FG Licences 3 Power Generation Companies

Supertek Nigeria Limited, run by Mr. Joshua Gana, son of former Information and National Orientation Minister, Professor Jerry Gana, and three other private independent power companies were yesterday presented with Federal Government licenses empowering them to undertake electricity generation in the country. The three others are Farm Electric Supply Limited, which would be managed by a foreigner, Mr. Alistair Morrison, Ethiope Energy Limited, owned by Chief Olubiyi Sangowawa, and ICS Power Limited under the tutelage of Engr. Sam Uzoukwu. Supertek Nigeria Ltd will be located in Akwete in Abia State and is expected to produce 1000MW while Farm Electric Supply Ltd, will operate from Ota, Ogun State and was allotted 150MW.

Similarly, ICS Power Ltd, based in Alaoji, near Aba in Abia State is to generate 624MW and Ethiope Energy Ltd, situated in Ogorode, Sapele, Delta State, would produce 2,800MW. Minister of Power and Steel, Senator Liyel Imoke, who presided over the event, disclosed that with the additional capacity from these new companies, when merged with expected capacity of the various on-going Federal Government-sponsored integrated power projects, the country may well be on its way to meeting a target of 15,000MW national capacity by 2010. "With the generation capacity of over 4,000MW which will be added by these new licensees in the next few years, the country will certainly be making a big step towards achieving the target of 15,000MW by 2010", Imoke stated. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, (NERC), these companies which had successfully scaled through the commission's technical and financial evaluation, will be adding a total of 4,574MW of electricity to the national power grid when their projects are completed.

One outstanding feature of the event, according to NERC, was that all the four companies are owned by Nigerians. Speaking at the presentation of the licenses in Abuja, Imoke also said the fact that the first four IPP companies to be licensed are all indigenous companies is a reflection that Nigerians are rising up to the challenge of developing the power sector. He said the Federal Government has responded to this initiative of local entrepreneurs by setting up a committee charged with the task of evolving a power sector specific incentive package to encourage more private sector investors into the electricity industry. "The President has established a committee on power sector specific incentive package under the chairmanship of NERC Chairman, Dr. Ransome Owan, to structure these initiatives", said Imoke. The committee is to conclude deliberations within one month and is expected to submit its report and recommendations by end of September, he said.

While commending NERC for facing up with the unique challenges of the power sector regulation, the minister noted that "an efficiently regulated power sector is 'sine qua non' for attracting private sector investment in the sector". Most of the Chief Executives of the new licensee firms, who spoke to THISDAY shortly after the ceremony said they hope to commence power generation within the next 2 years. The companies also said they would adopt a new technology in power generation known as 'Combine Cycle" method which would avail them the benefit of utilising both gas and ethanol energy sources to power their turbines. The Chief Executive Officer of Supertek Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Joshua Gana told THISDAY that the compamy intends to roll-out within the next two years. Managing Director of Ethiope Energy, Mr. Olubiyi Sangowawa called on government to assist the companies in cushioning the effect of the high risks involved in power projects through special incentives such as import duty waivers and gas price concessions. He also sought for a tax holiday of between 5-10 years for the pioneering power generation companies. He said the company would be making an investment of over $400m for it to achieve 1000MW target, adding that the first firing which will come in the next 12 months will gulp about $100m. Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Mrs. Irene Chigbue, said Federal Government is in the process of putting up the necessary framework for a vibrant power sector, adding that the next stage of the process would be for the private sector to take up the challenge of setting up power projects.

Culled from Thisday

electronic voting systems | why inec dropped electronic voting

electronic voting systems

Sometime ago i reported that The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may drop the Electronic Voting Machine from the Electronic Voting System (EVS) following its deletion from the Electoral Bill 2006 by the National Assembly.

I came across an article recently that discussed on the problem with electronic voting systems. Particularly interesting here is the fact that the US has been in the path of electronic voting systems and it didn't work; some of the reasons given for its stoppage amongts many are quoted below:

"Computerized machines lost votes, subtracted votes instead of adding them, and doubled votes. Because many of these machines have no paper audit trails, a large number of votes will never be counted. And while it is unlikely that deliberate voting-machine fraud changed the result of the presidential election, the Internet is buzzing with rumors and allegations of fraud in a number of different jurisdictions and races."

go here for more on electronic voting systems

Nurse Employment | Nursing Jobs quota increased in the US

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Nigerian Business News | Make money writing articles

Like i wrote in Nairaland, making money on the Internet via article writing is possible but its hard work just any other job. I have also tried this means of making money on the net, and i can attest to the fact that its real, in fact i make between $100 - $150 a week.

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Nigerian News Blog | Where Are the President Obasanjo's Friends

Yesterday, Lt Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), the only man standing amongst the musketeers or ‘Council of Elders,’ that teamed up in 1998 to persuade President Olusegun Obasanjo to run for the office of President, left his administration as National Security Adviser (NSA), a job he faithfully carried out in the last seven years.

Gusau’s exit left behind Chief Tony Anenih, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees chairman as the only man in that original team still in Obasanjo’s kitchen cabinet.

Gusau was perhaps the originator of the campaign to draft Obasanjo to the presidential contest in 1998 when the Abdulsalam Abubakar regime unfolded its transition programme for returning the country to a civilian, democratic dispensation. Gusau reached out to his friend General Ibrahim Babangida, ex-military president, as well as the Alhaji Atiku Abubakar led Yar’Adua Group known as the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) that provided the political structure which helped Obasanjo move round the country to contest the elections with minimum hassle.

Gusau was also said to have sold the Obasanjo candidacy to the Abubakar regime, a situation that made the Obasanjo for president project a fait accompli, since he was seen in many quarters as the official candidate of the military. To even seal this unwritten pact, the former Director of Military Intelligence and Chief of Army Staff was at the head of operations where he supervised the wheels and deals that eventually brought Obasanjo to power. In that campaign machinery, Lt. Gen Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) was incharge of fund raising while General Babangida was actively networking for the group. On the field, the PDM unleashed its foot soldiers who went round the country campaigning, preaching and disseminating the OBJ For President mantra.

At one end was Chief Tony Anenih who, because of his ability to settle naughty issues, providing a smooth playing field for the campaign machinery, was christened ‘Mr. Fix It.’ It was therefore not surprising to political pundits that among the first set to make the new president’s key appointments was the Zamfara born Gusau who clinched the job of NSA.

Yesterday, however, was a sad note and end for those sentiments and hopes built on an elder statesman and a friend to whom much was given, with the expectation that at the end of eight years, those who rallied to make the position possible would look back with minimum regret. Gusau’s exit, no doubt, is an anti-climax that completes the circle of the old brigade of friends now turned enemy of the president. According to Aso Rock sources, Gusau left in circumstances which left a sour taste in the mouth. Gusau’s exit is only a continuum of the massive loss of the president’s friends, admirers and sponsors, a phenomenon that is yet to abate at different levels.