Business

‘I’m not happy at 45’ – Business Mogul, Ifeanyi Ubah reveals

Published

8 years ago

September 5, 2016

Being a man of immense means with vast network of high networth of friends. As the milestone age of 45years,approaches for Nigeria’s business mogul, politician and entrepreneur,Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah.A stirring of a high octane celebration titillated the psyche and resonated blissfully in the hearts of his family,friends and associates.But at dawn,he vanished with his nuclear family for a quiet time abroad. He poured out his mind on the the social media on why he won’t find joy in celebrating.

SOBER REFLECTION AT FORTY FIVE

It’s been 44 long and hard years since my birth. The journey to where I find myself today has been rocky, to say the least. First and foremost, I would like to give all thanks and praises to my Father in heaven for the gift of life. His grace is the reason for my continued existence and all glory must be given to him. In the midst of all that currently defines the world we live in, God has been faithful, extremely faithful. His blessings in my life are too many to mention, such that they cannot be enumerated. May I use this avenue to thank everyone who has contributed both positively and negatively to my journey through life. At 45, I feel very fulfilled. I count myself a man highly blessed by God in all ramifications, starting from family to friends to employees and to business associates, be it financially, cerebrally and otherwise. Today marks the beginning of my 45th year on earth, a day I have chosen to reflect on a country I love so much and a nation so blessed by God. Inasmuch as I would have loved a birthday celebration bereft of publicity as I soberly reflect on the unflattering happenings in our dear country, I recognize the fact that I cannot restrain well meaning Nigerians who desire to wish me well via the pages of the newspapers and on different social media platforms. To these people, I wish to say thank you very much for the public display of affection. All efforts to put myself in a celebratory mood for reaching yet another milestone has proved abortive. I even had to take time off work to travel with my family as I needed to spend ample time with them as well as give myself some room to reflect in sobriety. If I am to be perfectly honest, in the midst of all the blessings God has so much bestowed on me, the current state of our nation Nigeria has rendered me an unhappy man. How can I be happy when all I see around me are people who are wallowing in hunger? What is happiness when my fellow Nigerians can no longer engage in business activities because of the escalating rate of the US Dollars which now exchanges for over N400 per Dollar? Where will happiness come from when Nigeria’s inflation rate keeps rising and prices of common commodities are fast getting out of the reach of the average Nigerian? Nothing is being done to empower our women and some people are able to find happiness? Nigerians are losing jobs everyday and I am expected to find joy in celebrating? I cannot! It is just not possible as I sincerely believe there is nothing worthy of celebrating. My heart is heavy, saddled with so much to reflect on as thoughts on the way forward for our beloved country clouds my mind. In a country with over 180 million people, I can boastfully say we possess the capacity to turn this nation around. Nigerians are very resourceful and highly industrious. The fact that we have not been able to get it right after 55 (soon to be 56) turbulent years beggars belief. As Nigerians, we need to learn to work without greed. Contentment should be the underlying feature in everything we set out to do. As a nation, we must fashion out a multi-policy intervention scheme that will not end up on the screens of our televisions and the pages of our books, but policies that will open up our system for job creation and reduction in the rate of poverty. Our problems are man-made and same man who made it can make things right. But first, those saddled with the responsibility of steering the ship of our nation must favour a government of inclusion. They must open the doors to Nigerians (irrespective of one’s ethnic or political leaning) who possess the requisite skills, knowledge and ideas on how to get Nigeria back on its feet. Earlier in the year, I came out to tell Nigerians that the escalation of the Dollar could be reversed if given the chance to proffer solutions and I meant it. I also challenged the Government of the day to do the needful which entailed making consultations which I offered on a platter, even staking my life’s work to see that this ugly trend is reversed. Regrettably, my advice was not heeded to and my calls fell on deaf ears. Nigeria’s current problem is beyond academics. It is also beyond the vocabulary technocrats are known to toss around. There are other components and qualities needed alongside the technicality associated with education to create the right mix as we seek solutions to the poor state of our economy. I believe that I am one Nigerian who possesses some of these components. I am highly confident in my ability to provide answers to most of the problems Nigeria is faced with and hopefully, God will give me a chance if man would not. Permit me to state this loud and clear to avoid being misconstrued: when I discuss the public policies of the government or make suggestions on alternate policies for our government, it is because I want the government of the day to succeed as their success will make Nigerians happy. I am a Nigerian who derives joy in seeing our people happy. After all said and done, I wish to rededicate myself to the service of humanity. At this stage in my life coupled with the achievements I have made and the milestones I have reached, I believe it is high time I channeled all my resources (financially, intellectually and otherwise) to promoting humanity, starting from Nigeria with Anambra state being my first port of call. My biggest regret in life is that I have not been able to help humanity they way I would have loved to. We can never get things right unless we put conscious efforts into promoting humanity. In view of this, I pledge this day to continue serving humanity to the best of my ability and as the Good Lord permits. At this juncture, I would like to expressly appreciate those who have made my journey through life a laudable one. First and foremost, special thanks must go to my wife and beautiful children who have been my firm pillar of support and strength throughout my journey. Your presence in my life has given me wings to soar as high as I can dream. For this, I remain eternally grateful to all of you. Also, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my employees across all sectors that I am actively involved in which includes Oil and Gas, Media Publications, Sports, Construction, Agriculture to mention a few. Your belief in me has never wavered and your support for me has stood the test of time. Even at the most difficult of times, you all rally around me, giving me the needed assurance that we are in this race together. My belief in the depth of God’s love for me and his immense blessings upon my life stems from you all. Thank you. To my friends and well wishers, I wish to also say thank you for being there. Your prayers and words of support have gotten me this far and I would not trade you all for anything the world has to offer. To Ndi Anambra, umu nwannem, this piece would be incomplete without expressing the depth of my gratitude to you for all the love and support you ceaselessly showered on me. How can I forget my humble beginnings? How can I forget how my beloved brothers and sisters contributed immensely in shaping the man “Ifeanyi Ubah” and all he has achieved today? From the bottom of my heart, I say daalu umu nnwannem. Let us endeavour to keep our leaders in our prayers as we continue in our quest for greatness. My fellow compatriots, our strength lies in our togetherness. Let us keep praying for Nigeria and her leaders. Let us keep believing in our country and strive to ensure that we make the best out of our nation. We have no other country to call our own. We must make Nigeria great for ourselves and for the generations yet unborn. To our leaders, I wish to remind you all that the position which you find yourselves in today is God given and has a mandate attached to it. I implore you all to do all you can to better the lives of those who voted you into power. The welfare of the masses is paramount and the betterment of their living standards should be the driving factor behind every action of every leader. In everything we do, we should always remember that a day of reckoning will come and we will all be made to answer to the creator. On that day, would the Almighty be happy with your report? Once again, I wish to thank everyone for the birthday wishes. I feel highly blessed and honoured. God bless you all.

