U.S. govt facilitates deals worth $22bn in Africa in two years — Ambassador

By Solomon Asowata

Lagos, June 22, 2021 (NAN) The United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Leonard says the U.S government has facilitated 280 business deals worth about 22 billion dollars across 30 nations in Africa in two years.

A statement by the American Business Council on Tuesday on its website said she made the disclosure at a webinar to discuss the U.S. – Africa relationship with the Biden – Harris Administration.

Leonard said one of her most important roles as an ambassador was to advocate hugely beneficial trade and investment opportunities for companies in both economies to grow and create jobs.

“Since June 2019, U.S, government support has helped close more than 280 deals across 30 countries in Africa worth more than 22 billion dollars,’’ she said.

According to her, in spite the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, there are numerous opportunities that can be explored by U.S. and African businesses going forward.

Leonard noted that such opportunities included the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and growth of digital economies among African countries.

“We will continue to seek new ways to expand our shared prosperity. Boosting trade is so central to unlocking the full potential of Nigeria and other African economies.

“Expanding global trade relationship and attracting additional investment to Africa will be critical to not just to support economic growth and development but also to stimulate the economic development that is vital to the future.

“The future that provides good jobs for the large and growing population of Nigeria and other countries across the continent,’’ she said.

Also, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ms Akunna Cook said the Biden – Harris administration’s plan entails increasing two-way
trade and investment between Africa and the U.S.

Cook said the U.S. would work with
African governments as partners in
pursuing shared interests such as Global health, climate change and the creative industry.

According to her, the government plans to encourage Businesses, especially Small and Medium Enterprises to take a closer look at Sub-Saharan Africa and also plans to address risk perceptions.

“Nigeria is obviously important to any and all engagement in Africa. We see Nigeria as a strategic partner and leader in the region.

“Nigeria is slowly recovering from the effect of the pandemic and we know it has the potential to shore up and augment its position as Africa’s economic power house.’’

Cook noted that this could only be achieved through deliberate economic reforms and policies that would create enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

On speeding up economic recovery from the pandemic, she said the U.S. Department of State and USAID provided 500 million dollars in humanitarian and economic assistance to Sub-Saharan Africa to fight the pandemic.

Cook said the U.S. Government also
supported the African continent through COVAX by donating two billion dollars and had pledged another two billion dollars for the purchase of vaccines.

On his part, Mr Dipo Faulkner,
President of American Business Council, said the U.S. was a natural Partner to Africa.

Faulkner said that he would like to see more partnerships that would further help transform the economy of the continent.

“Doing business in Africa, though
fraught with challenges has been fruitful for majority of U.S. private sector”, he added. (NAN)

ASO/FHO/EEE

===========

Edited by Hawa Lawal/Ese E. Eniola Williams

ECOWAS Court stops Buhari govt from prosecuting people for using Twitter

The ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja in a landmark ruling today “restrained the government of President Muhammadu Buhari and its agents from unlawfully imposing sanctions or doing anything whatsoever to harass, intimidate, arrest or prosecute Twitter and/or any other social media service provider(s), media houses, radio and television broadcast stations, the Plaintiffs and other Nigerians who are Twitter users, pending the hearing and determination of this suit.”

 

The ruling followed the suit filed against the government by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and 176 concerned Nigerians arguing that “the unlawful suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, criminalization of Nigerians and other people using Twitter have escalated repression of human rights and unlawfully restricted the rights of Nigerians and other people to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom in the country.”

 

The court gave the order after hearing arguments from Solicitor to SERAP, Femi Falana SAN, and lawyer to the government Maimuna Shiru.

 

The court said: “The court has listened very well to the objection by Nigeria. The court has this to say. Any interference with Twitter is viewed as inference with human rights, and that will violate human rights. Therefore, this court has jurisdiction to hear the case. The court also hereby orders that the application be heard expeditiously. The Nigerian government must take immediate steps to implement the order.”

 

This development was disclosed today by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare.

 

Reacting to the ruling, Femi Falana, SAN said: “The intervention of the ECOWAS Court is a timely relief for millions of Nigerians using Twitter who have been threatened with prosecution under the provision of the Penal Code relating to sedition.”

