Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Video - Freed hostages from Boko Haram talk about their ordeal
More rescued women in Nigeria have been recounting their ordeal at the hands of militant group Boko Haram. But they've also been speaking out about apparent divisions in the ranks.
Asaba airported downgraded due to safety concerns
The Nigerian Government has downgraded the Asaba Airport over the failure of Delta State Government to put in place safety and security measures at the airport, an Assistant Director, Press & Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu,said Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr. Odaudu said with the downgrading, the airport would now be allowed to accommodate the operation of only Dash 8-Q 400 aircraft or its equivalent until all the safety issues were addressed.
He stated that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has raised several safety concerns.
The safety concerns according to the statement, were over undulations on the airport’s runway, the lack of the required strip, perimeter fencing, drainage, as well as lack of adequately trained technical personnel.
Mr. Odaudu said the decision was taken since no concrete steps had been taken to address the issues which were capable of compromising the safety of flight operation and the passengers.
“It has therefore become a matter of serious concern that despite a series of meetings with, and assurances given by the operators of the airport.
“The Federal Government has also drawn the attention of the owners of the airport to the fact that it has, through its inability to address the issues, violated compliance with safety standards.
“Safety standard as stipulated in the Nig. CARs Part 12.6.2 and 12.6.3 in respect of the airport runway and its associated facilities as well as adequately trained personnel were violated,” Mr. Odaudu said in the statement.
He quoted the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, as saying that the downgrading was done in public interest.
“Because the Federal Government places very high premium on the safety and security of aviation passengers and would never compromise set standards for whatever reason. “The minister, however, assures that the airport would revert to its previous status as soon as all the safety concerns are adequately and satisfactorily addressed,” Mr. Odaudu said in the statement.
Premium Times
Mr. Odaudu said with the downgrading, the airport would now be allowed to accommodate the operation of only Dash 8-Q 400 aircraft or its equivalent until all the safety issues were addressed.
He stated that the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has raised several safety concerns.
The safety concerns according to the statement, were over undulations on the airport’s runway, the lack of the required strip, perimeter fencing, drainage, as well as lack of adequately trained technical personnel.
Mr. Odaudu said the decision was taken since no concrete steps had been taken to address the issues which were capable of compromising the safety of flight operation and the passengers.
“It has therefore become a matter of serious concern that despite a series of meetings with, and assurances given by the operators of the airport.
“The Federal Government has also drawn the attention of the owners of the airport to the fact that it has, through its inability to address the issues, violated compliance with safety standards.
“Safety standard as stipulated in the Nig. CARs Part 12.6.2 and 12.6.3 in respect of the airport runway and its associated facilities as well as adequately trained personnel were violated,” Mr. Odaudu said in the statement.
He quoted the Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, as saying that the downgrading was done in public interest.
“Because the Federal Government places very high premium on the safety and security of aviation passengers and would never compromise set standards for whatever reason. “The minister, however, assures that the airport would revert to its previous status as soon as all the safety concerns are adequately and satisfactorily addressed,” Mr. Odaudu said in the statement.
Premium Times
Nigerian government burrows money to pay salaries
Africa's richest economy is borrowing money to pay salaries as it struggles through a "difficult cash crunch" brought on by halved oil prices, Nigeria's finance minister revealed.
The news comes as Nigeria prepares to welcome a new government at the end of this month and the country's naira currency remains in a slump, hovering between 180 and 220 to the US dollar. It was trading at 160 a few months ago.
Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala tried to be upbeat in a speech on Tuesday after lawmakers approved the 2015 budget - revised three times because of slashed oil prices that provide 80 percent of revenue for the government of Africa's biggest petroleum producer.
She said "revenue challenges" had prohibited the release of any funds for capital expenditure this year but that food prices and single-digit inflation remained quite stable. And she said the economy still was on course to grow 4.8 percent this year.
"We have front-loaded the borrowing programme to manage the cash crunch," Okonjo-Iweala told lawmakers.
"Out of the 882 billion naira budgetary provision for borrowing, the government has borrowed 473 billion naira to meet up with recurrent expenditure, including salaries and overheads."
