The need to develop science and technology into all sector of the economy in both developed and developing countries cannot be over emphasized as top political leaders and policy makers has been urged to join hand in achieving this.

It has been globally recognised that no sector of the economy can develop without science and technology, which is rooted on research, technology and innovation. Bearing this in mind and in determination to make it work, the UN conference on sustainable development coming up in June will focus on better integration between scientists and policy makers.

A report by a top-level political panel has endorsed calls for greater integration of science into all levels of policymaking on sustainable development.

According to the report, Scientists have already welcomed a significant number of references to the importance of science — including calls for better interchange between scientists and policymakers at the UN level — in the first draft of the outcome document for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), which takes place in Brazil in June 2012.

Now, a report by the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Global Sustainability gives such calls a greater political weight, and provides guidance on some of the concrete steps that might achieve such objectives.

The report ‘Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing’, which was published recently makes 56 recommendations, with the importance of science being highlighted throughout.

This article is part of our coverage of preparations for Rio+20 — the UN Conference on Sustainable Development — which takes place on 20-22 June 2012. For other articles, go to Science at Rio+20

In particular, it calls for “bold global efforts”, including the launch of “a major global scientific initiative”, to strengthen the interface between science and policy.

The report, which was drawn up by a panel whose members include ministers from Australia, Brazil, India and Sweden, says there is a “pressing need” for better integration between science and policy at all levels, and that UN decision-makers need better access to scientific expertise.?
To achieve this, it calls for a science advisory board or a chief scientific advisor to the UN secretary-general, citing as examples the US President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the UK government’s chief scientific advisor.

The report warns that scientific enquiry has not yet provided a detailed understanding of human impacts on the environment, and that more research is needed to understand the compounding effects of various environmental, economic and social pressures.
It also complains of the lack of a “holistic picture” of where the planet is heading.

“We must define, through science, what scientists refer to as ‘planetary boundaries’, ‘environmental thresholds’ and ‘tipping points’. Priority should be given to challenges now facing the marine environment and the ‘blue economy’ (sustainable management of marine resources).”

The panel also recommends that disparate knowledge on a range of issues, such as climate change, development, energy, food and agriculture, health, and water, be brought together in a new global sustainable development outlook report.

An outlook report would integrate information and analysis, but also “prompt officials from a diverse range of international organisations to work together, compare their analyses and assumptions about the future, draw in outside experts — including the best available scientific advisors — and consult with governments”.
The recommendations have been welcomed by Stakeholder Forum, a civil society pressure group actively engaged in preparations for Rio+20.

“While the panel’s report is meant to be used beyond Rio+20, it should be read as a blueprint of what could be achieved in Rio and as a wake-up call for action,” the forum said in a press release.

Farooq Ullah, head of policy and advocacy at Stakeholder Forum, also told SciDev.Net: “Developing our understanding of the Earth’s boundaries and its overall health is vital to our sustainable future. It must also be supported by the creation of such institutions as an Intergovernmental Panel on Sustainable Development, and, by a chief scientific advisor to the UN’s secretary-general.”

The importance of science was also highlighted in a speech by Sha Zukang, secretary-general of the Rio+20 conference, at initial discussions on the Rio+20 draft outcome document that were held last week (25–27 January) in New York, United States.

Sha presented a list of “must have” outcomes from Rio+20, including a list of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to succeed the Millennium Development Goals when they expire in 2015.

To achieve the SDGs a robust framework of action would be needed, he said, including mobilising finance; technology cooperation and transfer; capacity building; engaging all stakeholders in implementation, including through innovative partnerships; and putting science, education and innovation in the service of sustainable development.

Gisbert Glaser, senior advisor at the International Council for Science, told newmen he was pleased with Sha’s speech.

He said at the discussions in New York last week, where he was representing Scientific and Technological Community, one of the ‘major groups’ involved in Rio+20: “Much stronger science and technology base will be fundamental for moving away from ‘business as usual’ in sustainable development. Rio+20 must chart a truly different course”.

