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ECOWAS poll observers charged on integrity, dedication

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ABUJA – The Head of ECOWAS Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Sunday’s second round Parliamentary polls in Mali, Prof. Amos Sawyer, has urged the 50 regional observers “to bring their experience, integrity, commitment and dedication to bear,” on their conduct as the region accompanies the country to exit its political and security crises.

“We must also bring love to and solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Mali since no one country in our region can achieve its full potential without taking others along,” Prof. Sawyer, former President of Liberia’s Interim Government of National Unity, told the ECOWAS observers in Bamako on Saturday 14th December 2013, before their deployment to the various regions of the country.

He described election as a “delicate operation” that could be used to deepen democracy and good governance, but which can also be a source of violence that can thwart the same principles and undermine development.

Prof. Amos Sawyer, who also led the 100-strong ECOWAS observers to the first round Parliamentary voting on 24th November 2013, is supported this time by Ambassador Leopold Ouedraogo, a Member of the ECOWAS Council of the Wise.

The first-round ended inconclusively, with only 20 deputies elected, including two women, out of the 147-seat Parliament with a voter turnout of 38.4%. Four of the elected deputies are from Kidal, one of the volatile northern regions.

Prof. Sawyer expressed optimism that Malians would turn out massively on Sunday to lend credibility to the electoral process. He also expressed the hope that adequate security arrangement would accompany the exercise for a successful process.

Earlier, the Head, ECOWAS Election Assistance Unit, Mr. Francis Oke, had informed the regional observers that normally, ECOWAS observed Presidential elections by Member States, but decided to go the extra-mile to observe the legislative run-off because of the country’s peculiar situation and as further demonstration of the region’s determination and commitment to accompany Malians in ensuring the successful conclusion of the political transition.

Unlike the first round balloting that involved ¬¬6.5 million registered voters in 55 Constituencies and more than 12,000 polling centres in the country of 16.9 million people, an estimated 5.9 million voters are expected to cast their ballots in about 10,000 polling centres and 45,000 constituencies nationwide on Sunday.

In its Preliminary Declaration, the ECOWAS Election Observation Mission which observed the first round balloting across Mali’s eight regions and the Municipalities of the capital, Bamako, adjudged the conduct as credible and transparent.

This followed successful presidential elections last July/August in the country also observed by ECOWAS.

The deployment of poll observers is in furtherance of efforts to help Mali conclude the ECOWAS-facilitated transitional road map for the restoration of full constitutional order and the country’s territorial integrity in the aftermath of last year’s military coup and separatist insurrection in the north.

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Shallipopi Splits From Record Label, Dapper Music

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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

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NCDMB Emerges Best MDA In Ease Of Doing Business Ranking

 

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

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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.’

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