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United Nigeria Airlines Targets Regional, Int’l Flight

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United Nigeria Airlines Targets Regional, Int’l Flight

United Nigeria Airlines Aims to Establish Both Regional and International Flights

United Nigeria Airlines announced that it will begin regional as well as international flight operations in a short amount of time after it was recently added to the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) registry.

This information was divulged by the chief operating officer of United Nigeria Airlines, Maxi Osita Okonkwo, during the presentation of the IOSA award to the airline by the representatives of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), West and Central Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun, at the airline’s office in Lagos. The award was given out by Dr. Samson Fatokun.

Okonkwo revealed that the airline’s acquisition of the IOSA certificate in fewer than two years following the launch of its operations is one step towards the airline’s long-term goals of expanding its operations to regional and international levels.

He went on to say that being on the IOSA register was a necessary condition and requirement for venturing into the international market, and he described the process as an eye-opener.
According to him, “It was a serious process that opened up our eyes to many different things, and this is one step towards our long-term objectives because we have plans of going regional and international, and being on the IATA register is a necessary condition and requirement.” We are ecstatic, and we insist that you keep an eye on this space because we will be making additional announcements in the coming days, weeks, and months. The IOSA audit programme was a very serious one, and it enlightened us to a great deal of information regarding a great deal of information. It is both a privilege and a responsibility to have this opportunity, but we have managed to rise to the challenge and emerge victorious as a result. We would like to express our gratitude to our team, in particular those members who have put in a significant amount of time, including hours, days, and months, in order to get us to this point. We would also like to extend our gratitude to IATA and the audit team, who travelled from all over the world.

I can tell you that we achieved that two years of starting operations, however, it won’t have been easy without support from the stakeholders and regulators, as stated by Okonkwo. “When we started operation from day one, we made this part of our programmes and our chairman said anything we need to do to be internationally recognised, to be in IATA register, we should do it within two years of our operations.”
Also speaking, the IATA representative in West and Central Africa, Dr. Samson Fatokun, revealed that United Airlines has joined the list of a select few airlines in the subregion that is registered with the IOSA registry.

Read also: OPC officers in Ogun detain a suspect in robbery

According to him, there are six airlines hailing from Nigeria that are included on the IOSA register; as a result, Nigeria is the only nation in Africa to hold the highest IOSA certificate.

On the other hand, he cautioned the airline operator that keeping a presence in the registry is a difficult and time-consuming task, as the majority of airlines discover that it is difficult to keep their status.

“It’s a great opportunity for us at IATA to present the prestigious IOSA certificate to any airline,” Fatokun said. “We know what it takes to achieve that feat, and as you said, in less than two years of your operation, you are already at this level where you can be said to have adhered to the global safety standard at its best.” The IOSA stands for the International Air Transport Association, which is an international organisation that regulates the aviation industry. That is a very impressive accomplishment, and we would like to extend our congratulations to you for achieving it. We would also like to extend our congratulations to the team that worked so hard. It is an admirable accomplishment, but staying at that level requires a greater level of effort and commitment. There are airlines that get there but are unable to maintain their stay because of the weather. We are unable to accept anything other than this, and you have performed exceptionally well. IOSA is both a step towards and an end in the process of achieving higher levels, such as membership in IATA and a great deal more.

We have very few airlines in the West and Central Africa region that are on the IOSA registry at the moment, and you are one of the few. That is very good for an airline that came onboard in less than 2 years, and we hope that you will be able to maintain that. “We have very few airlines in the West and Central Africa region that are on the IOSA registry at the moment. It is by far the only country in Africa that has this number of IOSA member airlines, as Nigeria is home to six airlines that are included on the IOSA registry. No other country on the African continent, not even South Africa, exists. I’d like to offer my congratulations to the operators in Nigeria.
However, Fatokun disclosed that the IOSA safety audit is meant to complement the safety audit conducted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), not to compete with it.

“The IOSA backs the governing body, the NCAA, and the two of us are cooperating towards the achievement of a single objective, which is safety, which is our top priority. We can see the result in terms of safety on our flight and safety record as a country as a result of working with NCAA, the local regulator to achieve this. Because of this, IOSA has not come to take over from them but rather to support each other.

Read also: Abia police confirm cop was beheaded, guarantee informant’s safety.

