Travel | Page 7 of 8 | African News Today

21Dec

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, Covid-19, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Safety, Transportation

Ban Flights from UK, Atiku Urges FG

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has advised the Federal Government to act quickly to avert preventable casualties by banning fights from the United Kingdom as the country battles the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election urged FG to learn from European countries that banned flights from the United Kingdom. This was contained in a statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja titled ‘An Ounce of Prevention Is Better Than a Pound of Cure’. Atiku said, “We must face the reality that our health sector is not sufficiently prepared to handle a sudden and unpredictable surge of this pandemic. We have already lost lives needlessly. We need not lose more. “Already, prudent nations are taking prompt action, ...

How Travelers Were Stuck at Itobe Bridge, Kogi, for Several Hours (See Video)

21Nov

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Infrastructure, News, Nigeria, Transportation

How Travelers Were Stuck at Itobe Bridge, Kogi, for Several Hours (See Video)

Travelers who traveled to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja on Friday were halted by massive traffic jam at the Itobe Bridget, Kogi State, African News Today has gathered. Motorists and commuters plying the Itobe-Ajaokuta- bridge in Kogi State linking the Eastern part of the country to Abuja were left sweating at the bridge for several hours after a trailer broke down in the middle of the bridge, causing gridlock which started around 4:00 pm. One of the lanes of the two-lane bridge had been barricaded for repair works since the beginning of the year, leaving motorists with only one lane in the ever-busy highway. The effect of the breakdown of the trailer in the bridge caused great difficulty to vehicles that plied the road as they had to wait for long period before interv...

Ondo2020: INEC to Adopt No-face-mask-no-voting

9Oct

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Covid-19, Crime, Elections, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Security, Transportation

Ondo2020: INEC to Adopt No-face-mask-no-voting

The Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 has directed the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce no-face-mask-no-voting rule in the Saturday governorship election in Ondo State. The PTF National Coordinator, Dr Sani Aliyu said this during a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday. Aliyu expressed the determination of the taskforce to ensure that elections are conducted under safe environment. He said that Ondo state boasts of over 1.5 million prospective voters in 3,000 polling units which makes the election a huge exercise which would also come with its risk. Speaking on the resumption of international flights, Chairman of the PTF and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha said that there has been an increase in the nu...

FG Faults US, UK Over Visa Restriction on Election Riggers

19Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, United States of America

FG Faults US, UK Over Visa Restriction on Election Riggers

The federal government has kicked against the visa restrictions imposed on some Nigerians by the United States (US) owing to election rigging during the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States. According to a statement by Mike Pompeo, US Secretary of state, actions have also been taken against persons in the run-up to the September and October 2020 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo. The United Kingdom (UK) had also threatened to impose severe sanctions such as visa ban on persons who work against credible elections in Nigeria. Reacting to the development, the federal through the ministry of foreign affairs in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Ferdinand Nwonye, said such actions by the US and UK were disrespectful to the country’s sovereignty. Nwonye stated ...

FG Walks the Talk, Bars Emirates Airlines from Operating in Nigeria

19Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, News, Nigeria, Transportation

FG Walks the Talk, Bars Emirates Airlines from Operating in Nigeria

The Federal Government has banned Emirates Airlines from operating in Nigeria in adherence to its principle of reciprocity in granting permission to airlines to resume flight operations. The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika disclosed the ban will commence on Monday, September 21, 2020. Sirika in a tweet on his official Twitter handle tweeted, “The PTF sub-committee met today with EU Ambassadors to discuss Lufthansa, Air France/KLM ban. The meeting progressed well. Emirates Airlines’ situation was reviewed and they are consequently included in the list of those not approved, with effect from Monday, September 21, 2020.” The ban is in line with the federal government’s commitment to reciprocating flight restrictions. Recall that the Federal Government had prior to resumption of...

