Fuel scarcity mars celebration in Abuja, Lagos

The persistent fuel scarcity yesterday marred Christmas festivities in Abuja and Lagos.
Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in both city centres showed that there was no fuel at several filling stations.
Those selling the product had long queues of motorists.
Anxious motorists were seen at the Forte Filling Station and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Mega-station in the Central Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Some motorists told NAN that they had to use the Christmas holidays to shop for fuel.
A civil servant, Mr Samuel Ogah, noted that it was becoming increasingly difficult to get fuel on working days when there were long queues at filling stations.
He said: “You know work will resume on Thursday. So, I want to seize this opportunity to fill my tank.’’
A lawyer, Mr Andrew Omoh, expressed disappointment with the worsening fuel crisis.
He wondered why fuel would not be available during Christmas celebrations.
However, the scarcity did not prevent fun seekers from visiting recreation spots in the FCT.
There was a high turnout of fun seekers at Wonderland Amusement Park on Airport Road.
An official of the park, Mr Godwin Amodu, told NAN that Christmas season was always busy for the park.
He said: “You know we always look forward to this season for high patronage. But Boxing Day is usually more lucrative for us.’’
In Lagos, many residents decried the fuel scarcity. They said it hampered the movement of people celebrating the Yuletide.
Some of the residents urged the government to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products.
The residents expressed displeasure over the sudden scarcity of fuel. They said this became more noticeable on Christmas Eve.
Many filling stations in the city were closed while hundreds of motorists at the few filling stations struggled to buy fuel.
A motorist, Mr Jare Olorunshoga, who had been on queue for several hours, told NAN that it was unfortunate the scarcity was happening this season.
“I have been in this queue for two hours now which is so frustrating. “The government should act fast on this,’’ Olorunshoga said.
Mr Ibrahim Olowo also told NAN that the scarcity was deliberate to make Christmas dull.
He added: “This scarcity has paved the way for fuel attendants to make money by selling above the official pump price.’’
He urged the government to solve the problem.
Mrs Ifeoluwa Daniel told NAN that the fuel scarcity had made the Christmas season dull.
“There is no light in this area and people still cannot get petrol to buy to enjoy the festive period,’’ Daniel said.
 TheNation

Pope’s Christmas message: Hope must not die in Nigeria

Pope Benedict in his Christmas message to the world today, stated that “people should never lose hope for peace”, even in conflict-driven Syria and in Nigeria, where he spoke of “terrorism” against Christians.
The 85-year-old read his “Urbi et Orbi” (to the city and the world) message to tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square and to millions of others watching around the world.
“This good earth exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations,” he said.
The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics also condemned conflicts in Mali and Nigeria, where Islamist groups have waged violent campaigns.
“May the birth of Christ favor the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians,” he said.
In Nigeria, the Islamist sect Boko Haram has killed hundreds in the North, targeting mostly churches.
The Pope further said societies had reached the point where many people’s thinking processes did not leave any room even for the existence of God.
“There is no room for him. Not even in our feelings and desires is there any room for him. We want ourselves. We want what we can seize hold of, we want happiness that is within our reach, we want our plans and purposes to succeed. We are so ‘full’ of ourselves that there is no room left for God.”
DailyPost

Signs of the times: Meet the doctor that left medicine to focus on pipeline vandalism

