Vanguard News
Time to bring closure to the Digital Switchover process
On
By Okoh Aihe
WHILE trying to take some dispassionate look at the broadcast industry last weekend, my mind kept returning to the village, to the hilarious but affectionate story of one old man whose wife was very sickly. At every opportunity the old man would inform humorously that the wife had been attended to by 12 native doctors; the woman had survived them all except one.
What shaved my attention was the Digital Switchover, DSO, process which commenced in Nigeria since 2008 but is yet to register real progress with all the promises from government and claims of commitment by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, which is executing the project on behalf of government. So far, the DSO has survived three DGs and the fourth is yet to be confirmed by the government he works for.
Oil Pipelines Photo: Getty Images
At least, 96 companies are currently lobbying for contracts to rehabilitate Nigeria’s critical downstream infrastructure, especially pipelines, depots and terminals, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) said yesterday.
The national oil company said the infrastructure would be contracted on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) financing model. With the model, the assets would be operated by the private firms after they are rehabilitated before they are transferred to the government depending on the number of years contained in the contract.
According to the Corporation, the public opening of the bids for the contract was in line with the NNPC’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Ninety-six companies from various jurisdictions have indicated interest in rehabilitating the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) downstream infrastructure, including critical pipelines, depots and terminals.
A statement yesterday in Abuja by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, said the 96 companies emerged during a virtual public bid opening for the pre-qualification of bidders for the contract.
It stated that the public opening of the bids for the contract was in keeping with the NNPC management’s commitment to transparency and accountability in all its processes and transactions.
The NNPC noted that the public’s response to its Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) financing model, was buoyed by the prevailing culture of Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) of the current management of the corporation.
By Prince Okafor
No fewer than 96 companies from various jurisdictions have indicated interest in undertaking the rehabilitation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) downstream infrastructure.
The infrastructures ranges from critical pipelines to depots and terminals through the Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) financing model.
The corporation made this disclosure during a virtual public bid opening exercise at the NNPC Towers, Abuja for the pre-qualification of companies for the contract.
According to a statement by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Dr. Kennie Obateru, stated that the public opening of the bids for the contract was in keeping with the NNPC Management’s commitment to transparency and accountability in all its processes and transactions.