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Dangote refinery to become highest employer of chemical engineers in Nigeria
Mukhtar Yahya Usman
The National President of Nigeria Society of Chemical Engineers (NSCh) says Dangote Oil Refining Company will be the highest employer of chemical engineers in the country when the refinery comes on stream.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Society’s National President, Engr. Saidu A. Muhammed, disclosed this during the NSCh’s visit to Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical project at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos over the weekend.
He commended the company for its contribution to energy security in Nigeria.
Muhammed, said the industries in Nigeria have not been able to absorb the over 1,000 engineers yearly from Nigerian Universities.
“We, the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, have keenly been watching the progress of the refinery project.
“When completed, the refinery will be the singular largest employer of chemical engineers in the country.
“Nigerian Universities turn out about 1,000 chemical engineers every year and the avenues for employment have been very scarce.
“The industry has not been able to fully absorb the number of chemical engineers that passed out of the universities years ago.
“Some companies within the sector are not running at the optimum level. Therefore, employment is really key.
“However, from the energy security point of view, chemical engineers are always concerned about what can be put in place to guarantee energy security in the country.
“Nigeria is blessed with abundant crude oil, but unfortunately, we are importing petroleum products simply because Nigeria’s own refineries are not utilizing their installed capacity”, he said.
‘When you see a brand new refinery like the Dangote Refinery that has the capacity to meet the petroleum products needs of the country, there is need to celebrate such company”, Muhammed added.
He expressed delight over the size of the project and the level of work that has gone into the construction of the refinery.
“The Dangote Refinery project is very impressive, very big. There is no project of this magnitude right now in this part of the world.
“We are delighted to see that the project is nearing completion and many things have been done.”
He commended the Dangote Group for its plans to ensure that Nigerian engineers are trained to handle the operation of the refinery plant, which has been acclaimed to be the largest single-train refinery in the world.
“We are most impressed by the numbers of Nigerians that we see within the site working at various sections of the plant.
‘We are glad that Dangote is building this type of project in Nigeria, which is one of the largest in the world,” he said.
Muhammed added that the members of the association are happy to see that Dangote Refinery will contribute significantly to energy security in Africa.
“We are also happy about the refinery’s contribution to energy security in Africa. The refinery is also going to have a positive impact on Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas industry.”
Speaking also at the event, the Technical Consultant to the President of Dangote Group, Engr. Babajide Soyode commended the chemical engineers for coming on a tour of the refinery.
According to Soyode, Dangote’s refinery will help Nigeria meet and exceed its current demand for gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and kerosene, leaving ample product for export.
“This connotes significant positive economic impact on Nigeria and the West African region, transforming Nigeria from a net importer to exporter of refined petroleum products and curtailing significant foreign exchange outflows.
“Additionally, the availability of excess fuel will also provide a catalyst for eliminating Nigeria’s expensive fuel subsidy,” he added.
Soyode said that the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery would complement other major infrastructure investments that Dangote has planned at the strategically located Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos, including a port, gas processing facility, power plant, and petrochemical and Fertiliser complex.
“When completed, this infrastructure complex will create a significant economy of scale for one of Africa’s largest industrial conglomerates, supporting jobs in both Nigeria and other African countries”, he added.
Kano state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has raided a warehouse where over 1,000 bags of maize were distributed by the state government as palliatives were diverted and hoarded.
Kano Focus learned that the governor busted the warehouse, located at the Sharadaan industrial area of Kano City on Saturday.
The governor, was visibly angry after seeing how the 10kg bags of maize meant for poor people were emptied and the maize grains re-bagged in larger unmarked bags, apparently to be sold in the open markets.
It could be recalled that over 200,000 bags of food items had been distributed by Mr Yusuf, a few months ago to vulnerable people to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
It is understood that Governor Yusuf vowed to uncover and punish the persons behind the diversion and hoarding of the relief materials.
….. Set aside Six Billion for Six 6,000 Beneficiaries
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In fullfilment of one of the campaign promises as contained in his blueprint, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state has Saturday flagged-off the first tranche of settlement of death benefits to deceased civil servants and gratuity of pensioners to about six thousand (6,000) beneficiaries who exited from the civil service and deceased workers between 2016 and 2019 totalling billion naira at an elaborate occasion that was held at Coronation Hall Government House.
KANO FOCUS reports that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said the payment was possible despite meagre resources, inherited empty treasury and competing developmental projects as the government had blocked leakages of public funds siphoning and more viable projects for people of the state.
A statement issued by Chief Press Secretary to the governor Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa quoted Yusuf saying his administration was highly concerned with the plight of pensioners especially those at the lower level as they are the end receipients of the economic hardship occasion by the removal of fuel Subsidy in the country.
The Governor added that to ensure the continuation of the settlement of the backlog, 10 billion naira was propose in the state next year’s budget for more inclusion of gratuity and death benefits of bereaved families of deceaseds civil servants to enjoy their legitimate entitlements.
He made a clarion call to the receivers of the funds, to make judicious use of what they collected and invest wisely in lawful businesses for more incomes to cater for their day to day needs and other necessities of life.
In his submission, the deputy governor and Commissioner for local governments and Chieftaincy affairs, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo appreciated the selection of beneficiaries with not more than 3 million at the state level, 1.5 million at local governments levels all within grade level 1-6.
The Executive Chairman of Kano State Pension Trustees Fund, Alhaji Habu Muhammad Fagge, said the commencement of liquidating the backlog and ensure prompt payment of gratuity and death benefits was a clear indication of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s zeal to better the lives of pensioners and provide succur to the families of deceased civil servants.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano state government has announced that out of the 138,430 tested for HIV, 4,728 have been found to be positive from January 2023 to date.
KANO FOCUS reports that with this figure, it indicates that a total of 46,732 persons are living with the disease and receiving treatment in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, made this known on Friday while delivering a speech at the commemoration of this year’s World AIDS Day in Kano.
He, however, disclosed that the state has improved its strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by successfully conducting tests for 95 percent of all pregnant women during their first ANC visit, out of which only 0.04 percent are found positive.
He stated, “We have tested a total of 138,430 people for HIV and found 4,728 positive and have successfully initiated new 4,140 HIV-infected persons on ART from January 2023 to date.”
He noted that “Currently, the state has 46,732 people living with HIV receiving treatment.
“We have improved our strategies to halt mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS by successfully conducting HIV testing for 95 percent of all pregnant women during their first ANC visit, out of which only 0.04 percent turned HIV positive,” the Commissioner stated.
Dr. Ladan further explained efforts by the state in managing the situation where he said, for the first time, the state has achieved a state HIV budget target of 3 percent, N2 billion, of the total health budget in the proposed budget submitted to the Kano state Assembly.
The event themed “Let Communities Lead” was in collaboration with the USAID in Kano as well as other partners.
He said that the state government appreciated the support of partners like USAID, LHSS, NEPWHAN, and KanSLAM for their advocacy engagements towards achieving the KSACA’s budget.
Earlier, the Director-General of the State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA), Dr. Usman Bashir, said SACA has brought on board 600 persons living with AIDS to benefit from the free healthcare service package introduced by the state government.
Dr. Bashir then hinted that “Most of the beneficiaries are children of those who died of HIV, as well as those children living with the disease.”
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Gov. Yusuf flag-off settlement of death benefits, gratutity to Kano pensioners
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