News
Nasarawa to conduct SDGs survey on GDP
By Anthony Adgidzi,
Lafia
The plan is under way by the Nasarawa State Government to conduct a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) survey on Gross Domestic Products (GDP) before the end of this year, 2024.
This is just as the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has expressed its willingness to partner the State Bureau of Statistics (NSBS), in the areas of research and training for the overall benefit of the people of the state.
Dr. Ahmed Ibrahim, the Statistician General of the NSBS, made the disclosure, while playing host to the Director Linkages and International Corporation of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Assoc. Professor K’tso Nghargbu, in Lafia.
Nghargbu, was in the office of the state Statistician General, to congratulate him on his appointment and to enter an agreement of partnership with the bureau for sustainable development.
The Statistician General said, the state bureau will soon be collaborating with the National Bureau of Statistics to embark on the exercise.
“We are going to launch an SDGs survey on the state GDP. This is the first ever survey in the state to be conducted, so that the state will have a direction, will know what is earning, because now, as Nasarawa State is blind in yhe area of statistical records.”
Dr. Ibrahim emphasized that, by the time the GDP survey is conducted successfully, the state will be able to know what it can do, what it can earn on weekly, monthly and yearly.
He mentioned supply of statistics, users and policy formulators, suppliers of statistics snd research and training, are some of the elements of statistical system in operation.
He said, as a agency of government, they are ready to collaborate with the Nasarawa State University in the areas of research and training for the progress of the state.
Assoc. Professor K’tso Nghargbu, the Director Linkages and International Corporation, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, commended Governor Abdullahi Sule, for appointing an erudite scholar for the job.
Nghargbu said, the academic community in the state are happy with the establishment of the Bureau of Statistics.
“Academic and scholars strive on statistics. We can write nothing, we can do nothing without statistics.
“It was a sort of stepping down a work that hitherto was hanging there at the National level. Many a time, we have gone to NBS, looking for one data or another.
The Director Linkages and International Corporation, gave an instance where the former Polish Ambassador to Nigeria, during her tour of duty to the state, sought to access data on tourism at the NBS, Abuja.
“This is just underscores the import of what you are doing beyond Nigeria. If somebody from Europe will be looking for produce of your work, if we step down the work, it will become more detail, more enhance and more accessable.”
The university don, then commended the Bureau’s synergy with the NBS, to help citizens, students, researchers, scholars and other interested persons, to gain access to statistical data in the State.
He, however advocated the establishment of similar office in other states, to reduce the burden of traveling to NBS headquarters, Abuja, as such will make life easy for those who want to access data.
“As a purely teaching, research and training institution, we cannot do without you”, hence the university’s intention to collaborate with the Bureau, he added.
“We too have data, information and as a leaning institution will always be respository of certain kind of information and learning outcomes.
“I think such a partnership will benefit us in both ways.
Nghargbu, was optimistic that, the bureau has the capacity to guide it students and lecturers with necessary tools for more problem solving research, whereas the institution can provide the bureau with the number of students, faculties, PhDs produced in the last 10 years among others.
He commended the Bureau for been proactive, and hope that it request for partnership will be granted.
The Nasarawa State Coordinator of NBS, who was represented by Aliyu Bashir Maigoro, expressed happiness for the establishment of the Bureau and pledged NBS readiness to partner all stakeholders to achieve the desired result.
According to Maigoro, as a top data banking keepers, “we will accord the State Bureau of Statistics all the needed support to succeed in it mandate and to ensure the state has it own data base.”
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By Abubakar Yunusa
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has slashed its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N825.
Esan Sunday, head of media relations and branding communications at Dangote Group, announced the reduction in a statement on Wednesday.
The development comes more than three weeks after the refinery reduced petrol price from N950 per litre to N890.
The new price means that the refinery has significantly cut the ex-depot price by N125 from N950 per litre in January.
“This recent price reduction will also ensure that Nigerians pay between N860 and N865 per litre for petrol at the pump in Lagos,” the statement reads.
“This strategic price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in celebration of the Ramadan season, while also supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
“It is important to note that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently lowered the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians.
“This marks the second reduction of PMS prices in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60 earlier in the month.
“Additionally, in December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season.”
The oil firm refinery also said previous reductions have positively impacted the overall cost of living, benefiting various sectors of the economy.
Dangote refinery added that its high-quality products, which have become a favourite in both domestic and international markets, will remain available nationwide, particularly through its key partners — MRS Holdings, AP (Ardova Petroleum), and Heyden — at market-friendly rates.
The organisation assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand and a surplus for export, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange (FX) earnings.
The refinery also called on marketers to support the initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of its effort
Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the ruling party had a debt of N8.9 billion when he assumed office.
Ganduje took over from Abdullahi Adamu, who was the national chairman of the APC until his resignation in July 2023.
Speaking during the APC’s NEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Kano governor said the expenses were incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
“The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” Ganduje said.
However, the APC chairman said Kareem Kana, the national legal adviser, has been working to reduce the debt burden.
“We still passionately appeal to the national executive committee to intervene accordingly,” he said.
Earlier today, the chairman said the party is making efforts to mend internal divisions and bring aggrieved members back into the fold.
Ganduje explained that the APC had initiated high-level discussions among party leaders and stakeholders to address lingering disagreements and strengthen party unity.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.