“It’s a symbiotic relationship that ensures the same goal of keeping our flight safe is accomplished,” said the pilot. It also indicates that you are on par with other international carriers because we adhere to the same standards and rigours in terms of safety, as he stated in his conclusion.

APC Governors Support Akpabio for Senate President – Ganduje

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APC Governors Support Akpabio for Senate President – Ganduje

Abdullahi Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State, made the announcement that other governors who are members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have decided to assign the position of Senate President to the South-South geopolitical region of the country.

Previously, the governors who are members of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) made the suggestion that the position of Senate President ought to be allocated to either the South-east or the South-south region.

They also suggested that the positions of majority leader, deputy majority leader, and chief whip should be used as compensation for those who might be asked to step down from running for the position of four presiding officers. This was one of the ideas that was presented.

Read Also: APC NWC fails to allocate seats for N’Assembly leadership

However, in a video that is currently making its way around the internet and was produced by African Independent Television (AIT), Mr. Ganduje confirmed that the APC governors have made the decision to support Godswill Akpabio, who is originally from the South-south region.

The video showed that Mr. Ganduje, along with some of his fellow governors, including Ben Ayade of Cross River State, were meeting with a few different people.

Mr. Ganduje gave his word that the plan of the zoning formula that the governors had proposed for the party would not be altered in any way, and he was certain of this.

“The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come from the South-south, and there will be no other person than the former governor of Akwa Ibom, the uncommon governor, the uncommon minister who will be the uncommon president of the senate,” he said. “The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come from the South-south.”

“Since we have reached a conclusion regarding that matter, we can now provide assurance to you. We are awaiting the day that the deal will be finalised in order to become the President of the Senate in Nigeria.
In his response, Mr. Ayade conveyed his gratitude to the governors of the APC for zoning the position of Senate President to his geopolitical region.

He extended his congratulations to Mr. Akpabio on his election to the position of Senate President.

“I want to also thank you very much for actually zoning the president of the Senate to South-south and to our brother from our neighbouring state who is also a part of Cross River State. I really appreciate it.” We honour him, and we are grateful that you have provided us with this opportunity.

Read Also: NPA: FG plans to construct a new seaport in 2026.

The candidates vying for the nomination of senate president from the South-south geopolitical zone are Mr. Akpabio and Osita Izunaso, who is from the state of Imo.

Both Messrs. Akpabio and Izunaso have previous experience serving in the Senate for one full term of four years each. They are also said to have paid a visit to President Muhammadu Buhari in an effort to convince the president to make it easier for the zoning to be applied to their region.

Abia police confirm cop was beheaded, guarantee informant’s safety.

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Abia police confirm cop was beheaded, guarantee informant’s safety.

The decapitation of an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Aba on Tuesday was confirmed by the Abia State Police Command.

Geoffrey Ogbonna, the State Public Relations Officer, characterised the behaviour as heinous and strongly condemnable.

 

He appealed for reliable information on the perpetrators or anyone found in possession of a gun that might have been obtained illegally.

The public is urged to assist by providing reliable information on the perpetrators or anyone found in possession of a firearm that may have been obtained illegally, according to Ogbonna.

The “protection of identity” of the informant(s) is assured, he claimed.

Read Also: Tinubu and Wike’s political relationship

In retaliation for their kingpin being shot dead by the police on Sunday, April 23, 2023, hoodlums beheaded the Aba police superintendent early on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, and threatened to keep the city’s residents and police on guard at all times.

Tinubu and Wike’s political relationship

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Tinubu and Wike’s political relationship

English comedian Charles Spencer Chaplin once compared himself to a politician when discussing his career and the level of respect people accord him.

Hear him say, “I still only remain one thing, and that is a clown. It elevates me above any politician by a huge margin.

One of the greatest artists of all time, Chaplain had fervent political beliefs that tended to favour the welfare of the populace. He made reference to the deceitful nature of many politicians, which leads them to make promises they do not intend to keep.

A politician makes a fool of themselves by trying to fool the public and creating a trust deficit, whereas a comedian makes jokes for a living and to make people happy. The renowned director discussed how political loyalty is defined by current circumstances and how a friend today can turn into an arch-enemy tomorrow. Indeed, politicians are a unique breed.

In Nigeria, this is especially true. People would assemble to laugh at the ridiculousness of some of those we call leaders if our politicians weren’t so rapacious and callous to turn the majority of citizens into the poorest of the poor in the world, taking the shine out of their lives.

