News Agency of Nigeria
Aviation

Air Peace resumes Lagos – Accra flights March 15- Official

By Yusuf  Yunus

The Nigeria’s leading airline, Air Peace, says it will resume its daily flight operations from the Lagos hub into Accra on March 15.

The airline Spokesperson, Stanley Olisa, in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos, said that Lagos-Accra flight would depart daily at 7.00 a.m, while Accra-Lagos flight would depart at 7.40 a.m.

He said that the resumption of Accra flights was in response to the popular demand, as the flying public have been anticipating it.

“You would recall that we suspended our Accra flights consequent upon the pandemic lockdown last year.

“But, we have some exciting news for our esteemed customers as we are resuming flight operations into the Ghanaian city pretty soon.

“The flying public have been expectant of this,” he said.

Olisa, also expressed the readiness of Air Peace to kick off the scheduled flights into Ilorin from Abuja and Lagos.

According to him, the airline is already finalising plans to commence Ilorin flights soon.

He reiterated the Air Peace’s commitment to providing peaceful connectivity across the domestic, regional and international destinations and satisfying the air travel needs of Nigerians.

NAN reports that Air Peace is an indigenous airline servicing 16 domestic routes, five regional routes and two international destinations including Johannesburg.

It also has a varied fleet of 26 aircraft comprising the ultra-modern Embraer 195-E2 jet, Boeing 777, Embraer 145, Boeing 737 and Dornier 328 jet. (NAN)

General News

NCPC boss urges Nigerians to support govt. in fight against insecurity

By Jessica Onyegbula
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC), Rev Yakubu Pam, on Tuesday charged Nigerians to support the government in the fight against insecurity.
Pam, who gave the charge while playing host to the Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr Allen Onyema, in Abuja, stressed that Nigeria is the only country we have and we must join hands to fix it and make it habitable for all.
He added that the government needed the people’s support to tackle insecurity and to deliver quality services because the government could not do without the people and the people could not do without the government.
”We cannot continue to divide ourselves along religious, tribal or ethnic lines; we are one Nigeria, and we must work together for the common good of all Nigerians.
”We must come together to build the peace that we are yelling for;  government alone cannot handle it, religious leaders alone cannot handle it, neither can traditional leaders handle it alone; togetherwe stand and divided we fall,” he said.
Mr Onyema, who expressed willingness and interest in partnering the Commission in the area of peace building urged the youth to shun all forms of violence and embrace peace.
Onyema cashed in on the visit to commend the NCPC boss for his positive and relentless peace initiatives across the country.
He stressed that in a case of violence, “when the chips are down, the rich will all Jet out of the country and the poor will suffer.”
Oyema added that those selfish politicians sending out hate speeches and engineering tribal, religious and ethinc crisis were just taking advantage of the weak and the poor.
”During the EndSARS protest, I witnessed rich people running out of the country to neighbouring countries with their families in private jets in fear that the protest might get out of hand.
”They want to destroy the country and run away but we must not allow them succeed,  we are one, irrespective of your tribe, religion or ethnicity.
”We do not have Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa blood. We only have human blood running through our veins. We must shun all forms of violence trying to divide us as a country and embrace peace.
”No doubts there are problems, but we must not lose hope, we must find solutions to our problems by first uniting ourselves.
”We must condemn criminality from any ethnic group and stop taking sides. What is bad is bad irrespective of who is involved.
“We have no other country aside of Nigeria and we must unite to make Nigeria great again,” he said. (NAN)
Education

ASUU embarks on indefinite strike in Taraba varsity

By Gabriel Yough

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, (ASUU) Taraba State University Chapter, on Tuesday declared an indefinite strike after its meeting.

The chapter Chairman, Dr Samuel Shikaa, said this while addressing journalists shortly after the meeting.

Shikaa said the union resolved to embark on the industrial action to demand compliance to an agreement the state government and the university management signed with the union.

He listed some of their demands to include, the commencement of their contributory pension scheme, prompt payment of their Earned Academic Allowance( EAA), among others.

“Taraba State University has no pension arrangement and you can quote me anywhere.

“Families of some of our colleagues that have died only received paltry sums for burial rites which to us are not terminal benefits.

“And to some others who left this institution to other universities, they have nothing to benefit.