That is bad news for the incoming government of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, who takes over on May 29 from incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari acknowledges that constricted revenue and endemic corruption threaten his will to deliver on development and reconstruction of areas devastated by a nearly 6-year-old rebel uprising in the northeast.
He says his fight against corruption should produce the money needed to bring change to a country where oil proceeds benefit a small clique while the majority of the 170 million people in Africa's most populous nation live hand to mouth.
Critics blame the financial crisis in part on the most expensive election ever held in Nigeria, though no one knows how much politicians from both sides spent during their campaigns.
Aljazeera
The news comes as Nigeria prepares to welcome a new government at the end of this month and the country's naira currency remains in a slump, hovering between 180 and 220 to the US dollar. It was trading at 160 a few months ago.
Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala tried to be upbeat in a speech on Tuesday after lawmakers approved the 2015 budget - revised three times because of slashed oil prices that provide 80 percent of revenue for the government of Africa's biggest petroleum producer.
She said "revenue challenges" had prohibited the release of any funds for capital expenditure this year but that food prices and single-digit inflation remained quite stable. And she said the economy still was on course to grow 4.8 percent this year.
"We have front-loaded the borrowing programme to manage the cash crunch," Okonjo-Iweala told lawmakers.
"Out of the 882 billion naira budgetary provision for borrowing, the government has borrowed 473 billion naira to meet up with recurrent expenditure, including salaries and overheads."
That is bad news for the incoming government of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, who takes over on May 29 from incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.
Buhari acknowledges that constricted revenue and endemic corruption threaten his will to deliver on development and reconstruction of areas devastated by a nearly 6-year-old rebel uprising in the northeast.
He says his fight against corruption should produce the money needed to bring change to a country where oil proceeds benefit a small clique while the majority of the 170 million people in Africa's most populous nation live hand to mouth.
Critics blame the financial crisis in part on the most expensive election ever held in Nigeria, though no one knows how much politicians from both sides spent during their campaigns.
Aljazeera
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Aliko Dangote still interested in buying Arsenal F.C.
Dangote—who lost some $10 billion in net worth in 2014 due to a crash in the Nigerian stock market and value of the Nigerian naira but is still Africa’s richest person—told Bloomberg that he is interested in taking control of the club, of which he is a big fan.
“I still hope, one day at the right price, that I’ll buy the team,” he said. “I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won’t want to resist. I know my strategy.”
The north London club is currently controlled by US billionaire Stan Kroenke, who also owns other sports teams including the NBA’s Denver Nuggets and the NFL’s St Louis Rams. Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov also owns just under a third of Arsenal.
It is not clear that Kroenke or any of the minority shareholders have put any stakes up for sale at this stage. If Dangote did make a bid it is likely he would be going up against Usmanov, who is worth some $15 billion and has long coveted full control of the club.
Arsenal has the longest serving manager in the league in Arsene Wenger, who brought many trophies early in his reign but has faced questions about the team’s inability to win the Premier League since 2004. Of Wenger, Dangote told Bloomberg: “He needs to change his style a bit. They need new direction.”
English soccer clubs in its top flight league have rocketed in value in recent years, buoyed by rising domestic and international TV rights that have pumped huge wads of cash into the 20 teams in the league—especially top teams like Arsenal. According to Bloomberg, Arsenal Holdings Plc, which trades on the UK’s ICAP Securities & Derivatives Exchange, is valued at 988 million pounds ($1.49 billion).
English soccer has risen rapidly in popularity globally, nowhere more so than in African countries, partly driven by an increasing number of African-born stars playing for the top teams, players such as Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and Chelsea’s Didier Drogba. If Dangote were to buy Arsenal, he would be the first African to own a Premier League team.
Quartz
Related story: Video - Aljazeera speaks with Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote
Video - Electricity shortage threatening Nigeria's economy
A shortage of electricity is threatening Africa's biggest economy. Cities across the Nigeria, including Abuja and Lagos, have been experiencing some of worst black-outs in years these past few weeks with power available for only five hours a day in some area.
Related story: Electricity bills in Nigeria cut by half
Video - Aljazeera covers Nigeria's steps to improve its poor electricity supply
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