For instance, on Tuesday, Mr. Nyesom Wike, the departing governor of Rivers State, made a state broadcast! Why? to announce Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incoming president, will be visiting the state for two days. You can only imagine what Wike would do if Tinubu were elected president since we are discussing a man who has not yet taken the oath of office!

The broadcast, however, was not the last. When the governor declares a state of emergency on Wednesday, when Tinubu is expected, the situation becomes even more absurd.

Having declared a public holiday, all government buildings were closed. Perhaps it would have been acceptable if he had stopped there, but Wike prevented shop owners from opening in some areas of the state because he views Tinubu’s first trip as the winner of the presidential election as a badge of honour for his state. And just how is that? Would the President-elect’s visit provide food for the thousands of people whose wayward action on Wednesday would make it impossible for them to make a living? Isn’t this an illustration of the impunity that has permeated Nigerian politics?

Read Also: NPA: FG plans to construct a new seaport in 2026.

You wonder how much the governor considered when making decisions like shutting down the state and if he actually sought advice from other branches of the government. Justice would be delayed or denied for many state residents due to the holiday he declared on Wednesday. Numerous defendants or accused parties who should have been in court would have been deprived of the chance to present their cases because the courts wouldn’t open. That does not take into account the state’s forced reduction in working hours, the number of schools that will be closed, or the numerous other ways the state would lose resources. It is beyond reckless executive action for a governor to sacrifice social, economic, educational, and other endeavours in order to appear favourable to the president-elect.

However, Wike’s actions are not as significant as his intentions. One of those who witnessed the governor’s anguish over how the Peoples Democratic Party treated him after he lost the presidential primary in May of last year included yourself.

When everyone, including Atiku and former presidents elected on the PDP platform, left the party after the 2015 elections, Wike and former governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State remained the only voices that spoke for and kept the party together, according to my article “Atiku, not Wike, is the problem,” which was published on August 18, 2022. That ought to mean something. Wike doesn’t currently have a significant stake in the PDP, though. A president retains control of the whip and can use it as he sees fit on anyone, whether they have erred in the past or are simply thinking about it, even if he reconciles with Atiku and the latter wins the election. There are no assurances that Wike will be relevant in the PDP after the election, especially considering how little the standard bearer valued him before the vote.

Despite the fact that the governor and his allies based their disagreement with the PDP establishment on the leadership’s North-heavy makeup, those with the ability to discern saw through this smokescreen. They were aware that Wike was battling more for his own survival. The politician is looking for another paradise after peeing in the PDP’s hell kitchen.

Wike has adopted Niccol Machiavelli’s totalitarian strategy of “the end justifies the means” in his struggle for survival. He is unconcerned with the costs to the residents of the state he is governor of.

As he framed the situation, the Rivers governor would currently be on a PDP reconciliation mission if this were not being done to protect enlightened self-interests but rather out of consideration for southern Nigeria. This is true because Nigeria has never needed a more active opposition party than it does right now. Therefore, Wike should cooperate with other party members to restart the PDP since Iyorcha Ayu, the man he wanted to leave the party, had already resigned. The people of Nigeria should feel secure knowing that the crucial task of holding the incoming All Progressives Congress administration accountable would be effectively checked by a powerful force. Sadly, the leading advocate for inclusivity from yesterday is now sleeping with a Muslim president-elect whose deputy is also Muslim.

And this is not meant to support our leaders’ propensity to uphold these fundamental principles. Any kind of dichotomy should be avoided at all costs as our nation develops. And those who use their positions to incite Nigerians against one another will suffer in the eyes of history. But how can someone who notices regional injustice fail to notice religious injustice?

The answer is that this is Nigeria, where morality is irrelevant and government is a business. Nobody in politics wants to be removed from office and left to fend for themselves. They still rely on politics for their livelihood, and it’s the only way to prevent them from becoming political fodder in the hands of allies they’ve made in high places.

Wike’s first step towards gaining a place in the new king’s court is to invite Tinubu to Port Harcourt. It serves as protection from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s ominous eyes. It will stop the public from querying the governor’s recent appropriation of state funds to ill-conceived projects at the whim and how he has come to control the entire state.

Having Tinubu inaugurate projects and shut down the state would, in the opinion of a man who has reduced development to building flyovers, bridges, and other things while the human resource in the state is wallowing in poverty, put him in good stead for patronage. Nevertheless, the latter is a member of the same political party that he disparaged before splitting with it.

