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Nigeria Air: Civil Society Group Tackles NASS

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1 year ago

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Says Committee Chairman’s declaration amounts to ‘giving the dog a bad name in order to hang it’
…
A civil society group, The Concerned Civil Society Advocacy Group has taken up the outgoing Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji on his recent declaration that the national carrier project was a fraud.

According to the group, the declaration, coming in the wake of the recent exhibition of one of aircrafts of Nigeria Air in Abuja, amounted to “giving the dog a bad name so that it can be hanged”

In a statement to the media in Abuja on Wednesday,and signed by the Group’s National Coordinator, Bako Barkindo and National Secretary, Julius Adaji, it described the sustained plot to ensure the failure of the national carrier project as a disservice to the Nigerian people who stand to benefit from its establishment.

Former Aviation Minister, Senator Hadi Sirika

The Statement read:

“The media has been awash with reports that the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation has declared the national carrier project a fraud after a hastily organised ‘public hearing’ whose outcome was obviously predetermined.
As usual, many gullible Nigerians have been deceived through deliberate misinformation by opponents of the Nigerian Air project who have been masquerading their real intentions as national interest.
Everyone knows what the benefits of a national carrier are, and they include; competitive ticket prices, direct flights to international destinations, national pride etc. We therefore wonder why the concerted efforts by some people to ensure that the project fails.

“As a group that believes that Nigeria deserves a very robust national carrier that is private sector-driven (bearing in mind the issues that led to the death of defunct Nigeria Airways), we have followed the process through which the project had passed, from the appointment of transaction advisers up to the announcement of Ethiopian Airlines as the Strategic partners and other private sector investors before the court injunction obtained by some domestic airline operators. It is therefore surprising that the Chairman, House Committee on Aviation had to come up with such a declaration shortly before the Committee’s tenure ends.

“We are therefore constrained to raise the following questions:
1.Has the Committee chaired by Nnolim Nnaji not been part of the whole process of establishing the airline, or they have been watching from the sidelines, unconcerned with such a flagship project in the sector?
2.Why wait till the wee hours of their departure from the national assembly to hold a make-believe public hearing where the Chairman acted as a sole administrator and did not allow those in charge to make contributions but went ahead to declare the national carrier project a fraud, a position that at variance with that of Senate?
3.Is the Committee not aware of the fact that government equity in the airline is only 5% and the remaining 95% belongs to the strategic partners (Ethiopian Airlines) and other private investors; and that even if government withdraws from the venture, the owners of the 95% will carry on?
4.On the use of the Ethiopian Airlines plane, why didn’t the Committee highlight the 49% ownership of Nigeria Air part of which includes the provision of aeroplanes for take-off?
5.Can the Committee invalidate an Executive Council-approved project that was midwifed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and approved by the President?
6.Why are some members of the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) so vehemently opposed to the national carrier project, if not for the sole purpose of continuous exploitation of air travellers? Should Nigerians be subjected to whims and caprices of these airline operators who have made air transportation in the country unaffordable to the average Nigerian?
7.Why would the Association also claim that they were not carried along in the process when every stage was advertised in most national dailies and some international publications as well as the electronic and social media? Moreover, all the information regarding the airline has been available on websites of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) and the Ministry of Aviation. Wherein lies the the much-vaunted secrecy?

“As concerned citizens we believe that the establishment of the cational carrier will be of immense benefit to Nigerians with the provision of competitive rates for both domestic and international routes.
It is our belief also that there’s more to this seeming gangup to truncate the project than meets the eye, especially with the close relationship with the major actors in the plot to deprive Nigerians of the inherent benefits.

“We conclude that all the negatives being spread about the Nigeria Air project is only to ‘give a dog a bad name so they can hang it’.

The group appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure the take-off of the airline which,according to them was at that stage before the change of government.

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University Don Canvases Implementation of New Public Management to accelerate Nation’s growth

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1 week ago

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November 28, 2024

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By Elizabeth Okwe and Ojone Grace Odaudu


A Professor of New Public Management at the Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK) Prof. Charles Nwekeaku has advocated the implementation of New Public Management to accelerate growth and development in Nigeria.


