NOVEMBER 25, 2022

Adjourns proceeding till February 13

By Prince Okafor

The hope of the federal government running a national carrier, Nigeria Air, before the end of 2022, has been derailed.

This is coming on the heel of a Federal High Court in Lagos decision to renew its order directing the Federal Government and domestic airlines to maintain the status quo in their suit concerning the establishment of a proposed national carrier.

The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, had earlier insisted that no rational court in the country can stop the takeoff of the National carrier.

But, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa made the order pending the determination of the suit filed by The Registered Trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria and five others in the aviation industry.

By implication, the Federal government cannot set up any national carrier yet.

Meanwhile, the four other plaintiffs are Azman Air Services Limited, Air Peace Limited, Max Air Limited, United Nigeria Airlines Company Limited and Topbrass Aviation Limited are the first to sixth plaintiffs.

The first to fourth defendants are Nigeria Air Limited, Ethiopian Airlines, Sirika and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The judge adjourned proceedings till February 13.

However, two “intervenors/applicants” filed an application praying the court to strike out the name of The Registered Trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria as a party in a suit arguing that its inclusion in the suit “is invalid”

On November 15, the court granted the plaintiffs an interim injunction restraining the Federal Government and Ethiopian Airlines from proceeding with the establishment of Nigeria Air Limited.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa also ordered all parties to the suit to maintain the status quo following the plaintiffs’ motion ex parte in Suit FHC/L/CS/2159/2022.

At the resumption of proceedings Thursday, Mr. Nureni Jimoh, SAN, appeared for the Airline Operators.

Jimoh’s bid to move his motion on notice for an injunction against the defendants was opposed by Mr. Seun Oriowo for Nigeria Air and Minister of Aviation, Mr. Raji Rasaki for the AGF and Mr. Ajibola Salisu for the intervening applicants.

The judge turned down Rasaki’s argument for an adjournment for lawyers from the AGF’s Abuja office to take over the defence, rather than those from its Lagos office.

Mr. Bassey Attol for Ethiopian Airlines informed the court that he had filed a response to Jimoh’s application, while Salisu’s prayer for an adjournment was opposed by Jimoh, on the ground that “the intervening applicants are not a party to this suit. They interlopers here to disrupt proceedings.”

In his ruling, Justice Lewis-Allagoa held: “I’ve reviewed all the applications before me. In the circumstances, the proper thing to do is for the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of this suit.”

He adjourned till February 13, 2023.

The two intervenors/applicants, in their November 23 application seen by The Nation, are Capt. Edward Boyo and Capt. Nogie Meggison.

They prayed for an order “striking out the name of the 1st Plaintiff (The Registered Trustees of Airline Operators of Nigeria) as a plaintiff in this suit, for want of due authorisation and/or sanction from the Registered Trustees qua National Executive Council of the Association.”

Among the grounds for their prayer “There was no meeting of either the members, the National Executive Council or the Board of Trustees of the 18 Plaintiff wherein any decision/resolution was taken to institute this present suit.

“The Decision/Resolution and/or authorization of the National Executive Council comprising the Registered Trustees is a condition precedent to the proper institution of any suit in the name of the 1st Plaintiff.

“The Inclusion of the 1st Plaintiff as a party to this suit is invalid.”

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

By Lilian Ukagwu

The Airline Operators of Nigeria has expressed displeasure at the numerous issues in the aviation industry, saying that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria is responsible for the flight delays and cancellations.

They said the inadequacy of critical infrastructure at the airport was responsible for the numerous flight delays in the country.

This was disclosed at a press conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, said when it came to flight delays and cancellations, so many things were involved, which many people did not know.

He noted that no airline in the world would want to delay flights because of the cost implications.

“How would I just wake up and want to delay my flight when I know I am going to incur a heavy cost?”

 Further speaking, Onyema said Nigerian airlines were operating in a very hostile environment with limited infrastructure.

“The airlines are at the mercy of everybody. The owners of airlines in Nigeria are patriotic because it is not profitable. They are doing it as a service to Nigeria and should be applauded, not demonised.

“Nigerian indigenous airlines are performing under certain conditions that we should be applauded for still staying afloat. Is it forex, or fuel infrastructure? How about bird strikes in a good country? The airlines would have gone to court against FAAN for all the bird strikes because we pay for these services. Air Peace alone had had over 20 bird strikes in a year.”

Meanwhile, the Chairman, United Nigeria Airlines and Spokesperson for AON, Prof Obiora Okonkwo, said there was huge racketeering in the aviation fuel imports to the detriment of the airlines.

According to him, selling aviation fuel above N800/litre was not acceptable as the airlines’ calculation showed that it shouldn’t be selling above N500/litre.