“Our members are ready to commence deduction from their take home for the contributory pension scheme but we also want government’s commitment that their percentage of the contribution will be honoured.

“The EAA allowance for excess workload since 2013 has accumulated and has not been paid,” he said.

Responding, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Vincent Tenebe, said 75 per cent of the demands by members of ASUU had been met.

Tenebe explained that the strike was unnecessary and urged members of the union to call off their demonstration for the sake of the students, while they continued negotiation with the management of the institution.

He also dismissed claims that the government was not ready to comply with its part payment to the contributory pension scheme.

“Ever since the MoU was signed with ASUU, the management and government went into action and I can tell you that 75 per cent of their demands have been met.

“ASUU has been demanding the commencement of the contributory pension scheme and when I came in as Vice-Chancellor in 2017, they brought up this demand which was part of the MoA.

“I went further to present a memo to the governing council of this university in 2018 and the council acting as an independent body and regarded as the sole employer of labour in universities by government regulation, approved that we can start that contributory pension scheme.

“This means that every member of staff that keys into this pension scheme will contribute 7.5 per cent of his basic salary while the government will also contribute 7.5 per cent which will be sent to the administrator of a pension for saving till when the employee retires.

“After that approval, I informed all the members of staff of this university through a circular that the governing council has approved the commencement of the pension scheme and we went further to appoint a desk officer from the registry for the pension scheme.

“We also invited some pension administrators who came to create awareness and also did some marketing of their companies to staff for them to fill their forms and submit to the school management for the commencement of the pensions scheme.

“Since 2018, they have failed to produce their pension administrators and their account numbers for management to utilise and in fact, this university wanted to be used as a role model for other institutions in this state,” he said. (NAN)

Business , Economy/Business

LCCI projects increased inflation rate for February

By Rukayat Moisemhe
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has projected an increase within the range of one per cent in the Nigerian headline inflation index for February, 2021.
The LCCI made this known in a report released on Tuesday with the titled: “Spiraling Inflation: Cost Implications for Businesses and the Economy” .
The report syrvey was conducted by Dr Mathew Ojo, LCCI’s Assistant Director, Research and Advocacy department.
According to the report, a survey conducted by the Chamber projected the headline inflation for February to hit 17.24 per cent from 16.47 per cent recorded in January.
Also, the LCCI in the report said that consequent headline inflation for the months of March and April was pegged at 17.93 per cent and 18.43 per cent respectively going by the Chamber’s model on inflation rate projections.
The LCCI hinged its projections on the  combination of underwhelming food production, higher energy costs, lingering foreign currency liquidity and heightened insecurity in major food-producing states.
This development, the LCCI said, would continue to mount pressure on consumer purchasing power and pricing.
The LCCI survey indicated additionally that the commencement of planting season in the second quarter was expected to keep food production subdued, thereby triggering food prices in the country.
The Chamber also explained that basic supply-side issues, particularly, the heightened insecurity around the country, but more pronounced in Northern and Middle-Belt region – the major food-producing regions in Nigeria were contributory factors.
Others, the report stated, were increasing cost of transporting food items from farms to markets as a result of elevated prices of petroleum products, weak productivity in the agriculture sector and increased cost of agricultural inputs.
“The COVID-19 pandemic propelled the Federal Government to impose lockdown and movement restrictions as part of the efforts in containing the spread of the deadly virus in 2020.
“However, the chamber noted that these policies caused disruptions to activities in the country’s agricultural sector as farmers were unable to access their farmlands, thereby leading to supply shortage of agricultural output.
“The unfortunate situation prevented farmers from taking advantage of the planting season to grow crops.
“Consequently, the increased demand for agricultural products amid food supply shortage triggered food costs, as supply disruptions were further worsened by flood incidences.
“Which in turn affected some parts of producing states, destroying crops shortly before the harvest period.
“Currently, reports of a transportation gap from the North to other parts of the country, especially the Southwest would also serve to spike up the inflation rates from the height it already is at,”the report read.
Shedding more light on the development, LCCI’s Director-General, Dr Muda Yusuf, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the Northern region, which accounts for a major chunk of food production, was currently threatened by persistent security crisis.
This, he said, would greatly affect the food composite of the inflation index, a factor that greatly impacts the core inflation index.
Yusuf urged government to expend more efforts at addressing regional and ethnical discrepancies affecting the supply chain of farm produce from the northern parts to other regions of the country.
“The unabated rise in inflation has continued to impact the business environment with serious implications for economic stability.
“We may not have seen the end of the pressure on inflation as the current trends of boycott, heightened insecurity from bandits and herdsmen activities, confusion and attacks continue to beguile the major food producing parts of the country.
“We need to resolve these ethnical issues around the supply of food to resolve the challenges affecting agricultural outputs and food distribution.
We also need to see a reduction in the prices of fertilisers, animal feeds and other agricultural components to moderate the current uptrend in Nigeria’s inflation rates,” he said. (NAN)
Economy/Business