Aside from the global calling and international conferences on the importance of science and technology, African leaders and the Nigerian Government in particular had embarked on new reesrach initiatives and innovations that would boost the science and technology sector.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Wednesday said? that the Number Portability (NP) service would begin by September.

In an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, Dr. Eugene Juwah, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said that the license for the service would be given to the operator this February.

NP is a service that allows a subscriber to use another network other than his original network without losing his original number.

Juwah said that the NP operator would be allowed six months to build the infrastructure and an additional two months to test run the infrastructure.

''So we expect that most likely the Number Portability service will start in September this year,'' he said.

The NCC chief also said that the NCC was on the verge of auctioning the remaining slots on the 2.3GHZ frequency.

''We are also looking at the 2.6GHZ frequency, which today is not in the custody of NCC, it is in the custody of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

“And we are discussing within the National Frequency Management Council on what to do with this frequency.

“We believe that by the time we conclude all these, there will be enough frequency to be able to add towards the fibre development to create a good broadband deployment in Nigeria,'' Juwah said.

Indians in Nigeria last week celebrated their country’s Republic Day. In this chat, the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mahesh Sachdev, tells NGOZI OBOH some of the interventions of his country in Nigeria’s science and technology sector.

WHAT MAKES THE REPUBLIC DAY RELEVANT TO INDIANS?

On January 25, 1950, India adopted a constitution that has continued till today 62 years. Later so India gave itself a constitution in 1950 and we became a republic. We had elections; we had our political process beginning from this day. That political process is what had continued unabated and uninterrupted till today. On? January 25, 1950, India became world’s largest democracy and has continued till today. We adopted a constitution which was quite voluminous: everything was laid out and it provided for a multi- religious, multilingual state which was secular, which was tolerant and which was inclusive and that has been the basic tenet of our politics so far. So the day is very important. It was the first major constitution which provided useful benchmark to multiethnic, multilingual society in setting out the country’s future process or politics.

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HOW IS INDIA HELPING NIGERIA TO DEVELOP ITS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY SECTOR?

We regard science and technology as an important element in our strategy for national development.? We believe that developing countries lost the race to develop specifically because they did not utilize initial breakthroughs in science and technology, and we became poor. Today, when we are re-launching our path to socio economic greatness, we have this important strategic import of science and technology. We should use it for national development and to develop many other areas.

India has been more than willing to share its science and technology with Nigeria and other developing countries. We have something unique to offer. Our science and technology has been developed to be relevant in the context of our economic plans, which are not very different from that of Nigeria’s: a large developing society with less capital than human resources, with need to leapfrog in education, healthcare and other social services. We have been at the forefront of some of these technologies and we have offered them to Nigeria though various frameworks. The most important framework is the Indian technical and economic cooperation programme under which we are going to be, during the year that will be complete on March 31, this year, offer 90 fellowships to Nigerians. Many of these fellowships are in the areas of science and technology, especially information technology where India has more prowess. We will like to share that knowledge through those fellowships. Apart from this, we have other fellowships under India- Africa Forum Summit which was held in last May with Vice President Namadi Sambo in attendance in Addis Ababa.? Under this framework, we have large number of scholarships as well as fellowships for senior researchers.

Under the same framework, we also have the possibility of setting up institutions in Nigeria. For example, we are planning to set up an extended facility for education at the University of Ibadan. We also have a very interesting project called Pan African Network under which India has set up telemedicine and tele-education facilities in Nigeria which use Indian satellite to link up to Indian medicine, Indian education and other facilities. So, all these are already happening quietly.

India has earlier been associated with academics in Nigeria. A lot of Indian professors used to be in Nigeria in the 70s and early 80s. Some of them are still here but most of them have been replaced by home grown talent.

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ARE YOU THINKING OF DOING SOMETHING TO BOOST BIOTECHNOLOGY IN NIGERIA?