He said, “The authorities should make forex available and do something about the fuel racketeering. We are paying above the real cost. We are not asking for free money nor subsidy, but we are asking that the right thing be done as the burden is transferred to the travellers.”

The President/Chief Executive Officer, Top Brass Aviation, Capt. Roland Iyayi, noted that the inadequacy of critical infrastructure impacted on flight delays more than any other thing.

He said that even check-in counters were not enough, including the apron area, noting that the airports were mostly sunsets, thus unavailable for night operations.

“The truth is, have you gone to Abuja Airport during peak hours? Do you know you have about 10 airlines in one small living room? If an airline has Owerri, Enugu, Kano, Jos and Maiduguri flight schedules, those destinations should have individual desks, but it’s not so.”

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

By Anozie Egole

The Federal Government, has called on the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and other stakeholders to synergise with the Nigerian Customs Service to achieve 15, 000 monthly scanners’ capacity.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, said this on Tuesday in Apapa, Lagos, during the commissioning of three new Nuctech Mobile Scanners.

She urged the management of the Nigeria Customs Service to collaborate with contractors of the scanners for easy maintenance.

“I therefore implore the management of the NCS to collaborate with the scanners contractor to ensure proper maintenance and full utilization of the scanners within the 30 months provided in the contract agreement, as well as enhanced Capacity Building and Training of 120 NCS scanning officers,” she said.

Ahmed said that the newly commissioned scanners had the capacity to detect prohibited imports concealed in cargoes.

Ahmed said that the commission of the scanners was in line with efforts to expedite Customs’ operations.

“It has the capacity to detect prohibited import concealed in cargoes. It enables more cargoes to be scanned and brings about the desired efficiency and effectiveness in cargo examination processes. The commissioning of these three non-intrusive scanners is in line with efforts to expedite customs operations and achieve its mandate of ease of doing business, trade facilitation and preventing port congestion.”

The minister said that the scanners would also help to boost revenue of the service.

“These three scanners will help increase revenue for government and improve national security. It will also help enhance the remote audit trail of goods within the port system.

“The essence of this was to modernize the operations of the NCS in line with International best practices. At the expiration of the contract in December, 2012, it was extended to a period six of (6) months which ended in June, 2013. Subsequently, the Government entered into a Transition Agreement which terminated on 30 November, 2013 and the NCS commenced the operations of the scanners. However, upon the exit of the Scanning Service Providers, some of the Scanners became dysfunctional which resulted in physical examination of goods by the NCS.”

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

(Bloomberg) -- London will charge motorists citywide to drive more polluting vehicles, expanding a divisive policy that’s improved air quality and accelerated the transition to electric vehicles.

Drivers of older, higher-emitting cars have been charged £12.50 ($15) a day to drive in the Ultra Low Emission Zone that spans London’s central and inner boroughs, and those who fail to pay are fined £160. The policy will extend to the city’s outer reaches in August, affecting about 15% of vehicles in the area newly becoming part the zone.

“We need to be tackling air pollution, we need to be tackling the climate emergency and we need to be tackling congestion,” Mayor Sadiq Khan told reporters. “The expansion will mean that from August next year, more than five million Londoners will be breathing cleaner air.”

The move has faced fierce opposition, including from campaigns in the boroughs newly set to be affected. Opponents argue they lack the efficient, frequent public transportation links enjoyed by areas closer to the city center and are more reliant on private cars. Average incomes also are lower in outer London.

Consultation documents published after the mayor’s announcement show the majority of respondents opposed the expansion: 59% of people said the Ultra Low Emission Zone, or ULEZ, should not be implemented citywide, and that number rises to 68% when responses from organized campaigns are excluded. Among respondents in outer London, 70% said the zone shouldn’t be extended.

Since the ULEZ was put in place three years ago, the number of licensed fully electric vehicles in London has increased more than fourfold, and the proportion of diesel cars has dropped by more than a quarter. Uber now does a greater share of trips with EVs in London than in any other major city. And London’s air quality — which was much worse than comparably sized cities including New York and Madrid — is now on par with them.

Read more: London’s Deadly, Polluted Air Turned the City Into an EV Pioneer

Khan first announced plans to expand the ULEZ earlier this year, drawing criticism that it will raise costs for poorer residents who will struggle to afford newer, cleaner vehicles. While he called expanding the ULEZ “one of the toughest decisions I’ve taken since I’ve been a politician,” Khan said he’s “not willing to allow political expediency to trump public health.”

Nick Rogers, the transport spokesperson for the Conservatives on the Greater London Authority, called for Khan to scrap the plan.

“Now is not the time to hammer Londoners with a £12.50 daily cost-of-living charge,” Rogers said in an emailed statement. “Residents have made their views very clear to the mayor: they do not want the ULEZ expansion.”

