ABOUT 196 companies have been announced by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to have submitted bid for the production and supply of kit items for 2013 Batch ‘B’ corp members.
At the opening of Pre-qualification Documents in Abuja, the Director-General of NYSC, Brig-Gen Nnamdi Okore-Affia said the scheme would not deviate from transparency and due process it had been known for, promising to follow Public Procurement Act to the letter.
“It is important to inform you that this exercise will be followed by the critical examination of your documents by the Technical Evaluation Committee, who will eventually produce the qualified companies that will be issued with bidding documents for financial bidding coming up on March 25, 2013.
“Let me appeal to you not only as contractors, but also as members of the NYSC family to cooperate and make this exercise a success,” he pleaded.
Also speaking, the Director of Procurement, Mr. Gabriel Alonge explained that being a registered contractor with the scheme would not give anybody undue advantage over others, telling contractors not to give anybody kick-back for their company to be selected as the whole process will be made open.
”It is not do or die affair, if you are not in now, don’t be discouraged. Please, you need not to see anybody; the only thing you can do to assist yourself is by meeting the requirements”, he maintained.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
The Federal Government on Wednesday said it would concession the newly constructed Kubwa and Airport roads in Abuja through the introduction of toll gates to make the roads self-sustaining.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Muhammed, said this in Abuja while briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Muhammed said that N49 billion was required for the completion of the affected roads, adding that tolling the roads would enable FCT to generate more funds for their completion and maintenance.
“Also, we have informed the council that we want to bring concession template on the existing corridors that we have finished with requirement of about N49 billion to complete the project, that is the airport road and the outer expressway so that at the end of the day we will toll them so that they would have been self-sustaining rather than waiting for federal government to give us the money which will shift the goal post for completion of the projects.”
The minister dismissed the insinuations that the proposed concessioning and subsequent introduction of the toll gates was anti-people, exploitative and unjustifiable, saying the arrangement was a global practice.
According to him, only the central lanes of the roads will be concessioned, while the service lanes will be free of charge.
“It is a global practice, the city is modelled after Brasilia, with the satellite towns feeding the centre and then we have the service road, any concession has a template, a global indices for concessioning is that we must provide an alternative road for the common people living along the corridor and this is ten lanes, we are just going to toll the centre lanes for purposes of payment, the rest will be free for use and this is what is the global practice.
“Of course, there people who would be in a hurry, they wouldn’t want to use the service lane and that is the idea of tolling, it is not going to impinge on travel time or increase the fare which is part of our KPI to reduce the fare within the FCT and outside.”
Muhammed said that government had a robust plan to develop the satellite towns in the FCT in order to take the pressure off the facilities in the city centre.
He said the FCTA, in partnership with the Nasarawa State Government, had concluded arrangements to begin the construction of a major corridor that would go through Masaka- Mararaba Gurku –Mpape-Katampe–Maitama to decongest the Nyanya-Mararaba road, and ensure smooth traffic flow in the FCT.
He said the road project would be carried out through a Private-Public-Partnership programme (PPP).
Muhammed further said that the FCTA would embark on a waste-to-power project as a way of creating wealth and job opportunities for youths in the FCT.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
France will start withdrawing troops from Mali next month, President Francois Hollande said on Wednesday, confirming that “terrorist leaders’’ had been killed in the north of the country.
Speaking during a visit to Warsaw, Hollande said France would start repatriating some of its 4,000 troops in Mali “from April.’’
Meanwhile, the onslaught by French and Chadian forces against Islamist militants in the mountains of north-east Mali was showing “success, which will be shown in the coming days, including terrorist leaders who have been killed,’’ he said.
Chad reported last week that Abdelhamid Abou Zeid and Mokhtar Belmokhtar, two terrorist leaders, had been killed. France has yet to confirm their deaths.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Korean and indigenous consortium, KEPCO/NEDC has paid the sum of $32.7million, being 25 percent of its bid price of $131million for the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, in which it emerged the core investor. The DISCO was the most keenly contested during the bid tenders, with 10 bids submitted for it.
The payment follows the signing of agreements for the handover of the unbundled companies from the Power Holding Company, PHCN, including generation and distribution companies to the preferred bidders, which took place late last month.
Confirming the payment, a Presidency source told Codewit, “Yes, KEPCO/NEDC paid 25 percent of its bid price for Ikeja DISCO on Monday. The cheque was paid to BPE (Bureau of Public Entreprises).”
However, the Chairman of the Technical Committee, National Council on Privatisation, NCP, Mr. Atedo Peterside, in a telephone interview with Vanguard, insisted that there was no such payment.