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When Salifu Odiba gained admission to study Medicine and Surgery at University of Jos in 1996, his dream was to one day own his hospital.
But two years after his graduation, the 35-year-old doctor abandoned his stethoscope and chose life on the fast lane by joining pipeline vandalism cartel.
Odiba, who was recently arrested in Kogi State by the Police Special Task Force on Anti-Pipeline Vandalism, Force Headquarters, said he was attracted to the illegal business because it was lucrative.
He said, “I spent eight years studying Medicine and Surgery in UNIJOS and graduated in 2004 and later served in Bauchi State. A year later, I got a job at Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission where I practised for six months. But I was later asked to leave.
“I moved to Kogi in 2006 and it was there that a friend introduced me to the business. I was making good money and later got a part time job at Federal Medical Centre. I received N90,000 as monthly salary which was not enough for me. So, I stuck to the pipeline business.”
The suspect added that he even had a part-time job at another hospital but the commission he received was too little.
Describing his modus operandi, the Kogi State indigene said he acted as a middleman for the vandals and buyers.
He said although he never destroyed a pipeline, he was actively involved in the business and soon became popular.
He said he was usually paid commission by pipeline vandals and buyers after he had sold the products.
“People started calling me ‘oil doctor’ because I always had ready buyers for all kinds of petroleum products. Oil business is very lucrative especially in Kogi State where as many as 17 trucks of petroleum products could be siphoned and sold in one night,” he said.
Odiba lamented that the medical profession was no longer as prestigious as it was due to the “large number” of people practising it.
“People don’t visit hospitals like before. These days, many Nigerians prefer to take self medication,” he said.
Narrating how he was arrested, the suspect said he was contacted by a source at Lokoja, the state capital, who claimed to have large quantities of oil in a barge.
He said he was on his way to finalise the deal when policemen arrested him.
Odiba, who vowed not to return to crime if released, burst into tears when narrating the hardship he had suffered in the past.
He said although N90, 000 was not a poor salary, the pressures of having to take care of his siblings fuelled his greed.
He said, “I have four siblings and my parents are retired. I am the first son and through this business, I have been able to sponsor two of my siblings through university and they have graduated. I don’t spend the money I make on myself. I have a fiancée but I can’t even afford a wedding now.
“I don’t want my siblings to suffer and I did this for them. Crime for me was due to a quest for survival but I promise never to go back to it. I spent last year’s Christmas in police custody after being arrested in Kaduna. This year again, I’m spending my Christmas in detention.
“I’m tired of this life of crime and I promise never to go back to it again. My dream is still to own a hospital and even while doing the oil business; I rendered free medical services to people.”
Odiba, who was arrested and detained for a similar offence last year, said he was released and warned when investigation showed that he only played a minor role.
The Officer in charge of the task force, Friday Ibadin said Odiba’s case was proof that not only miscreants were into the illegitimate business.
He said, “The suspect was arrested at Lokoja.  Ajaokuta specifically has become a haven for these criminals. The business is very lucrative because a tanker of crude oil could be bought illegally for as low as N800, 000 and resold at N5m during scarcity.
“This is economic sabotage and it carries a life sentence. Members of the public are hereby warned to stay away from the nation’s pipelines.”
YNaija.com

NNPC plans to repair three refineries with N152bn

The  Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation will spend  N152bn on the repair of  three of the nation’s  refineries in 2013.
The  amount is contained in the budget document submitted to the National Assembly Joint Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) last week.
Details of the budget show that the total maintenance cost for the Port Harcourt Refinery  by its original builders,  basic engineering design for the Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit and RFCC plant project  is  estimated at N76.779bn.
A  breakdown of the N76.779bn  indicates that  N43.5bn will be spent on  the refinery’s  rehabilitation, N32.646bn  on the plant project and N636m on basic engineering design.
The total estimated expenditure for the maintenance of the Warri  Refining and Petrochemical Company  is put at N43.12bn.
The NNPC is planning to spend N41.879bn on  the refinery’s  rehabilitation; N159m on  fire detection alarm systems; N286.2m  on replacement of the HP BFW Pumps and Driver 101-P-02B;  and N79.5m  on the  upgrade of the co-boiler instrumentation and burner management system.
The corporation will spend  N32.106bn on the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company. The breakdown  of the N32.106bn   shows that N31.441bn will  go into its rehabilitation and  N317.38m  for  the  reconstruction of FCCU, gasoline tank (51TK14B) and purchase of accessories.
Rehabilitation of raw water intake road will gulp N178.12m,  while new maintenance office building will cost  N170m.
The corporation, in 2012, budgeted  N154.48bn for capital expenditure, but spent N23.1bn only.
In the  budget statement, which was obtained by our correspondent on Monday, the NNPC   said  that the Federal Government had yet to pay it N217bn kerosene subsidy.
It added  that  non-payment of the claims was  hindering the execution of its capital projects.
The corporation  stated “Budget performance is hampered by lack of funding resulting from non-payment of kerosene subsidy (N217bn) and other outstanding claims from the Federal Government.”
The NNPC  also  plans to move  42.3 milion barrels of crude oil to the domestic refineries for processing in 2013.
As a result,  a total of 18.64 billion litres of products are expected to be derived from local refining during the period.
The document says the corporation  is optimistic about ensuring 100 per cent  products evacuation from the refineries, including reducing operational and demurrage costs by 10 per cent each on the 2012 levels.
NNPC also promised to achieve a 10 per cent growth in internally-generated revenue in 2013.
On projections for the refineries, the corporation said it intended to “transform the refineries into stand alone profitable business units; continue integrity type maintenance project; build capabilities and improve on refinery operation and continue to utilise alternative crude supply routes to the refineries as a secondary supply strategy.”
The National Assembly had queried the NNPC for spending more than it earned in 2012. It consequently  requested details from where it got the extra money to fund its  activities.
The corporation had said it had a total receipt of N2.36tn by the end of September 2012, but had an operational expenditure of N2.84tn.
The Minister of Petroluem Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, had in October said that the Federal Government planned to spend N250bn  on the Turn-Around Maintenance of the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries.
She said the government would spend $146m  out of which $32m (75 per cent) had already been paid for the materials needed.
Several TAMs had been performed on  the refineries in the past without visible results.
A newspaper had in November 2011 reported that  $1.78bn was spent on TAMs of the  four refineries in the last  12  years.
Quoting  the NNPC  Annual Statistical Bulletin for 2010, it stated that the Kaduna refinery operated at 31.39 per cent capacity utilisation in 2001; 34.95 per cent in 2002;  15.96 per cent in 2003;  26 per cent in 2004;  33.08 per cent in 2005; 8.34 per cent in 2006; 0.00 per cent in 2007;  19.56 per cent in 2008; 20.02 per cent in 2009;  and 20.46 per cent in 2010.
The Port Harcourt refinery  performed at 60.73 per cent in 2001;  52.17 per cent in 2002; 41.88 per cent in 2003;  31.04 per cent in 2004;  42.18 per cent in 2005; 50.26 per cent in 2006;  24.87 per cent in 2007;  17.84 per cent in 2008;  9.08 per cent in 2009;  and 9.17 per cent in 2010.
The Warri  refinery operated at 48.29 per cent in 2001; 55.53 per cent in 2002; 14.27 per cent in 2003;  9.10 per cent in 2004; 54.85 per cent in 2005;  3.85 per cent in 2006;  0.00 per cent  in 2007;  38.52 per cent in 2008;  43.01 per cent in 2009;  and 43.36 per cent in 2010.
Naijaurban