Khan will relaunch an initiative offering money to scrap polluting cars, with a new pot of £110 million available for eligible drivers to claim a grant or free public transport. Extra bus routes also will be introduced in affected areas, and disabled drivers will be exempt until October 2027.

The expansion brings almost all of London’s 9 million residents into the ULEZ, which was first introduced over a smaller central area in April 2019 and expanded in October of last year. The fees generally apply to gas-powered vehicles made before 2005 and diesel cars made before 2015. Older goods vehicles, motorbikes and minibuses also are affected.

Data collected by the mayor’s office and analyzed by academics at Imperial College London suggest the ULEZ has led to a significantly lower level of particulate and nitrogen dioxide emissions than otherwise would have been expected. About 44,000 fewer non-compliant cars are driven in central London on an average day as a result of the policy, according to Elliot Treharne, the city’s assistant director of transport.

Khan said he considered delaying the decision to expand the ULEZ and likely would have done so had the Greater London Authority not been able to find extra money for the scrappage fund.

“According to independent experts, there is no other scheme in the world — and we’ve looked far and wide — to see the level of improvements in air that we’ve seen in such a short period of time as a direct consequence of the Ultra Low Emission Zone,” Khan said.

(Updates with more detail on opposition beginning in the fourth paragraph.)

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

Air Peace, has received two new Airbus 320 aircraft to support its operations during the yuletide season.

This information was disclosed by the Airline in a press release issued on Saturday, November 26, 2022.

With the new aircraft, the Airline has increased its number of Airbus in the fleet to 10.

According to the spokesperson of the Airline, Stanley Olisa, the two new Airbus aircraft, which arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Friday night, will help boost domestic and regional operations, especially as the festive period draws near.

“These two new Airbus aircraft, in addition to the eight we already have, will further help us in strengthening our operations as Yuletide approaches and as we restart Yola, Uyo and Monrovia services and support our new connections as well as increased frequencies on specific routes,” Olisa stated.

Air Peace leads Nigeria’s aviation industry with a network of 20 domestic routes, seven regional routes, and three international destinations

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

(Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong expects air passenger traffic to recover to as much as 70% of pre-pandemic levels by the end of next year and return to normality by 2024, South China Morning Post reported, citing an official.

Deputy Director of Airport Operations Steven Yiu Siu-chung brushed aside concern about the airport’s status as an aviation hub, the newspaper reported. The end-2023 forecast of between 60% to 70% of the traffic levels before Covid is in line with a prediction by Hong Kong’s main carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd.

A total of 755,000 passengers passed through the airport in October, 13% of pre-pandemic levels.

Hong Kong Airport Authority yesterday officially opened its third runway, capable of handling an additional 30 million passengers a year. Yiu said he is confident the new facility will be fully utilized by 2024, SCMP said.

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

By Lilian Ukagwu

The Abuja-Kaduna rail services resume operations November 28, 2022.

This is coming eight months after the service was suspended due to terrorists attack on the line.

A source within the Idu rail station disclosed this to our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday.

The PUNCH had reported that terrorists attacked the Abuja-Kaduna train on March 28, 2022, kidnapping 168 passengers and killing eight others.

The release of the victims had been in batches since then, with the last 23 released in October.

According to the source, some contractors were at the Idu rail station to install the tracker and cameras.

“They couldn’t install the cameras but they installed the trackers on LOKO 2809 and on DMU 003.

“The Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Coporation, Fidet Okhiria, is seriously monitoring it from Lagos. We are proposing to start running by next week monday.”

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays to clear backlog of passport applications.

This is contained in a statement by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, in Abuja on Saturday.

Akuneme said that the Comptroller-General, Mr Isa Jere, who gave the directive, also approved the deployment of the Passport Controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo was moved to NIS Zonal Office in Ibadan.

The NIS spokesman stated that going forward, the CG will hold passport officers accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officers under their watch.

He added that the directive was to enable the Service reduce the backlog ocassioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The CG has directed that passport offices across the country with high volume of pending applications to work on Saturdays.

“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday commrencing from December 3, 2022 to January 28, 2023 between the period of 10 am and 2 pm.

“This is to enhance our service delivery to out esteemed clients.

“The Saturday preceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted,” he said.

The spokesman said passport offices that fall within this category should contact him by Monday for further details.

Akuneme reiterated the resolve of the CG to make passport services available and stress free to the travelling public, especially during the festive season. (NAN)

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has directed passport offices across the country to work on Saturdays to clear backlog of passport applications.

This is contained in a statement by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Tony Akuneme, in Abuja on Saturday.

Akuneme said that the Comptroller-General, Mr Isa Jere, who gave the directive, also approved the deployment of the Passport Controller in Ekiti to Jigawa, while the one in Ondo was moved to NIS Zonal Office in Ibadan.

