News
N’Delta, Industry Stakeholders welcome Eyesan, Ajiya’s sack
By Mohammad Yau
The Spokesman of Niger Delta Consultative Assembly (NDCA), Sylvester Utuedon, described the sack of Eyesan and Ajiya as “bold and courageous.”
A press release issued on Friday reacting to the new development, the various Niger Delta Stakeholders and groups commended the removal of the two duos , further describing them as “good riddance to bad rubbish ‘.
There was unusual jubilation at the headquarters of Nigeria National Petroleum Company limited ( NNPCL), on Thursday, over the sack of the Executive Vice President(Upstream ) Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and the Chief Financial Officer, Umar Ajiya.
The Board of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), on Wednesday night, expelled the duo in a management shake- up and consequently appointed their replacements.
The sacked officers have roundly been accused of being a cog in the wheel of progress and believed to be antagonistic to the leadership of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPCL, Engineer Mele Kyari .
This was also corroborated by the reactions of staffers who welcomed the positive development.
“The staffers of NNPCL, who, were seen discussing the development in groups noted that the board acted swiftly to save the company from the antics of the sacked officers. ”
“It will be recalled that the sacked officers had been on a collision course with Kyari, in what was seen as power tussle .”
Eyesan and Ajiya were engaged in unholy moves to unseat and replace Kyari.
“Rather than working collaboratively to achieve the set goals of the company, Eyesan and Ajiya engaged in unsavoury activities to sabotage and discredit Kyari in grandplan to plot his disgraceful exit from office.”
“The new appointment, according to NNPCL’s spokesman Olufemi Soneye, was to reflect the continued dedication to enhancing corporate governance, improving operational efficiency, and ensuring long-term success in Nigeria’s energy sector.”
“In the new dispensation as announced by Soneye, Mr. Adedapo Segun replaced Ajiya while Udobong Ntia, was appointed to succeed the embattled Eyesan.”
“Many employees of NNPCL were in joyous mood on Thursday when the report of the sack of duo was made public.”
“They described their sack “as long overdue.”
“The Executive Vice President (Upstream), NNPCL, Mrs. Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan and the Chief Financial officer of the company, Umar Ajiya, have long constituted a nuisance in the wheel of progress of NNPCL. Instead of them to work in synergy with other board members to achieve the goals set for the company by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they are pre-oocupied with intrigues to ease out the GCEO, Engineer Mele Kyari and take over from him.”
“They are not interested in the discharge of the duties of their offices but daily engage in activities to bring Mele Kyari into disrepute and pull down the roof. Two of them are just after Kyari’s office, which has not been declared vacant by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who solely has the power to hire and fire our GCEO.”
“They opposed major policy decisions aimed at achieving far-reaching results at the board meeting just to ensure that the board and management of the company fail in their endeavours. So, it’s a good development that they have been asked to go eventually.”
“We thank the board for this courageous and bold move, which would consequently generate positive outcome. We are excited about their disgraceful exit, which is long overdue. It’s a good radiance to bad rubbish.”
“We are overjoyed. The company can now move forward in all its patriotic endeavours in aid of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” one of the elated workers of NNPCL excited stated in Abuja on Thursday.
Similarly, Niger Delta and industry stakeholders have also welcomed the exit of Eyesan and Ajiya from the board of NNPCL.
According to them, their exit will stabilize the industry going forward, stating that they were necessary distractions .
“With their exit, various stakeholders were unanimous that NNPCL’s could henceforth move in steady progression to achieve set goals and objectives.”
They lamented the delay in booting out the duo from the board of the strategic board.
“A senior member of staff in one International Oil Company (IOC), who pleaded that his name should not be mentioned in print, said, “We applaud the removal of these guys from the board of NNPCL. Their sack would ensure ease of doing business in the oil industry.”
“These two guys have negatively impacted the board because of their antagonistic tendencies and deliberate attempts to pull down the roof. With their presence on the board, NNPCL find it difficult to push through in vital business decisions. It’s a good thing that they have been pushed out. The board of NNPCL can heave a sigh of relief and move forward with the new numbers of the board, who are expected to tow progressive path,” the oil worker, who didn’t want his name in print, stated.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Deputy Speaker, Sokoto State House of Assembly, Kabir Ibrahim kware, has commended governor Ahmed Aliyu for executing numerous developmental projects without taking loan from any financial institution.
Ibrahim Kware whp gave the commendation when he led other members of the State Assembly on Sallah homage to governor Aliyu, added that, the governor is very prudent in managing resources to achieve results.
“There was never a time you approached us with a request for permission to borrow money from any financial institutions whether at home or abroad,”he affirmed.
This , according to him, is worthy of commendation considering the myriad people- oriented projects the governor is executing across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the State’s Judiciary, Sokoto State Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sa’idu Sifawa, commended the governor for the construction of additional Court rooms at the State High Court.
Justice Sifawa also expressed delight over the way and manner the governor responds to issues affecting the Judiciary, which he said, is a clear testimony of the good working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state.
Responding to the commendations, governor Ahmed Aliyu appealed for more synergy among the three tiers of government in the overall development of the state.
