge of military coups in Africa, saying the main concern of the world body is the safety, welfare and peace of ordinary citizens of the continent.
The IAWPA African Director therefore urged African leaders to ensure that their political shenanigans do not degenerate into wars and other social crises that would further impoverish the people whom he said are currently wallowing in hunger, disease, lack of quality education and Medicare as well as unemployment and other social denials.
There have been a huge wave of coups in recent times in parts of Africa including the most recent one in Gabon where President Ali Bongo was kicked out of office by military officers who also held him, his wife and son in solitary confinement.
Earlier, coup plotters have removed civilian administrations in Chad, Sudan, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic.
Reacting to the coups, France, the United States and other western countries said the development is not acceptable and warned the various juntas to vacate office and restore democratically elected governments but their calls and threats have fallen on deaf ears while the military governments consolidate grip on power.
In the case of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic, there are reports that Russia and some of its allies are backing the military brats and has promised to defend them in case of attempts to forcefully remove them either by ECOWAS forces or individual governments, a development that has created panic among citizens of affected countries and their neighbours who fear possible outbreak of internal crisis and even wars.
But reacting to the development in a statement on Friday, which he personally signed, Dr. Metchie who is also the Deputy Commander General of the Nigeria Hunters and Forest Security Service (NHFSS), in charge of Technical Service, said it has taken him this long to react to the forceful overthrow of civilian presidents in many countries, especially within the west and central African sub-regions due to the complexities associated with the development.
He said however, that it was becoming clear by the day that there seems to be a deliberate plan by some military and political forces from within and outside the continent to trigger a realignment of governance order in Africa, adding that the gladiators must be made to avoid causing social upheavals that would inflame the continent and consume the population especially children, women and the vulnerable.
Metchie therefore called on the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other regional blocks in the continent, to as a matter of urgency, schedule meetings where the burning issues could be tabled with a view of finding peaceful and lasting solutions that would avert destructions.
He identified bad governance, injustice, corruption and refusal of sit-tight leaders to vacate office when due, as some of the reasons for the political instability rocking the continent, saying however, that Africa must return to the part of true democracy where leaders are elected through credible processes, accountability, justice, transparency and selfless service to the people.
He said- “It is with great concern and pain in my heart that I, on behalf of IAWPA, want to address the current developments in West Africa, Central Africa and other parts of the continent where there have been incidences of forceful takeover of governments by the military of the various countries.
“Sudan, Chad, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic and most recently, Gabon are some of the countries in issue. In all these, my major concern is the safety, the wellbeing and the peace of the people of these areas who are obviously living in fear and are on panic mode, not knowing what next would befall them.
“Beyond the shenanigans of local politicians and their international sponsors and collaborators, the wellbeing of the people should be the utmost concern to African leaders.
“It has become obvious, or so it seems, that this whole chase game is a deliberate plan by some military and political forces from within and outside the continent to trigger a realignment of governance order in Africa. But even if we can’t help with immediate solution, the gladiators on either side of the divides must be made to avoid triggering social crises and upheavals that would inflame the continent, worsen the terrible fate as well as consume the people of Africa, especially children, women and the vulnerable.
“Political chase players bidding for the soul of Africa should appreciate the fact that people of the continent are already worn out with the heavy burden and yoke they bear as they struggle through all forms of depravation, including but not limited to poverty, diseases, lack of water, toiletries, shelter and decent clothing.
“If the west, Europe, Asia and others cannot help alleviate the sufferings of African people, they should also not compound or add to the misery of African people through political adventures or instigate crisis in order to sell or test new weapons of war as that would only worsen the already miserable condition of Africans,” Metchie said and called on African leaders to rise to the occasion by finding local solutions in order to nip the situation before the worst happens.
“It is on this note that I call on well-meaning Africans, especially the committee of elders, African Union, ECOWAS and other regional blocks, to as a matter of urgency, call for meetings in order to address the issues leading to these coups.
“In addition, African leaders should begin to purge themselves of leadership of impunity, selfishness, indifference to the felling of the people, corruption and injustice, among such other adult delinquencies, as ways of earning confidence of the people they govern,” Metchie concluded.
Business
Dangote: Petrol price to be determined after 1st October, assures of nationwide supply henceforth
Dangote Group has assured Nigerians that the correct price for its Premium Motor Spirit, PMS also known as Petrol, would be determined after 1st October this year when it begins to buy crude oil from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in Naira.
Dangote therefore described a statement by the NNPC that it bought petrol at N898 per litre from the indigenous refinery as “misleading and mischievous”.
The NNPC earlier on Sunday announced its fuel purchase from Dangote Refinery at a rate of N898 per litre.
The national petroleum firm had dispatched about 300 trucks to the 650,000-barrels-per-day capacity refinery in Lagos on Saturday, with loading operations commencing on Sunday.
Spokesperson for the NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, on Sunday said it bought the fuel as N898 per litre contrary to reports claiming N760.
“We successfully loaded PMS at the Dangote Refinery today. The claim that we purchased it at N760 per litre is incorrect. For this initial loading, the price from the refinery was N898 per litre,” he said.
However, Anthony Chiejina, Dangote Group Chief Branding and Communications Officer, in a statement on Sunday evening, knocked the claim made by the NNPC.
He said, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement attributed to NNPCL spokesperson, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, that we sell our PMS at N898 per litre to the NNPCL.
“This statement is both misleading and mischievous, deliberately aimed at undermining the milestone achievement recorded today, September 15, 2024, towards addressing energy insufficiency and insecurity, which has bedeviled the economy in the past 50 years.
“We urge Nigerians to disregard this malicious statement and await a formal announcement on the pricing, by the Technical Sub-Committee on Naira-based crude sales to local refineries, appointed by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, which will commence on October 1, 2024, bearing in mind that our current stock of crude was procured in dollars.