NERC to review Meter Asset Provider initiative

By Constance Athekame

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) says it is in the process of reviewing the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) Regulation 2018 to fast-track closure of the existing metering gap.

NERC said this in a “Consultation Paper on the Review of Meter Asset Provider Regulations 2018’’, on its website on Tuesday signed by its Chairman, Mr Sanusi Garba.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that MAP was introduced by NERC as a regulatory initiative to fast-track the closure of the metering gap with the objective of eliminating estimated billing practices.

“Attracting private investment in the provision of metering services, enhancing revenue assurance in Nigeria Electricity Supply Industry (NESI) and promoting local meter manufacturing in Nigeria to ensure transparency in the meter roll-out.

It said that the purpose of the consultation paper was to review the various options to fast-track the closure of the metering gap within the implementation framework of the MAP regulations.

It said the consultation paper would also close the gap between MAP and the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) and would consider the merits and demerits of each option.

The commission said the consultation paper was structured into two broad areas: proposed options for metering implementation going forward: “To allow the implementation of both the NMMP and MAP metering frameworks to run concurrently.

“To continue with the current MAP framework with meters procured under the NMMP supplied only through MAPs by being off-takers from the local manufacturers/assemblers.

“To wind down the MAP framework and allow the DisCos to procure meters directly from local manufacturers/assemblers or as procured by the World Bank.

“ And enter into new contracts for the installation and maintenance of such meters,” it said.

NERC said that under all three options, the DisCos would continue to be accountable for metering as this remained a core responsibility of utilities.

NERC said that the commission would take into consideration, responses to this document and other points or issues that might be raised by stakeholders in reaching a final decision on amendments to be made to the MAP Regulations 2018.

The commission said that it had prepared the document to facilitate an open consultation as possible and had provided the merits and demerits of the proposed changes as well as the potential impact of the changes on the MAP Regulations 2018.

“Therefore, in accordance with the Business Rule of the commission, stakeholders are expected to provide comments, objections and representations on the proposed amendments within 21-days of this publication.

“Respondents may propose either a modification or an alternative to the proposals, assumptions, and expectations expressed by NERC for further consideration by the commission, ‘’ said the commission.

According to NERC, there will be a virtual public hearing on the proposed review at the expiration of the response period.

It said that at the end of the consultation process, the commission would publish its decision on the proposed amendments to the MAP Regulations 2018.

It said that all reactions, comments, and further enquiries should be sent for consideration by the commission via info@nerc.gov.ng and copy mapreview2021@nerc.gov.ng (NAN)

Economy/Business

Stakeholders urge review of regulations on ease of doing business

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma 

Capital market stakeholders on Tuesday called for periodic review of laws and regulations across federal, state and local levels to enhance ease of doing business in Nigeria.

They spoke at the 2021 Issuers & Investors Clinic, an annual symposium organised by Issuers and Investors Alternative Dispute Resolution (IIADRI) in Lagos.

The symposium had the theme: “The Burden of Regualtory Compliance on Companies viz-a-via Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.”

They stakeholders who described regulation and compliance as a significant risk to businesses called for periodic review of laws and regulations to enhance job creation.

Delivering a keynote address, Mrs Cecilia Madueke, the Company Secretary, Julius Berger Plc, said regulations should be more about the environment than sources of income.

Madueke said the purpose of regulation was to drive the economy, create standard setting, effective information and limiting the downside risk of any business innovation.

She noted that cost of legislation being borne by companies was hurting their revenue generation.

