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Business tycoon Aliko Dangote sets up Africa’s largest petroleum refinery

Top business tycoon, Alhaji Aliko Dangote has inaugurated Africa’s largest refinery, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery worth $19 billion which is set to revolutionize crude oil refining in Africa. The first product is slated to be on the market by July 2023.

The refinery was inaugurated by outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari on May 22, 2023, in Lagos Nigeria, and saw the attendance of 5 African presidents notably, President Gnassingbé Eyadéma of Togo, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger Republic, President Mahamat Déby of Chad and other bigwigs present.

Reports reveal the inauguration comes a decade after the business tycoon had announced plans for the refinery in September 2013, when he had secured about $3.3 billion in financing for the project.

President Buhari during the inauguration stated that the said facility can process 650,000 barrels a day of crude which would enable Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in refined products, and will even have a surplus for export.

“This clearly makes this event a notable milestone for our economy and a game-changer for the downstream petroleum products market, not only in Nigeria but the entire African continent,” the president said, “courtesy the Cable News.

Buhari, reiterating the significance of the project, said Nigeria’s economy has been stressed for many decades by efficiencies in economic infrastructure and over a decade of insurgency.

He says the situation was also severely impacted due to several external crises including the global financial crisis, the collapse of oil prices, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery, with a capacity to process 650,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), which sits on 2,635 hectares of land in the Dangote Industries Free Zone in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, is said to employ over 100,000 persons.

It is expected that the new refinery would meet 100 percent of the Nigerian requirement of all refined products (gasoline, 53 million liters per day; diesel, 34 million liters per day; kerosene, 10 million liters per day, and aviation jet, (2 million liters per day), and also have a surplus of each of these products for export.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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MP Calls For Protection Of Alupe From Illegal Gold Mining

Following an outcry by residents of Alupe in Teso South Sub County, area MP Mary Emase now wants the Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kidiki to secure the area from encroachers from a neighbouring country, whom she said were mining gold illegally in Kenyan land.

Speaking at Alupe after the visit in the area, Emase accused security officers in the area for turning a blind eye to the matter despite several complaints from residents about the ongoing pollution on the land.

‘When you visit Alupe along the border, you will find huge ditches scattered all over an area measuring more than five hectares of illegal goal miners from Uganda who carry out their activities at night with an aim at securing one of the most valuable minerals in the world,’ said Emase.

The lawmaker now wants police to intensify patrols along the border to protect the residents from gold miners who are always armed, posing a big threat to the lives of locals who can no longer cultivate their land for fear of being attacked.

‘The miners from Uganda are always armed, as they know they have encroached on our land. ‘Even the Chinese company doing underground mining in Uganda has caused cracks in many buildings on the Kenyan side, clear evidence of illegal mining on our side,’ she added.

Last month, Busia Deputy Governor Arthur Odera launched the initiative of enacting a law through the County Assembly that will control mining, especially of sand and gold, to avoid degrading wetlands that are sources of water for residents and destroying the habitat of aquatic animals.

Odera noted that sand mining has reduced the wetlands’ natural function of water filtering, thereby harming aquatic life.

He said the miners have encroached on more than 40 per cent of the wetlands at Alupe and Odioi areas in the name of gold and sand.

Emase now wants the government to gazette the Alupe area in Teso South and the Bumutiri area as mining areas and streamline the industry to enable locals to benefit from the lucrative business.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Uasin Gishu Introduces ECDE Milk Programme To Boost Child Development

In a remarkable move to support early childhood development education (ECDE), Governor Jonathan Bii Chelilim of Uasin Gishu County, in collaboration with the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), unveiled a pioneering initiative to provide ECDE milk to young learners.

The launch, held at a local primary school, was attended by key figures including Dr. Bellio Kipsang, the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Basic Education, who commended Governor Bii for his dedication to improving educational outcomes.

During the ceremony, Principal Secretary Bellio Kipsang delivered a speech expressing his admiration for Governor Bii’s vision and commended him for initiating such a transformative programme.