All things considered, Wike’s political actions and future would be meaningless if he did not violate people’s rights for political gain. It remains to be seen how much he succeeds in the game he is playing with a political cynic like Tinubu.

 

 

NPA: FG plans to construct a new seaport in 2026.

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NPA: FG plans to construct a new seaport in 2026.

According to the Nigerian Ports Authority, the Federal Government intends to build another deep seaport within the next three to four years.

In an interview with Nigerian Ports Today, a quarterly publication of the organisation, which our correspondent happened to see, Muhammad Bello-Koko, the managing director of NPA, made the statement.

 

Bello-Koko announced that proposals for the construction of additional seaports in the nation had been received while providing an update on the recently approved Badagry deep seaport.

“If we examine what transpired at the Lekki Deep Seaport, it took at least three years, and we anticipate that another deep seaport will be built in the following three to four years. Thus, the Federal Government has given its blessing to the Badagry deep seaport. We are working with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and other governmental organisations to ensure that the business case is properly developed, and the other ports are still under development. A proposal has been set up for each of these port locations. After the problem with financial construction, I think the majority of them would have finished their financial arrangements, received the necessary approvals, and some of them would already be working. We can anticipate seeing at least one or two seaports in the next four to five years.

However, the NPA boss revealed that in 2023, the agency’s revenue had increased by between 60% and 70%.

Bello-Koko claimed that more cargoes headed for neighbouring countries had been intercepted by the agency in the previous eight years.

“This indicates that we have more cargo traffic entering the country, which has increased the country’s gross domestic product and also increased the revenue of the NPA,” he said.

The NPA boss continued, saying that the organisation had noticed increased activity in the Calabar port and that it wanted to make sure that the tariff trickled down to the final consumers.

“What was done has more to do with Calabar port, and we have noticed an increase in activity as a result of encouraging people to bring large vessels into that port. However, we will make sure that this tariff is passed on to the final consumers.

Bello-Koko added that the organisation had formed a committee to oversee the use of the reduced tariff to entice importers to use the Calabar port.

“That is, if the tariff is reduced, we should be able to bring a container to Calabar even though it costs me a million naira to bring it here. A committee is working on this. To make eastern ports profitable, you must consider more than just tariffs. You must also guarantee the area’s security, which is why we are collaborating with the Nigerian Navy.

Despite the nation’s rising inflation, Bello-Koko revealed that the NPA had not reviewed port tariffs in 30 years.

In a television interview on Tuesday night, he said this.

He claims that the organisation only examined its towing services between 2012 and 2014.

He stated that since 1993, the government had been using the same rates.

Read Also: OPC officers in Ogun detain a suspect in robbery

Since 1993, the NPA has not raised its tariff. As of right now, we continue to apply the rates that we have been since 1993. 1993 marked the last time the NPA raised its tariff. Although there may be high costs associated with doing business at the ports, we haven’t raised our tariff in 30 years.

He claimed that while business expenses might be rising, this wouldn’t be related to NPA tariff rates.

“The NPA raised the price of towage in either 2012 or 2014. Since 1993, every other tariff has remained the same. Although the cost of doing business may be rising, the NPA’s tariff and rates are not to blame, he argued.

According to Bello-Koko, the agency only unified the tariffs in 2012.

“In 2012, we merged and harmonised the tariffs because there were so many of them. Before that, anyone looking for our tariffs will find a lot of them disassembled. So, what we ultimately did was merge them, he said.

Regarding port construction, the NPA MD claimed that even though every port requires some level of renovation, the situation at Tincan Port is the worst.

“We have been working palliatively and attempting to control the situation. However, we believe that palliative works are no longer viable at this point.

“In order to check those infrastructures, we conducted a NEEDS assessment for the entire authority. Following that, we decided it was time to completely rebuild those infrastructures. The worst condition, in a terrible state, is at Tincan Port. We think it’s time to rebuild and restore Tincan Port. Other ports also have some quays that require renovation. Nearly all of the ports, including Apapa, Warri, Calabar, and Onne, require some quay rehabilitation. Our analysis revealed that we require about $800 million in order to renovate all the ports, the man said.

 

OPC officers in Ogun detain a suspect in robbery

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OPC officers in Ogun detain a suspect in robbery

In the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, members of the Oodua Peoples Congress (New Era) have detained a middle-aged man who is thought to be a member of a robbery gang that specialises in robbing unsuspecting pedestrians of their valuables along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The suspect, known only as Tajudeen, was apprehended on Monday at around 7 o’clock while attempting to steal a generating set in the state’s Magboro region’s Oke Afa neighbourhood.