Madueke said excessive regulations had led to capital flight due to dwindling revenues.

According to her, there is an increasing need for government to commit to providing an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in Nigeria.

“The burden of regulatory enforcement and compliance results in breakdown of law and order, unclear objectives, financial loss and costs.

“Operators must see regulation and compliance as a significant risk to their business and should be on the front burner for governance bodies,” she said.

Madueke said government should invest in capacity building in the public sector.

“For the government, they have to invest in capacity building in the public sector and the National Assembly should make laws rather than being more focused on its investigative functions.

“The process of regulation making must be more inclusive with a workable transition period as this will engender buy-in,” she added.

She spoke on the topic: “The burden of regulatory compliance on businesses in Nigeria: The operator’s perspective.”

In his contribution, the Managing Partner, Crowe Dafinone, Mr Igho Dafinone, said the power of legislation usually favoured regulators without recourse to the company.

“Companies have to file their financial reports with different regulatory bodies. Why can we not file these accounts at one place and all parties who want a copy of the reports access it from there?

“There are way too many audits, exorbitant penalties and multiple taxation on financial reporting, this is really hampering wealth generation and job creation in the nation’s economy,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman, IIADRI, Mr Moses Igbrude, said the symposium was organised to re-examine the onerous compliance obligations placed on companies and how it affected them.

“We are convinced that this platform will provide the needed opportunity for the regulators and regulated to articulate ways and means to foster not only a mutual understanding of the purpose of these regulations,” Igbrude said.

He noted that the Issuers and Investors Clinic series were aimed at annually providing the needed platform where stakeholders writhing under the Nigerian investment space meet to express views. (NAN)

Health

COVID-19 : AstraZeneca vaccine safe, efficacious – PTF

By Abujah Racheal

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has declared as safe and efficacious, AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, as Nigeria takes delivery of 3.92 doses of the vaccine.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the PTF Chairman, Mr Boss Mustapha, made the  declaration in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that  Nigeria has received 3,9340,000 doses of AstraZeneca  COVID-19 vaccine from India.

The doses are the first tranche of the 16 million doses expected under COVAX Facility arrangement.

Speaking at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, the SGF said: “The arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine today marks a significant milestone in the National Response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

“For over one year, humanity has remained under the siege of a virus that has impacted on lives, livelihood, destroyed economies, governance systems, medical services, socio-economic systems.

  ” Nations around the world have deployed enormous resources to tackle the virus which has seen a first wave and more virulent second wave.”

He noted that COVID-19 had claimed more than 2.5 million lives worldwide.

” The successful development of vaccines and the accelerated process for emergency authorisation has brought hope to humanity.

“Its arrival in Nigeria today has been made possible through purposeful leadership by His Excellency, the President, in collaboration with domestic stakeholders, the international community,” he said.

Mustapha said that there were painstaking technical efforts to ensure that Nigerians were being offered safe and efficacious vaccines.

“​Prior to the vaccines phase, we had introduced and promoted Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs),” he said.

Mustapha said that the NPIs  remained valid measures under the Infection Prevention and Control Policy.

“I, therefore, urge all Nigerians to continue to comply with these measures even as we roll out vaccine administration plan which is expected to reach 70 per cent of our population between 2021 and 2022.

“Under the circumstances, it must continue to be NPIs plus vaccines.

“Although this consignment of vaccine is just 3.924 million doses of the expected 16 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX Facility, we are indeed grateful to the coalition that has made this possible for us to receive it.

“Administration of the vaccine to the last mile will be prioritised in a strategically-planned manner to meet out peculiar needs, cover our heroic healthcare workers who have sacrificed their all, including their lives, in caring for the rest of us.”

He gave the assurance that the PTF, working with other relevant agencies, would ensure transparency, efficiency and economy under the process.

“It is, therefore, important to assure all Nigerians that their turns for receiving the jab will come.”

He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil societies, the mass media  and others to take to  the grassroots and other segments of the society, the message on the significance of  vaccination against COVID-19.

“This is a fight for everyone.”

Also speaking at the airport, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said, “We must not forget our NPIs; citizens should come and be vaccinated when called upon.”

The Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Mrs Mojisola Adeyeye, said, “I am happy the vaccine is here.

“We will ensure the best vaccine is given to Nigerians. We will do our due checks and diligence before rolling out of vaccines.