Business

Oil marketers counter Dangote

Published

14 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Oil marketers counter Dangote over allegation of substandard product importation

The Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) has countered the claim by Dangote Refinery that any oil importers landing petrol at a price cheaper than what the refinery is selling are importing substandard products and conniving with international traders to dump low quality products into Nigeria.

The refinery had made the claim on Sunday.

In a statement yesterday, DAPPMAN’s Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, said none of its members was engaging in activities that could shortchange Nigerian fuel users by conniving with anyone to bring in low quality product into the country.

“We’ve said this for the umpteenth time, and it bears repeating, those in the downstream sector business of petroleum products trade are patriotic Nigerians who will not shortchange Nigerian citizens for filthy lucre. Our members are in this business to add value to the businesses of their fellow Nigerians and not to defraud them.

“Prices of products in the international market are dynamic as they’re dictated by prevailing circumstances at every given situation. We calculate our landing costs based on the dynamics of market forces, and the templates are always in the public domain. To claim that if the landing cost of imported product happens to be lower than that of the refinery indicates importation of low quality product is not only preposterous, but also fallacious. In any case, the management of the refinery has, until now, kept its cost and prices close to its chest and put it away from public scrutiny. “

“This type of submission, targeted at projecting our members negatively before the public, cannot help the management’s desire to have oil marketers patronise its products. What will ensure such patronage is transparency, fair play, and readiness to compete with others, including foreign refineries, on an even keel and on a level playing field.”

Adewole said the disclosure by the refinery’s management that the facility has a huge stock of 500 million litres fuel reserve came to its members as news.

“We were surprised because we believe that if the refinery has such huge stock, it’s the marketers that should be put in the know first.

‘Secondly, it was even more surprising given that the news came about the time the refinery was working on rationing what each marketer could pick from the refinery. If they had such huge stock, how is it then that they’re rationing what marketers could buy?

“On all these developments in the industry, the position of our members is very clear: we’ve always played by the rules, and we’ll continue to play by the rules. We’ll not be tired of advocating for a level playing field and a highly competitive and transparent sector that’s devoid of arm twisting and devoid of any form of dominant tendencies,” he said.