 

“Contrary to the assurance credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN that violators of the Twitter would not be prosecuted, the Federal Government filed processes in the ECOWAS Court threatening to prosecute Nigerians using Twitter for violating the suspension under the provisions of the Penal Code relating to sedition.”

 

“It is extremely embarrassing that the Federal Government could threaten to jail Nigerians for sedition, which was annulled by the Court of Appeal in 1983, in the case of Arthur Nwankwo vs The State.”

 

The suit and the ruling followed the suspension of Twitter by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed after the social media giant was banned in the country for deleting President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet. The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) also ordered TV and radio stations to “suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately”, and told them to delete ‘unpatriotic’ Twitter.

 

The substantive suit has been adjourned to 6^th July 2021 for hearing of the substantive suit.

 

It would be recalled that SERAP and the concerned Nigerians had in the suit No ECW/CCJ/APP/23/21 sought “An order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from implementing its suspension of Twitter in Nigeria, and subjecting anyone including media houses, broadcast stations using Twitter in Nigeria, to harassment, intimidation, arrest and criminal prosecution, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

 

The suit, read in part “if this application is not urgently granted, the Federal Government will continue to arbitrarily suspend Twitter and threaten to impose criminal and other sanctions on Nigerians, telecommunication companies, media houses, broadcast stations and other people using Twitter in Nigeria, the perpetual order sought in this suit might be rendered nugatory.”

 

“The suspension of Twitter is aimed at intimidating and stopping Nigerians from using Twitter and other social media platforms to assess government policies, expose corruption, and criticize acts of official impunity by the agents of the Federal Government.”

 

“The free communication of information and ideas about public and political issues between citizens and elected representatives is essential. This implies a free press and other media able to comment on public issues without censor or restraints, and to inform public opinion. The public also has a corresponding right to receive media output.”

 

“Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right and the full enjoyment of this right is central to achieving individual freedom and to developing democracy. It is not only the cornerstone of democracy, but indispensable to a thriving civil society.”

 

“The arbitrary action by the Federal Government and its agents have negatively impacted millions of Nigerians who carry on their daily businesses and operational activities on Twitter. The suspension has also impeded the freedom of expression of millions of Nigerians, who criticize and influence government policies through the microblogging app.”

 

“The suspension of Twitter is arbitrary, and there is no law in Nigeria today permitting the prosecution of people simply for peacefully exercising their human rights through Twitter and other social media platforms.”

 

“The suspension and threat of prosecution by the Federal Government constitute a fundamental breach of the country’s international human rights obligations including under Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.”

 

“The suspension has seriously undermined the ability of Nigerians and other people in the country to freely express themselves in a democracy, and undermined the ability of journalists, media houses, broadcast stations, and other people to freely carry out their professional duties.”

 

IPMAN backs NNPC, PPMC online products centralisation policy

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has backed the new centralisation policy of online products by (NNPC) and the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC).

IPMAN in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Yakubu Suleiman on Tuesday in Lagos also okayed the renewal of bulk purchase agreements between the marketers and the companies.

Suleiman said the clarification was necessitated by a complaint made by a group purporting to be speaking for IPMAN over the issues.

According to him, IPMAN has no faction because the issue has been settled by a Supreme Court judgment delivered in Abuja on Dec. 14, 2018.

He said the judgment read by
Justice Musa Muhammad in suit No. SC15/2015 recognised Mr Chinedu Okoronkwo as the authentic president of IPMAN.

“IPMAN as a body supports reforms and policies that will ensure transparency, availability and smooth delivery of petroleum products being initiated by government through its agencies.

“We believe that the new centralisation policy for online products and the renewal of bulk purchase agreements with NNPC and PPMC are needed at this point in time.

“There is no other group recognised by law to speak on behalf of independent marketers except IPMAN and we urge the authorities to disregard any complaints coming from such quarters,’’ he said.

Suleiman said IPMAN would continue to support efforts of the government and other stakeholders in the industry to ensure that Nigerians continued to enjoy undisrupted supply of petroleum products across the country. (NAN)

Daily stock record request mandatory for petroleum retail outlets – DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says its request for daily stock records is a statutory regulatory requirement for any retail outlet license holder.