‘We thank you for making it easier for us to continue in ensuring that we increase success, increase retention and transition. One meal per day is so important to children mainly when we are dealing with milk,’ he said.

He praised the Governor’s decision to make ECDE teachers permanent and pensionable, a move that would enhance their motivation and commitment.

Dr. Kipsang also took the opportunity to urge local farmers to increase milk production to meet the demands of the programme, stressing the importance of their contribution in ensuring the success of the initiative.

Governor Jonathan Bii, in his address, emphasized that the launch of the ECDE milk programme marked the realization of one of his key campaign promises where he pledged to ensure the nutritional wellbeing of the young learners in the ECDE.

The programme aims to provide nutritious milk to 40,000 young learners in 687 ECDE centres across Uasin Gishu County twice a week.

‘This programme will benefit more than 40,000 children in our public ECDEs ensuring that they have access to a regular supply of nutritious milk,’ he said.

He underscored the significance of combating malnutrition among students from disadvantaged backgrounds, asserting that the programme would level the playing field and contribute to the overall success, retention, and transition of school children.

‘This programme addresses the pressing issue of malnutrition that affect many of our learners. We understand that not all children come from the same background,’ added Chelilim.

The Governor extended his support to local farmers, promising to ensure a steady supply of animal feed to boost milk production. Creating a favorable environment for dairy farmers, will to foster economic growth and alleviate poverty within the county.

In his remarks, Deputy Governor Eng. John Barorot indicated that the programme will have a transformative impact in promoting learning in the ECDEs.

He praised Governor Bii’s initiative and encouraged teachers to handle the milk with care and ensure it is consumed within the school premises.

Eng. Barorot expressed his belief that Uasin Gishu County’s forward-thinking approach to ECDE would serve as a benchmark for other counties to emulate.

Former Governor of West Pokot, Prof. John Lonyangapuo, lauded the leadership demonstrated by Governor Bii and emphasized the need to prioritize education without political interference.

He emphasized that a strong education system is crucial for national development and commended the ECDE milk program for its potential to attract and retain children in schools.

Nixon Sigey, the Managing Director of the Kenya Cooperative Creameries, expressed gratitude to the Uasin Gishu County government for spearheading the ECDE milk program.

Sigey highlighted the program’s positive impact on dairy farmers and encouraged them to seize the new market niche as a means of improving their livelihoods.

‘This is a very noble program which will support the nutrition of our children in this county and will also go a long way in supporting our dairy farmers,’ noted Sigey.

Various stakeholders including county KNUT and KUPPET representatives and the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAOs) lauded county boss for the implementation of historic milk programme for the ECDE, as they assured of providing a convenient environment to ensure proper security of the milk.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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Health Facility In Dire Need Of Drug Supply, Staff

A health facility in Malongo sub-location within Gwassi North is allegedly facing a severe shortage of drugs for its patients.

Brenda Peterson, a nurse at Malongo Dispensary said the facility had received the last batch of essential drugs mid last year.

Speaking to KNA, she confirmed that they had run out of the drugs adding, they only have Antiretrovirals (ARVs).

‘We ran out of the drugs months ago so we have nothing to give to our patients who are in dire need of them. The only drugs that you can be sure to get here are the ARV’s because they are distributed on a monthly basis,’ she noted.

Malongo Dispensary is the only health facility in Malongo sub-location built in 2015 by the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).

On the issue of under-staff, the dispensary has two registered nurses who manage all the operations of the facility including handling more than 50 patients daily.

There are however no doctors, laboratory technicians, clinicians, pharmacists and other specialized health personnel.

The most common illnesses reported at the facility are diarrhea cases, dermatological conditions, malaria and upper-respiratory infections.

Malongo region lacks power connectivity which is very essential for the operations of any health facility, a matter that has also proven to be a challenge for the dispensary.

Ms. Peterson said they depend on the neighboring Sindo for the storage of vaccines for immunization purposes.

‘We have difficulties in terms of immunization because we do not have electricity and so we are forced to buy gas to power our fridges enabling us to store vaccines,’ she said.

