The Federal Government, Friday gave reason for installing solar panels at the Aso Rock Villa.
The Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Mustapha Abdullahi, said it is unsustainable for the government to continue paying about ₦47 billion yearly in power bills.
According to him, this was the reason President Bola Tinubu approved ₦10 billion for the solar power grid to power the presidential villa.
It would be recalled that in 2024, the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), in an advertorial titled ‘Notice of disconnection,’ said the presidential villa owed an electricity bill of N923.87 million.
The Disco also issued a 10-day notice to the presidential villa and 86 government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to pay the N47.1 billion electricity debt they owe or risk disconnection.
However, while briefing the press on Friday, Mustapha explained that the switch to solar energy in Aso Rock is in line with President Tinubu’s agenda to diversify energy sources and also cut the cost of governance.
He added that the development would provide uninterrupted, clean energy, create jobs, foster innovation among Nigerian engineers and energy experts, and ultimately reduce pressure on the national grid.
[26/04, 07:16] Vincent Ikuomola: $220m Fine: FCCPC hails tribunal’s judgment against Meta, WhatsApp
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) Friday applauded the Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal judgment in the appeal filed by Meta Platforms Incorporated (Facebook) and WhatsApp LLC.
In a statement by the FCCPC Director, Corporate Affairs, Mr Ondaje Ijagwu, the Executive Vice Chairman of the commission, Mr Tunji Bello, commended FCCPC’s legal team for their exceptional diligence.
He said the tribunal resolved issues one to seven in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence.
Ijagwu said the tribunal’s three-member panel led by Mr Thomas Okosun, affirmed the commission’s authority and actions in nearly all the contested issues.
He said the tribunal determined that the commission complied with prevailing laws, discharged its mandate, and exercised its powers within the confines of the 1999 Constitution.
Ijagwu said the tribunal affirmed the fine of 220 million dollar against Meta Platforms Incorporated and WhatsApp LLC by the commission and further awarded 35,000 dollars to the FCCPC as cost of investigation.
He recalled that the case arose from a 38-month joint investigation initiated by the FCCPC and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission into the conduct, privacy practices, and consumer data policies of Meta Platforms and WhatsApp.
According to him, dissatisfied with the order last year, Meta and WhatsApp appealed to the tribunal, challenging both the legal basis and the findings of FCCPC.
”The Tribunal resolved issues one to seven largely in favour of the FCCPC, dismissing the appellants’ objections to the commission’s findings, orders, and legal competence.
”The tribunal held that the FCCPC acted within its statutory mandate, reaffirming its authority under Section 104 of the FCCPA to regulate competition and consumer protection even in regulated industries,” he said.
[26/04, 07:25] Vincent Ikuomola: Rivers Crisis: Wike lists conditions for peace
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has given conditions for peace in the Rivers State political crisis.
Wike insisted that no amount of blackmail will work on him.
He stressed that all critical stakeholders, including members of the National Assembly, must be involved with sincerity of purpose.
He stated that the declaration of emergency rule averted calamities that would have occurred in the state.
Wike spoke at a Thanksgiving service during the 70th birthday of a former federal lawmaker, Ken Chikere, in Port Harcourt, on Friday.
The FCT minister said the myriad of protests in the state would not restore the suspended leaders.
He berated the traditional rulers and other leaders who he claimed had taken sides in the state’s political crisis.
Wike said the monarchs had not made any sincere effort to reconcile the feuding parties in the crisis.
“One month after Mr President, in his wisdom, declared a state of emergency to save Rivers State from anarchy, I challenge any Rivers so-called elder, even the traditional rulers, to state the attempt they made to bring total peace in the State.
“No amount of going to television to abuse anybody will bring peace, because we have always said that those who thrive in crisis are always happy when there is a crisis. When there is no crisis, there is no food on the table. Those people cannot be real elders.”
He also added: “There is no need to embarrass our women to be naked outside. No amount of such can bring peace, no amount of such blackmail can bring peace. What can bring peace is for you to humble yourself. and say for the interest of the state, I want everybody to work together.
“If you are sincere, everybody would have known. Some people have tried to approach me and I received them. I did not pursue them, but seeing me alone does not bring peace. There are critical stakeholders that must be involved in the process of this peacemaking. Nobody will be excluded. If any group is excluded, it means there is no total peace.
“Members of the State Assembly and the National Assembly must be involved. The two political parties must be involved, other leaders must be involved. In that way, we will now know that they are sincere in talking about peace.”
