Autogas: Only The Rich Will Use Petrol Cars By 2022 – DPR Boss
Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Sarki Auwalu, has said that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that majority of vehicles in Nigeria are fueled by autogas in the next few years.
Auwalu made this known on Wednesday during the oversight visit of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream) to the DPR headquarters in Lagos.
According to him, with the current move being championed by the Federal Government to convert vehicles to be able to use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), only rich individuals would be using petrol for their cars in two years time.
The DPR Director, however, said that gas was a cheaper and cleaner alternative to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, stressing that deepening gas utilisation would mitigate the impact of the recent deregulation of the PMS sector.
Buhari Asked Us To Focus On Northern Nigeria — World Bank
The President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim, has said on Thursday that the bank had concentrated on the northern region of Nigeria in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s request.
Kim and the Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, who spoke at separate press conferences in Washington DC, United States, also advised Buhari to invest in things that would enhance economic growth.
According to the World Bank boss, the bank will invest in human capital in other parts of Africa in order to prepare the continent for the next phase of growth.
Meanwhile, Lagarde, in her remarks, said Sub -Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, had posted suboptimal growth in recent times.
FG Bans Alcohol In Satchets, Polythene
The Federal Government has made known its plans to completely phase out high concentration of alcohol in sachet and small Polyethylene Terephthalate and glass bottles in the country.
The moves are contained in a statement by the Director -General of the National Agency for Foods and Drugs Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye on Saturday, titled: NAFDAC Cautions On Alcohol Abuse.
Moreover, the World Health Organisation reports that alcohol consumption contributes to three million deaths each year globally as well as to the disabilities and poor health of millions of people .
The Federal Ministry of Health is concerned about the high incidence of substance and alcohol abuse in the country and NAFDAC, being the competent authority and working with relevant stakeholders, is increasing efforts to stem this.
Edo election: APC Commends Residents For Support During Campaigns
The All Progressives Congress (APC), has commended Edo residents for their peaceful conduct, support as well as turnout during its campaigns across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.
Director-General, Edo APC Campaign Council, Retired Maj.-Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe, gave the commendation during a news briefing in Benin on Thursday.
He commended security outfits for ensuring peace during the campaigns in spite of pockets of violence experienced.
According to Esekhaigbe, the party was not unaware of plans by unscrupulous elements to cause mayhem during the election, noting that the security outfit would be fully ready to ensure law and order.
He added that the APC was not relying on anyone to provide financial support to enable the party win the election.
NAN
Non-oil Sector Contribution To Total Tax Revenue Rising — FIRS
The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says non-oil tax receipts have consistently contributed 75 to 90 per cent of total tax revenue in recent months.
The FIRS Director, Communications and Liaison Department, Mr. Abdullahi Ahmad, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
Ahmad quoted the Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Muhammad Nami, as disclosing this during a courtesy call on the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, by the members of the FIRS Board.
Nami explained that in spite the national and global economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the service had continued to record significant increase in collectable tax revenue from the non-oil sector of the economy.
According to him, out of N490 billion collected by the service in July, only N52 billion was from the oil sector, with the rest coming in through non-oil receipts.
The FIRS Boss attributed the increase in the non-oil sector receipt to reform measures introduced by the FIRS Board and Management as well as the renewed vigour in the service workforce.
Nami commended the minister for her support to the service and its Board since their inauguration earlier in the year, and solicited closer working relationship between the FIRS and her ministry.
Ahmed is quoted in the statement as commending the Management and Board of the FIRS for working to limit the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on government revenue through their proactive reforms.
She said that this had made it possible for the three tiers of government to receive their monthly statutory allocations from the Federation Account.
According to her, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Stamp Duties receipts have boosted government revenue in spite the pandemic.
The minister pledged to continue to support the Management and Board of FIRS, and urged the service to work harder toward diversifying government revenue sources further away from dependence on oil.
(NAN)
Osinbajo, Facebook VP To Hold Informal Chat On Friday
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Facebook’s Vice President, Policy and Communication, Nick Clegg, are set to hold a virtual informal chat on Facebook on Friday.
Facebook, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the chat would be held as part of its activities during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly commenced on Tuesday with a moment of silence against the unprecedented backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic.
It will close on Sept. 22.
Facebook said that the event, which would be moderated by Omowale David-Ashiru, Vice President, Global Operations at Andela, would explore the growth of digital economy in Nigeria.
According to the statement, the session will also highlight Facebook’s role in the economic development across Sub-Saharan Africa.
“As the Chair of Person of Nigeria’s Economic Sustainability Committee, Vice President Osinbajo, will highlight the importance of digital technologies, innovation hubs and private equity funding in ensuring economic growth and development in the country,” it said.
The session would also provide Osinbajo a platform to share further insight into Nigeria’s Post-COVID Economic Recovery Plan (ERP), Facebook said.
The company stated that the 45-minute virtual event will be streamed on Facebook Live.
(NAN)
FIFA Ranking: Nigeria Moves Up By Two Spots, Now World 29th
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have moved up by two spots in FIFA’s ranking for September to place 29th after more than six months of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the ranking placed on the world football governing body’s website on Thursday, Nigeria garnered 1493 points during the period under review without playing any match.
The movement also placed Nigeria as the third in Africa behind Senegal and Tunisia who garnered 1555 and 1506 points respectively.
On the global scene, with the exception of Uzbekistan’s 2-1 friendly victory over Tajikistan, the countries back in action have all been European.
The successful staging of these games was nonetheless encouraging for teams from other confederations as they seek to resume international fixtures in the weeks ahead.
The 54 UEFA Nations League games which took place across Europe at the beginning of September had an immediate impact on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, which had remained unchanged since April 9.
While there had been no movement among the leading quartet —- in descending order: Belgium, France, Brazil and England —- Portugal (5th, up 2) have moved into the top five.
This was as a result of victories over Croatia (8th, down 2) and Sweden (18th, down 1).
Other countries moving in the right direction are Spain (7th, up 1), Italy (12th, up 1), the Netherlands (13th, up 1), and Germany (14th, up 1).
Each of them gained one place respectively in the global classification.
Wales (21st, up 2) climbed two rungs but remain just outside the top 20.
Russia, hosts of the last FIFA World Cup, are further back in 32nd.
But they had the biggest gain in this edition, ascending six places courtesy of wins over Serbia (31st, down 2) and Hungary (52nd, unchanged).
In spite of not playing, Iran (30th, up 3) moved into the top 30 after Serbia and Turkey (32nd, down 3) dropped points.
(NAN)