 

According to reports, he was turned over to officers working out of the Warewa Police Station near the expressway.

According to information obtained by our correspondent, the suspect admitted that he is a member of a gang that operates at the Magboro Bus Stop end of the expressway late at night to rob people of their valuables.

Ogunsolu Olayiwola, the local OPC commander, revealed to our correspondent on Wednesday that in addition to robbing commuters along the expressway, the suspect had also admitted to stealing from a nearby fishpond among other locations.

We were at Oke Afa in Magboro, close to the expressway, when the owner of a store where the suspect was attempting to steal a generator raised the alarm, according to Olayiwola. He attempted to flee by leaping into an unfinished building, but we caught him.

“He admitted to us later that he had been busted stealing numerous times. After that, we brought him to the Warewa Police Station where we turned him over to the officers, who informed us that they would bring charges against him this week.

Read Also: APC NWC fails to allocate seats for N’Assembly leadership

“When we asked him about those he operates with, he confessed to us that he has others in the area who specialise in snatching bags, phones, and other valuables along Magboro Bus Stop,” Semiu Oladapo, another member of the OPC team, said.

The suspect named some of his gang members who are still at large in a video that our correspondent saw of him confessing.

When reached, SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the state police public relations officer, claimed he had not yet received a briefing on the development.

 

APC NWC fails to allocate seats for N’Assembly leadership

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APC NWC fails to allocate seats for N’Assembly leadership

At its meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress was unable to reach a consensus regarding the allocation of the senate presidency and speakership of the 10th National Assembly.

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the APC, revealed that the NWC could not make a decision on the zoning arrangement without the input of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who was away in Port Harcourt at the time of the meeting to inaugurate some projects carried out by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

 

Adamu presided over the four-hour meeting, which got underway at around 1 pm, and no fewer than 18 of the NWC’s 24 members were present.

The discussion was supposed to put to rest rumours about the region that would produce the 10th National Assembly’s top officials.

While the lawmakers from the South-East and South-South thought it was fair to give their regions the Senate Presidency, their Northern counterparts are adamant that only the criteria of competence and experience mattered.

After the discussion was over, the chairman addressed the media and revealed that they had a significant discussion, further demonstrating how strong and unified the party leadership is.

The result of our four-hour meeting, according to Adamu, was that we emerged stronger and more unified than ever. The National Assembly’s zoning, which some of you have inquired about, is not the main topic of today’s meeting. We don’t just go as a party when we want to do zoning.

“Zoning is to bring along Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the president-elect, who is the person with the mandate of the nation. He must travel with us. He left after the elections and didn’t return until last week. He must be carried by us.

Additionally, we are powerless to stop ambitious people with regional, personal, or institutional interests. We can’t refute them. We need to come up with a persuasive strategy to achieve some level of consensus as long as that is the case. We are focusing on that at the moment. This is not a one-day event.

In a similar vein, when asked about the outcome of the NWC meeting, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, reaffirmed the chairman’s views.

Morka added that a committee made up of five of the six zonal chairmen of the NWC has been established to settle the ongoing dispute between Adamu and Lukman and to address the issues brought up by the Kaduna politician.

Read Also: Street sweepers in Cross River and shame of state

Among the many topics covered at the meeting, he continued, “We look at some internal and domestic housekeeping matters with a colleague you know who has voiced his concerns about something he believes the party should be doing. We gave it careful thought.

“A committee that was formed to finish that conversation is working right now, as we speak. Therefore, there is still a meeting in progress that I am supposed to attend in order to completely rectify that discussion and provide a final set of recommendations regarding it.

“However, I’m happy to report that the party is united behind the leadership of Senator Abdullahi Adamu, our party’s national chairman. We are all united in our position. The worries expressed by our colleague (Lukman) are being investigated. And I believe that when the time is right, we will draw very clear conclusions from those discussions.

Morka responded that it wasn’t deliberate as had been assumed when asked to explain why the ruling party was delaying the choice regarding the zoning of the Senate presidency, speaker, and other major offices.

We are not wasting time, he continued. There is no deadline for doing this. The party is responsible for zoning. It is a method by which the party can make choices and allows those who are interested in vying for the position of leader of the 10th National Assembly to do so smoothly and without much enmity.

