All Posts in "Day: October 17, 2023"

Ghana Celebrates As Ibom Air Commences Lagos-Accra Flight

Mohammed Shosanya

Ibom Air, the Akwa Ibom State-owned airline has commenced regional flight operations from Lagos Nigeria to Accra Ghana.

This strategic expansion aligns with its vision “to be a world-class African Regional Airline” by offering passengers an industry-leading travel experience that encompasses schedule reliability, on-time departures, and excellent service,according to the airline

The flight,which departed Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, Nigeria at 7. 45am Tuesday, was treated to a grand reception at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana, at 7.45am, Local time.

Receiving the airline, the Managing Director, Ghana Airports Company Limited, Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey, said, ‘’We are indeed delighted to welcome Ibom Air to Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. We congratulate you on your decision to fly into Accra and are happy to have you on board.

Represented by Mr Kwame Baffour Awuah, the Managing Director said the move is a demonstration of the confidence reposed in the Ghana aviation industry.

She congratulated Ibom Air on its decision to partner the country in aviation development, saying .
“Your entry into Ghana’s market will offer the travelling public more options for connectivity between Ghana and Nigeria. As operators and managers of Kotoka International Airport, we assure Ibom Air of our support in making their operations in Ghana a success. ’

“We are committed to continue providing smooth facilities and services to ensure smooth operations”.

Applauding Ibom Air for its track record of ontime departure and excellent service delivery, she appealed to the airline to extend same excellent customer services to passengers in the country.

Expressing his enthusiasm about the new route, Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr. George Uriesi, said: “We are thrilled to commence our regional operations today, with the inaugural flight between Lagos and Accra.

“This is a significant step for Ibom Air as we expand our network out of Nigeria and into the African continent. With this new route, we aim to enhance connectivity between Nigeria and Ghana, fostering tourism, trade, and tighter economic and cultural ties. Ibom Air remains committed to delivering exceptional services to our passengers, and we invite travellers between Nigeria and Ghana to choose Ibom Air and experience the best of our service offering.”

Speaking on behalf Akwa Ibom State Government,the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mr Charles Udoh said the inaugural flight marks a significant milestone in the history of Akwa Ibom, the home state of Ibom Air.

“Akwa ibom is rich in tourism, economic growth and cuisines. Ibom Air started like a dream, it was to build an airline that would become one of the leading forces in Nigeria. We are redefining the aviation sector. Other airlines should be afraid”. He said

He commended the management and staff of Ibom Air for an excellent approach to aviation business, which he said has seen the airline to such a significant milestone in less than five years of operation.

Extending invitation to international communities, Udoh said: “Our state has been rated the most secured state in Nigeria. We have world class healthcare facilities strategically location in the state”.

“As Ibom Air expands its footprint across the region, travellers can expect a wide range of benefits, including promotional offers, exclusive fares, and special packages designed to make this route even more attractive. With Ibom Air’s reputation for quality service and the support of the Ghana Airports Company Limited, travellers are set to enjoy an exceptional and efficient travel experience”. Aniekan Essienette, GM, Marketing and Communication, Ibom Air assures.

admin by — October 17, 2023 in Aviation 0
Retirement:DIG Jitoboh Slams N550m Suit On Police Service Commission

Mohammed Shosanya

ABUJA -A former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr Moses Ambakina Jitoboh, has sued the Police Service Commission for wrongfully and compulsorily retiring him from office.

By the suit instituted at the National Industrial Court Abuja,

Jitoboh is praying the court to direct the PSC to pay him the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) only as general damages for the unwarranted embarrassment caused by the purported termination of his employment as he has been portrayed to be a disloyal officer.

He also wants a National Industrial Court Abuja, to make an order for the payment of N50, 000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) only as the cost of prosecuting the legal action.

He is also praying for an order of court setting aside his purported
compulsory retirement as Deputy Inspector-General of Police on the 25th day of August, 2023 by the Defendant (PSC).

Besides,Jitoboh is seeking an order setting aside all the unlawful and embarrassing decisions taken by the defendant (PSC), including his retirement and the promotion of another to replace him, same having been done unlawfully and illegally.

The former DIG further asked the court to declare his purported compulsory retirement by Police Service Commission, before his mandatory 60 years retirement age or 35 years in service as “wrongful, unconstitutional and unlawful”.

He wants a declaration that pursuant to Section 4 (3) of the Police Service Commission Act, 2001, the PSC has no valid Board to take any decision whatsoever purporting to retire or promote any police officer as the PSC Board tenure had elapsed in July, 2023.

In his statement of claims, Jitoboh described his purported compulsory retirement as a flagrant violation of Rule 020810 of the Public Service Rules and Section 18 (8) of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, respectively.

Jitoboh, also claimed that he was and remains an officer of the Nigeria Police Force until June 10, 2029, when he would have attained 35 years in service and duly retire and that he is therefore entitled to his salaries, emoluments and all other paraphernalia of office due to him.

He insisted that the PSC Board, enjoys a joint tenure and there is no legal basis for Mr. Solomon Arase to remain in office after the tenure of the Board had elapsed, as he was appointed to complete the tenure of Mr. Musiliu Smith, who resigned as PSC Chairman in 2022.

