Metro
Price of Cooking Gas Soars as Supply Drops
The drop in the supply of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, popularly known as cooking gas, to Lagos has led to an increase in the retail price of the commodity, raising fears of an imminent scarcity in the state and many parts of the country.
The Nigerian Association of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers said last Wednesday that terminal owners had increased the price of 20 metric tonnes of the LPG by 33 per cent to N4.2m within five days.
NALPGAM said efforts to extract the cause of the sudden price increase from the terminal operators had not been successful.
The Nigeria LNG Limited, which is based in Port Harcourt, uses a vessel to deliver the LPG to Lagos at least twice in a month and buyers take the commodity to different parts of the country through trucks.
The company only delivers volumes to government-owned Northern Oil Jetty terminal and Navgas terminal, a private facility.
Our correspondent gathered that over 34 off-takers involved in the distribution of the NLNG’s volumes across the country received supply from the terminals.
But investigations revealed that the vessel only delivered the LPG volumes to Lagos once in October and no supply had been received this month as of the time of filing this report.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers said on Sunday that the reduction in supply had led to about 90 per cent increment in gas price within a space of one week.
“It is likely that this ugly situation will continue if there is no urgent intervention, especially as Christmas and New Year approach. Just a week ago, in Lagos and some neighbouring states, 12.5kg LPG was sold between N2,600 and N3,000 at retail outlets. It is now sold between N4,000 and N4,500 owing to the sudden hike in the price by tank farm operators,” the LPGAR said in a statement.
Last week, the NLNG, in a letter seen by our correspondent, explained to off-takers recent delays and disruptions to the Lagos delivery schedule.
It said deliveries to Lagos had progressed uninterrupted until August when the LPG vessel, ‘Navigator Capricorn’, loaded a cargo in Bonny and then experienced a suspected piracy attack en route to deliver the cargo to Lagos.
The spokesperson for the NLNG, Sophia Horsfall, in an emailed response to questions, told our correspondent on Friday that the company delivered 12,000MT to the Navgas terminal in Apapa, Lagos on October 15, 2019.
“Before then, we delivered a total of 32,050MT (three cargoes) in the month of September to Lagos. Our next delivery for about the 10th of November will be to NOJ terminal in Lagos. We typically deliver at least two cargoes of the LPG each month to Lagos via NOJ and Navgas terminals,” she said.
The LPGAR called on the Federal Government and other stakeholders to urgently intervene in order to restore sanity.
“The situation is already forcing many users to abandon their cylinders and opt for other sources of cooking energy such as firewood and saw dusk irrespective of the attendant health risks and resultant environmental degradation that results from those alternative energy sources,” it added.
The Punch
The Minister of Police Affairs, Senator Ibrahim Gaidam, has inaugurated an 11-man Committee to conduct a thorough investigation and review of the decisions on dismissal and suspension of Cadets by the Disciplinary Committee of the Police Academy, Wudil, Kano.
A statement by the Deputy Director (Information & Public Relations), Mr. Bolaji Kazeem, and made available to National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP), reveal that the committee which had the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Police Affairs as Chairman comprises representatives of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Nigeria Police Force (NPF); DIG of the Zone; Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement; Director, Police Service Department; Legal Department; Federal Civil Service Commission.
Others are the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Registrar POLAC and Director, Human Resources Management – Member/Secretary were inaugurated at the Headquarters of the Ministry in Abuja.
The Minister pointed out that a thorough investigation and review of the decisions must be conducted following passionate appeals received from some students and parents/guardians of the affected students.
Gaidam revealed that the Disciplinary Committee of Police Academy, Wudil, Kano after various investigations and consideration, unanimously recommended the suspension and discharge of some cadets who were found guilty of committing various infractions in the school including smoking Indian hemp, drinking alcohol, damaging property among others.
In his words, “The recent incidents that have brought us to this moment are a cause for concern, but they also present an opportunity for reflection and improvement. We must approach this investigation with diligence, fairness, and an unwavering commitment to the truth”.
He noted that the objective is not only to address the specific cases at hand but also to reinforce the standards of conduct that define our academy and the values we hold dear and commitment to uphold the integrity and excellence of our esteemed institution—the Nigeria Police Academy.