A statement by Abubakar Bawa, the Press Secretary to governor Alhmed Aliyu reaffirmed his principal’s unwavering commitment of the executive arm to providing the direly needed dividends of democracy to the people of the state,in line with his campaign promises.
The governor also urged lawmakers to present all the needs of their constituencies for prompt and diligent implementation.
“”I want to assure you that my doors are always open for you at any given time, to listen to the demands of your people.”
He reminded them on the need to put politics aside and work together with the executive arm for the progress and even development of the people they represent.
Turning to the members of the State Judiciary, the governor appealed to Judges and Khadis to ensure the quick dispensation of justice, so as to decongest the correctional centres.
“It is worrisome to see how inmates are languishing in correctional centres for minor offences in the name of awaiting trial.
“We recently appointed seven additional Judges and 7 Khadis, which is the first in the history of Sokoto State.
“The idea is to enhance the manpower in our Judiciary so as to speed up the dispensation of justice,” he added.
The governor further assured the members of the Judiciary of his administration’s readiness to ensure their welfare at all times.
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Muahammad Sa’ad Abubakar 111 has commended the developmental strides of Sokoto state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, just as he assured of the support of traditional institutions in the state.
Sultan who admonished other governor’s to also borrow a leaf from governor Ahmed Aliyu who ensures that resident communities enjoys equal benefit from everybody, added that, Nigerians should project what unites us moe than that which divides us.
“In Sokoto, we appreciate what the Governor is doing and we’d like to assure him of the support of the traditional institution so that he can continue the good work he’s doing of transforming our State.
“The Governor and our security agencies are doing their best and this has made the state to record tremendous improvement in the fight against banditry,” the Sultan averred.
While adding that governor Ahmed Aliyu deserves special commendation for the massive distribution of food items during the just-concluded Ramadan fast, Sultan urged Nigerians to always be law-abiding and desist from any act that may jeopardise the long lasting peace the country is enjoying.
Registering his displeasure over how the social media is been used negatively to promote and sow seed o discord, the Sultan said, some unpatriotic citizens use social media to spread falsehood, misinformation and provocative statements that can destroy the peaceful atmosphere the country is enjoying.
He, therefore, called on the security agencies in the country to be watchful of the unpatriotic citizens trying to create chaos in the land.
Speaking during his
Sallah homage on governor Ahmed Aliyu at the Banquet Hall, Presidential Lodge, Sokoto, Sultan
said, “”In Sokoto all Nigerians are treated as indigenes, an act that gives Nigerians residing in the State a sense of belonging.
Sultan equally stressed the need for for state governors to give much emphasis in protecting the lives and property of their subjects, describing security as the basis upon which all societies could progress.
Responding, governor Ahmed Aliyu reassured his administration’s determination to do everything humanly possible to make the state safe and secured.
He blamed unemployment especially among the youths as responsible for the insecurity being recorded in many parts of the country.
According to Aliyu, many youths have joined informants’ groups so as to be getting stipends to make ends meet.
“This administration has so far trained and graduated thousands of youths and women in different trades so as to make them productive members in the society.
” I want to assure you that we would soon embark on another massive skills acquisition programme to engage more unemployed youths in our modest attempt to reduce restiveness among our youths,” he vowed
Gov. Aliyu further reassured the people of the state that his administration would continue to prioritize Islamic affairs, adding that more Mosques and Islamiyya schools would continue to receive the desired attention from the state government.
He thanked the people of the state for their fervent prayers and support to his administration and called for it’s sustainance.
Sterling Bank has made a groundbreaking move by eliminating transfer charges on local transactions, aiming to create a more equitable banking experience for Nigerians. The question now arises: will other financial institutions follow this lead?
On April 1, Sterling Bank announced the removal of transfer fees for all local digital transactions, positioning itself as the first major bank in Nigeria to implement such a policy. Initially, the announcement faced skepticism, with many believing it to be an April Fools’ Day joke. However, Sterling has since reaffirmed the policy’s legitimacy and immediate implementation, signaling a significant evolution in the industry’s customer service approach.
Obinna Ukachukwu, the Growth Executive overseeing the Consumer and Business Banking Directorate, stated, “We believe that accessing your own funds should not incur a penalty. This decision transcends financial implications; it reflects our core values.”
With this new policy, Sterling customers can now make free transfers for all local transactions via the bank’s mobile app. This initiative is anticipated to yield considerable savings for individuals and small business owners who frequently engage in transfers.
“We may not be the largest bank in Nigeria, but we are certainly the most audacious,” Ukachukwu declared. “Sterling Bank is committed to the future of Nigeria, and we are backing our fellow citizens with more than just words.”
Sterling Bank has a history of prioritizing customer welfare, having previously offered financial assistance to healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest initiative has garnered widespread public support, igniting conversations on social media and prompting calls for other banks to adopt similar practices.
“We take pride in leading this transformative change,” Ukachukwu concluded. “We hope to inspire others to rethink what customers truly require from their banks, not only in terms of services but also in values.”