‘When we run out of gas like we do now, we are forced to take the vaccines to the sub-county facility which is very far from here and we have to transport them on a daily basis to ensure our children do not miss their immunization,’ she added.

For malaria testing, the nurses use a diagnostic test kit called Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (MRDTs) which does not require electricity.

Ms. Peterson decried the lack of a standard maternity unit for the mothers in the village adding, ‘We improvised a room to help mothers when they come in so that we can conduct deliveries and help them,’ Ms. Peterson stated.

She implored the government to intervene by setting up a good maternity unit to help the residents during child delivery.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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12 Health Centres Benefit From Oxygen Equipment Donation

Twelve Health centres in Nakuru County have received oxygen supplying equipment in the latest collaboration between the national government, Amref Health Africa and the Global Fund.

County Executive for Health Ms Jaqcline Osoro said the gesture was aimed at ensuring the realization of Primary Healthcare Coverage (PHC) through boosting access to quality and affordable healthcare services and will see the devolved unit receive 695 new oxygen cylinders, oxygen splitters, patient monitors as well as oxygen piping and manifold which will be distributed to the 12 health facilities spread across the county.

Ms Osoro said every equipment given shall be put into good use to improve service delivery so that every patient that visits the health facilities could get better in addition to ensuring that they access medical oxygen on time.

She observed that an effective oxygen ecosystem involves the provision of a consistent and uninterrupted supply of medical oxygen to healthcare facilities through production, storage, and delivery to the bedside.

The initiative Ms Osoro added was a timely example of what it means to build a resilient and sustainable health system.

The event was graced by Chief Officer for Medical Services Dr John Murima, Dr Sospeter Gitonga from the Ministry of Health and the Nakuru County Referral and Teaching Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr James Waweru.

Ms Osoro said the consignment will boost the reliable supply, storage, and distribution of medical oxygen adding that the equipment promise a better future for people needing oxygen therapy, from children with pneumonia to adults with severe tuberculosis and other respiratory conditions like acute asthma attacks.

The investment by the national government, Amref Health Africa and the Global Fund includes the provision of 22 Oxygen Production Plants, 14 oxygen bulk tanks for higher-level facilities, piping, and bedside installations for 320 health facilities, all aimed at last-mile access to medical oxygen, a lifesaving commodity.

The initiative is expected to benefit Kenyans who could not previously receive oxygen at their local primary care facilities due to a shortage of oxygen cylinders or lack of oxygen, as witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, the cylinders were either in short supply or required exorbitant leasing or hiring fees from oxygen manufacturers before refilling and supply.

The new initiative eliminates the barrier of cylinder deposits, which the facilities had to incur to access oxygen. The initiative will also maximize the use of oxygen through innovative ways of dispensing. For instance, attaching multiple cylinders to supply a hospital through a piping system saves oxygen and allows for more patients to be treated on a smaller budget.

Last month, Kenya made a historic milestone in the journey towards Universal Health Coverage when President William Ruto inaugurated a mega initiative by Amref Health Africa, the largest health development non-governmental organization in Africa.

The initiative, financed through the support of the Global Fund for HIV, TB, and Malaria, provided Sh20,971,500,000 (USD$ 155 million) as an emergency investment towards the Covid-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) to Kenya, out of which Sh5,547,300,000 (USD$ 41 million) went into strengthening the supply system for medical oxygen.

Under the C-19RM project, Amref Health Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, procured 20,620 medical oxygen cylinders worth nearly Sh1 billion to strengthen the Oxygen ecosystem across the 47 counties.

The World Health Organization acknowledges that oxygen is an essential medicine, used to care for patients at all levels of the healthcare system. This includes surgery, trauma, heart failure, asthma, pneumonia and maternal and child care.

‘Pneumonia alone accounts for 800,000 deaths per year with estimates indicating that between 20 to 40 per cent of these deaths could be prevented with the availability of oxygen therapy,’ WHO says.

The demand for oxygen has further been accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic that has seen more patients admitted in health facilities. WHO estimates that the need has increased to 1.1 million cylinders in low to middle-income countries.

Source: Kenya News Agency

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