BUA Group partners Kano farmers to boost local rice production

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In fulfillment of the Federal Government’s policy of boosting rice production in Kano State, the BUA Rice Ltd, a subsidiary of BUA Group, is partnering the state branch of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), to actualise the dream.

The Group Executive Director, Strategy and Innovation, of the company, Kabiru Rabi’u said it remains committed to the government’s resolve to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported rice by boosting local capacity to produce, process and package.

According to him, the partnership would support the rice farmers to take advantage of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor-Borrowers Scheme, adding that BUA will provide end-to-end support to the value chain in ensuring that its milling facilities are being utilised optimally.

“Currently, BUA’s rice mill, which was supplied by Satake Japanese Technology, is the largest rice mill in Nigeria, with a total processing capacity of about 200,000 metric tonnes per annum,” he said.

Rabiu emphasised that they needed to encourage dry season rice farming, assuring the chairmen of the rice farmers association across the 44 local governments, that farmers would enjoy the partnership, as it would do everything possible to see that good price is given to farmers, apart from fertiliser supply, inputs and other implements.

Chairman of RIFAN, Abubakar Ali, assured the company of their commitment and dedication to any agreement reached.He revealed that Kano had over 500,000 rice farmers with over 40,000 of them, fully registered with the association, assuring that the initiative will see to the improved yields, as well as, reduce wastage currently being experienced due to insufficient processing and storage facilities.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kYyyGj

‘Our workshops littered with abandoned cars due to recession’

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A mechanic workshop

An automobile mechanic in Ilorin, Kwara State, Mr. Martins Michael, has lamented the rate at which car owners abandon their faulty cars at mechanic workshops, blaming the action on the current economic situation in the country.

He added that several cars were also being displayed for sale by the roadside nowadays because their owners could no longer afford the high costs of maintaining them.

The auto technician said the urge to sell or abandon those cars at mechanic workshops was because of the high costs of their spare parts and accessories, which many vehicle owners could no longer afford.

“The economic situation is really affecting our business, although, every car has different spare part, the prices of the parts vary and have become very expensive. A four-litre gallon of the cheapest brand of engine oil used to service a car now goes for N2,600 as compared to N1,500.

“The price of a Toyota Camry shock-absorber has risen from N4,000 to N7,000 for each of the four tyres. A new Toyota Camry engine costs N280,000 and N90,000 for “Tokunbo” and they used to be N180,000 and N55,000 respectively before.

“A 75 amps car-battery has increased from N13,000 to N26,000 while a 62 amps had gone from N10,000 to N18,000. I have mentioned the prices of these few items so that you will know the situation of things, and this is why people now abandon their cars with us because they cannot afford the cost of repairs,” Michael said.

He added that car owners have stopped doing the general repairs and maintenance of their vehicles, rather they only repair the very essential parts. “People no longer do maintenance or general repair again, they just ask us to fix the main problem so that the car can keep moving, and this is dangerous for safety on the roads.

“Every corner you go to now, you find cars displayed for sale, and people no longer have money to maintain two to three cars because maintaining only one is a problem. This situation is also affecting us because auto-mechanics only have little work to do; car owners prefer to buy spare parts to replace bad ones and promise to pay us for our workmanship later.

“And some of them do not believe when we say these parts have become expensive, so we ask them to buy. They will not come back to pick them; they will only abandon their cars at our workshops. Some of the cars have been here for months, we call the owners and they promise to come, but they have not come.

“I want the government to find a lasting solution to this problem of recession so that things can return to normal. If car owners continue to do piecemeal repairs on their faulty cars, this will be dangerous for the safety of lives and property, especially on the roads, ” he said.

Vía The Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2ku7sVN

10 Feared dead as Militants, kidnappers clash in Cross River (Read full details)

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DSS

DSS Arrests Five

A bloody clash between kidnappers and a militant group known as the Bakassi Strike Force (BSF), operating in the Bakassi Peninsular of Cross River State, has claimed about 10 lives.

Although the State Police Command denied knowledge of the incident, the Department of State Services (DSS), Cross River Command, said it has arrested five kidnappers.

Leader of the BSF, Simply Benjamin, aka G1, in a statement made available to newsmen in Calabar, after the clash, said it carried out the attack on the kidnappers to prove to the general public that so many cases of kidnapping and armed robbery blamed on BSF were false.

He emphasised that all these pockets of violence, including kidnappings and armed robbery were perpetuated by a criminal group led by one Jacob, now deceased.

Benjamin said: “Two members of the group, who are also on the wanted list of the DSS, the police and other security agencies are in my custody.” The BSF boss said his group had notice of plans by the kidnappers to carry out “another terrible mission in Calabar, which I knew if they succeed in the operation, accusing fingers would have been pointed at me and my group. So, we had to confront and stop them.”

Top sources within the militants camp said, “not less than 10 persons died in the clash- one from our side and nine from their side.” Benjamin, who is equally wanted by the government had earlier raised an alarm that there were some groups in the Anantigha axis of Calabar South Local Council terrorising residents of the area. He said he intends to hand over the two suspected kidnappers to government.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, (PPRO), Irene Ugbo, said the police was not aware of the clash, but will certainly investigate the matter.”

The DSS in a briefing with newsmen described the BSF as a deadly group, adding that five kidnappers were recently arrested in the state. The State Director of DSS, Fubara Duke, said the kidnappers have made useful information and some have been charged to court as investigations are ongoing.

