National
Humanitarian Crisis: CSOs Decries Inactivity of Ministry Calls For Appointment Of Minister To Take Charge
The National Civil Society Council of Nigeria (NCSCN), says the unfortunate stampede that occurred during the distribution of subsidised rice in Lagos on Feb. 23, will have been averted if a minister had been appointed to oversee the affairs of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.
The NCSCN stated this in a communique it issued at the end of an emergency meeting to deliberate on the state of the nation and other issues on the front burner of national discourse.
According to the council, the inactivity of the Ministry over lack of a substantive minister, can be said to be largely responsible for the Feb. 23 unfortunate incident.
”The Nigeria Custom Service would have been relieved of the burden of the distribution of intervention items and saved itself from any attendant complications.
”The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation should have been active enough to play its mandatory role.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has been without a minister since the *suspension* of Beta Edu by President Bola Tinubu, over the scandal and crises that rocked the Ministry.
According to the council, in the communique jointly signed by its Executive Director, Blessing Akinlosotu and Maxi Oscar Kalu, its Director of Programand Organization, food insecurity, living below standard, closure of industries, leading to loss of jobs, were responsible for the current state of things in the country.
It further listed other issues such as low productivity, occasioned by high exchange rate and inability of farmers to access their farms due to banditry, kidnapping and insurgency; as the bane of Nigeria’s current challenges
”The adhoc committee report on the issues of stampede at the point of Rice sales in Lagos, revealed that the goodwill of the Nigeria Customs, aimed at widening the population of beneficiaries led to re-packaging of the 50kg bags to 25kg bags, and to be sold at N10,000 each.
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”The committee then discovered that the inactiveness in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is due to the unfortunate absence of a Minister.
”The Ministry once witnessed an unflinching commitment of a minister in the standing of Beta Edu, her patriotic zeal, and the willingness to deliver on the mandate of the ministry.
”While we await a quick resolution, we expect that justice would have been done and lessons learnt and a rejuvenated Ministry will commence delivery on its statutory mandate.
NCSCN, however, commended the impressive performance of the NCS, under the new C-G, Mr Bashir Adeniyi, towards fighting Smuggling and Smugglers head-on, with intensified vigour which has yielded remarkable results and positive dividends.
”The drastic reduction in the influx of contraband goods and illegal exportations of domestically needed produce and products from our borders within past few months is clear testimony to this monumental achievements of the new C-G.
”The monthly contributions of the Nigeria Customs Service to our Tax Earnings and Internally Generated Revenue has reasonably increased since the inception of Office of the new Comptroller General.
”And from available indexes, the figures are believed to be on steady increase in coming months and years.
”This accomplishment, if sustained has potency of reinvigorating the nation’s ailing economy,” the NCSCN said in the communique.
NSCSN appeals for the strengthen and reinvigoration of the Ministry and need for a Young and capable Minister with performance records as was observed in Dr Beta Edu, before the unfortunate development.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially dissolved the board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), which includes the removal of Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) Mele Kyari and Chairman Pius Akinyelure, along with all other board members appointed in November 2023.
In an announcement, the President introduced an 11-member restructured board, appointing Engineer Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new GCEO and Ahmadu Musa Kida as the Non-Executive Chairman. These changes are effective immediately, as stated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy.
Emphasizing the need for “enhanced operational efficiency, restored investor confidence, and a more commercially viable NNPC,” President Tinubu exercised his authority under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 to implement this significant reorganization.
The newly formed board comprises Adedapo Segun, who continues as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), alongside six non-executive directors representing Nigeria’s geopolitical zones: Bello Rabiu (North West), Yusuf Usman (North East), Babs Omotowa (North Central), Austin Avuru (South-South), David Ige (South West), and Henry Obih (South East). Additionally, Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Aminu Said Ahmed, representing the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, will serve on the board.
The President has charged the new board with conducting a strategic review of NNPC-operated and Joint Venture assets to optimize value. This includes increasing crude oil production to 2 million barrels per day (bpd) by 2027 and 3 million bpd by 2030, boosting gas production to 8 billion cubic feet daily by 2027 and 10 billion by 2030, and expanding NNPC’s refining capacity to 200,000 bpd by 2027 and 500,000 bpd by 2030. The administration also aims to attract $30 billion in oil investments by 2027 and $60 billion by 2030, building on the $17 billion secured in 2024.
Ahmadu Musa Kida, the new Chairman, is a Borno-born engineer and former Deputy Managing Director of Total Nigeria. He also has a background in basketball, having served as the ex-president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF). Bashir Bayo Ojulari, the newly appointed GCEO, hails from Kwara State and was previously the Executive Vice President of Renaissance Africa Energy, where he led a $2.4 billion acquisition of Shell’s Nigerian assets. He brings extensive experience from Elf and Shell, having worked across Europe and the Middle East.
President Tinubu expressed gratitude to the outgoing board for their contributions, particularly their efforts in reviving the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, which have resumed production after years of dormancy. Analysts view this leadership change as part of Tinubu’s broader reforms in the oil sector, following last year’s removal of fuel subsidies and the promotion of private refinery investments. With the new team established, there are high expectations for enhanced transparency, efficiency, and profitability within Nigeria’s state oil enterprise.
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The minority caucus in the house of representatives has condemned the killing of 16 Kano-bound hunters in Edo state.
On Thursday, a mob in the Uromi area of Edo killed 16 hunters of northern descent who were travelling from Elele, Rivers state.
The travellers were attacked and lynched after some vigilance group members raised the alarm on suspicion that they were kidnappers.
The Edo state government said 14 suspects arrested in connection with the killing would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation.
During a visit to some of the families of the victims at Bankure LGA in Kano, Monday Okpebholo, governor of Edo, assured that justice would be served.
In a statement issued on Monday, the minority caucus described the killing of the hunters as “barbaric”.
“We find such brutal killings of innocent Nigerians in any part of the country by lawless mobs very reprehensible, and if allowed to fester without being put in check by responsible organs of the federal government, such actions could threaten the peace and unity of the country,” the statement reads.
The lawmakers asked Nigerians never to resort to jungle attacks on fellow citizens but to always report any concerns to security agencies.
“We are a nation under the rule of laws, and our law enforcement agencies are always available to partner with every Nigerian to assuage their concerns,” the caucus said.
While noting that the incident is “already setting emotions on edge” in parts of the country, the legislators urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure that the security agencies investigate this matter and bring the perpetrators to justice.
“Also, adequate compensation should be paid to the affected families,” the caucus said.
The lawmakers implored Nigerians to remain calm, peaceful, and law-abiding and allow the federal and state governments to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
The statement was signed by Kingsley Chinda, minority leader; Ali Isa, minority whip; and Aliyu Madaki, deputy minority leader.