Mr Paul Osu, Head, Public Affairs, DPR, made the clarification known in a statement issued on Monday in Lagos.

Osu said the request for daily stock enables the DPR to provide accurate petroleum products consumption data for the country.

He said the clarification was necessitated by allegations of extortion against DPR by the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Suleja/Abuja branch on the stock request.

He said: ” This regulatory oversight is at no cost to the retail outlets.

“The provision of the daily stock report, which is also applicable to petroleum products depots also enables DPR to provide investment guide to investors.

“This is in line with its role as a business enabler and opportunity house for the oil and gas industry.

“The department wishes to inform all marketers that all applications and applicable statutory fees for retail outlet operations have been migrated online- www.dpr.gov.ng in furtherance of the federal government’s ease of doing business policy. ”

Osu, therefore charged marketers
to report any noticeable infraction or perceived illegality by DPR officials, adding that the agency would continue to engage all our stakeholders in ensuring energy security for Nigerians. (NAN)

Nigeria’s proven gas reserve now 206.53tcf, says DPR

Engr. Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says Nigeria's Proven Natural Gas Reserve is now 206.53 Trillion Cubic Feet (TCF) as at Jan. 1, 2021.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR,  made the announcement on Thursday at the 2021 Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) in Abuja.

The new figure represents a major increase of 3.37TCF  in proven natural gas reserves representing 1.66 per cent percentage increase from previous 203.16TCF recorded on Jan. 1, 2020.

He said that the growth of gas reserves was a critical lever to achieving the Federal Government's Decade of Gas Initiative which aims to transform Nigeria to a gas-powered economy by 2030.

Auwalu said: " First, Nigeria attained the target of 200TCF of natural gas reserves by the Reserve Declaration as at Jan.1, 2019, before the 2020 target 

"Thereafter, government set a target to attain a Reserve Position of 2020TCF by 2030 .

"As a department, we have continued to drive industry performance to grow reserves via dedicated gas exploration, deep drilling, optimal appraisal, field studies and improved oil recovery.

"It is  therefore my pleasure to formally declare the National Gas Reserves Position as at  January 1, 2021 at this important forum.

"I, Mr Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR,  by the power conferred upon me by the Petroleum (Drilling & Production) Regulations, 1969, as amended, and other powers enabling me in that respect, hereby declare as follows: 

" Nigeria Natural Gas Reserves as at Jan. 1, 2021 stands at 206.53TCF.Associated Gas is 100.73TCF and Non Associated Gas is 105.80TCF, making a total of 206.53TCF. Further details will be provided on the DPR website."

He said the recent award of 57 marginal oilfields to indigenous companies was one of the strategies to increase their participation in the Nigeria oil and gas industry.

According to him, Nigeria's human and natural resources, coupled with being Africa's largest economy places the country at a vantage position for investment and participation.

Auwalu said: "Nigeria is positioned to optimally develop its oil and gas resources for the benefit of its 200 million shareholders, indigenous operators have a significant role to play. 

"Govemment’s aspirations and policy thrust of the Decade of Gas underpin the drive for investments across the value chain.

"Whilst driving for investments from all quarters, both foreign and local we believe that real value added in country development can be enabled through daven by Independent participants 

"Government wil support indigenous and marginal field operators to grow share and enhance participation in the sector for wealth and value creation." (NAN)

DPR denies affiliation with company soliciting for adverts for 50th anniversary

Mr Sarki Auwalu, Director, DPR

The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) says it is not celebrating any 50 years anniversary and has not commissioned any media company to do a publication in that regard.

The DPR made this known in a statement issued by its Head, Public Affairs, Mr Paul Osu on Friday in Lagos.

Osu said: " The DPR's attention has been drawn to the activities of a company named,  Brooklands New Media.

"The company has been soliciting for materials, profiles and advert placements from companies for a purported commemorative special publication celebrating 50 years  of the DPR.

"We wish to inform the general public that DPR is not celebrating any 50 years anniversary and we have not commissioned Brooklands New Media to do a publication in that regard.

”We wish to reiterate to the general public that DPR does not have any affiliation with the company, and they are not acting on our behalf in any  guise. "

He added that any company that deals with Brooklands New Media was therefore doing so at its own risk as the regulatory agency would not be held liable.