Business
NCAA Warns Against Flight Cancellations
Minister of Agriculture, Czech Republic, Marian Jurecka (right), speaking at the Nigeria-Czech Business Forum in Abuja, recently. With him is Chairman, Nigeria Czech Republic Trade and Investment Council, Mohammed Dahiru.
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has expressed concern over increase in the spate of flight cancellations in the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by the General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, which was obtained by The Tide source yesterday in Lagos.
The statement said several reports from the Consumer Protection Officers (CPOs) and aggrieved passengers have inundated NCAA’s offices from across the nation’s airports.
“Notwithstanding, the regulatory authority is very much aware of the prevailing challenges as regards aviation fuel, it is expected that the Airlines should follow strictly the requirements Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs)in carrying out their operations.
“The circumstances should not open a window for outright impunity and a flurry of cancellations which has consequently rendered air travel in the country a nightmarish experience,” it said.
The statement therefore warned all airline operators to adhere to the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs), while dealing with passengers.
According to the statement, many of the passengers have parted with their hard earned cash in return for comfort and value, while commuting to their destinations.
It said sufficient notice must therefore be accorded all intending passengers, prior to any operational cancellation.
The statement said: “Where there is a delay in the service, passengers must be duly informed and light refreshment provided.
“Operators are advised to ensure tickets are not sold to air travellers when there are perceived or real hitches concerning sourcing of aviation fuel (Jet A1).
“While NCAA is not unmindful of the efforts being made by the airlines to avoid operational hiccups, passengers are similarly enjoined to exercise restraint and cooperate with airline officials during eventualities.
According to the statement, it is noteworthy that the Federal Government of Nigeria is already taking measures that would ameliorate the paucity of Jet A1.
It noted that these steps would guarantee availability and allow operators to provide adequate services.
“However, the NCAA wishes to reiterate that all airlines should henceforth guard against frequent flight cancellations that will jeopardise the conditions of carriage agreed with the passengers.
“The authority has therefore intensified monitoring at all the nation’s airports.
“Subsequently, any unjustifiable or avoidable flight cancellation will be viewed with utmost seriousness and where culpability is established, very stiff sanctions will be applied,” the statement added.
Some Commercial drivers in Port Harcourt have said that the Federal Government’s N1,350 fuel discount is yet to reduce their daily operating cost.
A cross session of commercial drivers who spoke to The Tide correspondents in Port Harcourt said they are yet to feel the impact of the government discount, adding that most filling stations in the city are even selling above the pump price
A driver Jude Ogbo who operates the mile 1 Rumuokoro axis of Port Harcourt said plies the discount has not reflected in his daily fuel expenses.
“Since the discount was announced, many filling stations still sell at the old price. When you go there, you discover they sell you two litres at the price of one. For now, we have not seen any reduction,”_ he said.
Another commercial driver, Comrade Ishmael Uzeho who operates within the Port Harcourt metropolis, said the discount is not being implemented across the country.
“How has the discount affected us? I will say it has not. Many stations are not working. Only NNPC is working and that is just one person in the whole country. If government really wants to help, let the fuel price go down properly,”_ he said.
Uzeho added that if the price of fuel goes down, transport fares will also go down. He noted that his route fare has remained at N500.
On his part, Mr. Moses Dapa, Supervisor at Sam Jaja Foundation Transport Company, said the company has not increased its fares despite the high cost of fuel.
“We are still running normal price. We charge N2,000 and N5,000 depending on the destination. We will not increase our price. I don’t know about other parks, but for Sam Jaja, we are maintaining normal price,”_ Dapa said.
He appealed to passengers to understand that drivers are not using high fuel price as an excuse to charge excessive fares.
Other drivers who spoke said the federal government should monitor the NNPCL retail stations to ensure that the directive is implemented.
Recalled that The Federal Government in abid to reduce transportation cost in the country had announced a 30-day margin discount at NNPC Retail stations across the country from October 1 to 31,
However investigation revealed that the policy is yet to affect transportation cost in the country.
By; Stephens Sopakriba and Saint Davies
In a press statement released to The Tide’s source on Friday in Abuja, the group said Nigeria had a significant resource advantage due to its vast natural gas reserves.
“At a time when global energy markets face unprecedented volatility and rising operational costs, Nigeria stands on a massive resource advantage with its vast natural gas reserves,” the group said.
Highlighting this potential, Alfa Designs urged the nation to move past complaints over energy costs and aggressively embrace Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as a sustainable engine for economic growth.
While federal policy adjustments have sought to cushion the impact of global energy shocks, industry experts emphasised that long-term relief hinges on a rapid, nationwide transition to gas.
“Transitioning away from expensive traditional petroleum products promises to ease the financial burden on ordinary citizens.
“It will also reposition Nigeria as an attractive industrial hub capable of drawing foreign direct investment and driving job creation,” it said.
To demonstrate the practical feasibility of this transition, the group said it recently partnered with a global Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) to lower the entry barriers for commercial drivers.
“By negotiating directly with the manufacturer, we reduced the total cost of acquiring and installing a CNG conversion kit for commercial tricycles (commonly known as Keke NAPEP) from up to N700,000 down to under N450,000.”
The group said this shift offers dramatic immediate financial benefits for local operators, with petrol currently selling at roughly N1,390 per liter.
It said that, in comparison, at a CNG equivalent price of about N98 per liter, a daily commercial driver using 10 liters of fuel reduces its daily energy expenditure from N13,900 to N3,980.
“This represents a daily net savings of N9,920, or more than 71 per cent.
“Over a standard 26-day working month, drivers save over N257,000, allowing them to fully recover the cost of the CNG conversion in less than 46 operational days.”
The company further stated that when scaled nationally, the economic implications are monumental.
“Nigeria consumes approximately 50 million liters of gasoline daily, costing roughly N69.5 billion per day.
“A nationwide 71 per cent reduction in fuel expenditure would generate daily national energy savings of N49.6 billion.
“On an annualised basis, this shift equates to approximately N18.1 trillion, or $13.5 billion, kept within the domestic economy.”
The group added that those recurring national savings would offer a vital mechanism to help address Nigeria’s estimated $2.3 trillion infrastructure deficit.
It said reinvesting those funds into the economy helps eliminate the 30 to 40 per cent operational overhead currently consumed by imported fossil fuels.
“The resulting boost to corporate margins expands the national tax base, generates reliable user-fee revenues to make major transit projects bankable, and creates a self-sustaining financial cycle,” it said.
