Business News
Border closure: Emefiele says Benin, others must engage Nigeria before borders are reopened
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has stated that Nigeria’s economy is better off with its borders closed.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has stated that Nigeria’s economy is better off with its borders closed.
He said this after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, noting that opening the border exposed the country to substandard products, thereby turning it into a dumping ground for foreign markets.
The Details: He insisted that for the borders to be reopened, other neighbouring countries, Republic of Benin inclusive, must engage Nigeria in talks.
[READ MORE: Border closure is a threat to forthcoming Lagos Trade Fair – LCCI]
He explained that Nigeria was doing just fine with the borders closed. He also added that the closure of the border is an avenue for Nigerian produced goods like rice and poultry to thrive and for more jobs to be created.
Recall that the Federal Government of Nigeria ordered the complete closure of the Nigerian land borders, placing a ban on both legitimate and illegitimate movement of goods in and out of the country.
This was after the President announced the partial closure of the Nigeria-Benin border on August 20th with the exercise code-named, ‘Ex-Swift Response’. The measure was taken to restrict the massive illegal importation of rice into Nigeria and ensure trans-border security issues.
In a recent development, the Republic of Ghana, through its Foreign Minister and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, begged Nigeria to re-open its borders. Ghana said it had been heavily affected by Nigeria’s decision to close its borders.
Botchwey stated that Ghana was determined to make Nigeria rescind its decision by exploiting diplomatic avenues. She was optimistic that Nigeria would re-open its Western borders for free flow of goods from Ghana to the subregion.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also said the continuous closure of the Nigerian borders was hurting the economies of Benin and Niger Republics.
[READ ALSO: Border Closure: Ghana trade Union wants to snub made in Nigeria goods]
The disclosure was made by the Director, African Department, IMF, Abebe Selassie, at a media briefing on the sidelines of the World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings in Washington D.C where he hoped that the issue would be resolved with immediate effect.
Business
Update: Fuel scarcity looms as NUPENG directs Tanker drivers to withdraw services in Lagos
This was disclosed in a press statement by NUPENG on Friday, August 7, 2020.
The scarcity of petroleum products appears to be looming in Lagos as the leadership of Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to withdraw its services in Lagos with effect from Monday, August 10, 2020.
This is due to the failure of government authorities to address the various issues that have been causing serious pains and harrowing experience on the petroleum tanker drivers in the state for several months now.
This was disclosed in a press statement by NUPENG on Friday, August 7, 2020.
NUPENG in its statement revealed that the entire rank and file members of the Union are deeply pained and frustrated by the so many challenges being consistently faced by Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos State.
They said that they are left with no other option but to direct its members to withdraw their services in Lagos State until the State Government and other relevant Stakeholders address these critical. challenges.
The statement from NUPENG reads, ‘’The National Leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed the withdrawal of services of Petroleum Tanker Drivers from Lagos State with effect from Monday, 10th August 2020 following the failure of various authorities in the State to address three major issues that have severely caused pains and harrowing experiences on the hapless Petroleum Tanker Drivers in the State for several months now.’’
‘’The entire rank and file members of the Union are deeply pained, frustrated and agonized by the barrage of these challenges being consistently faced by Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos State and are left with no other option but to direct the withdrawal of their services in Lagos State until Lagos State Government and other relevant Stakeholders address these critical challenges.’’
The Union reiterated that It is sad and disheartening to note that they had made several appeals and reports to Lagos State Government and the Presidential Task Force for the decongestion of Apapa on these challenges but all to no avail.
They said that they cannot afford to fold their arms while their members are being consistently and continually extorted, intimidated, harassed and victimized by different groups and segments in Lagos.