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Marketers blame NNPC for high Kerosine price, scarcity (Read full details)

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Kerosine scarcity

No, It’s Market Forces — NNPC

Despite assurances from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) that its three refineries are now producing Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), also known as kerosene, the price of the product has remained high, which has been attributed to scarcity of foreign exchange, deregulation of the product and diversion to aviation fuel.

The product, which was sold at less than N150 per litre about three months ago, has increased to about N200 to N250 a litre. The Guardian gathered that the price of the product already goes for NI88 per litre at NNPC depots; thereby forcing retailers to sell at exorbitant prices, taking advantage of the fact that kerosene has been deregulated.

Many of the filling stations visited by The Guardian were not selling the product, while others have increased its price. However, Ndu Ughamadu, Group General Manager and Group Public Affairs Division of NNPC insisted that the country’s three refineries have continued to supply about 4.8 million litres of kerosine daily.

This, he said, is in addition to the one cargo, which the corporation daily imports to compliment the output from the refineries. Some marketers, who spoke with The Guardian, said the price of the product is high due to the inability of petroleum marketers to import, thereby depending solely on supplies from NNPC.

According to them, the scarcity of forex and marketers’ inability to offset their loans, have made it difficult importing kerosene and other petroleum products into the country.

Just a few weeks ago, NNPC announced the release of additional volumes of 4.6 million litres kerosine to consumers around the country. Anibor Kragha, Chief Operating Officer of the Refineries, had said the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) were all back on stream.

“This impact is not being felt due to the high demand for the product. The demand is higher than the supply, so the price will be affected,” Mike Osatuyi, the National Operations Controller of Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) told The Guardian in an interview.

To make kerosene available, Osatuyi stressed the need for the Federal Government to make it possible for marketers to access foreign exchange, as well as make the refineries work at full capacity.

A marketer said: “The product is not really available, because whatever we are getting from NNPC is not enough to go round.  Another problem is that some marketers prefer to sell it as aviation fuel. There is scarcity of aviation fuel and kerosene can easily be supplemented for aviation fuel. Since the price of aviation fuel is high, kerosene easily comes as an alternative.”

The source accused NNPC of selling at ridiculous prices at the depot, saying, “We bought at NI44 per litre on Wednesday and they increased it to NI88 on Thursday.”

In response, Ughamadu described NNPC as a commercial entity, saying market forces now determine the price of kerosine, as it remains deregulated. Obafemi Olawore, Executive Secretary, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), said marketers are shunning importation because of the inaccessibility of forex, thereby leaving importation only to NNPC.

He explained that there has been discussion between the government and marketers, regarding foreign exchange differentials, delayed payments interest and bridging claims, which were expected to boost and sustain fuel supplies.

He said: “The government has stressed the importance of continued private sector participation in the entire downstream sector value chain and as such, find lasting solution to the outstanding debt.”

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Navy destroys illegal refineries, petroleum products worth N3bn (Read full details)

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The Nigerian Navy has destroyed 40 illegal refineries, equipment and petroleum products valued at N3b in a special operation in the Niger Delta. The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral James Oluwole, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, at the conclusion of the first phase of “Operation River Sweep I.”

Oluwole said the operation, which began on January 8 and ended February 4, was aimed at stemming the tide of oil theft and vandalism of critical oil and gas installations, especially along Bonny–Onne channels in Rivers State.

According to him, two warships, NNS Ologbo and NNS Burutu, eight gunboats and helicopters participated in the 28-day operation. “Operation Rivers Sweep was activated on January 8 to stem the tide of increasing and disturbing reports of illegal bunkering in Onne general area. Over some months now, we have discovered that lots of illegal refineries are operating within the area with stealthily and specially designed dug-in canoes moving stolen petroleum products.

“In the operation, two vessels MV Lewis Ejiro and MV Lady Swithin were impounded, while 40 illegal refineries, 60 large wooden and speed boats loaded with 5.24 million litres of diesel were destroyed.

“Other items recovered by troops included three electricity generating sets, 16 pumping machines, two welding machines, three outboard engines and two hoses. The total estimated loss in the destroyed illegal refineries and other equipment is about N3b.” Oluwole said that five suspected oil thieves were arrested during the operation and handed over to relevant prosecuting agencies.

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Dealers raise the alarm over adulterated kerosene in Delta (Read full details)

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Kerosene

Kerosene dealers in Delta have raised the alarm over the prevalence of adulterated product in the state. Marketers, who spoke yesterday in Asaba, alleged that illegally refined sample was in circulation in all major markets statewide. They added that the fake sold cheaper than the ones from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

It was gathered that the suspected substandard goods were being produced in the creeks of the Niger Delta by operators of illegal refineries. The products, believed to emanate from Warri-South West, Warri South and Warri North, are yellowish, smell badly and go for N250 as against the prevailing N300 and N350 price tag of the original one.

A customer said: “I often buy kerosene from the creek. They are cheaper and sell for N250 against NNPC’s N350.”Several traders in Asaba, Warri, Ughelli and Agbor who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity, said the adulterated products had flooded the markets with unsuspecting consumers flocking for them.

In the meantime, the Nigeria Navy (NNS) has in the last three weeks uncovered a number of illegal refining facilities.In a telephone chat, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Central Naval Command (CNC), Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba, his men had destroyed over 42 of such facilities and 4,000 metric tons of stolen and illegally refined diesel.

He assured the people that the force would soon bring the operators to book. NNPC officials, who pleaded not to be mentioned because they were not authorised to speak on the issue, blamed the illegality on desperation from the jobless youths, adding that efforts were being made to arrest the situation.

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