Tag Archives: May

DStv, GOtv to increase subscription tariff from 1st of May.

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MultiChoice, owners of DStv and GOtv, has increased subscription rates by five percent, with effect from May 1, 2017.

This is coming less than two years after Nigerians threatened to boycott MultiChoice Nigeria over 20 percent subscription hike.

Back then, a court ordered the company not to increase the rates pending the determination of a suit filed against it by some lawyers, but MultiChoice waved aside the order.

Under the new price regime, the monthly subscription on DStv premium bouquet, which is N13,980 will be N14,700. Compact Plus DStv subscribers will pay N9,900 as against the current N9,420, while Compact subscribers will no longer pay N6,000 but N6,300.

Family bouquet subscribers will now be charged N3,800 as against the N3,600 they are paying at the moment, while Access bouquet would be N1,900 and not N1,800.

Commercial bouquet, which is currently N1,720, has been adjusted to N1,850.

The new rates for, GOtv Value and GOtv Lite bouquets, are N1,300 and N450, against the current rates of N1,200 and N400.

GOtv Plus subscribers will have to pay N1,900 instead of the current rate of N1,800.

MultiChoice has defended its action, saying the adjustment was made after careful consideration and a review of its business operations.

“We announced last year that we would do everything possible to hold the price barring any extreme factors,” John Ugbe, managing director of Multichoice Nigeria, said in a statement.

“However, all our content is purchased in dollars and although we have done everything possible to hold the prices even with the price of everything else going up, we are now left with no choice but to adjust our subscription prices from May 1.

“Our key priority is to put subscribers’ needs at the heart of everything we do and therefore, in determining the price adjustment, we took into account many factors including, the impact on the customer, current inflation which stands at 19 per cent, programming costs and efficiencies within the company. Please be assured that we have worked really hard to keep this year’s fees manageable.”

 

Source: The Cable

NNPC May Adjust Petrol Pump Price On Falling Cargo Rates- Report

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) may undertake a downward review of the pump price of petrol in its retail outlets across the country.

It was gathered from an authoritative source within the corporation in Abuja that this was possible from a reported consistent drop in the historical price of petroleum cargoes from about $600 per metric tonne to an average of $440 per metric tonne.

NNPC had recently adjusted the pump price of petrol at its outlets, thus raising fears of a possible hike. The development also followed claims in August by its former Group Managing Directors that the government’s pricing modulation framework was not economical for the downstream petroleum business.

The source however stated that the cargo price is one of the key elements often considered by the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) in its calculation of the template for petrol pump price.

This, he noted, has been on the downward trend and could necessitate the corporation reviewing its pump price to reflect the market realities. The other key element being the foreign exchange has been left floating by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
He also explained that the corporation has spent a lot of energies securing its petrol supplies and distribution networks to keep the country from what he described as system sabotage during the yuletide season by some marketers.

“One of the things we wanted to achieve is to ensure that we do not have queues in this time of the year and a lot of the energies have been spent on securing that. If you look at the market trend at the moment, we have been fortunate. Historically, it is this time of the year that cargo prices are about $500 to $600 per metric tonne, and this is one of the two key elements on the PPPRA templates that nobody controls – it is down to market forces,” he said.

According to him, “The cargo price is usually between $500 and $600 per metric tonne, but this year, we have even had cargoes for $440. The pricing has been good. Our network is a mix of the NNPC and others, because of the open market forex policy, the cost of doing business for others is higher. What NNPC retail has done is to adjust the price to accommodate the additional expense of doing business around this time of the year
“The N145 per litre is not just the margin but includes freights and all sorts of other expenses; we did that to accommodate the expenses and as we get cheaper and cheaper cargoes, we will adjust our prices in accordance.”

Read More: thisdaylive

Mimiko Rushes To Meets Buhari In Aso Rock, Says Ondo May Boil

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President Muhammadu Buhari and Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko  met behind closed-doors at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Governor Mimiko arrived the president’s office at about 11.00am.

It was gathered that Mimiko visited the Presidential Villa in respect of the Thursday’s declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission of Jimoh Ibrahim as the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Ondo governorship election.

The INEC had removed the name of Eyitayo Jegede from the list of the candidates of the political parties that would participate in the November 26 governorship election and replaced it with Ibrahim.

The governor told State House reporters today shortly after meeting behind closed-doors with Buhari that the INEC’s action could cause a conflagration in the state.

The governor said there was no moral justification for what the INEC did describing Ibrahim’s declaration as injustice and mischief.

Mimiko said President Buhari promised him that he would look into the matter.

Credit: dailytrust

May Says Brexit Vote Will Not Undermine Northern Ireland Peace Deal

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There is no reason Britain’s June vote to leave the European Union should undermine a 1998 Northern Irish peace deal, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday.

Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU and Irish nationalist parties oppose Brexit, saying it could undermine the 1998 Belfast Agreement and reinstate a hard border with the Republic of Ireland.

“I don’t believe there’s any reason to believe that the outcome of the referendum will do anything to undermine the absolute rock-solid commitment of this government and the people of Northern Ireland to the settlement that was set out in the Belfast Agreement,” May told parliament.

“There is, and remains, a strong support for the entirely peaceful future for Northern Ireland that has been determined by democracy and consent … We remain committed to that.”