“There is no timetable for that, then. We are not rushing. We want to execute it properly. The chairman also mentioned that it required extremely thorough consultation. Not just from the party’s leadership, but also from those who are aspiring, in order to ensure that whatever formula the party comes up with will be accepted with the least amount of friction. The consultation must be conducted, and it must be conducted properly. That is what is occuring at the moment.

According to several sources who shared more information about the party’s plans for the zoning of National Assembly offices, the APC intended to persuade ambitious aspirants to settle for the consensus option.

According to a source, the party leadership only discussed the leadership crisis in the APC South-South, consensus candidates in place of zoning, and an appeal for the National Vice Chairman for the North-West, Mallam Salihu Lukman, to spare the party from embarrassment by dropping his lawsuit despite the lengthy agenda that was not made available to any member of the National Working Committee until minutes before the meeting began.

Adamu and Iyiola Omisore, the APC National Secretary, had been sued by Lukman for violating the party constitution.

The National Legal Adviser, Ahmad El-Marzuq, also sent Adamu a legal opinion four days ago that appeared to be a countermove, recommending harsh punishment for Lukman, including expulsion for taking the party to court.

Another source reported that the crucial meeting, which lasted four hours, was extremely tense. Lukman was eventually asked to drop the lawsuit and apologise to the other party. His expression when he left the meeting was clear evidence that he wasn’t happy with the choice.

“However, a committee to mediate peace between the warring parties has been established. The topic of zoning was briefly discussed as well, but from what I understand, they decided to meet with Asiwaju in order to persuade him to persuade the lawmakers running for various positions to allow the party to choose consensus candidates.

Salihu Mustapha, the National Vice Chairman of the APC for the North-East, told reporters that Lukman has agreed to drop his lawsuit against Adamu and Omisore in order to restore peace.

According to Mustapha, the ruling APC will no longer tolerate indiscipline from any party member or supporter in light of the recent string of events.

“We are here to inform you of the proceedings we had after the national working committee,” he said. “We had intimate consultations with our brother, the National Vice Chairman North West, Comrade Salihu Lukman, on issues you are aware of, like the legal action and some other publications credited to him. We can reach the resolution that this suit is going to be withdrawn, and he has unconditionally offered his apology for any seeming embarrassment this his suit and

We want to reaffirm that we are a single, cohesive committee and that we intend to keep working together in order to realise all the ideals of the ideal working committee or ideal party.

We will make decisions using the party’s tools because parties are managed administratively, not on the pages of newspapers or the screens of television, and we will keep doing that as a single house.

 

Street sweepers in Cross River and shame of state

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Street sweepers in Cross River and shame of state

What transpired last week in Calabar between Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade and protesting street sweepers is not only sad, but reprehensible. Our flimsy system of environmental governance, where little is given but much is expected, was exposed for what it was. The women, who numbered over 100, surrounded Ayade’s office, blocking it with trash, and claimed they were owed four months’ worth of wages for their environmental services. Their actions generated a lot of media coverage, which infuriated the government. However, it was a terrible heartbreak for those who had previously fallen in love with Destination Calabar.

It is also a reproach to us as citizens, particularly to those from the middle or upper classes. We have a certain perspective on environmental sanitation. It is considered to be a filthy task for the lower classes. Sweeping, cleaning, and garbage removal have not only come to be associated with the lowly paid “cleaners,” but also with the people at the bottom of the food chain. It is for the boys and girls of the house. So much so that even the housechildren are not allowed to dispose of trash in our homes; only helpers are allowed.

 

Our treatment of office cleaners and street sweepers is a reflection of how little respect we have for them. The sweepers receive pitiful wages for rising early and maintaining our streets. These sweepers and waste handlers are exposed to risks because, contrary to what is available in more developed climes, waste is not sorted at homes. For instance, you might discover a variety of waste materials inside one waste bin, including plastic waste, paper waste, bottles, organic waste like uneaten food (rotten and odorous), liquid waste in bottles, sachets, and cans, chemical waste, drug and medicine waste, metals, and wood waste.

What about the trash that is carelessly dumped in the gutters, culverts, and by the sides of the roads? What about stray animals, dead pets, rodents, and human waste?

