NNPC promises to keep rewarding Whistleblowers
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) has promised to continue its new policy of rewarding whistleblowers who help the corporation identify cases of oil bunkering and any other forms of crude oil theft.
Bala Wunti, the Chief Investment Officer of the NNPC, made this known on Wednesday during his guest appearance on Arise TV.
“I think we base on trust, we lost trust before and we have recovered trust. We visited everywhere, and you see us,” Wunti said.
He informed Nigerians that, unlike the old approach of doing everything from Lagos, that approach is long gone. Now the strategy adopted is that of close interaction with members of the host communities where the crude is being extracted. Which includes identifying their problems and getting them involved in protecting the oil installations and other infrastructures.
“Unlike before, we sit down in Lagos and we try to manage what is happening in the creeks. Today we go to the creeks; we interact with them—with the community leaders, with influencers, with the young people.
“We have an open door, and most importantly, they now have a platform to report anything that happens as whistleblowers, and people are being rewarded handsomely for it.
“Just go to NNPC website for the link, and then you will be able to report whatever you want to report, and if the intelligence is good enough, you will be rewarded handsomely,” he added.
Read also: Nigeria records N16trn oil sales as NNPC remits nothing to CBN
NDE disburses N4.3m loan to 43 beneficiaries in Nasarawa State
The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Nasarawa State has disbursed N100,000 each to 43 loan beneficiaries in the state.
Chris Bamsida, the state coordinator of the agency, made this known on Wednesday in Lafia at the orientation and flag-off ceremony for 43 loan beneficiaries of GAES, SADES, CBAES, and AES under the 50 percent capital budget released for 2022.
The programme covers the Graduate Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (GAES), Sustainable Agricultural Development Empowerment Scheme (SADES), and Community-Based Agricultural Empowerment Scheme (CBAES).
The objectives of the schemes are to empower the participants with loan packages and reduce their dependency on other people, thereby reducing poverty, among others, said the coordinator.
Bamsida explained that the schemes are targeted at unemployed graduates of tertiary institutions, school leavers, school dropouts, and artisans who have an interest in doing agribusiness.
“You may recall that 146 beneficiaries of these schemes, which represented 100 percent of the 2021 budget released, have received N100,000 each, amounting to N14,600,000 in December 2021 and April 2022, respectively, in Nasarawa State,” he said. This is according to NAN.
Vote en masse for me in 2023, Atiku begs Osun people
Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has pleaded with the people of Osun to vote en masse for his party to win the 2023 presidential elections, as they did during the July 16 Osun governorship election.
Abubakar made the plea on Wednesday during his presidential election campaign held at the Freedom Park, Osogbo, thanking the people for returning the PDP to power in the state.
“I believe that by returning PDP to power at the federal level, you will strengthen this authority because a federal government controlled by PDP and a state government controlled by PDP in Osun are to the greater good of you all.
“Our only objective is to make sure that the current challenges of insecurity, disunity, economic deprivation, a lack of jobs for our youth, and the future of this country through restructuring can be achieved.
“These I promise you. I am going to start doing them from day one in the office.
“I appeal to you to come in greater number than you did in the last state election to vote PDP in the next general election, that is the only way you can secure your future and the future of your children,” he said. This is according to the NAN.
Twitter to change Blue pricing after Apple spat- The Information
According to Reuters, Twitter is planning to change the pricing of its Twitter Blue subscription product to $7 if users pay for it through the website and $11 if they do so through its app for iPhones.
Reuters said that it got the information on Wednesday from a source briefed on the plans.
Oil steadies above $72 after a 4-Day decline
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) stabilised above $72 per barrel on Thursday after failing in its attempt to rise above $72 in the past four days. This situation helped short-term traders make quick profits and refocus their attention on China’s COVID-19 easing restrictions, which many believe could drive demand and boost oil prices again.
Investors also continue to weigh the implications of the West’s latest restrictions on Russian crude oil, including a US-led price cap on Urals and a European Union embargo on seaborne imports of Russian oil.
Analysts at Trading Economics also said that the likelihood of more tightening financial conditions could also grip the financial markets, with the Federal Reserve expected to continue raising interest rates in its attempt to bring down inflation.
