Post APC primary election, Buhari meets Amaechi, Lawan behind closed doors

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday evening met separately with the Former Minister of Transportation Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and President of the Senate, Ahmed Lawal at the State House. Aso Villa. Both men were presidential aspirants at the just concluded Primary election of the All Progressives Congress(APC). 

The meeting comes barely two days after the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu, met Buhari on a thank you visit to the Villa. 

Although the matters discussed with Amaechi were not disclosed, Lawan who spoke after his session with the President said the party was still grappling with challenges it inherited since 1999.

Amaechi at the Villa

“I want to make a promise to Nigerians on behalf of my party that APC at the state and national levels will always do things that would matter for the lives of the ordinary Nigerians and why we are failing is not because we want to fail. It’s because we are challenged and we are only eight years old.

“We had a political party that was in power for 16 years and most of the problems that APC met at the state and national levels are issues sown a long time ago since 1999 and some were there before 1999.  

“We have done a lot. I am a chief participant in this administration and I know just how much has been invested in the infrastructure of this nation and how much we have invested in empowering the youth,” he said. 

According to Punch, both former aspirants are visiting the President for the first time since the presidential primary election. 

No official statement was released after the closed door meetings.

Breaking: Nigeria Air licensed to fly by NCAA

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), on Monday, presented the Air Transport License (ATL) to the interim management of Nigeria Air.

The event took place Monday at the Corporate Headquarters of the NCAA, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja.

Nigeria Air is the nation’s proposed national carrier and it is set up to be a public-private partnership with the federal government maintaining 5% stake, while 49% would be held by strategic equity partners and 46% by Nigerian entrepreneurs.

The ATL signed by the Director-General of the NCAA, Captain Musa Nuhu will run for a period of five (5)years from June 3rd, 2022 to June 2nd, 2027.
The new national airline is expected to provide scheduled and non-scheduled services. It is one of the licenses received by airlines before they can commence operation just as they await the all-important Air Operator Certificate (AOC) that fully guarantees them the right to begin air services.
Nigeria Air Limited, the country’s proposed national carrier had in April 2022 applied to the NCAA for a license to operate scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo service.
it is to be a public-private partnership with the federal government maintaining 5% stake, while 49% would be held by strategic equity partners and 46% by Nigerian entrepreneurs.

The Ministry of Aviation also on its official Twitter handle, @fmaviationng on Monday, announced the presentation of the ATL to the interim board of the new airline.
It wrote: “Presentation of Airline Transport Licence (ATL) to Interim Board of Nigeria Air. Nigeria Air is here and is going to provide quality service to Nigerians.”

FAAN, stakeholders hold conference on safe, secure, profitable air transport

All is now set for the maiden “FAAN National Aviation Conference” being organized by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

The conference, with the theme ‘Advancing the Frontiers of Possibilities for Safe, Secure and Profitable Air Transport’ which was initially billed to hold from 1st to 4th April, 2020 stalled due to the global movement restrictions occasioned by the dreaded coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19).

The conference is aimed at providing a veritable platform for brainstorming and sharing  knowledge and ideas on the progress and challenges in the Aviation Industry in Nigeria.

FAAN’s Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Faithful A. Hope-Ivbaze (Mrs) who made this known in a statement on Tuesday, said the scheduled date for the conference is 14th to 17th June, 2022, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

“FNAC will bring together captains of industries, top government functionaries, seasoned aviation experts and key stakeholders like the Honourable Minister of Aviation – Senator Hadi Sirika, State Governors and Chief Executives of all Aviation industry.

“A select number of dignitaries will also speak on critical issues faced by our industry”, she said.

She also added that the conference will also feature an investment forum, which will focus on attracting local and international investors in order to apprise them with the investment opportunities in the Nigerian aviation industry.

Some of the topics that will be treated by seasoned aviation experts at the conference include; Implementing Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM): Prospects and Challenges; Collaborative Service Delivery in Nigeria Air Transport Industry: The way forward; Aviation and National Security: Emerging Trends; Addressing Nigeria’s Unviable Airport Syndrome; Nigerian Airports: Gateway to Developing and Managing Tourist Destinations in Nigeria;Ease of Doing Business as a panacea for boosting investments in Nigerian airports among others.