To assist us in sorting out our daily waste, these so-called sweepers put their hands inside the trash cans and gutters. They frequently do not even receive personal protective equipment, such as a facemask, mittens, or boots. They are exposed to bacteria and viruses that are carried by the vectors of squalor they are sent to fight. We continue to consider them to be a public nuisance. The governor drives past in his armoured cars while his sirens are on. He observes these helpless, diligent citizens and turns away.

Since the sweepers’ wages are so pitiful that the governor could afford to pay them without feeling the pinch, I do not see any reason for them to complain if there is even a drop of human kindness in these politicians. The Calabar women claimed they received monthly salaries ranging from N5000 to N10000, with 10% of that amount taken out by the government agents who hired them. The combined sweepers’ stipend is less than what governors spend on exotic wine and private jet travel.

There is still more irony. When the governor and all of his political allies travel to other nations, they observe how the providers of environmental services are regarded and treated with respect and humanity. They encounter them on the streets and in their hotels. In fact, they may have paid for their siblings to move abroad to work as sweepers and cleaners in hotels, hospitals, schools, public buildings, and transportation. They are well paid and well respected there. They even send their dependents money that they have earned by sweeping the streets. It’s a completely different story over here. So I question: Is the job not the same, or are sweepers blessed abroad but cursed in Nigeria?

Read Also: FG disconnects discos from the national grid, due to debt

The haughtiness of Ayade and his thugs is another sad aspect of the story. The protesting sweepers were summoned by the Calabar Urban Development Authority, who only paid them for one of the four months they were owed before warning them that the remaining balance would only be paid if they showed up for work “and impressed Governor Ayade.” Think about the audacity!

Who should be disciplined between Ayade and the sweepers, please? Instead of the other way around, the governor should be fired with a warning because she is at fault. The sweepers have completed their work and are not requesting payment in advance. Why then do you say that they must win over the governor? Already, they made an impression. The governor now has the opportunity to dazzle by paying them promptly.

The demystification of Calabar is the other issue in this situation. The once-model of environmental virtue, the city, was desecrated. Newspaper accounts of the incident state that security personnel, including police officers and members of the state security service, were seen at the Cross River Government House attempting to prevent bystanders and journalists from taking photos and recording videos of the trash dumped in front of the governor’s office. According to reports, the security guards were “apprehending” bystanders and wiping the images off of their cameras.

They were unfortunate because the news had already spread widely. You can’t cover pregnancy with two arms, the villager would say. The lumps are obvious to everyone. The Calabar refuse is therefore.

What the international media has to say about the city’s decline from grace to grass may be the most telling indicator of it. According to a recent Al Jazeera report, “In the middle of the 2000s, Calabar—once a slave port under British colonial rule—emerged as a tourist destination for both domestic and international travellers drawn to its lovely green scenery, rich culture, and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The city no longer has that allure today. Where once a lush line of trees stood, pockets of trash now litter the landscape. In some areas, trash left on the ground has given rise to a powerful breed of houseflies and scavengers. The gutters in the city are clogged with trash or thick with overgrown weed.

The descent into scum-filled dishonour has been swift. In 2007, The New Humanitarian, then a division of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, published a report that stated: “Of the many towns and cities on the African continent, Calabar must be one of the cleanest.” Sadly, the situation changed in less than ten years.

The government officials were attempting to conceal this infamy from the public. They did not want their ecological transgressions to be exposed by the media. But they fell short. What do they anticipate? that a news-hungry crowd would not share and retweet this “juicy” eco-sensation in the age of social media. No one can truly conceal the squalor. Will they be able to conceal the overflowing landfill at Lemna, Calabar’s main solid waste dumpsite, if they cover the dirt at the government building? This landfill has reached capacity and is spilling over because garbage collectors are also protesting unpaid wages.

Truth be told, mistreating sweepers is an unacceptable sin in a city like Calabar. It is akin to murdering the hen who produces the golden egg. The city’s environmental splendour is its greatest asset. Ecotourism now generates a profit. A Teflon-clean ecosystem where anything is possible was promoted as being present in Calabar. Obudu Ranch came next. Then came the carnival. The cable car came after. TINAPA went after. However, if the tourist building’s foundation is ignored, the entire castle will collapse. This is the reality that we are attempting to avoid.

 

FG disconnects discos from the national grid, due to debt

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FG disconnects discos from the national grid, due to debt

The Federal Government, through the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the Market Operator, has started a massive disconnect of debtor electricity distribution companies from the national grid. As a result, millions of electricity consumers may be left in the dark in the upcoming weeks.