US Slams Visa Ban on Election Riggers in Nigeria

15Sep

By Obiajulu Joel Nwolu1 Comment

News, Nigeria, United States of America

US Slams Visa Ban on Election Riggers in Nigeria

The United States government says it has imposed visa ban on some persons for their actions during the conduct of the Kogi and Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections and in the run-up to the Edo and Ondo state polls. This was disclosed on Monday in a statement signed by Morgan Ortagus, spokesperson for the Department of State. The statement read in part, “In July 2019, we announced the imposition of visa restrictions on Nigerians who undermined the February and March 2019 elections. Today, the Secretary of State is imposing additional visa restrictions on individuals for their actions surrounding the November 2019 Kogi and Bayelsa State elections and in the run up to the September and October 2020 Edo and Ondo State elections. “These individuals have so far operated with impunity a...

FG Ratifies $3.1bn Customs Automation Concession Project

3Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, News, Nigeria

FG Ratifies $3.1bn Customs Automation Concession Project

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has ratified the concession of the automation project of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Minister of finance, budget and national planning, Zainab Ahmed said the automation project will cost $3.1 billion. She noted the project will be concessioned for 20 years. The council also approved N13.122 billion for automation of airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt and consequent transformation of the airports from their current analogue to full digital operations Ahmed said, “The main objective of this project is to completely automate every aspect of the customs business and to institutionalize the use of smart and emerging technologies that will enhance the statutory function of the Nigerian Customs Service in the areas of revenue gener...

Reckless Drivers in Zamfara to be Sentenced to Death – Matawalle

30Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Safety, Transportation

Reckless Drivers in Zamfara to be Sentenced to Death – Matawalle

Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamafara State has threatened to reintroduce death penalty for reckless drivers in the state, after the mishap that led to the death of 16 people on Wednesday. A truck had lost control and ran into four vehicles transporting supporters of Matawalle along Gusau/Funtua road. Matawalle disclosed this on Sunday while on condolence visit to the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Ibrahim Bello, along with cabinet members and the management of BUA Group. The governor pledged N2m to families of each of the deceased, who had a wife and N1.5 to families of the unmarried among the accident victims. He added that next of kins of each of the deceased will be put on a monthly stipend of N50,000 each. He went further to state that he will ensure introduction of speed limit g...

Crashed Lagos Helicopter Has no Black Box – Investigation Bureau

29Aug

By Obiajulu Joel Nwolu1 Comment

Aviation, News, Nigeria, Safety, Transportation

Crashed Lagos Helicopter Has no Black Box – Investigation Bureau

The Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has said that the Bell 206-B3 that crashed on Salvation Road, Opebi in the Ikeja area of Lagos State has no black box. Investigation has started without the black box, revealed AIG, the investigating body in charge of all air-related mishaps in Nigeria. The black box is certified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the United Nations designated agency for global aviation regulation as key resource for improvement of aviation safety. Also known as flight recorders, voice recordings from the flight are important for determining cause of aviation accidents. They are most useful to determine what happened on an aircraft before accidents, especially the pilot’s last conversation. The helicopter which crashed into a fence demarcating...

Air Peace Reconsiders, Recalls Sacked Pilots as FG intervenes

12Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Aviation, Covid-19, Economy, Employment, News, Nigeria, Press Statement, Transportation

Air Peace Reconsiders, Recalls Sacked Pilots as FG intervenes

The management of Air Peace Airlines has reconsidered its earlier decision to sack about 70 pilots following the intervention of the Federal. The recall of some of the sacked pilots was agreed upon after a meeting convened by Sentaor Hadi SIrika, minister of aviation, between the airline’s management and the leadership of the National Association of Airline Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE). James Odaudu, spokesperson of the ministry in a statement said, “In the verbal agreement reached after a dialogue that was held in a very friendly environment, chairman of Air Peace, Chief Allen Onyema acceded to the minister’s appeal for the recall of the maximum number of pilots that the airline can accommodate without going under. “Onyema expressed his sadness and disappointment over what he cal...