Delivering a lecture titled “New Public Management, National Development and Transformation in Globalized World”.
at the 47th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Keffi, the university Don explained that NPM is a new administrative system that promises to address the perceived inadequacies contained in the Traditional Public Administration system which tend to neutralize it’s efficacy.

According to him, NPM has the potentialities of succeeding where the TPA has failed because of its creativity, efficiency, flexibility, adaptability to new administrative challenges, market oriented posture, good governance as well as inbuilt mechanisms that make NPM withstand the shocks of developmental challenges.

Nwekeaku added that these advantages led him to advocate for all levels of government to get involved in the implementation of NPM, given it’s potential to help accelerate Nigeria’s growth and development.

“The NPM advocates new innovations, ideas, strategies and creativity in meeting the needs of the members of the society who should be seen as loyal and important customers yearning for efficient and effective service delivery from the government.

“It emphasizes the application of the concept of the private sector which sees and treats people or citizens as customers who should get value for their money and who yearn for efficient and effective service delivery from the government,” Prof. Nwekeaku declared.

He explained further that it is in the contextual setting of the NPM that national development can occur as the human and material resources of the state will be actively harnessed for efficient and effective use of the society.

“Nothing practically is working in Nigeria today, and the situation will remain so except the yoke of traditional public administration is yanked off and replaced with the New Public Management,” he said.

The university Don pointed out that in practical terms,the adoption of NPM for national development and transformation will entail the application of principles and practices of corporate governance, alternative service delivery, e governance, and commerce.

“Other are artificial intelligence, financial inclusion, as well as other tools and attitude that engender efficiency, good governance and profitablity in all public institutions and enterprises at all levels of governance,” he said.

In an interview, Prof. Sa’adatu Liman, Vice Chancellor of NSUK aplauded the lecturer for a well researched inaugural lecture and described the topic of the lecture as apt and instrumental in helping to transform Nigeria giving the present economic challenges.

“The lecturer spoke eloquently of the failures of the traditional public administration and the need to apply the new public management system for quality .and growth.

“It it is applied, it will surely bring development to the country because as it is the country has been stagnated due to the continuous use of the traditional public administration procedure,” she said.

Source: City Post

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Anambra Approves Tax Relief for Small Businesses, Awards Contracts for Health and Other Infrastructures

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1 week ago

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November 27, 2024

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As part of its efforts to boost small and medium enterprises in the state, the Anambra state government has granted tax relief to businesses operating with less than N100,000 capital. This, according to the government, is in consideration of the difficulties faced by businesses in recent times.

The state government has also awarded contracts worth over N600 million for the supply and installation of new medical and non-medical hospital equipment at both the specialist hospital, Fegge, and the General Hospital, Anaku, Onitsha South, and Ayamelum LGAs. The contract was awarded to CHRISLAUG LTD.

This followed the approval of the projects by the State Executive Council meeting in Awka on Tuesday.

A statement by the State’s Commissioner for Information, Dr Law Mefor said the contract is expected to be delivered in three months.

The statement gave details of the contract and other decisions of the council thus:

“LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE SPECIALIST HOSPITAL, FEGGE, at the sum of N367,560,500.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee.

“LOT 2: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF NEW HOSPITAL MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AT THE GENERAL HOSPITAL ANAKU at the sum of N285,473,000.00. It will be supplied 3 months after the mobilisation fee

“The Council encouraged investors to take over the management of public enterprises (PEs) in the state by restating that leasing and concessioning PEs are better alternatives to the Government managing them directly.

“The Council restated that the Anti-touting Law of Anambra State remains in force and strongly advised touts to join the Soludo administration’s empowerment schemes for legitimate livelihoods. The Council also approved tax exemptions in Anambra State for groups whose business capitals are less than N100,000 and devolution of more powers to the local governments in the state in the area of sanitation.

“The Council has approved a memo presented by the Commissioner for Water Resources and Power, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka, for the rehabilitation of the vandalised injection substation at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam Campus. The contract was awarded to Kolc Ventures at the sum of N228,147,634.33.

“The contract for the provision of free internet access to the Anambra State House of Assembly Complex, Awka, at the sum of N81,872,000.00 was awarded to PINE HEIGHT GLOBAL RESOURCES LTD to be installed within 2 weeks from the date of the contract award.