Similarly, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) said it had concluded plans to import the best quality petroleum product and sell at far cheaper prices.

The association said it was awaiting the NMDPRA to grant it import licence, saying it “has successfully incorporated a strategic business unit called PETROL.”

Its spokesman, Joseph Obele, said PETROAN had concluded plans with her foreign refinery counterparts and financial partners to import the best quality of PMS and “then sell far less than the present selling rate of PMS in Nigeria.”

He said the allegations that PETROAN would import inferior products and that an international company was trying to establish a PMS blending plant in Lagos “are all strategies for Dangote Refinery to push others out of the market…”

Also, Pinnacle Oil and Gas Limited, in a statement by its Chief Executive Officer, Bob Dickerman, denied blending substandard petroleum products.

Business

Why Protesters demanded Kyari’s resignation

Published

15 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Why Protesters demanded Kyari’s resignation

Scores of youths stormed the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited on Monday, demanding the immediate resignation of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mele Kyari.

The protesters, led by some Civil Society Organisations, described Kyari’s leadership as incompetent, citing skyrocketing fuel prices, endless fuel queues, and economic hardship in Nigeria.

The protesters carrying placards with different inscriptions such as “we demand the immediate resignation of Kyari”, among others, said the leadership of the NNPCL boss has failed.

The aggrieved youths led by Abdullahi Bilal of the (Two Million Man March Against Oil Scam Cabal) and Barrister Napoleon Otache and Olayemi Isaac from Citizens and Economic Freedom Rights Activists in Nigeria demanded immediate action to address what they described as failed leadership in managing the country’s oil sector.

Central to the protests were grievances over skyrocketing fuel prices and the never-ending queues, which they argued have driven inflation and plunged millions of Nigerians into poverty.

They also decried the importation of adulterated fuel, which they said is a corrupt practice that harms citizens by damaging vehicles and businesses.

They demanded an immediate halt to these imports and accountability for those responsible, questioning how substandard fuel continues to enter the country despite quality control assurances.

Additionally, the group criticized the unfulfilled promise of the Dangote refinery to resolve Nigeria’s fuel crisis, expressing frustration over the billions of dollars spent on refinery development and refurbishing existing facilities.

They argued that despite these investments, fuel shortages persist, leaving Nigeria reliant on costly imports even as an oil-producing nation.

They urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene by overhauling leadership in the oil sector, enforcing greater accountability, and putting citizens’ needs first. The protesters vowed to continue mobilizing until their demands for reform and transparency are met.

Speaking to journalists during the mass demonstration, Abdullahi Bilal said, “The Two Million Man March stands as a united voice for every citizen who has been betrayed by a system that continues to enrich a few at the expense of many.

“Today, we call for the immediate resignation of the current leadership in the country’s oil sector. Their management has failed Nigerians.

“Under their watch, we have seen fuel prices skyrocket without consultation or consideration of the devastating impact on the people. We have endured fuel scarcity while substandard, adulterated fuel is imported, causing further hardship.

“We demand the complete removal of the fraudulent fuel subsidy regime that has only served to enrich a select few. Full deregulation is necessary to introduce transparency, competition, and fairness to our oil sector.”

On their part, Otache and Isaac, insisted, “This act of economic sabotage has led to endless fuel queues, skyrocketing fuel prices, and unprecedented disruptions in the daily lives of Nigerians.

“We demand an immediate end to fuel queues, transparency, and accountability from all involved parties. We want to know how substandard fuel continues to enter the country despite assurances of quality control.”

On July 7, 2019, former President Mohammadu Buhari appointed Kyari as the 19th GMD of NNPC, but with the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act, his current portfolio is without recourse to previous employment ranks in the company.

NNPCL reacts

Reacting, the NNPCL spokesperson, Femi Soneye, said the protestors lack understanding of the sector.

He explained that contrary to their agitation, the GCEO ensured Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.

Responding via a chat, Soneye said, “Unfortunately, they lack understanding of the sector. If they were informed, they would know that the GCEO is not responsible for the fuel price increase; in fact, he ensured Nigerians had access to fuel at N620 per litre for over a year, even when the landing cost was above N1,100.”

Business

Renewed Hope Agenda and Impacts in Aviation* By Mary Odoma

Published

17 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Renewed Hope Agenda and Impacts in Aviation

By Mary Odoma

President Bola Tinubu’s knack for selecting top talent is unparalleled. In his quest to build a prosperous Nigeria, he’s assembled an exceptional team. By leveraging their expertise, experience, and strategic insight, he’s fostering national stability, economic growth, and a sustainable future.

