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DIDC Committee launched in El Fasher
EL FASHER – The Darfur Internal Dialogue and Consultation (DIDC) Implementation Committee was launched on 26 May 2014 in a ceremony hosted by the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) in El Fasher, North Darfur.
The DIDC mechanism, stipulated in the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), is designed to consolidate peace in Darfur, promote confidence-building and encourage reconciliation as well as unity among the people of Darfur and Sudan in general through popular consultation and dialogue. The DIDC is facilitated by the African Union, the State of Qatar and UNAMID.
The Implementation Committee will be the governing and implementing arm of the DIDC process to ensure its ownership by Darfuris. It is an independent body comprising eminent people from Darfur and Sudan, such as representatives of the DDPD parties, leaders from civil society, youth and women’s groups, prominent academics, entrepreneurs, as well as leaders of internally displaced populations. The Chairman and two Deputies of the Committee who were elected are Saddig Adam Abdallah (Saddig Wada’a), Muhamed Ahmed Haroon and Suad Adam Albarjo.
The Committee will ensure all appropriate preparations, overseeing and conducting the dialogues and consultations, as well as guaranteeing thorough documentation and analysis of the process and outcomes. It will also ensure that the process remains inclusive, transparent and credible at all times.
Apart from the members of the Implementation Committee, the event was attended by the Assistant to the President of Sudan, Professor Ibrahim Ghandour, African Union representative, Ambassador Ibrahim Kamara, Ambassador of Qatar Rashid Abdel-Rahman Al-Neami, Chair of Darfur Regional Authority El-Tigani Seisi, and the African Union-United Nations Joint Special Representative and Joint Chief Mediator for Darfur, Mohamed Ibn Chambas.
“This event marks the beginning of a process that is an important part of our effort to build peace in Darfur, promote confidence-building, encourage reconciliation and unity between communities in Darfur,” said Mr. Chambas. “The DIDC process will also address issues related to civic responsibility, democratic values, and enhancing time-tested traditional dispute resolution practices.”
The JSR expressed his hope that the DIDC process will become a crucial building-block in the national dialogue. “The DIDC, properly conducted, should be a dress rehearsal for the Darfuris to participate effectively and articulate their concerns in the proposed national dialogue,” UNAMID’s Head added, noting that it is therefore imperative that conducive conditions exist for free expression of opinions without fear of harassment or intimidation throughout the process.
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Shallipopi Splits From Record Label, Dapper Music
Popular Nigerian musician Shallipopi has officially parted ways with his record label, Dapper Music.
Rumours of the split had circulated earlier, as Dapper Music played a pivotal role in Shallipopi’s rise to fame in 2023.
A look at Shallipopi’s social media now shows he has removed Dapper Music’s name from his bio and unfollowed the label’s boss, confirming the end of their partnership.
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The developments appear to confirm rumours of his split.
The separation follows Shallipopi’s recent launch of his own label, Plutomania Records, with Zerry DL and Tega Boi as the first signed artists.
BIZTELLERS notes that Shallipopi’s exit comes less than two months after Seyi Vibez also parted ways with Dapper Music.
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Increased Crude Oil production: NCDMB Advocates Annual FID Week
As part of the strategies to increase Nigeria’s crude oil production and enhance revenue accruing to the national treasury, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has advocated for a week in each year to be dedicated to signing final investment decisions (FIDs) on new oil and gas projects.
The Executive Secretary, NCDMB, Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe made the proposal on Tuesday in his presentation at the 2024 African Energy Week (AEW), at Cape Town, South Africa.
A final investment decision is the final point in an energy project, in which the company or partners owning and operating a project give the final approval for the development, releasing the funding for the commencement.
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Ogbe stated that the FID Week, if adopted, could be incorporated into the existing annual international oil and gas conferences and would feature international and indigenous operating companies.
He posited that dedicating a week every year for FID signing could compel companies and relevant regulators to fast-track their processes to meet the deadline.
He also indicated that the proposal for the annual FID Week has already been broached to Special Adviser on Energy to President, Mrs. Olu Verheijen and the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited and international operating companies and was being considered.
Represented at the African Energy Week (AEW) by the Director, Projects Certification and Authorization Division (PCAD) Engr. Abayomi Bamidele, the NCDMB boss said the proposal for an annual FID Week was geared to address the insufficient FIDs signed by the operating companies and the limited number of new projects being developed in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. These worrisome developments contributed to Nigeria’s dwindling crude oil production and the negative impact on revenue, he said.
He suggested that the Nigerian oil and gas industry needed to have at least one or two final investment decisions on major projects to be signed every year, to catalyze activity in the local service sector and the national economy and ultimately increase crude oil and gas production and revenue for the country.
He made reference to the three Presidential Directives (PDs) rolled out by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March 2024, for the oil and gas industry, stating that NCDMB had complied fully with the directives as it relates to fast-tracking the contracting cycle and eliminating middlemen with no demonstrable capacity from participating in the oil and gas value chain.
The PDs included Presidential Directive on Local Content Compliance, Presidential Directive on Reduction of Petroleum Sector Contracting Cost and Timelines and Presidential Directive on Oil and Gas Companies (Tax Incentives, Exemption, Remission, etc)
Ogbe announced that NCDMB had applied the Presidential Directives in approving five oil and gas projects which are currently in the funnel.
He hinted that the expected production values of those projects are 1 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day and 350 million barrels of crude oil per day.
Commenting on strategies that would ensure sustainable local content development in African nations, the Executive Secretary stated that local content has to be promoted as a national agenda and supported by all institutions, businesses, decision makers, investors and citizens.
Some other personnel of the NCDMB made presentations at the 2024 edition of the African Energy Week (AEW) on core operations and initiatives of the agency.
The officials included Director of Finance and Personnel Management, Mr. Ifeanyi Ukoha, the Manager, Institutional Strengthening, Engr. Obongo Dokubo and the Supervisor Upstream, Engr. Bashir Ahmed.
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Presidents Invite Me To Dinner Wherever I Go – Davido Boasts
Renowned Nigerian singer, David Adeleke, known by his stage name Davido, has stated that he receives special treatment globally due to his celebrity status.
The Afrobeats sensation mentioned that he is frequently invited to presidential dinners in nearly every country he visits, with the exception of the United States and the United Kingdom.
In a recent interview with Kiss Fresh London, Davido confidently shared that his fanbase includes influential figures such as the World Bank president, presidents of powerful nations, and other notable personalities.
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“Every country we go to, the President invites us for dinner except London [United Kingdom] and the United States of America.
“It’s beautiful to see. I mean, leaving my country, Nigeria, and people welcoming me like the president in other countries, shows how well Nigeria is doing around the world in terms of music and cultural impacts,” he said.
Davido has expressed that he feels most respected in Africa, which is why he cherishes his African tours more than those in Europe and America, even though the latter bring him greater financial rewards.
He shared that his Jamaican collaborator, YG Marley, was astonished by the immense admiration from fans when he visited Nigeria for the video shoot of their joint hit, ‘Awuke.’