I have repeatedly highlighted to the Nigerian stakeholders the possibilities of biotechnology. For example, I have pointed out that Indian farmers are using genetically modified (GM) cotton seeds which are seeds that, under controlled conditions, with record 41 per cent higher yield. That I have recommended, they are studying it and it might be possible for Nigeria to adopt the same pattern, and it will have a huge impact on the textile sector. We are also considering a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Science and Technology which will cover many areas of science and technology.

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HOW IS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IMPACTING THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC LIVES OF INDIANS?

I will not give a one-word answer but will give examples. Do you know that in India, in our capital New Delhi, all public transport vehicles use compressed natural gas – all buses, all taxis use natural gas, not petrol or diesel? This technology allows less pollution and it is cheaper. It allows the existing petrol or diesel to give way to CNG (compressed natural gas). In Nigeria the gas you are flaring can be used directly in vehicles.

Also, in nuclear technology, India produces around 10,000 mw of power from nuclear reactors. We also get wind energy of 20,000mw and now we have launched very forceful programme for solar energy. All these are used in India to foster economic and social development. 70 per cent of world vaccines are produced in India.? I am very optimistic that if Nigeria will put its mind to doing so can do it. You have the talent, you have the capabilities. Many of the talents migrate to other countries but they can be brought back. Occasionally we did that.

In 60s and 70s we set up world-class institutions. We were able to get bright students and from there we started work. The fillip also came when the IT sector started booming in India. In 2,000, the Y2K bug provided India an opportunity to outsource computers, and that created success which exploded our IT output from information technology, clinical research and other issues came up. I should also add that India has a large market. So if you are able to do some practical research, you have the possibility of enjoying the bonanza.

Nigeria is yet to link its research products to the industries

There is a well known international practice called incubation. If you incubate a research product, you can turn it into saleable industrial products. Very often, incubation centres are put in an environment under which research scholars and industrialists get together and provide interface between the two so that research becomes marketable product. India did not lose sight of eventual commercialisation of our research. Also researches are given grants. Industries also fund research.

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The Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), Mr. Jacob Durosomo, has disclosed that the total worth of stamps collection?? and other postal matters globally has now been put at over N7trillion.

Philately is the art of collecting stamps and other postal matters either as a hobby or an investment.

Durosomo who disclosed this while briefing journalists on Nigeria’s hosting of first All African Exhibition of postage stamps and philatelic products, stated that Africans are yet to fully exploit the opportunities provide by the philately to improve socio-economic wellbeing.
“The global market share of philately is N50billion but in Africa we are still Lilliputian not being able to explore the benefits of dealership and distribution of postage stamps,” Durosomo said.

Additionally, Public Relations Manager Affairs at NIPOST, Mrs. Charity Ato hinted that philately as practised in most countries of the world

does not seem to survive in Nigeria and that this is applicable to most African countries.

“It is in recognition of this African situation that the Universal Postal Union (APU) through the Pan African Postal Union decided that something urgent should be done to create adequate awareness and stimulate that interest of the populace in the business of philately.”

She said NIPOST had taken various measures over the years to create awareness and promote the business of philately in Nigeria.

One of such measures include the hosting of Phila-Africa exhibition which commences today in Abuja and is expected to provide opportunity for all African postal administration and stamp dealers to showcase the continent’s rich heritage captured in postage stamps.

The Federal Executive Council last week approved a memo from the Ministry of Science and Technology to set up a National Science Research Technology and Innovation Fund for the development of science and technology in Nigeria.

Minister of Science and Technology, Prof Ita Ewa, said this will boost research and development activities in the country since there will be sufficient funds to carry out research activities.

“The policy implementation will commence soon. Funds are accessible to researchers and as soon as we have the take-off grant we will announce it to the public,” he explained.

The council had two months ago approved the National Science Technology and Innovation Policy for the country. A committee was set up to study the appropriate ways of funding Science Technology research in the country.

The Policy was reviewed in May 2011 by key stakeholders in the sector and is expected to address issues relating to the transfer of technologies to adapt, utilise, replicate and diffuse imported technologies; establish strategic organisations and institutional structures for the coordination, management, promotion and application of science and technology for the production of goods and delivery of services, and developing capabilities in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and Technology Need Assessment in all sectors to promote global competitiveness.