According to him, “To the best of my knowledge, it is only the Amperion Consortium that has paid the 25 percent for the Geregu Power Plant. They were the first of the bid winners to make the 25 percent payment, and they did so that Thursday, when in Abuja.”
He argued that the public may have misconstrued this to mean KEPCO, since it was also announced that KEPCO has won 70 percent stake in Egbin Power Plant for $670million.
But reacting to the fairness of awarding the Ikeja DISCO and Egbin, both Nigeria’s biggest DISCO and GENCO, which many argued gave undue advantage to the Korean consortium and may tend towards monopoly in Lagos, Peterside defended that the privatization process has not gone outside its guidelines.
“The rules are very clear and very well known. A core investor is allowed to win a maximum of two DISCOs and one GENCO, which makes three PHCN successor companies,” he said.
He further noted that the Integrated Consortium won two DISCOs – Ibadan and Yola. “Please recall that KEPCO also competed for Ibadan, where they were beaten by Integrated’s superior bid. Based on the rules, KEPCO could have won Ikeja and Ibadan DISCOs plus the Egbin GENCO,” he added.
With regard to the ability of KEPCO to muscle up close to a billion dollars to finance the bids, Peterside argued that as a multinational electricity company, the company can afford to pay. Besides, he added, “At every stage there are bank guarantees and there is a penalty for failure.”
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
John Obi Mikel has said that winning the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Cup and the crowd that met the team on arrival in Nigeria is a feeling he will never forget.
The Chelsea midfielder played a big part in the Super Eagles’ run to their third continental title where he became a leader on and off the pitch.
“It was crazy. It was really nice to go back home after the tournament with the cup – the whole country was waiting,” he told his club’s official magazine.
“It was a big, big thing, because we couldn’t walk, we couldn’t actually get out of the airport. The whole way through, from the airport to the hotel where we were staying, it was crazy.’
Mikel missed a penalty kick in the second match against Zambia but he did not allow that miss to dampen his enthusiasm as he went on to be named in Caf’s XI of the tournament with outstanding displays against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali in the quarter finals and semi-finals respectively.
“Every major tournament makes you become more mature.
“I think it’s because I have played in so many major tournaments at such a young age that I have the maturity – you go through a hard time to win tournaments and it makes you grow.
“It’s a life experience and it’s something that I have been lucky enough to do from a young age at Chelsea as well, where I have played alongside some of the best players in the world and I’ve learnt a lot from them.’
The Chelsea midfielder is happy that they overcame a strong field to win the tournament.
“The level has gone right up. So to win it this time was just amazing.
“To win it at a stage when African football has become so interesting – when there are so many African players abroad – was really, really difficult, and we did it,” he said.
Mikel thus added the Nations Cup to the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cups that he has won at his time with Chelsea FC.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii has called on state governments to support NAFDAC’s efforts to police the grassroots by setting up the Agency’s local government desk in their states.
Orhii who made this call during a courtesy visit to the Gombe State government at stakeholders’ meeting in the state, commended the setting up NAFDAC desks in eight of its 11 Local Government Areas while also urging expedition of the process of getting the three remaining local governments in the state to also set up their desks.
Orhii said NAFDAC is desirous of ensuring that Gombe State enjoys wholesome food and drugs and called on the government and individuals in the state to set up industries under the Agency’s guidance that will address the food and drugs needs of the people of the state.
Gombe State Deputy Governor, Hon. Thaanda Jason Aubainu who received the NAFDAC delegation acknowledged NAFDAC efforts while urging for more partnership with manufacturers to ensure that basic products are produced in Nigeria under the close watch of NAFDAC for the benefit of the citizenry.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
It appears Keke Marwa is the rage now as wedding get-away cars for Naija brides and their groom (tongue in cheek). The photo is proof.. I posted another one here a few weeks ago, where a bride was getting off one of the popular tricycles with help from her chief bridesmaid.. Seems funny right? Well, can't say I understand the reasoning behind this too, you would think a bride that can afford a bridal gown as lovely as the one spotted on the chick would have enough to pay to rent a cool ride for her big day, but then who am I to judge? So, I gotta ask, will you be using 'Keke Marwa' on your wedding day? Conveying you and your groom/bride to your wedding.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Nasarawa State Government has banned the use of commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada as a means of transportation.
It has however, launched tricycles popularly known as ‘keke TA’AL, to replace motorcycles on the highways.