“The conference promises to be a catalyst for investments and national economic development, while also addressing the future of Nigerian Airports with respect to safety; security; innovations; financing; leasing; sustainability and growth”, she concluded.

Cross River journalists elect new Exco

The newly elected executive of the Cross River State Journalists Forum have been urged to be diligent in their watchdog role especially in the state.
The charge was given by past executives of the forum after the elections held at the NUJ FCT secretariat Utako which saw the new Exco led by Ignatius Ushie given certificates of return.
In his charge, Don Bassey Awassam harped on the need to identify with credible media houses so as to remain relevant in the profession, adding that the Exco should engage the executive back home in the state to ensure accountability.
Also speaking, Omini Oden. Head, Corporate Affairs, Media and Communication National Senior Citizens Centre stressed the importance of a forum such as CROSSJOF and called on members and Exco not to relent in fostering the spirit of teamwork and professionalism.
The outgoing Chairman Gabriel Odu called on the new Exco to leverage on the foundation built by the outgoing Exco to take the Cross River Journalists Forum to greater heights.
Other members of the newly elected executive include, Lulu Bankong , Vice Chairman, Francisca Ogar secretary, Godwin Tawo assistant secretary, Idara Ukpanyang Treasurer, Wofai Ibor financial secretary, Leonard Oru Welfare secretary, Nten Ekpang public Relations Officer.
In his acceptance speech, the incoming Chairman thanked the forum for the confidence reposed in his team and him and promised that priority will be given to members welfare in his tenure.
The Cross River Journalists Forum is an association of journalists of Cross River extraction practicing in the FCT.

Eid El Fitr: Kogi Professionals Network Charges Muslims, Others on Politics, Security

In commemoration of the Eid El Fitr marking the end of their 30-day Ramadan fast, the Kogi Professionals Network (KPN) has congratulated all Muslim faithful in Nigeria and Kogi State in particular for staying true to the spirit of the period.

Convener and President of the Network, Dr. James Odaudu in a statement Monday said “as we pray for their good deeds, petitions and supplications to be accepted by the Almighty Allah (SAW), we also remind them that the nation, and by extension, Kogi State, needs constant spiritual intervention to overcome the political, spiritual and security challenges currently plaguing the polity”.

According to him, “This need has become very paramount, given that the State is passing through a period of selections and elections of a new set of leaders in whose hands the destiny of the over five million Kogites will be thrusted.

“We therefore request the Christians to join their Muslim brothers and sisters in praying and working for the emergence of leaders with capacity and undiluted commitment to the welfare of the people and overall development of the state.”

He called on Kogites, irrespective of their ethnic, political and religious backgrounds, to join hands in ensuring that the bigotries that have held the state down from inception are removed henceforth by supporting only those that have the zeal and patriotic disposition to the development of the state.

Kogi Professionals Network is a Association of professionals of diverse disciplines and membership drawn from all over the state without bias to place of residence, gender, tribal, religious or political affiliations, and with unalloyed commitment to the entrenchment of good governance and unity in Kogi State.

Clergyman advocates marriage as tool for national unity

The wedding on Saturday between Mark Dassan Godhelp of Takka, Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State and Lucy Chinwendu Godwin, of Umokoro, Ngor-Okpala Local Government Area, Imo state provided a platform to reemphasize the for national unity.

Rev. Fr. Jude Maigari, the officiating Preist, described the wedding which held at St. Rita Catholic Church, Unity Estate, Mararaba, Lafia Diocese, as a practical demonstration of the country’s unity, stressing that the event represents a mini Nigeria.

Admonishing the couple on ways to make their marriage work and live happily ever after, Fr. Maigari, gave five principles including patience, counselling skills, forgiveness, wisdom and love for each other.

“the couple must have the patience of a teacher, the skills of a counsellor, the forgiveness of a mother, wisdom of a salesman, and always demonstrate the love of Christ” stated Rev. Fr. Maigari.

He said that Saturday’s wedding marks the 125th in St Rita this year, urging the couple to imbibe the habits of saying ‘I am sorry’ ‘Please I forgive me’ as these words have a way of growing their love and helping them live in harmony.