Arguing that the issue has emphatically shown, through verifiable evidence, that there is no such Police tradition like requiring the retirement of officers because a junior officer was promoted over such seniors, the claimant cited some examples including that of Mr. Ogbonnaya Onovo, who served under two of his juniors without being compulsorily retired until he ultimately became the Inspector General of Police.

Jibotoh also cited the present Chairman of PSC, Mr Solomon Arase, who served under Suleiman Abba, who was his (Arase’s) junior without being compulsorily retired until he himself eventually rose to the position of IG of Police.

“Where did Arase create this “Police Tradition” from?, the claimant queried as history shows otherwise.

The claimant recalled that in 2016, the PSC purportedly retired AIG Mbu Joseph Mbu on the same ground as this, but that decision was correctly set-aside by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for being unlawful, embarrassing and unconstitutional.

The PSC, it will be recalled, had purportedly retired DIG Jitoboh and three others on the ground of upholding the Police tradition of retiring, when a junior Police officer is promoted over his senior to avoid “status reversal”. END

admin by — October 17, 2023 in News 0
Eni Gives Post-Graduate Scholarship To 29 Nigerian Graduates

Mohammed Shosanya

Eni’s subsidiary, Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAE) awarded scholarships to twenty-nine Nigerian graduates for Post Graduate studies overseas as well as at Nigerian Universities under its 2023/2024 Awards Scheme.

Nine of the beneficiaries will undertake postgraduate studies in various Universities in the United Kingdom and a university in Finland,a statement said.

The remaining awardees will pursue their postgraduate studies in Nigerian Universities in disciplines such as Engineering, Geosciences, Petroleum and Environmental Technology and Petroleum Law.

According to the statement,beneficiaries were selected based on their past academic standing and performance in the computer-based test conducted recently for over 700 shortlisted applicants for this year’s award scheme.

The award letters were presented to the beneficiaries in Abuja by Eni Nigeria’s Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Fabrizio Bolondi who congratulated the beneficiaries and stated that the ceremony represents a moment of pride for the company and the awardees, not only to recognize the incredible talent and dedication of the scholars, but also to highlight the significant investment in the future of education, innovation, and progress in the country.

The postgraduate scholarship scheme was instituted in 2007 as part of the company’s human capital development initiatives to promote knowledge acquisition and to bridge the skills gap in specialized fields relevant to deep offshore Oil and Gas operations in Nigeria.

Hitherto, a total of 290 graduates have benefitted from the Postgraduate Scholarship Schemes, instituted by the company in 2007 to promote knowledge acquisition and fill skills gap in the Oil and Gas sector, as well as contribute to the training and equipping of local professionals with requisite knowledge required in the industry.

Eni, through NAE has implemented other sustainability initiatives in Nigeria in areas of health, education, access to water and infrastructure provisions, as well as specific initiatives for stakeholder empowerment in local communities.

These include provision of 22 integrated water schemes for domestic consumption and irrigation purposes in North-East Nigeria and Abuja Federal Capital Territory, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to improve access to water for the communities affected by the humanitarian crisis in Northeast Nigeria.

Others are provision of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) equipment to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt; Cardiothoracic equipment including Heart-Lung Machine LivaNova (Sorin/Stockert) S5 complete system at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano; as well as a Research and Innovation Laboratory at the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE) was incorporated in 1996 to manage the company’s deep offshore exploration and production assets. NAE has the distinction of being the first oil and gas company in Nigeria to produce oil from the country’s deep offshore. NAE has interests in six deep offshore blocks in Nigeria, either as operator or co-venturer.

admin by — October 17, 2023 in Education 0
Subsidy Removal Pushes Inflation Rate To 26.72%

Mohammed Shosanya

Nigeria’s inflation rate increased to 26.72% in September 2023 amid soaring food prices and harsh economic realities occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy in May.

This was according to the September 2023 Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Inflation Report published by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Monday.

The CPI rose from 25.80% in August 2023 with an increase of 0.92% points.

It added:“In September 2023, the headline inflation rate increased to 26.72% relative to the August 2023 headline inflation rate which was 25.80%,” the report partly read.

“Looking at the movement, the September 2023 headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.92% points when compared to the August 2023 headline inflation rate.

“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 5.94% points higher compared to the rate recorded in September 2022, which was 20.77%.”

Besides,the report said the food inflation rate in September 2023 was 30.64% on a year-on-year basis, which was 7.30% points higher compared to the rate recorded in September 2022 (23.34%).

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis was caused by increases in prices of oil and fat, bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, fish, fruit, meat, vegetables and milk, cheese, and eggs.

On a month-on-month basis, the Food inflation rate in September 2023 was 2.45%, this was 1.41% lower compared to the rate recorded in August 2023 (3.87%). The decline in food inflation on a month-on-month basis was caused by a fall in the rate of increase in the average prices of potatoes, yam and other tubers, bread and cereals, fruits, and fish,” the report added.

admin by — October 17, 2023 in News 0