“It should also be noted that we sold the products to NNPCL in dollars with a lot of savings against what they are currently importing. With this action, there will be petrol in every local government area of the country regardless of their remote nature.”
“We assure Nigerians of availability of quality petroleum product and putting an end to the endemic fuel scarcity in the country,” he added
Stephen Aniagu, the chairman of the Ogbete Main Market Traders’ Association (OMMATA) in Enugu, has been killed by suspected assassins.
It was reported that Mr. Aniagu was shot at Moses Ogbodo Junction near Topland Market in the Amaechi area of Enugu South Local Government.
Source close to the scene said Aniagu was likely on his way home after the market closed for the day when he was gunned down around 7 PM on Saturday, 14th September, 2024.
“We heard gunshots and ran for safety. When we emerged from hiding a few minutes later, we found his lifeless body on the ground, and his car was missing.
“His body was riddled with bullets; he was shot multiple times by his attacker,” the source, who wished to remain anonymous, stated.
Hurray:
Hope rises in Nigeria as Dangote Refinery begins petrol distribution, price stability
There is a general atmosphere of expectation, hope and excitement in Nigeria, as Dangote Refinery begins distribution of gasoline in the country.
This comes after a deal between the Refinery’s management and NNPC Limited. The deal promised steady and uninterrupted supply of petroleum products from Sunday, September 15, 2024.
A Nigerian presidential committee had earlier announced that NNPC Limited will distribute gasoline from Dangote Refinery to the local market which would end the deadlock that had stalled distribution.
With the new agreement, Dangote’s diesel will now be sold to local fuel traders in Naira with NNPC having exclusive rights to lift gasoline and sell locally both in bulk to fuel traders and at its gas stations for now.
NNPC Limited will begin to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as Petrol from Sunday, September 15, 2024, from Dangote Refinery. NNPC will sell to marketers at N765. For a start, Dangote Refinery will supply 25 million liters of petrol daily while NNPCL will import the remaining 15 million liters. However, by the end of October this year, Dangote’s supply will rise to 35 million liters per day while NNPC importation will reduce to 5 million liters. This would lead to total end of importation within the shortest time possible, especially as we wait the commencement of production by Port Harcourt and Refineries which would eventually lead to reduction in price of petrol and other petroleum products.
On Friday, September 14, NNPC Limited said it had deployed 300 trucks to Dangote Refinery in readiness for fuel distribution scheduled to begin on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
Dangote Refinery is owned by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian businessman who is Africa’s richest man as well as the richest black person on earth.
The 20 billion Dollars edifice is recognized as the largest single-train refinery in the world with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day. It has the capacity to load 2,900 trucks a day at its truck-loading gantries and produces diesel, aviation fuel and other products.
Apart from the Refinery, Dangote, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa and one of the top three in Africa with over 50,000 Nigerians and other nationals in its employment payroll.
With over 18 subsidiary companies, Dangote Group is involved in diverse businesses, including transportation, fisheries, textile, flour milling, salt processing, fertilizer production, rice, sugar refining, construction, haulage, cement production and others.
The PMS and other products from Dangote refinery are said to be of very high standards and among the global best in terms of quality.
This has also been buttressed by Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) which assured that its refined diesel is 80% superior to those currently imported into Nigeria.
The company’s spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, stated this in a statement, adding that the refinery is designed to produce top-quality petroleum products that meet strict international standards.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has endured decades of energy crisis that crippled all the administrations that have governed the nation for the past forty years. Petrol scarcity and pricing in particular, have combined to scandalize and mess up all Nigerian leaders, especially from 1999 to date.
The problem reached its peak with the administration of incumbent President Bola Tinubu, who removed subsidy on the critical commodity on the day he was sworn in, thereby triggering a wave of economic hardships, occasioned by astronomical rise in prices of essential commodities across the country.
However, President Tinubu has consistently assured the nation that the policy direction of his administration, including the removal of petroleum subsidy, were inevitable. He said that the decisions, though tough, are inevitable, if Nigeria was to experience economic recovery, growth and prosperity.
While Nigerians express happiness and wait with expectations for the benefits that would arise from it, Alhaji Dangote himself has given credit to President Bola Tinubu and his administration for the successful completion and take off of the Refinery.
He said in a statement that Tinubu played a big role in overcoming obstacles and expediting the project’s completion.
“This is a big day for Nigeria. We are delighted to have reached this significant milestone. This is an important achievement for our country as it demonstrates our ability to develop and deliver large capital projects. This is a game changer for our country, and I am very fulfilled with the actualisation of this project,” Dangote said.
It is on that note that we at “The Beauties of Nigeria TV” join all well-meaning Nigerians and the global community, in congratulating Alhaji Aliko Dangote and the management of Dangote Group for what we see as history’s greatest landmark achievement by one man in Africa.
We also commend President Bola Tinubu for providing the enabling business environment and the presidential weight behind the various deals that led to this great moment in our nation’s history.
Please, join us in Abuja on November 19, 2024, as we honour Dangote, a few other citizens who have distinguished themselves in the service of our dear nation, some agencies and other corporate organisations with the NIGERIA’S PRIDE AWARDS. While Alhaji Aliko Dangote would be honoured as Africa’s Brightest Shining Star of the Century,’ Dangote Group will receive the ‘Chief Cornerstone of Businesses in Africa” award.
For more information on the Awards, contact Bonaventure Phillips Melah, Author of THE BEAUTIES OF NIGERIA; Publisher, African Leadership Scorecard Magazine and Founder, The Beauties of Nigeria TV. Call 08036062975.
I am Omotola Oloyede, for BEUATIES OF NIGERIA TV
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