“The one for the construction of 151 open stalls at Afuzo Market, Isuofia, to boost local commerce and support economic growth was awarded to Crystal Dove Construction Company at the sum of N279,072,710.75.

Allpee International Ltd won the contract for the road-marking of the Amawbia flyover motorway with a spur through Ezeuzu Junction to ICC, along Amansea Old Road at the sum of N118,716,874.41. It will be delivered in 6 weeks.


“The ANSEC also approved the memo for the supply and installation of Solar Street Lights within the Awka Metropolis Lot 1, Lot 2, and Lot 3.
LOT 1: SUPPLY AND INSTALLATION OF 544 NR SOLAR STREET LIGHTS
awarded to VIGEO-DOME LTD
N460,732,148.31
3 months delivery post mobilization fee.

II: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 346 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

FRANKTORCH NIG LTD
N385,605,574.49
2 months delivery post mobilization fee.

111: SUPPLY and INSTALLATIONS OF 240 Nr SOLAR STREET LIGHTS.

HONEYDOVE INTEGRATED
N163,800,279.72
2 months delivery post mobilization fee

“The contract for the production and installation of 500 pieces of fluorescent “Solution Is Here” concrete signage for the branding of all landmark infrastructures across the state was awarded to Conifer Konstruction Nig Ltd at the sum of N200,000,013.51

Signed

Law Mefor, PhD
Commissioner for Information
Anambra State

November 25, 2024.

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Economy

Despite Earlier Apprehensions, Senators Agree on Funding for Development Commissions

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1 month ago

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October 25, 2024

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Despite Senators’ division over new regional development commissions’ funding arrangement, Lawmakers in the Red Chamber on Thursday finally agreed on the source of funding for the newly created zonal development commissions.

The arguments had unfolded as the Senate and House of Representatives moved forward with legislation to establish these commissions, which were also stripped of operational immunity for their boards and executives.

The disagreement emerged during the clause-by-clause consideration of the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, which serves as the structural template for other zonal commissions.
Central to the debate was the Senate Committee on Special Duties’ recommendation that 15% of statutory allocations from member states be directed toward funding these commissions.

Several Senators, including Yahaya Abdullahi (PDP, Kebbi North), Wasiu Eshinlokun (APC, Lagos East), and Seriake Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa West), voiced concerns over the proposed funding model.

 

 

Senator Abdullahi warned that the provision could lead to legal challenges from state governments, as no state would willingly allow its statutory allocation to be reduced.

“Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocations of member states recommended for funding their zonal development commissions would be litigated against by some state governments,” Abdullahi said.

Seeking to clarify the matter, the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin, quickly intervened.

He explained that the 15% allocation would not involve a direct deduction from the states’ funds.

He said, “Mr President, distinguished colleagues, the 15% of statutory allocation of member states, recommended for funding of Zonal Development Commissions by the federal government, is not about deduction at all.

“What is recommended, as contained in the report presented to us by the Committee on Special Duties and being considered by the Senate now, is that 15% of the statutory allocation of member states in a zonal development commission would, by way of calculation by the federal government, be used to fund the commission from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Each state has a monthly statutory allocation, 15% of which, as contained in this report being considered, will be calculated by the federal government and removed from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for funding of their Development Commission.”

Despite Barau’s explanation, several senators remained unconvinced and expressed their desire to contribute to the debate.

However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio stepped in, asserting that the provision was constitutionally sound.

“We don’t need to debate whether 15% of statutory allocations from member states in a commission would be deducted,” Akpabio said, citing Section 162(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which grants the National Assembly the authority to appropriate funds from either the Consolidated Revenue Fund or the Federation Account.

“Fifteen percent of the statutory allocation has been recommended by the Senate, and by extension, the National Assembly, for funding these zonal development commissions. Anyone who wishes to challenge that in court is free to do so,” he added.

Akpabio then called for a voice vote, and the majority voted in favour of the provision.

In his remarks following the passage of the consolidated bills, Akpabio expressed gratitude to the Senators for their efforts in finalising the Zonal Development Commissions.

He noted that these commissions would provide a foundation for the newly created Ministry of Regional Development.

The bills passed include the South-South Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024, the North West Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024, and the South-East Development Commission Act (Amendment) Bill 2024.

The South West Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 and the North Central Development Commission Establishment Bill 2024 were previously passed.

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