The report of the technical glitch suffered by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has entered the eighth day, leaving many Nigerians and organisations stranded regarding verifications of their National Identification Numbers (NIN) and associated issues is one of the leading stories in Nigerian newspapers on Wednesday.
The Guardian reports that the technical glitch suffered by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has entered the eighth day, leaving many Nigerians and organisations stranded regarding verifications of their National Identification Numbers (NIN) and associated issues.
The glitch has affected some operations of mobile network operators, as thousands of telecommunication subscribers nationwide, who want to retrieve their lost Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards or acquire new lines are temporarily left stranded.
The NIMC, said on Monday that the challenge resulted from the maintenance service being carried out by one of the commission’s network service provider. According to the commission, all hands are on deck to ensure service is restored soon.
The hitch affecting the NIN portal was caused by a technical problem with the Hosting Service Platform of Galaxy Backbone Limited, a Federal Government agency that provides Information and Communications Technology (ICT) services.
Some other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), which are customers to Galaxy Backbone Limited are facing same challenge. They include Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).
Over 95 per cent of government agencies and establishments operate under the Galaxy Backbone shared service platform.
The major technical glitch has forced down multiple government websites for weeks, halting the services and information provided by the platforms.
The newspaper says notwithstanding the blame game among industry players on the resurgence of fuel queues in some parts of the country, Nigerians may begin to experience some relief by weekend following claims by regulatory authorities that the adulterated petroleum products in circulation have been contained.
If the claim is true that only 100 million litres of dirty Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) is in circulation, stakeholders in the industry said the situation would be addressed within two days going by the daily consumption volume of the country.
Despite the containment efforts, the damages caused to some vehicle owners and retail stations might take a while to address, as vehicle owners are agitated and considering litigations against the fuel stations, who might equally return the ‘favour’ to the sole importer of the product.
Already, some car owners have parked their cars at filling stations claiming damages, while a few others have threatened lawsuits to get redress.
Indeed, accusing fingers, yesterday, remained in the direction of the nation’s oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, as high sulphur or adulterated petroleum product fuel public health concerns and damages on vehicles across the country.
The Guardian learnt that though sanctions would apply to erring importers, it may not happen until the processes that led to the importation are examined and interrogated.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) admitted yesterday, that over 100 per cent of its products are imported into the country, adding that it has been confirmed that the products across retail outlets are adulterated and are being cleared by the state oil firm.
The Punch reports that contractors have picketed the Niger Delta Development over the failure of the commission to pay for the services rendered to it.
The contractors, under aegis of NDDC Indigenous Contractors Association, had in the past six days taken over the premises of the NDDC in protest.
The contractors, who carried placards with inscriptions such as ‘NDDC pay us our money,’ ‘NDDC, Akwa pay contractors please,’ ‘NDDC contractors are dying,’ said all attempts to get their money had proven abortive.
The President of the association, Andrew Ijegbai, lamented that the contractors, for over five years, had not been paid for the services they rendered to the commission.
Ijegbai said it was painful that the contractor used their money to execute the projects, which had been inaugurated and put to use.
He said, “We are here because we have done jobs for NDDC for the past four years; we have been waiting for our payment, but they are giving us all kinds of excuses. “As it stands now, we can no longer afford our children’s school fees. We collected most of the money from financial institutions and we used our houses as collateral; now the banks are now collecting our houses.
The Sun says that as long queues surfaced across Lagos and Abuja yesterday over sudden fuel scarcity, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has blamed the situation on the withdrawal of petrol discovered to have contained methanol above Nigeria’s specification.
According to a statement by the agency yesterday, the affected petrol was isolated and withdrawn from the market, including the loaded trucks in transit. Methanol is a regular additive in petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity.
NMDPRA explained that the source supplier has been identified and appropriate actions would be taken.
The agency said its technical team, in conjunction with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Ltd and other industry stakeholders, would “monitor and ensure that quality petroleum products are adequately supplied and distributed nationwide.”
It revealed that the NNPC Ltd and all oil marketing companies had been directed to sustain sufficient distribution of petrol in all retail outlets nationwide.
The NMDPRA said NNPC had intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market “in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap.”
Meanwhile, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, (IPMAN) has warned motorists against panic buying, saying petroleum products will be available from today.
The newspaper reports that the executive board of the Washington-based institution said this in a statement issued on Monday following the conclusion of its 2021 article IV consultation with Nigeria.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Nigeria received a $3.4 billion facility from the IMF in April 2020.
The IMF board commended the proactive approach of Nigeria’s authorities to contain the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts.
It, however, said the country’s outlook remains subject to significant risks, including from the pandemic trajectory, oil price uncertainty, and security challenges. “Directors noted that Nigeria’s capacity to repay the Fund is adequate.
They encouraged addressing data gaps to allow timely and clear assessments of reserve adequacy,” the statement reads.
The directors emphasised the need for major reforms in the fiscal, exchange rate, trade, and governance areas to lift long-term, inclusive growth.
“Directors highlighted the urgency of fiscal consolidation to create policy space and reduce debt sustainability risks. In this regard, they called for significant domestic revenue mobilisation, including by further increasing the value-added tax rate, improving tax compliance, and rationalising tax incentives,” the statement reads.
“Directors also urged the removal of untargeted fuel subsidies with compensatory measures for the poor and transparent use of saved resources.
The Sun also says that the Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed its plans to borrow $200 million from Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) to support the power expansion programme in Lagos and Ogun states.
The fund, according to the Minister of Power, Abubakar Aliyu, is to provide about 203KM high voltage transmission lines and six high voltage sub-stations which cover five local governments in Ogun State and one local government in Lagos State with appropriately 200 communities affected. “The Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme which would be carried out by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) through a loan of $200 million to be obtained from the Japan International Co-operation Agency is to provide about 203KM high voltage transmission lines and six high voltage substations which cover five local governments in Ogun State and one local government in Lagos State with appropriately 200 communities affected”, the Minister said.
Aliyu, who disclosed this when he received a delegation from JICA in Abuja, added that part of the counterpart funding would be used to compensate affected persons around the corridor.
GIK/APA