Also, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Health Care, Chukwuka Utazi, said the National Assembly would ensure that the  vaccine would  get to the most venerable first.

The U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said the U.S. had put two billion dollars into COVAX, adding that another two billion dollars would come.

“We are ready to do more. This is but a step in the success story; more will happen.

NAN reports  that COVAX was launched in April 2020, to help ensure a fairer distribution of coronavirus vaccines between rich and poor nations.

It said it would deliver two billion doses to its members by the end of 2021.

NAN gathered that the United Nations Children’s Fund(UNICEF) would be organising the shipment from Mumbai, with the World Health Organization (WHO), both supporters  of COVAX .

The 3.94  million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine was  licensed by the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India.

The doses were part of an initial tranche of deliveries headed to several low and middle-income countries, including  Nigeria.(NAN)

General News

NBC jams Radio Biafra signals in Lagos

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has jammed the signals of a pirate radio claiming to be “Radio Biafra” in most parts of Lagos, an official of NBC has said.

Mr Ekanem Antia, the Deputy Director, Public Affairs of NBC, made the disclosure in a statement by the management of the commission on Monday in Abuja.

Antia explained that the illegal radio which broadcast incendiary messages was notorious for spewing fake, inflammatory and inciting content.

“The NBC Act, CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 spells out in chapter two, subsection two, that: No person shall operate or use any apparatus or premises for the transmission of sound or vision by cable, television, radio, satellite or any other medium of broadcast, from anywhere in Nigeria, except under and in accordance with the provisions of this Act.

“Also, Section 15.4.1 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that:
the police shall prosecute any person engaged in any form of broadcasting or in possession of any broadcast equipment or apparatus in the country without a licence or permit for the purpose,” he said.

According to him, the commission, therefore, warns the general public that anybody who attempts to operate broadcasting in Nigeria without legal authorisation of the NBC will be prosecuted and the equipment, confiscated according to Law.

Antia stated that  the Department of State Security and the Nigerian Police had  been requested to bring the culprits behind the illegality to book. (NAN)

Defence/Security

Police arrest robbery gang terrorising Osogbo

By Olajide Idowu

The Police Command in Osun on Monday announced the arrest of a seven-man armed robbery gang terrorising Osogbo and its environs.

The Osun Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Olawale Olokode, while parading the suspects at the command’s headquarters in Osogbo, said the suspects were arrested when a victim reported an attack on his residence.

“On Feb.7, at about 7:50 a.m. the case of armed robbery was reported at Oja-Oba Police Division and operatives of the Police Response Unit (PRU) swung into action.

“The victim of the robbery said about five persons, armed with dangerous weapons, broke into his apartment, around Ilesha Garage, Osogbo, and stole valuables, including one unregistered Toyota Camry, all valued at N3.65 million,” he said.

He said some of the robbers were, however, arrested in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States.

The police boss said they all made confessional statements that their major operations were carried out largely within Osogbo metropolis.

The CP similarly paraded two other suspects, arrested for obtaining money under pretext.

According to him, the suspects usually abscond with money collected from their victims after promising to introduce them to business opportunities which they (suspects) knew to be fake.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the police boss also paraded other suspects arrested for various crimes, including car stealing and being in possession of dangerous weapons.

The CP, however, said that all the arrested suspects would be charged to court after the completion of investigations.

He assured residents of  the state of the security of their lives and property.  (NAN)

Politics

Utomi decries growing ethnic conflict in Nigeria

By Kingsley Okoye

A political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi has decried the growing ethnic conflict in Nigeria, saying it is the bane of development.

Utomi said this, when he made a remark at the launch of an autobiography of Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe (PDP -Abia) in Abuja on Monday.

“Our country is challenged in many ways but more importantly, it is challenge of the collapse of character in public life, the crisis of our country is the crisis of lost character.

“It seems somehow that we are lost in the world of tribes in Nigeria,” he said.

Utomi also emphasised the need for citizens to always engage public office holders on their activities for the good of all.

“Citizens are supposed to engage the state public officials, because we have not built up citizens, there is a gap between those who are in public life and the Nigerian people .

“And it has not helped us to develop because people in public life always separate themselves from the people,” he said.(NAN )

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