11 Injured, 3 killed in three Christmas day crashes

Two persons were seriously injured when a Toyota Haice car with reg no XA 651 NKR, belonging to Onitsha Mass Transit, crashed with a bike with reg no BND 601 QC on Mile 2/Afikpo today, the FRSC said.
Also, two persons died while three others were injured when a DAF truck with reg no XA 961 MLF crushed a Motorbike at Gada Biyu on Abaji-Gwagwalada road in the early hours of today.
The victims were taken to the General Hospital, Kwali and the road has been cleared off obstruction.
The Federal Road Safety Corporation (FRSC) further disclosed that 1 person also died and 6 others injured at Chikara, around Abaji when a Toyota Siena car with reg no YAB 91 AL had a tyre burst.
The announcement was made some minutes on the corporation’s Facebook page.
DailyPost

Funke Akindele is the Richest Yoruba Actress!!

The popular Funke Akindele is a talented Yoruba movie actress who rose to fame in I Need To Know, a TV series that enlightened youths about HIV/AIDS. However, the Nollywood star cemented her stardom in the Nigerian film industry with her amazing performance in her rib cracking movie ‘Jenifa’.

Jennifa by Funke Akindele cuts across all social groups with the street parlance in it becoming the mode of communication at social gatherings. Many folks now says ‘Yelz’ instead of Yes, ‘Big Gehs’ instead of Big Girls, ‘Parry’ instead of Party, etc.So far, Funke Akindele has earned over 56 Million Naira, netting about 20 Million Naira in 2012 alone.

Her movie ‘The Return of Jenifa’ brought 35 Million Naira to her coffers. ‘Maami’ (Starring Funke Akindele, Ayomide Abatti and Wole Ojo. Produced by Tunde Kelani ) made 11 Million naira. Funke was also the lead for the flick ‘Married But Living Single’ which grossed 9.9 Million Naira.

Another movie which she’s part of is the upcoming ‘A Wish’ and industry buffs are already hoping it will become a box office success. With all these facts and numbers, the question about Funke Akindele being the richest Yoruba actress can be said to have been addressed.

Funke Akindele is undeniably very rich and to cap her success, the highly creative actress got married in 2012!

Naijaurban

Nude, sheer, high-thigh slits! The most daring and risque dresses of 2012 (PHOTOS)

It was the year of the sheer and the thigh-high slit! Take a look back at some of the most daring and risque dresses worn on the red carpet in 2012 …

 









































YNaija.com