The Preist anchored the first Bible reading on the book of Sirach 26:1-4 and 13+16 with the theme: ‘Like the sun rising in the beauty of a well-kept house’, while the second reading was anchored on the first letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians 5, 22-33.

Speaking during the occasion, the Rev. Dr. Victoria Ogechi Mirabelle, expressed excited saying that it is a dream come true, stressing that the events that led to the realization of the wedding, show that it is ordained by God.

‘For sometime, I have been praying for my daughter’s wedding and God asked me to choose a date. So I did choose a date and to confirm that this is ordained by God, the day the young man came to ask if Lucy could marry him, he named the date that coincided with the one I had earlier choose’ she stated.

In his remarks, Mr. Matthew Gusen, the groom’s father, described the occasion as a happy one, noting that the wedding remains an event will remembered for the rest of his life.

‘Today is my happiest day and a day I will remember till I die. The way the Igbo community are dancing show me that truly that have given me their daughter, and I promise to take care of her the way God would like’.

The occasion provided a uniting factor between the Plateau people of the North Central region and Igbo of the South Eastern region of Nigeria as it was signposted with different dance groups from both regions.

FG TARGETS $2.6M, 5000 JOBS FROM BADAGRY SEAPORT

The Federal Government has disclosed that when the Badagry Deep Seaport becomes operational, it is estimated to generate $ 2.6 million and create about 5, 000 jobs, directly and indirectly.

This was made known Wednesday when the Minister of Transportation,  Rotimi Amaechi, received in courtesy, the Director, Transportation, Infrastructure Department, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, Dr. Emmanuel Onwodi, who presented the Minister, the “Full Business Case Compliance Certificate” for the Badagry Deep Seaport and the Modular Floating Dock.

In a statement signed by the Director Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Dr. Onwodi, said the project will “create a total ecosystem in terms of shipping, transportation, job creation and others” Most notable attribute of the Badagry port, Onwodi, said is that it will enable the country compete favourably with the Contonou seaport” .

“In respect of the Dry Dock which is handled by NIMASA, the revenue that will come to the Federal Government within that period is $65 million and it’s going to create a job opportunity of over 800,000”, Onwodi said.

The Minister thanked the ICRC for its diligence, noting that the presentation reflects that the project is financially viable.

He further informed that the Ministry will write to the Federal Executive Council for approval on the projects.

Present at the function was the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.






Abuja Airport to introduce park and pay for motorists

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has concluded plans to introduce a more organized park and pay for motorists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

The development is to address the problems of touts, who go about harrasing and extorting innocent drivers who bring in passengers at the airport.

Speaking to the Executive members iof the Abuja Transportation and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA) the airport manager/Regional general manager North Central, Kabir Mohammed said this is aimed at bringing sanity to the airport.

He also said as part of the ongoing reorganisations at the airport, the rowdy taxi drivers and the illegal businesses going on at the front of the departure hall at airport will addressed.

Also, in order curb the issue of the traffic Jam at the toll gate of the airport, which affected staff, airport users and passengers, the airport manager has commissioned a taskforce which constitutes of himself and head of department to supervise at the toll gate on a daily basis with the sole aim of managing the inflow of
traffic into airport.

This effort has improved on the situation to a great extent, making entry into the airport easier.

Mohammed has proposed the relocation of the Mosque to a more comfortable location for easy vehicular movement within the airport and as well as expanding the car park.

Mohammed has proposed the introduction of shuttle buses for staff, stakeholders and airport users, as well as a staff welfare & recreation centre.

Introduction of staff weekly/monthly reporting which has made positive impact on staff discipline and performance.

Apapa Gridlock: FG to sanction erring port terminal operators

The Federal Ministry of Transportation has threatened to sanction liable terminal operators who obstruct Federal Governments efforts aimed at enhancing the ease of doing business at the nation’s ports.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, stated this today at the flag-off of the Ports Standing Task Team’s “Operation Free the Ports Corridors” of perennial gridlock witnessed along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.

The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Magdalene Ajani, said “Terminal operators are tenants of the Nigerian Ports Authority and there are terms and conditions for their operations and they can be brought to book”.

She made this assertion following allegations that the operators intentionally delay containers to accumulate demurrage while making it compulsory for clients to pay deposit on them and still slow down the process so that the required number of days elapses, causing the importer to lose the deposits.