The change occurred after the Market Operator served notices of grid disconnections to some of the Discos.

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Due to failure to pay ancillary service bills, The MO, a division of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, had informed some Discos, including generating companies, of the planned disconnection.

The PUNCH observed that nationwide electricity supply had deteriorated further since MO had made his observation, with many areas complaining of either low or no supply.

In a recent statement, MO’s Executive Director, Eddy Eje, urged disobedient Discos to make the necessary payments. Abubakar Aliyu, the Minister of Power, had previously intervened.

The market defaulters were expected to abide by the Market Rules with regard to payment of their outstanding invoices, posting of sufficient bank guarantees, and forwarding of their active Power Purchase Agreements, as applicable, to the MO/TCN, based on the extension of the grace period by 60 days.

APL Electric Company Aba, Ajaokuta Steel, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, Benin Electricity Distribution Company, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Ikeja Electric, Jos Electricity Distribution Company, Kaduna Electric, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, and Niger Delta Power Holding Company plants and Paras Energy are the defaulting Gencos.

Even though Sunday Oduntan, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors’ spokesperson, declined to comment on the situation, Ibadan Discos’ notice to customers corroborated The PUNCH’s findings.

There would be a widespread disconnect from the national grid, according to a statement made by Kingsley Achife, managing director and CEO of IBEDC.

He claimed that the decision was made as a result of poor customer payments.

Customers in the IBEDC franchise areas, particularly those in areas with the highest population of defaulters, may experience power outages as a result of the action, according to Achife.

The PUNCH has learned that the states of Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Kwara, as well as portions of Niger, Ekiti, and Kogi, will be affected by the widespread disconnection.

Achife, “IBEDC sells and distributes the electricity produced by the generation companies as part of the electricity value chain’s revenue collection arm. However, due to slow payments and sizable unpaid customer balances, the company is unable to fulfil its financial commitments to the electricity value chain.

“We kindly request that our valued customers pay their current and past-due bills so that IBEDC can fulfil its commitments to the Market Operator and other parties involved in the electricity supply industry in order to guarantee a constant and uninterrupted supply of power.

“IBEDC prioritises offering our esteemed customers dependable and excellent service, but we also demand prompt payment for the energy used.

“Paying for electricity is a shared responsibility that is necessary to maintain the viability of our operations.

“We kindly remind our customers that failure to pay current and past-due electricity bills may result in the loss of electricity to connected homes, communities, and businesses.

We advise all of our clients to pay their bills on time to avoid any inconveniences, Achife continued.

 

Oliseh criticises Chelsea’s strategy when playing Arsenal

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Oliseh criticises Chelsea’s strategy when playing Arsenal

Sunday Oliseh, a former coach of the Super Eagles and a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group for the 2022 World Cup, criticised Chelsea interim manager Frank Lampard’s tactics against Arsenal after the dismal Blues lost to the Gunners 3-1 in a Premier League match on Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium.

Mikel Arteta’s team took control of the game after the ex-international kicked against Lampard’s tactical decision to play French midfielder N’Golo Kante out of position.

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In Lampard’s 4-3-3 formation, the 32-year-old defensive midfielder was positioned on the right side of the midfield alongside Mateo Kovacic and Enzo Fernández.

The first two goals were scored by Martin Odegaard, who twice took advantage of poor Chelsea defence to finish Granit Xhaka crosses, and the third goal was added by Gabriel Jesus from close range to seal a convincing victory.

Midway through the second half, Nigerian-Dutch forwards Noni Madueke scored a goal for Chelsea, but it was only a consolation for the out-of-shape visitors, who are currently in 12th place.

The 48-year-old expressed his dissatisfaction with the Chelsea legend’s tactical error in a post on his Twitter page.

Against Chelsea, “Arsenal was on fire!”On his Twitter page, Oliseh stated.

The greatest defensive midfielder of his generation, N’golo Kante, who has virtually won everything with Chelsea and France, is continually played out of position, he said. “I am totally dumbfounded by Chelsea and most especially how on earth is it possible for him to be played out of position!” he added.

Under Lampard, the Blues have dropped six straight games and are currently 12th in the standings.

Lampard is the first English manager to lose 10 in a row while in charge of a top-flight team since Arthur Cox in February 1988 with Derby, per Opta. Lampard has now lost each of the last 10 games he’s taken charge of across all competitions.

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