With the policy in place, Nigeria now has the tool to foster sectoral Research and Development (R&D) activities at the level of R&D institutions and firms, that are largely demand-driven and market-oriented, consistent with national developmental goals and encourage the generation, use and protection of indigenous knowledge and intellectual property that promote national development.

The policy provides for promoting youth participation and gender mainstreaming in STI as well as encouraging community investment and ownership of decentralised STI systems.

NASA has announced its new heavy-lift launch vehicle that is to provide an entirely new capability for human exploration beyond Earth’s orbit. The Space Launch System (SLS), NASA says, will provide the Earth with a safe, affordable and sustainable means of breaking through current space exploration limits, opening up the possibility of exciting new discoveries.

The launch system is to carry the next-generation Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (OMPCV) as well as important cargo, equipment and science experiments to destinations well beyond Earth’s orbit. In addition, NASA has stated the SLS will also serve as a backup for commercial and international transportation services to the International Space Station.

Speaking on the unveiling, NASA administrator, Charles Bolden, said: “President Obama challenged us to dream big, and that’s exactly what we are doing at NASA. While I was proud to fly on the space shuttle, tomorrow’s explorers will now dream of one day walking on Mars.”

The SLS rocket has been designed to utilise technological investments from the recently retired Space Shuttle Program, as well as a host of cutting-edge technology.

The rocket will use a liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propulsion system, multiple solid rocket boosters and have a final lift capacity of 130 metric tons (286,000 pounds), the equivalent thrust to lift 75 SUVs. Addressing financial concerns raised amid budget cuts, NASA deputy administrator, Lori Garver, said that: “We have been driving down the costs on the Space Launch System and Orion contracts by adopting new ways of doing business and project hundreds of millions of dollars of savings each year”.

NASA closed the unveiling by stating that the Space Launch System will be its first exploration-class vehicle since the Saturn V took US astronauts to the moon over 40 years ago and that with its superior lift capability, the SLS will expand Earth’s reach in the solar system and allow exploration of cis-lunar space, nearby asteroids, Mars and beyond.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture’s Ambassador, Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that Africa needs to rethink its food import burden and consider local content options, such as the inclusion of cassava flour in wheat to reduce the rising import bills.

Obasanjo views the local content option as part of efforts to free up resources for infrastructural development and poverty alleviation in the continent.

In 2011, estimates show that Africa spent more than $50 billion on food imports. The rising prices of food do not make the situation better in the years ahead, according to Nigeria’s Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akin Adesina, who is also an economist.

“If we want to develop, we must change our consumption habits. We must consume what is our own, what is around us in Africa. In this way, we will be able to make progress,” Obasanjo added.

As the President of Nigeria between 1999 and 2007, Obasanjo promoted a 10 percent cassava inclusion policy in wheat bread in an effort to promote agricultural growth and diversify the economy.

In a statement, IITA noted that the policy, backed by improved agricultural practices from IITA and national partners, increased cassava production in Nigeria by 10 million tonnes within six years, making Nigeria the world’s top producer of cassava.

Building on that success, researchers from IITA, working in a pilot bakery, have raised cassava content in bread to 40 percent without compromising quality.

Upon tasting the 40 percent cassava bread, Obasanjo exclaimed, “The taste is good! We need to promote it to make people adopt and consume it,” he said.

Besides relieving the burden on food imports, the adoption of cassava flour offers several benefits to Africa.

It promises to make cassava competitive by creating markets for the root crop and offering fair prices to farmers.

With climate change taking a negative toll on most grains, cassava production is fast becoming an option. The crop’s tolerance of extreme weather – such as drought, and its ability to thrive on poor soils are increasing its appeal.

In Nigeria, for instance, the government estimates that the 40 percent inclusion of cassava flour in wheat bread could help the country save about N254 billion ($1.7 billion) annually.

“But more than savings, this will also provide jobs for our youths,” said Adesina.

