Oil subsidy removal: Commercial vehicle operators counsel FG

Commercial vehicle operators in Abuja have called on the Federal Government to first solve the immediate needs of the citizens before embarking on the removal of oil subsidy.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, Mr Amos Oladele, the Chairman, Self-Employed Commercial Drivers Association, Abuja chapter, said that the association had always been in support of any popular government policy.

 ``This is so because we believe that before the government comes up with a policy, it must have considered its effects on the masses.

 ``However, we need to advise the government to always start building its house from the foundation instead of starting from the roof top.

``The government should first solve the immediate and pressing needs of the people before talking about removing any subsidy.''

Oladele argued that oil subsidy removal would adversely affect all spheres of the nation's economy while the cost of transportation would go up.

``Government should first give the masses their own expectations, and the masses would in turn reciprocate such gesture by giving their cooperation and support for any policy that has a human face.''

Also reacting, a commercial bus driver, Mr Barnabas Idoko, appealed to the Federal Government not to remove the oil subsidy because marketers would capitalise on the situation to arbitrarily increase the prices of petroleum products.

Another driver, Mr Aneke Chika, told NAN that he did not understand the meaning of oil subsidy removal.

``It is better for the government to take its time to explain and enlighten the public on what the debate is all about and its benefit to the masses before implementing it,'' he said.

NAN recalls that the Federal Government has fixed January 2012 as the deadline for the removal of oil subsidy. 

Expert advocates legislation on production, use of ethanol as alternative cooking fuel

An Expert on Agro-ethanol, Mr Olaoluwa Bamikole,  has called for a legislation framework on the production and use of ethanol as an alternative source of cooking fuel.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, Bamikole, a consultant, said the legislation had become imperative to reduce overdependence on kerosene.

He also urged the Federal Government to make policies that would support the production of ethanol. 

``If National Assembly can give legislative support to ethanol, then over reliance on kerosene for cooking will reduce and people will bother less about kerosene scarcity.

``It is good to have ethanol as an option for cooking because it is cheaper; it does not emit smoke and it burns fast.

``A family of five can cook with a litre of ethanol for five hours and it will also help to reduce deforestation.''

According to him, ethanol can be produced from cassava, sorghum, maize, cellulose and sugarcane, among other starchy crops.

He urged the Ministry of Environment, NNPC, Department of Petroleum Resources and Energy Commission of Nigeria as well as investors to support the production of ethanol as an alternative source and to be dispensed at the filling stations.

Police in Rivers arrest 41 kidnap, five armed robbery suspects

The police in Rivers have arrested 41 kidnap suspects and foiled a robbery attempt, Mr Ben Ugwuegbulam, the Police Public Relations Officer, said on Tuesday.
Ugwuegbulam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that the arrests followed the confession of a suspect and police raid of their hideouts.

He said the kidnap gang had on Oct. 29 abducted two women at Ogoloma in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area.

The police spokesman said the Onne police patrol team responded to a distress call and pursued the gang, resulting in a shoot-out between the police and the suspects.

He said the gun battle led to the successful rescue of one of the women and arrest of a gang member.

Ugwuegbulam said the assistance of the arrested suspect, named Tamunoiduabia, resulted in the rescue of the second victim and added that his confession led to the arrest of other gang members.

He said the Rumuji Police Division patrol team also arrested five armed robbers alleged to have been molesting the community.

The spokesman said a locally made pistol was recovered from the suspects, giving their names as Chikwere, Nyeche, Kunchi, Chimele and Ozule.
The police, he said, had opened investigation into the two incidents.

INEC says de-listing of political parties an ongoing process

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday in Abuja said that the process of de-listing political parties was an ongoing exercise

Mr Kayode Idowu, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN recalls that seven out of 63 political parties were de-listed after the general elections in April.

INEC boss while de-registering the political parties on Aug. 18 insisted that the commission acted in strict compliance with the provisions of the 2010 Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

Jega had argued that the de-listing was in line with section 78 (7) (ii) of the 2010 Electoral Act which empowers INEC to de-list any party that failed to win any seat in the general elections.

Section 78 (7) (ii) states that INEC :  “shall have power to de-register political parties on the following grounds; (i) breach of any of the requirements for registration; (ii) for failure to win a seat in the National or State Assembly election.

Jega said that none of the affected parties fielded a candidate in any of the elections in the last elections and as such could not have won a seat in any of the poll.

Kayode pointed out that some political parties had yet to be de-registered though they failed to win elections because they were one way or the other involved in litigations.

 ``But because they were in one way or the other involved in legal processes since after the elections.

``Those that did not win elections and have no cases in court either directly or by association have been de-listed. 

``Those remaining are those that did not win elections of course, but they either have cases they have taken to court or that involve them.

``And on such practice you can’t take action until those legal processes are resolved,’’ Idowu said.