Briefly: Nigerian vice president denies receiving bribes
The New York Times
Published: July 21, 2006
WASHINGTON
Nigerian vice president denies receiving bribes
The vice president of Nigeria has angrily denied that he accepted bribes or had a business relationship with Representative William Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, who is the target of a federal corruption investigation that is threatening to complicate U.S. relations with that oil-exporting West African nation.
In a statement, Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Nigeria, a leading candidate in presidential elections next year, insisted that Jefferson had never "suggested, in any way, providing any personal economic benefits" to him.
It was the first detailed effort by Abubakar and his political advisers to distance him from the wide- ranging corruption investigation centered on Jefferson, who denies wrongdoing. (NYT)
WASHINGTON
Testing is scaled back for mad cow disease
The U.S. Agriculture Department is scaling back its testing program for mad cow disease to about one- tenth of what it has been for the past two and a half years.
Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said there was little justification for the current level, which rose to about 1,000 tests a day after the first U.S. case of mad cow disease in 2003. (AP)
BOSTON
Governor shuts down part of tunnel to airport
Governor Mitt Romney of Massachusetts on Thursday closed the eastbound lanes of the freeway tunnel that goes under Boston Harbor to the city's international airport after two problem bolts were found during inspections after the deadly collapse of ceiling panels in a nearby stretch of the system.
Romney said state engineers had found two bolts that appeared to have slipped in a ceiling panel, one by half an inch and another by an inch.
"It is perhaps an overreaction but we want to err on the side of public safety," Romney said at a news conference. He predicted the closure would last hours, not days. (AP)
WASHINGTON
Nigerian vice president denies receiving bribes
The vice president of Nigeria has angrily denied that he accepted bribes or had a business relationship with Representative William Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, who is the target of a federal corruption investigation that is threatening to complicate U.S. relations with that oil-exporting West African nation.
In a statement, Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Nigeria, a leading candidate in presidential elections next year, insisted that Jefferson had never "suggested, in any way, providing any personal economic benefits" to him.
It was the first detailed effort by Abubakar and his political advisers to distance him from the wide- ranging corruption investigation centered on Jefferson, who denies wrongdoing. (NYT)
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another article:
Nigeria: Chevron Earmarks $250 Million for Local Contractors
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This Day (Lagos)
July 21, 2006
Posted to the web July 21, 2006
Onyebuchi Ezigbo
Abuja
Multinational oil firm, Chevron Nigeria Limited, yesterday disclosed it has set aside contracts worth $250 million to be undertaken by local companies operating in Nigeria just as it unveiled plans to commence work to build a 720 mega watt (MW) capacity power station in Agbara, Ogun State.
The Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria/Mid-Africa Business units, Mr. Fred Nelson, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja said the company is presently working out the details of the project preparatory to take-off in a few months time.
"One of the urgent needs in this area as well as in the country is additional power. We have selected to site the station to generate 720MW electricity power close to Egbin thermal station in Lagos. We want to be part of the overall solution to power problem in Nigeria", he said.
He said the implementation of the power project will be two-phased, with the first phase delivering 350MW on completion adding that the company is also working with CIEP to come out with a master plan for domestic gas in Nigeria which is intended to boost power business in the country.
The Chevron boss spoke of the firm's programme of developing the indigenous capacity, saying that it has proposed a project execution for local contractors to the tune of $250 million.
He said Chevron has contracts already in place worth about $250m to be executed within Nigeria, and that the plan is to use the project in assisting local companies to help achieve world-class performance.
"The execution of our projects carries along with opportunities for local contents. In the way, we intend to continue to help in building-up local capacity", he said, adding "what is required is for all to join hands to ensure the development of a sustainable capacities within the country".
According to him, "the effort will be tailored to bridge the gap between the current capability and future targets. Other capacity build-up is in the area of infrastructure and capital development and we have been involved in a number of projects in these areas".
He said the company will continue to take the lead in support of the Federal Government policy on local content in the industry.
For, instance the local content scope for the Agbami development is the most work done to date for an FPSO development, he said.
As an example of Chevron's commitment to local content, he explained that the company has provided support for a local company (VRMT) to establish laboratory facilities in Lagos for advanced analysis of crude samples.
Nelson, who expressed optimism on the company's future prospects, said Chevron is fast emerging as a major force in the deep-water operations with the successful discoveries in Agbami.
"When the Agbami deep water oil field comes on stream in the last quarter of 2008, it will be delivering close to 250,000 barrels per day for the country.
On the company's contribution to the Federal Government's tripartite development plan, which involves governments at the centre and state level working with the oil firms, Nelson said Chevron has volunteered to contribute $50 million on annual basis towards development projects in the Niger Delta.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its joint venture partners will next month launch a $350 million fund to support local companies. The fund is part of effort to jerk-up the nation' local content level in the sector.
NNPC Group Managing Director (GMD, Mr Funsho Kupolokun, who made this known yesterday in Abuja at the Sullivan Summit said the money would be given out as loan and would attract a single digit interest rate.
"The initiative is a deliberate effort to raise the national local content level from its current 21 per cent to 45 per cent at the end of 2008," he said.
Kupolokun said relative to other comparative countries, the national local content level in Nigeria was quite low.
He said the Nigerian oil and gas sector was re-positioning itself through series of mutually complimentary initiatives to deliver service sector opportunities.
The GMD said an industry data base joint qualification system (JQS) had been developed to track in-country capacity in specific areas.
He said the system would also be used for electronic market place to increase efficiency and speed up approval process.
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Kupolokun said four free-trade zones had also been set up to provide incentives for oil and gas investors by lowering investment barriers and enhancing project profitability.
He named the trade zones as Calabar, Lekki, Olokola and Onne while he told Africans in the Diaspora to take advantage of the stability and transparency in the oil sector and explore areas of partnership with indigenous companies for the common good.
He said the oil industry was committed to building strong global partnership to maximise dividends from government reforms in pursuit of national aspiration.
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