The success of the cassava policy in Nigeria aims to radiate benefits to larger aspects of the economy, including helping in stabilising the exchange rate of the naira to the dollar and, more importantly, making the farmers proud and richer.
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Nigeria spends N3.9 billion annually on importation of 95 percent dairy in the country in the form of powdered, evaporated, canned, sweetened, condensed milk and other dairy products.

The director-general of Raw Material Research and? Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Peter Onwualu? disclosed this at the weekend in Abuja during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)? between the council and Adamawa State on the establishment of a community based cattle breeding/upgrading and milk collection and processing centre, Yola .

According to Onwualu, the continued dependence on these products has not only affected the national economy through huge foreign expenditure estimated at N3.9 billion annually, but has also significantly slowed down the development of indigenous dairy industry.

He noted that even with the estimated 16 million heads of cattle in the country, 96 percent which is owned by semi-nomadic cattle rearers.?

“The herds are characterised by slow productivity linked to low genetic potential, non-availability and poor quality feed, disease, limited professional veterinary care and inappropriate milk collection and processing practicesm,” he said.

The RMRDC boss explained that the council, in order to reverse some of these negative trends, decided to get involved in the project which has led to the signing of the MoU between the two parties.

The Yola project, according to him, is well located in an area where cattle upgrading technology through Artificial Insemination (AI) has already been adopted and verified as successful with cattle across exhibiting high potentials for both production and productivity.

In his remark, the leader, community cattle upgrading and milk collection centre, Adamawa, Dr. Abdulrahman Tukur, who signed on behalf of the community, said the collaboration will help to develop.omy.
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Nigeria is blessed with abundant raw materials, yet its economic growth is not encouraging. A recent report showed that poor utilisation of its local raw materials is a contributing factor. CHINYERE AMALU writes.

Over dependence on the imported raw material and as well as its high utilization in the nation’s manufacturing sectors, has no doubt crumbled the utilisation of local raw materials available in Nigeria, thus, hindering its industrial growths.

It is globally recognised, that the industrialisation of any nation and its economic growth depends largely on the development and utilisation of its local raw materials, but this also depends on the availability of local intermediate raw materials production industries and industrial infrastructure.

Unfortunately, in Nigeria, with its abundance raw materials and natural resources, the nation’s manufacturing sector is still lagging behind in growth, as a result of low utilisation of the available raw materials in the country.?

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) is the agency under the ministry of science and technology, saddled with the responsibility of reviewing from time to time the availability of raw materials in the country, with the view of advising the federal government on the strategic implication of depletion, conservation and stockpiling of such resources, but how well does this information help in improving the productivity of manufacturing sector in the country.

“This is what we do every two years, and the purpose of the industrial study was to provide information on locally available materials, process technology, raw materials requirements and capacity utilisation of the manufacturing industries with a view to making the information available to manufactures and prospective investors,” said the director-general of RMRDC, Prof. Peter Onwual, who also noted that despite the information, low utilisation of these materials continued to exist.

For instance, from the report of ten technical committees inaugurated in 2009 by the council on the ten sectors of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), to update the list of existing industries, their perspective installed capacities and current capacity utilisation of each sector and as well as analyse the available local raw materials that could be developed for the sub-sectors among others, there are staggering data on the percentage of low utilisation of these raw materials.

The report which was gotten from the ten areas,? including Base Metal, Iron and Steel and Engineering Services, Chemical and Pharmaceuticals, Domestic and Industrial Plastic, Rubber and Foam, Food, Beverage and Tobacco, Non-metallic Minerals, Pulp and Paper, Paper Products, Printing and Publishing, Textile, Wearing Apparel, Leather and Leather Products, Wood and Wood Products and Motor Vehicles and Miscellaneous, showed that in pulp paper sector, the capacity utilization between 2006 and 2009 was just four percent.