The NIS spokesman stated that going forward, the CG will hold passport officers accountable for any acts of indiscipline by officers under their watch.

He added that the directive was to enable the Service reduce the backlog ocassioned by the 2020 and 2021 prolonged lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The CG has directed that passport offices across the country with high volume of pending applications to work on Saturdays.

“The period for this exercise is expected to be every Saturday commrencing from December 3, 2022 to January 28, 2023 between the period of 10 am and 2 pm.

“This is to enhance our service delivery to out esteemed clients.

“The Saturday preceding the Christmas and New Year holidays are exempted,” he said.

The spokesman said passport offices that fall within this category should contact him by Monday for further details.

Akuneme reiterated the resolve of the CG to make passport services available and stress free to the travelling public, especially during the festive season. (NAN)

NOVEMBER 28, 2022

The Federal Government has advised Nigerians travelling to Europe and the United States to take extra precaution to avoid being dispossessed of their belongings.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the advice on Monday in Abuja at the fifth edition of the ‘President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) Administration Scorecard 2015-2023 Series’.

Recall the scorecard series was organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture and the fifth edition witnessed presentations by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammad Abubakar.

In an opening remark, Mohammed said the advice became imperative because of recent developments where Nigerian travellers to the US and some countries in Europe were having their belongings, especially money and international passports, stolen.

The minister said the incidences had reached an increasingly high rate and therefore the need for the advice.

“The most recent victims of this were travelers to the UK, most of whom were dispossessed of their belongings at high brow shops, particularly in the high street of Oxford.

“We have therefore decided to advise Nigerians travelling to Europe and the United States to take extra precaution to avoid being dispossessed of their belongings.

“This is not your typical travel advisory. Issuing such is the prerogative of our embassies/high commissions as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“It is merely a piece of advice to Nigerians who may be visiting the affected parts of the world,” he said.

Speaking on the scorecard series ,he said it was designed to showcase the achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

NAN reports that the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development subsequently made his presentations, after which he took

questions from the media men at the event.

NOVEMBER 29, 2022

The instability in the price of aviation fuel has put airlines in the country in a precarious situation while travelers may pay more during the Yuletide. The carriers, which are set to take advantage of high demand, especially during Christmas, are bracing for the expected high cost of air travel, especially to the eastern and the South-South of the country.

However, the carriers are wary that further pushing fares higher could benefit them because of the high volume of travel they might have as a result of many Nigerians overseas that are planning to celebrate the Yuletide in the country. They are equally concerned that many could take to road transportation despite the high security challenges.

Already, aviation fuel is said to be at an all-time high of over N750 per litre as airlines are finding it difficult to get the product for their operations and this has introduced further delays in the system. Some airlines have had to delay flights while others cancel in a bid to combat the challenges they face.

As of today, Jet A1, also known as Aviation Fuel, sells for N725 in Lagos, N740 in Abuja, and N750 in Kano while other marketers have sold for N650 and N700 making the reach of the product near impossible and causing many airlines to go on the panic mode in a bid to satisfy their passengers, some of whom have booked long before. This staggering cost daily for certain airlines combined with the lull in passenger traffic and other factors is causing fears as airlines say they cannot break  even under the current circumstances.

A typical one-hour Lagos to Abuja flight using the Boeing 737-Classic is about 4500 litres give or take for the one-leg flight and Nigerian airlines still use a lot of that aircraft type as it is yet to be completely phased out. Very recently, the Acting Secretary Aviation Fuel Market Association of Nigeria (AFMAN), John Adewole Abegunde argued on behalf of his association that Jet fuel is fully deregulated and called on the government to be hands-off from all commercial-related issues with regard the product.

They agreed that there is a global rise in the cost of the product but that Nigeria’s case becomes peculiar due to the weaker naira against the dollar. However other oil- marketers have expressed opinions too as Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria ( MOMAN) Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Clement Isong said the challenge is two-pronged as forex to get the product is high and prices in the international market are high due to the Russian/Ukraine War.

He, however, surmised that apart from pricing, availability is also determined by business relationships between airline and marketer stressing that various airlines have different payment histories and that while some pay on time, there are others with a history of indebtedness and those who pay up on time on their credit are likely to receive favourable terms from their suppliers against airlines who owe.

Despite fuel pricing and availabil-  ity, the fact that other fixed costs of these airlines from staff remuneration to schedule maintenance of equipment must be met has the airlines at sixes and sevens regarding the issue of Jet A1. Recall, sometime in February, domestic airlines in Nigeria jacked up airfares over an100% as prices of economy class tickets now range from N70,000 and above all because of the same Jet A1 cost and availability, access to forex, and other sundry reasons.