Transportation

NRC Directs Shutdown Of Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Warri Train Services Over Strike
Labour, News, Nigeria, Transportation, Uncategorized

NRC Directs Shutdown Of Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan, Warri Train Services Over Strike

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has directed district managers to be prepared to shut down train stations plying Abuja-Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan and Warri-Itakpe routes in the event that workers down tools. In an internal memo issued on Tuesday, the Managing Director of NRC, Engr. Fidet Okhiria, alerted all district managers and relevant officers of the need to protect railway assets in the event the strike goes ahead. The three-day warning strike by workers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is to hold from November 18th to November 20th. A letter titled, “Notice and Directive to embark on 3-day warning strike nationwide,” dated November 12th, had been addressed by the District Chairman/Secretary Nigeria Union of Railway workers and Senior Staff Association. The workers’ un...
Aviation Fuel Price Rises By 70%, International Airlines May Raise Fares
News, Nigeria, Transportation

Aviation Fuel Price Rises By 70%, International Airlines May Raise Fares

The International Air Transport Association has said the price of jet fuel has continued to increase in recent weeks, with its price increasing by 70 per cent since the start of 2021. According to IATA, the Switzerland-based trade organisation representing over 290 international airlines, the increase in Jet A1 price is putting pressure on airlines’ operating costs and threatening the industry’s profitability. IATA said jet fuel price continued to trend upwards in recent weeks as economic activity restarted around the world and supply remained tight. The association disclosed this in its ‘Airlines Financial Monitor’ which was released on Tuesday. It added that as of early November, jet fuel price was 70 per cent higher compared to the start of the year. The association said,...
Arik Airlines Staff Arrested For Seeking Bribe From Passenger At Lagos Airport
News, Nigeria, Transportation

Arik Airlines Staff Arrested For Seeking Bribe From Passenger At Lagos Airport

A staff member of Arik Airlines has been arrested by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) for allegedly soliciting bribe from a passenger at the general aviation terminal in Lagos. This was disclosed by Henrietta Yakubu, General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday. Yakubu confirmed that the on-duty card of the erring staff was withdrawn immediately, and she had been handed over to the relevant security agency for appropriate action to serve as a deterrent to others. “Officials were also directed to always wear conspicuous name tags anytime they are on duty. “Airport managers have been directed to ensure that all stakeholders at the airports are properly sensitised on the new development as there will be no sacred cows.” Read Als...
International Airfares Rise As Naira Crashes On IATA Platform
Finance, News, Nigeria, Transportation

International Airfares Rise As Naira Crashes On IATA Platform

The lingering shortage of foreign exchange in Nigeria has forced the naira to crash against the United States dollar on the air ticket pricing template of the International Air Transport Association, the Switzerland-based trade body representing over 290 global airlines. As a result, airfares on Nigeria routes that are priced in naira have increased considerably, forcing Nigerian travel companies to express fear the development may further dampen the recovery of international travel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The development came amid struggles by foreign airlines to access forex from the Central Bank of Nigeria to repatriate ticket sale proceeds running to over $208m. Investigations by The PUNCH revealed that the naira fell against the US dollar last week on the I...
Inaugurate Anambra Airport, Ex-gov Ezeife Urges NCAA
News, Nigeria, Safety, Security, Transportation

Inaugurate Anambra Airport, Ex-gov Ezeife Urges NCAA

The former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has urged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority to go ahead with the inauguration of the Anambra Airport. Ezeife gave the charge on Friday in a statement issued in Enugu, saying the security situation in the South-East was not too serious to stop the inauguration of the facility. He stated that Nigeria as a nation had always faced one challenge or another. Read Also: Anambra Election: Security Agents Ready To Deal With Violent Groups, Individuals – National Adviser He said, “I have looked at the whole scenario and found that the situation looks politically motivated, and this is definitely wrong. “Anambra Airport has been under construction for a long time, and I was informed that all the relevant authorities have...
COVID-19: FG Adjusts Restriction on Foreign Travellers
Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Transportation