His latest win is in Aviation and Aerospace Development, where he’s appointed a fearless and straightforward leader, Festus Keyamo, SAN. Keyamo’s commitment to excellence makes him an ideal fit. President Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria is taking shape, and his leadership choices are truly commendable.

A dedicated, charismatic and impactful lawyer, the dynamic and astute developer is a terror to mischief makers and enemies of progress. A tough and forceful personality who is determined with an ultimate goal to change Nigeria.

Appointed on 21st August 2023 as the helmsman of the Ministry, Keyamo has been unwavering in his drive for positive transformation, reforming the sector and bringing about enduring positive impact in a transparent manner.

His Ministry has the core mandate of regulating air travel and aviation services in the country. It is also responsible for overseeing air transportation, air development, maintenance, provision of aviation infrastructural services and other needs.

A very patriotic Nigerian, Chief Festus has several achievements, in line with the Renewed Hope Aviation Roadmap approved by President Tinubu to his credit.

In a steadfast commitment towards revitalizing the nation’s aviation sector, Mr Keyamo was able to ensure the approval of the concession of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), Abuja and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano Airports. This is in line with the initiation of the Nigerian Airport Concession Strategy.

Also, in line with the Federal Ministry of Aviation Roadmap, Chief Keyamo initiated the signing of an MoU with the Nile University for the take-off of African Aviation and Aerospace University (AU). This milestone achievement of the Minister aims to integrate and create an avenue for the training, research and development of ready middle-class manpower for the sector.

Equally, under his watch, the pragmatic leader led the Ministry into partnership with the ICRC and also a collaboration with the IFC on infrastructural development. This partnership is to both develop and implement a comprehensive and durable framework that will meet the infrastructural needs of the sector over a long period.

Through Keyamo’s congruence and dynamism, the BASA arrangement is another revolutionary innovation aimed at ensuring the operationalization of direct flights between Nigeria and Brazil.

Keyamo’s motivation and altruistic devotion to having a functional aviation and aerospace sector also moved him to upgrade the Muhammadu Buhari, Airport, Maiduguri to the standard of an international airport. This airport is ready to commence full operation on January 1, 2025

In the area of staff motivation, retirees of the Ministry now have no cause for alarm as their interest is covered. Recently, the Ministry honoured 24 retirees drawn from the lowest rung to the highest. It is in a bid to acknowledge those who have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the sector as Nation-builders.

His prompt response to issues including distress reveals an empathetic personality and someone who is very much alive to his responsibilities. Recently, while reacting to the accident involving a helicopter on the 24th October 2024, Mr Keyamo, immediately upon receiving the distress call, activated protocols aimed at search and rescue operations, mandating all relevant bodies to do everything humanly possible to ensure the safety of the passengers on board the ill-fated vehicle.

The Minister was also actively involved with all the relevant agencies towards ensuring a coordinated response. His active and physical involvement led to the minimization of casualties.

In a show of collaboration and solidarity, the Hon. Minister travelled to far away Marrakesh, Morrocco, to give support to the 2024 International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) congress. His presence was to underpin the importance the federal government attaches to the role of the transport workers in stabilizing the aviation sector.

Festus Keyamo as the Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development is certainly the best thing that has happened to the industry. He has exhibited passion, dedication and selfless forthrightness in the discharge of his duties and a total comprehension of what it takes to carry out his roles. He is well-groomed for the job and his background has helped him greatly towards shaping the positive impact he is making on society.

Today, Festus has proved that a faithful, disciplined, and dedicated Nigerian can stand out of the crowd because he symbolizes what governance is all about. These feats can only be achieved by a man with the right comportment and conduct in the service of humanity and the fatherland.

Deserving of note is that Chief Keyamo, through the foresight of President Tinubu has well-prepared team leaders appointed as heads of the agencies of the Ministry.

The supportive and collaborative roles of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Nigeria Metrological Agency, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Nigeria Airspace Management, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), have brought about those tangible and noticeable volte-face experienced today in the Aviation sector.

With Keyamo at the helm, Nigeria’s aviation sector is experiencing a transformative shift, thanks to President Tinubu’s foresight in appointing well-prepared team leaders. The Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, Nigeria Metrological Agency, and others are working together to bring about tangible change. Keyamo’s dedication, discipline, and commitment to service have improved Nigeria’s image and reformed the aviation and aerospace sectors.

Odoma is the President of New Nigeria Network [NNN[ writing from Abuja.