Governor Tanko Al-makura launched the new tricycles Wednesday at the Government House, Lafia.
Speaking at the ceremony, Al-makura regretted the influx of commercial motorcycles into the state and attributed the development to the ban against okada by neighboring states.
According to him, the ban on okada became imperative because of increase in criminal activities and road crashes within the cities in the state.
He however, stated that the introduction of the tricycles was part of his administration’s plan towards ameliorating the transport difficulty being experienced by the people of the state.
The governor said: “We wanted to complete the roads within the cities before commissioning the tricycles because it requires good road network for this kind of transport system, but the recent activities of unscrupulous and undesirable elements who were flushed out from other states compounded the matter as they found themselves here and started using motorcycles to perpetrate their evil acts.”
The governor said his administration purchased 100 tricycles as a pilot scheme, adding that they would be sold to members of the okada union at subsidized rates with favourable re-payment terms.
Receiving the keys, the Chairman of ‘okada’ riders in the state, Mallam Yahaya Jibril thanked the governor for his good gesture and promised that his union will utilize the tricycles to achieve its purpose.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday urged Nigerians to take advantage of public institutions that were established for their benefits.
Obasanjo said this in Abeokuta while playing host to the Commissioner, Public Complaint Commission in Ogun, Mr Wale Banjo and his team.
He said that one of such institutions was the public complaint commission established to intervene and investigate acts of injustice and victimisation of any citizen without charging money.
“Most citizens do not make use of this opportunity probably because they do not know enough about the commission,” he said.
He, however, advised the commission on the need to embark on more awareness campaign to enlighten the people on the activities of the commission and what they would gain.
Earlier, Banjo said that the mandate of the commission was to put a smile on the face of the common man without any charges.
Banjo said that majority of Nigerians could not obtain redress for themselves as they could not afford the cost of litigation.
“The Ogun office of the commission has assisted many people in the state and has succeeded in obtaining redress for them,” he said.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
MRS Oby Asadu, wife of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chinwike Asadu, who was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Enugu last Saturday, said, Tuesday, that she had decided to allow God handle the murderers of her husband in His own way.
She told Vanguard at their Amorji Nike residence in Enugu, where she was receiving sympathisers, yesterday, that her late husband was a very quiet person who could not have hurt anybody to warrant being killed.
Mrs. Asadu spoke just as the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa, disclosed that several arrests had been made in connection with the murder of the police boss and the shooting of his two police escorts but declined to give details of their number and identity.
The CP met with top security officials, comprising the Garrison Commander, 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Enugu, and the Director of Department of State Services, DSS, where they discussed crucial security issues at the state Police Command Headquarters, Enugu.
They reviewed the existing security strategies with a view to adopting new measures to tackle current security challenges in the state. ‘He was harmless’
The widow, however, frowned at the insinuations regarding the motive of the police boss, saying those speaking about her late husband did not know him very well as, according to her, he could not have done anything bad to the extent of anybody deciding to take his life prematurely.
She said: “I leave the killers of my husband in the hands of the Almighty God because I depend solely on Him to fight our battle. Whatever happened only God knows, because He sees both in day and at night.
“I am worried about all sorts of things people are saying and writing in the papers about what they claim to have known about my husband because they know nothing about him. They are all false.
“They are trying to portray my husband as a public figure but he is not. Until his recent appointment as Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, many people did not know him as he had chosen to live a quiet life.â€
‘We’ve made some arrests’
Briefing newsmen on the upsurge of violent crimes in Enugu State in recent times, CP Ebitibituwa, who assumed office as the state police boss two weeks ago, said the command has made some arrests in the effort to unravel the motive behind the killing of the Kwara State CP.
But he insisted that he would not disclose the number of those in police net or their identity as doing so might jeopardise the process of investigation, adding that the suspects are still undergoing interrogation.
Army lends support
Meanwhile, General Officer Commanding 82 Division of the Nigeria Army, Enugu, Major General Adebayo Olaniyi, has pledged that the military command would support the police in ensuring that perpetrators of the crime were fished out as quickly as possible and brought to book.
He described the death as shocking and unfortunate, saying God in His infinite mercy will expose his killers.
The GOC stated this during a condolence visit to State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Tonye Ebitibituwa at the Police Headquarters, Enugu over the death of the Kwara State police boss.
Anthony-Claret is a software Engineer, entrepreneur and the founder of Codewit INC. Mr. Claret publishes and manages the content on Codewit Word News website and associated websites. He's a writer, IT Expert, great administrator, technology enthusiast, social media lover and all around digital guy.
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