According to him, “The Nigeria Police Academy stands as a beacon of hope and a pillar of our nation’s security framework. It is here that we mold the future leaders of our police force. However, we are acutely aware that the challenges we face are significant. We cannot afford to allow this credible institution to be turned into a breeding ground for criminals, drug addicts, troublemakers, and law-breakers. Our mission is clear: to produce well-disciplined, thoroughly trained, and professional police officers who not only understand the law but embody it in their actions”.
The Minister charged the committee to be mindful of the broader implications of their work as the integrity of our academy reflects on the entire policing system in Nigeria. It is our duty to ensure that every cadet who walks through these halls emerges not only as a law enforcement officer but as a paragon of virtue and professionalism. Gaidam stressed.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary/Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Yusuf Abubakar Argungu stated that the Ministry received an avalanche of appeals and requests for the review of the decisions of the Nigeria Police Academy, and the Minister directed for the constitution of a committee to look into the matter for fairness and justice before the approval of the Ministry
Leading payment services bank, MoneyMaster Payment Service Bank (MMPSB) continues to delight its existing customers with various freebies for every transaction.
The bank recently announced the launch of a new 100MB data offer for new customers. The initiative aims to encourage people with little or no access to banking services to set up their own mobile wallets using the bank’s USSD banking platform. The promotion is available to Glo customers using the bank’s USSD bank code, *995#.
A few weeks ago, MoneyMaster introduced a 10 percent data bonus on top-ups of 1,000 naira and above for existing and new customers on the Glo network. The offer was rated as one of the best offers in the country in terms of the amount of data offered. Data purchases are valid for 30 days, and any unused data can be rolled over to your next plan.
Commenting on the data offer, Julius Arhebun, head of agency banking at MoneyMaster, said: “as a payment service bank, one of our core mandates is to promote financial inclusion. This offer builds on the various financial education we have been providing online and across our various customer touchpoints.
“With this new 100MB offer, we want to encourage Nigerians in the unbanked and underbanked pools to be financially included by having at least a mobile wallet. The account number of this mobile wallet is derived from their mobile number, and can be easily recalled,” he noted.
MoneyMaster PSB is a leading provider of innovative digital financial products and services that transform lives and contribute to sustainable living. With a mission to deepen financial inclusion, MoneyMaster has been instrumental in providing financial technology services to bridge the gap between the banked, unbanked and underbanked.
Leading real estate and property firm, Adron Homes and Properties, has announced the postponement of the earlier advertised seventh edition of the Adron Homes Games, with the theme Fit to be the Biggest.
The postponement, according to a statement signed by the Group’s Managing Director, Adenike Ajobo, and made available to Pointblank.ng, is as a result security concerns as the company prioritizes the security of its staff, attendees and participants.
Recall that the sports fiesta, originally billed to take place on November 29 and 30, 2024, was scheduled to hold at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan.
Read the statement in full:
POSTPONEMENT OF ADRON GAMES 2024
Adron Homes wishes to announce the cancellation of the much-anticipated Adron Games 2024.
This decision, was made in the best interest of all participants, stakeholders, and the broader community. The postponement is necessitated by heightened security concerns in certain regions that could potentially jeopardize the safety of staff, attendees and participants.
As an organization that is committed to the well-being of its staffs, partners and everyone involved, priority is designated to safety and security above all else. Also, the organization is taking this opportunity to rethink and restructure its sporting initiatives to ensure public inclusivity
and as part of efforts to enhance and expand the impact of its wellness programs, the Adron Games will evolve into a broader, more inclusive sporting initiative.
This transformation will foster collaboration, unity, and healthy competition among a wider array of participants, and will embody the same spirit of excellence, teamwork, and wellness that the Adron Games has championed over the years.
We deeply regret any inconvenience this decision may cause and hereby extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued staff, participants, partners, ambassadors and supporters for their understanding and continued trust in Adron Homes.
Adron Homes remains committed to inspiring excellence and fostering community engagement through corporate wellness initiatives such as Adron Games at all times.