COVID-19: FG Adjusts Restriction on Foreign Travellers

The Federal Government has relaxed a restriction on foreign travellers without evidence of payment for their COVID-19 PCR test. In a memo by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority obtained by our correspondent on Sunday, foreign airlines were asked to board passengers without evidence of payment for Day seven COVID-19 PCR test or generate paid QR code/permit to fly. The memo dated September 11, 2021, and issued by Director-General of NCAA, Musa Nuhu, was titled “Permission for airlines to board passengers travelling to Nigeria who are unable to show evidence of payment for day seven COVID-19 PCR test or generate paid QR code/permit to fly”. Nuhu said the decision was taken in view of the challenges some travellers to Nigeria are experiencing while trying to fill their Health and Tr...
Drive With Earphone, Face Six Months Jail Term, FRSC Warns
Communication, News, Nigeria, Transportation

Drive With Earphone, Face Six Months Jail Term, FRSC Warns

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has warned that any driver who receives or makes telephone calls while driving, regardless of any wireless gadgets used risk prosecution. The FRSC also said drivers who make or receive calls behind the wheels with AirPods, EarPods or any form wired or wireless earphones and handsfree mode risk six months in jail. FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said driving requires total concentration and road users should not take any risk on their lives. He said it is illegal to make calls or receive the same while driving, according to the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012. Kazeem said, “It is illegal. Driving entails 100 per cent concentration so you cannot be distracted. It is there in th...
Buhari Spends N41bn on Presidential Fleet Despite Promise To Cut Cost
Economy, Finance, Nigeria, Transportation

Buhari Spends N41bn on Presidential Fleet Despite Promise To Cut Cost

The President Muhammadu Buhari administration has so far expended N41.9bn to maintain the Presidential Air Fleet contrary to the promise Buhari made during the 2015 presidential election campaigns to reduce waste in governance by downsizing the presidential fleet. As of October 2016, when the Presidency last made a public inventory of the PAF, the fleet included 10 aircraft, namely one Boeing Business Jet (or Air Force One) 737, one Gulfstream G550, one Gulfstream G500, one Hawker 4000, two Falcon 7X, two AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters, and two AgustaWestland AW101 helicopters. By the Presidency’s own admission, Buhari’s promise to sell some of the aircraft in the fleet was aimed at minimising the cost of governance. In October 2016, the Senior Special Assistant to the President...
FG Increases vehicle number plate, driving licence rates by 50%
Finance, News, Nigeria, Transportation

FG Increases vehicle number plate, driving licence rates by 50%

The Federal Government has started the implementation of new rates for vehicle number plates and driving licences nationwide. According to the Joint Tax Board, Nigerians will now pay N18,750 for standard private and commercial number plates against the old rate of N12,500. Fancy number plate which was N80,000 is now N200,000; motorcycle number plate is N5,000 from N3,000 while articulated number plates (three plates) attract N30,000 from N20,000. For these rates, the minimum increase is 50 per cent. Out of series number plate has also been revised to N50,000 from N40,000 while government fancy number plate is N20,000 against the former N15,000 rate. Driving licence (three years) was raised to N10,000 from N6,000, excluding bank charges; licence for five years is N15,000 from N1...
Computer-Based Test Now a Criterion For Driver’s License
News, Nigeria, Transportation

Computer-Based Test Now a Criterion For Driver’s License

The Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, has started conducting a computer-based test for Nigerians from driving schools seeking to obtain driver’s licence. This was contained in a statement by the FRSC Sector Commander in Delta State, Patrick Okoyeocha, on Friday in Asaba. Okoyeocha noted that the new policy became imperative following the successful transition of the FRSC Driving School Standardisation Programme’s (DSSP) portal from version 1.0 to version 2.0. According to him, it has become necessary for the commission to enlighten the public on this upgrade, so as to accommodate motorcycles, tricycles and articulated vehicles. “More spectacular to this upgrade is the CBT. It is important for the general public to know that the CBT was introduced to enhance the integrity of...