Revenue loss for non-production in the? pulp sector within the period under review was given as N30.25 billion for industrial paper, N75 billion for news print and N48 billion for bond paper. During this period, Wood and Wood Products sector also recorded low capacity utilization. 26.5 percent was recorded in the Saw Mill sub-sector, 15 percent in Ply Mill, 14 percent in Particle Board, 10 percent in wooden door and 6 percent in Match sub-sector. Total production of cement in 2009 was 8 million tonnes, that is 59 percent capacity utilsation, while the actual consumption for the same period was estimated to be 12 million tonnes.

The report also showed that Motor Vehicle and Miscellaneous sector did not fare well during the period. For instance, the capacity utilsation for the sub-sector was given as 10 percent for vehicle manufacturers/assemblers, over 50 percent for motorcycle and bicycle manufacturers and 30 percent for component manufactures. The Base Metal, Iron and Steel sector also operated at a low capacity of 10-60 percent during this period. In Plastic sub-sector, only one company is producing resin in the country which resulted in the short supply of the commodity although the company according to the report is currently producing at 100 percent capacity.?

The capacity utilisation in the Foam sub-sector, the report added is 65 percent, 60 percent for plastics sub-sector and 23 percent for rubber sub-sector. Annual dry rubber production stands at 45,000 million tonnes but only 20 percent is utilized locally due to the closure of two tyre factories in the country.

From the above figures, it is obvious that there is low utilization of these raw materials available in the sector, but what could be responsible for this? Stakeholders in the sectors attributed this poor performance to unfair competition from imported products, which according to them discourages sales, infrastructure challenges, including electricity, transportation, industrial fuel and security.

Prof. Peter Onwualu, the director-general of the council, who stressed that one of the major sector facing the country’s development is lack of data, added “that lack of favaourable long term funding mechanisms and over dependence on foreign capital goods such as industrial machinery, high skilled manpower, basic engineering infrastructure (iron and steel) “are the major factors contributing to low utilization of these raw materials.

Also, Prof. Samuel Enibe, from the department of mechanical engineering, university of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), and a member of the technical committee on Base Metal and Engineering Services, identified low level of Research and Development (R&D) and lack of funding as the major contributors of low utilization of local raw material by the manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

Mr. Joseph Onu, from the private sector, told LEADERSHIP that Nigerians do not have value and regard for the abundance local raw materials in the country. “So this is part of our problem, if we value what we have we will develop it.”

For the nation’s manufacturing sectors to grow? to the expected height, the stakeholders were of the opinion that this sector be empowered by adequately funding it and reviving the local industries that have packed up due to lack of maintenance, patronize and support from the government and the private sectors.

Prof. Onwualu is of the opinion that government should consider a stimulus package to encourage long term investments in import substitution in industries and setting up industries for adding value to the nation’s natural resources and convert them to intermediate raw materials.

“This has the potential of saving over N250 billion annually and creating over 5 million industry related jobs,” he said.
According to Prof. Enibe, government should intensify what it is currently doing in the power sector as many of the industries could not operate at the required capacity because of power supply problem.?

“I will recommend that the power supply is improved drastically everywhere. When that is done, many industries that have folded will be revived and those that is operating can increase their capacity,” he stated.

He also advised that the various raw materials available in the country should be put into use, adding that it will enable the masses benefit a lot and facilitate the actualization of Vision 20: 2020.

If the information from the report of the technical committees on these ten sectors are to be reckoned with, then both the federal government and the private sectors should act fast and put the necessary structures in place to revive these sectors and make them useful for the masses and for the industrial growth of this country.
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The Borno State Commissioner of Home Affairs, Information and Culture, Mr. Inuwa Bwala, has said that very soon the civil servants in the state work with digital facilities to meet the global trend in information technology.
The commissioner disclosed this while presenting 10 sets of laptop computers to directors of the ministry which held at the conference hall of the ministry, Musa Usman Secretariat, Maiduguri.?
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He said the laptops computers would assist them in performing their jobs efficiently, as the ministry was saddled with responsibility of projecting the image of the state government.?
Mr. Bwala stated that very soon the ministry would embark on massive training and retraining of its staff to meet up with the global trend in information dissemination, adding the ministry of information would be a model of state government’s digitalisation process. ? ?
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“This is the first phase of the exercise, and very soon we will extend the gesture to the lower cadre of the staff, but in the mean time we are going to equip the ministry’s newsroom with information technology facilities to enhance efficiency,” Bwala said.?
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the ministry’s permanent secretary, Alhaji Galadima Zannah said this good gesture by the state government would go a long way in enhancing efficiency and productivity and assured the commissioner that the computers would be used for the purpose they were meant for.?
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He also stated that workers in the ministry were ready to cooperate with other journalists, especially the Correspondents` Chapel, to move the state forward, stressing that the ministry as the mouth piece of government is ready to cooperate with other ministries to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.