Read More: reuters

FG May Close Seme Border Over Smuggling

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Nigeria may close its borders with Benin Republic to stem smuggling of rice and other consumables as well as the illegal importation of weapons into the country.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who expressed government’s displeasure over the porosity of the Seme border, said, it has rubbished efforts of the present administration in diversifying the economy, especially, through agriculture. He warned that government may be forced to take very drastic measures.

Speaking in Abuja when the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, led by its chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, visited the ministry, yesterday, as part of its oversight functions, Ogbeh recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had threatened to shut the border but was prevailed upon by the then President of Benin Republic, Mr. Boni Iyayi, to rescind the decision.

“If that border will be a threat to the survival of Nigeria; we may decide to take very drastic action,” Ogbeh stated.

On his part, Senator Adamu urged government not to succumb to propaganda.

of those he described as powerful importers, who, according to him, “are bent on keeping farmers in foreign lands in business,” while their Nigerian counterparts live in penury.

He added that “the 70 percent tariff on rice should be maintained and progressed, proportionally, as the deadline for rice importation draws nearer.”

Credit:

http://sunnewsonline.com/smuggling-fg-may-close-seme-border/

Poor Electricity Supply May Persist Across Nigeria Till May

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The damaged Forcados Export Plant, which is the main cause of the worsening power outage being experienced by Nigerians, will not be completely repaired till May, the office of the Vice President has indicated.

The plant was sabotaged by militants suspected to be sympathetic to the fugitive ex-Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo.

According to a statement on Sunday by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo visited the plant in Delta State where he sought expedited action on the repairs.

“The damage done to Forcados affects our oil earnings but also as important is the power aspect. It (Forcados)-is a major source of gas, about 40% of our gas supply is affected leading to the problem of power supply in the country,” Mr. Osinbajo was quoted as saying.

“The damage done to Forcados terminal is the chief reason for the poor power supply that has affected the country recently,” he added.

Mr. Osinbajo was, however, told that although the repairs had started, they would not be concluded until May. He was also briefed on palliative measures to provide gas to the affected power plants.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Abuja-Kaduna Train For Launch May– Amaechi

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The minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Abuja-Kaduna rail project is 100 per cent completed and will be launched in May.

Mr. Amaechi announced this at Idu, Abuja, on Thursday, while inspecting the project along with the contractors, China Civil Engineering Construction Company.

According to him, before the launch by President Muhammadu Buhari, the rail would be test-run in March, adding that during that period, passengers will board for free.

“The essence of my tour is to enable us assess whether we are ready for commercial activities and I think we are. I will be travelling from Abuja to Kaduna tomorrow through the rail.

“In March, they should start the test-run of the rail services for free, then the proper commercial activity will start in May, where we expect the president to flag-off the use of coaches,” he said.

He said N150 billion would be used to execute the national rail project, with another N60 billion for the Lagos-Kano standard gauge and yet another N60 billion for the Lagos-Calabar project.

Credit:PremiumTimes

Buhari May Extend December Deadline On Boko Haram

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President Muhammadu Buhari said his government is open to modifying the December deadline on ending Boko Haram in the country.
Represented by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin, Buhari made the remark at the annual chief of army staff (COAS) conference yesterday in Dutse, Jigawa state.
He said new operational exigencies may require a modification of the December deadline of ending insurgency.
Olonisakin said “Let me emphasize that the time frame given is only a guide line and if exigencies of multiple operations across the country advices a modification the federal government will not hesitate to do so in order to address the flash points that are rearing their heads in this country.”
He said the army must therefore develop new strategies to address current security challenges facing the country and ensure total elimination of insurgents.
“Despite the achievements of the military in combating terrorism in the Northeast, the challenges of terrorism in other parts of the country remains issue of serious national concern with the potential to impede our change drive,” he said.
Boko Haram has intensified its attacks after the president declared the December ultimatum to end the insurgency, executing bomb attacks on civilian targets as well as the military’s.
The military suffered serious attacks by Boko Haram recently with dozens personnel reportedly killed in their effort to rout the insurgents in Sambisa forest.
Credit: DailyTrust

Boko Haram May Resume Talks With FG

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Sources close to the leadership of the Boko Haram insurgents claim that the group might have agreed to hold talks with the new leadership in Nigeria with the aim of ending the six-year-old insurgency in the country.

One of the sources which had been involved in previous attempts to broker peace between the Federal Government and the terrorists group confirmed to reporters last night that there were some level of discussions between the group and the government but that the “government does not want to be seen to be negotiating with the terrorists.”

The source, who works with an international agency with some presence in Nigeria, said: “I can tell you that there is some behind-the-scene informal discussion with certain segments of the Buhari administration, going on in Nigeria.

“But the truth is that the government does not want to be seen to be talking with the group apparently because of the failure of all previous efforts to dialogue with the Boko Haram men in and outside Nigeria under the previous administration.

“The aim of the renewed effort is to resuscitate the discussions from where we ended abruptly under the Jonathan administration and take it forward from there since there is a new government in place in Nigeria.

“The true position is that some of those with contacts with the leadership of the Boko Haram have gone back to assure them that there is a new government in place and that things can be done differently from what it was in the past when they were dribbled over and over again by top government officials who wanted to make quick gains under the guise of negotiating with the militants.”

Read More: vanguardngr