Speaking further, she said: “The greatest thing that can happen to Nigeria is that Apapa ports remains free and business transactions are achieved in less than 24 hours”. This and more she affirmed can be realised when all agencies operating at the ports adopt a Standard Operating Procedure geared towards achieving the Nigerian Port Process Manual.

While directing the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), to repair the failed sections of the roads , she equally informed of ongoing discussion with the Federal Ministry of Works on how to ameliorate the roads before the rains set in.

Narrating how getting to Apapa port was an impossible task in December of 2020, the Permanent Secretary luaded the Ports Standing Task Team for making it possible for her to get to Apapa from the airport in just 40 minutes. While acknowledging that a lot still needs to be done in areas of access roads, she prayed what has been achieved, should be sustained

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Emmanuel Jime, in his presentation “congratulated the Ports Standing Task Team for having succeeded in forming the group as an enlarged task team for the purposes of removing illegal checkpoints and shanties along the port corridors”.

On the issue of Stakeholders commitment towards resolving the challenges at the ports, Jime said: “I am particularly excited because of the level of buy-in obtained from the Stakeholders, coming from both the public and private sectors. It goes just to demonstrate how all of us are eager to rid the port corridors of the anomalies we witness daily”.

He assured the relevant stakeholders on behalf of the task team that the operations will be conducted without undermining the provisions of any agencies Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) or Act, adding that the team is also mindful of all legal and Institutional frameworks guiding the operations of all agencies operating within the corridor.

Speaking also, the General Manager, Monitoring and Regulatory Services, Nigerian Port Authority, Eniola Williams, who represented the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, attested to the MoU in the area of enforcement of minimum standards for Trucks, adding that the Federal Ministry of Works has been reached to ensure that the roads are rehabilitated, as it is a factor that needs to be addressed aside from streamlining the checkpoints and individuals along the port corridor.

The Chairman Apapa Local Government Area, Lagos State, Idowu Sebanjo, called on all government agencies to return Apapa to the Port City status she hitherto enjoyed. “it is our mission in the local authority to make Apapa a modern city, where things are done properly, people living properly and the environment is clean and conducive for everybody.

FG directs NRC to handover passengers’ identification to technology firm

The Minister of Transportation, Rt Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has directed the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) to handover tickets and passengers identification to Secure ID, the company incharge of the E-Ticketing platform for Abuja-Kaduna rail service, to reduce crime and avoid security crises on the route.

Amaechi disclosed this when the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) presented the Full Business Case Certificates (FBC) for Lagos-Ibadan and Itakpe-Warri E-Ticketing service to the Ministry of Transportation, Wednesday.

According to him, the introduction of the E-Ticketing platform for Abuja-Kaduna had increased the generated revenue from about 100million Naira to 400million Naira monthly,  successfully blocking revenue leakages.

“The benefits of the E-Ticketing is that we rose from 100million Naira to 400 million Naira per month, which is an improvement, we have been able to do something that will eliminate leakages.

“On the issue of  ticket racketeering, I have spoken to the person in charge of Abuja-Kaduna to take over the identification process from NRC. Because what the National Assembly told me was that NRC doesn’t cross-check the ID of passengers on the tickets, and the ticketing company had wanted to do it, but they have not gotten the approval from NRC.

“So I have told NRC to allow them do it, so that we match faces with the names. It’s not all about crime alone but it’s also security. So if we release it to the technology outfit, eventhough we cannot eliminate 100 percent crime and corruption, it will reduce the danger of having to run into security crises, so that we know that what we are battling with is not crises in our terminals but on the way and I believe that, that also will be sorted out as we go to cabinet for approval of the security gadgets.”

Earlier, Mr. Michael Ohiani, the Acting Director-General of the ICRC said that the concession is for ten years which will generate over 140 billion Naira during the period and also create over 3000 direct and indirect jobs.

“The concession is for ten years,  it is going to generate over 140billion Naira to the Federal Government,  most importantly it will also create job opportunities for over 3000, direct and indirect jobs. 

“The next phase is for the Honourable Minister to take it to the Federal Executive Council for approval and the Ministry of Justice will now clear it,” Ohiani said.