From Magnus Eze, Abuja
Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Richard Esin, has pleaded with the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) to release about 16 containers of building materials meant for its housing project in Abuja.
Speaking when he visited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), Esin disclosed that the containers, which are awaiting clearance at the ports, have accumulated demurrage to the tune of N171 million. He said the release of the containers would enable the bank continue with the housing projects the building materials are meant for.
The mortgage bank’s MD also appealed to the NCS for assistance in enforcing compliance with the provisions of the National Housing Fund Act, by any business entity, private or public, seeking or doing business with it. He said that the FMBN had funded the construction of an estate for officers of the NCS in Kuje, Abuja.
He lauded the service for its full compliance with NHF remittance and urged the officers to take advantage of the construction of 95 estates by the FMBN across the country to become homeowners.
Responding, Ali commended the role the FMBN had played in facilitating home ownership for officers of the service, promising to look into the issues discussed.
Ministry of Industry stresses need for weights, measures dept
From Walter Ukaegbu, ABUJA
The Federal Government has said that the creation of the Department of Weights and Measures at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was aimed at institutionalising the uniformity of the system of measurement globally This would enhance fairness as well as promote the trading of goods and services with ease.
According to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Alhaji Aminu Bisalla, in his remark at the quarterly assembly of inspectors of weights and measures in Abuja yesterday, the ministry was working hard to address the challenge in order to ensure that the department performs its statutory responsibilities.
Bisalla, who was represented by Mr. Ochafa Ogenyi, Director, Planning and Statistics, explained that the functions of the department were purely regulatory in nature, as the Weights and Measures Act serves to regulate the use of weights, measures, counting equipment, weighing equipment and measuring equipment for trade.
He said the applicability of the Act spreads across all economic sectors of Nigeria wherever weighing and measuring equipment were used for determining the quantity of goods and services.
Earlier, the Acting Director, Weights and Measures Department, Sidi Mohammed, lamented that the department was facing a lot of impediments in its activities, like lack of operational vehicles and work materials in the states.
NESREA : FG to commence enforcement of EPR next year
From Fred Itua, Abuja
The Federal Government has said all is set for the enforcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme in the country by mid-2017.
Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Dr. Lawrence Chidi Anukam, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during an executive session with chief executives in the electrical and electronics sector.
Anukam told the stakeholders, “It has been a long time we expected compliance with the EPR from 2011 till date and we will not wait any longer. We need to get this started. The bigger companies will take the lead. They have the bigger market share and have more impact on the environment.”
He reminded the sector players of the Federal Government’s commitment in Paris, which was further reinforced in Marrakech, adding that government was looking for ways to reduce waste, as it has links with climate change.
The NESREA boss listed the benefits of EPR implementation to include job creation, waste reduction as well as tackling other related problems. He stressed that Nigeria would be “creating wealth form waste.”
He said the Federal Government would support the smooth running of the programme and also ensure compliance. HE also urged manufacturers, dealers and importers to abide by the guidelines of the programme.
NLN calls for more private libraries
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Library of Nigeria (NLN) has called on private individuals and corporate organisations to support the effort of the Federal Government in preserving literary, visual and other intellectual works by establishing private libraries.
National librarian, Prof. Lenrie Aina, who made the call at the launching of the Justice Mustapha Akanbi Library in Ilorin, Kwara State, expressed concerns that private individuals were not showing interest in establishing libraries.
He thus reminded them that a nation or organisation that paid little or no attention to history or archives preservation would lack proper direction in future, insisting the “library is the only place where such precious documents can be preserved for posterity.”
The national librarian, through a press statement issued in Abuja, commended Akanbi, former Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission for such a project, which he said would give hope and succour to all.
He was particularly impressed that provisions were made for children and adults, believing that such consideration would help build their reading and literacy capabilities.