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The Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji, has directed the management of each of the 18 companies created out of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to start paying the staff a 50 per cent salary increase from this month.
Nnaji disclosed this in a statement signed by his ?Special Assistant, Ogbuagu Anikwe, yesterday.
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The minister added ?that the Federal Government had agreed to pay the outstanding first three months of the new salary package which took effect from June 2011.
He also said that the development would ?enable CEOs of the successor companies, who are running the companies as autonomous business entities, to henceforth begin paying the new salary package from September 2011.
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The PHCN hitherto generates about N11 billion monthly and utilises a little over N7billion of it on staff salary and emoluments.
The 50 per cent salary increase will now bring the new wage bill to over N11b, thereby leaving the holding company with a balance of some N2 billion monthly.
The minister stated that that this situation was far from satisfactory as the PHCN still had to pay N8 billion every month to ?gas and electricity suppliers like Shell, AES, Agip, the Rivers and Akwa Ibom state governments, which operate Independent Power Projects (IPPs), as well as meet other operational costs of running the business.
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He said, “At least N17 billion has to be generated monthly to defray operational costs and pay staff salaries monthly”.
?Nnaji expressed optimism that the N17 billion benchmark could be met if the PHCN management and staff increased power supply to the public and plugged some leakages within the system.
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“A situation where our efficiency rate improved at 15 per cent, instead of 35 per cent, last month is not good enough. Our commercial losses, which stand at 40 per cent largely because of improper metering and non-metering, are still unacceptably high,” he added.
?Nnaji also urged the PHCN leadership to stop such sharp practices as bypassing of air conditioners, pressing irons, welding machines and other heavy power consuming gadgets in the metering system.
He reminded the CEOs that their monthly salary bills would balloon further with the ongoing regularisation of the appointments of thousands of Nigerians who ‘have been working as so-called casual workers’.

(New Media Awards winners and runners up (L-R): Anton Van Zyl, Toyin Abidakun (AthleticsAfrica), Nkem Nweke, Nick McNulty, Tichafara Sigauke and Remmy Nweke. Photo: Fungai Tichawangana)

Yomi Omogbeja, editor of AthleticsAfrica from Nigeria, has been awarded the SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards 2011 (Individual Category) for the “Innovative use of New Media in Africa” Journalism at the prestigious gala dinner and awards ceremony held in Cape Town, South Africa on Sunday September 18, 2011.

The 15th Highway Africa Conference, a meeting point for Africa’s new media leaders, was for the first time held outside of Grahamstown, at the Cape Town International Conference Centre from 17-19 September 2011.

For 11 years, these unique awards within the profession of journalism on the continent, have been rewarding pioneering, innovative and creative use of technology in journalism and the media.

The Awards were established to reward and recognise African innovation in the area of digital media and to highlight the role that digital technologies play in journalism and the media at large.

Africaninterest.com from Nigeria was the runner-up for the Telkom Highway Africa New Media Award Individual category.

Zoutnet CC (South Africa) won the Telkom Highway Africa New Media Award in the Corporate category with Lagos-based NaijaAgroNet, an initiative of DigitalSENSE Africa (DSA) Media took the 1st runner-up position for corporate category and Freedomfone.org (Zimbabwe) took home the Telkom Highway Africa New Media Award in the Non-profit category.

PODCAST: Listen to the SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards Winners:

New-Media-Awards-2011