NUPENG LEADERSHIP DIRECTS WITHDRAWAL OF SERVICES BY PETROLEUM TANKER DRIVERS IN LAGOS STATE WITH EFFECT FROM MONDAY, AUGUST 10, 2020
Read more:https://t.co/TV5sFoBOcO@followlasg#Lagos pic.twitter.com/tAuOpsMc3a— NIGERIA UNION OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS WORKERS (@officialNUPENG9) August 7, 2020
Business
President Buhari signs amended Companies Allied Matters bill
The President’s action on the document repealed and replaced the extant Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.
President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Companies and Allied Matters Bill 2020, which was recently passed by the National Assembly.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by a media aide of President Buhari, Femi Adesina and shared by the Personal Assistant to the President, Bashir Ahmad, via his Twitter handle.
According to the statement, the President’s action on the document repealed and replaced the extant Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990, and introduced several corporate legal innovations geared toward enhancing ease of doing business in the country.
After 30 years; President @MBuhari today, assented to the Companies and Allied Matters Bill, 2020 recently passed by the National Assembly. pic.twitter.com/8yZNqeqNPV
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) August 7, 2020
Key innovations in the new Act:
* Filing fee reductions and other reforms to make it easier and cheaper for small and medium-sized enterprises to register and reform their businesses in Nigeria;
* Allowing corporate promoters of companies to establish private companies with a single member or shareholder, and creating limited liability partnerships and limited partnerships to give investors and business people alternative forms of carrying out their business in an efficient and flexible way;
* Innovating processes and procedures to ease the operations of companies, such as introducing Statements of Compliance; replacing “authorised share capital” with minimum share capital to reduce costs of incorporating companies; and providing for electronic filing, electronic share transfers, e-meetings as well as remote general meetings for private companies in response to the disruptions to close contact physical meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic;
* Requiring the disclosure of persons with significant control of companies in a register of beneficial owners to enhance corporate accountability and transparency; and
* Enhancing the minority shareholder protection and engagement; introducing enhanced business rescue reforms for insolvent companies; and permitting the merger of Incorporated Trustees for associations that share similar aims and objectives.
Energy
NNPC signs agreement with CNOOC, SAPETRO to end OML 130 disputes
The agreement is expected to help resolve disputes stemming from Oil Mining Lease (OML).
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said it has signed a Head of terms (HoT) agreement with China National Offshore Oil Corporation(CNOOC) and an indigenous oil production firm —South Atlantic Petroleum (SAPETRO).
A statement that was issued by the state-owned oil company via Twitter, yesterday, noted that this is part of the efforts that have been undertaken towards resolving all the disputes stemming from Oil Mining Lease (OML) 130 Production Sharing Contract.
READ ALSO: NNPC spends N535.9 billion on subsidy, FAAC in Q1 2020
📸 NEWS:
Today,@NNPCgroup signed a Head of Terms (HoT)with its partners CNOOC & SAPETRO,signifying a major milestone towards the resolution of all disputes related to Oil Mining Lease (OML)130 Production Sharing Contract.OML 130 consists of producing fields such as Akpo & Egina pic.twitter.com/VnLga9qmm9
— NNPC Group (@NNPCgroup) August 6, 2020
Nairametrics understands that the agreement, which is temporary, could also be instrumental towards resolving similar disputes between the NNPC and other oil companies. The NNPC had previously accused some of these oil firms of under-declaring crude exports for three years between 2011 and 2013.
READ ALSO: NNPC cultivates 2,675 hectares of cassava for Ethanol production
Specifically, the NNPC alleged that the likes of Shell, Total, Chevron, and Eni under-reported crude oil exports in their oil fields to the tune of 57 million barrels. The NNPC even sought repayments valued at $12.7 billion from the oil companies, according to a suit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos. The companies denied the accusations.
The new agreement is now expected to help resolve such disputes. Even the NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari. was quoted to have said the agreement is “a major milestone toward the resolution of all disputes.”
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Update: Fuel scarcity looms as NUPENG directs Tanker drivers to withdraw services in Lagos
President Buhari signs amended Companies Allied Matters bill
NNPC signs agreement with CNOOC, SAPETRO to end OML 130 disputes
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