Business

Committee On Aviation Security Extends Report Submission Date

Published

10 years ago

April 11, 2016

The Chairman, Ministerial
Committee on Assessment of Aviation Security, Air Commodore Hambali Tukur, said that the committee had extended the date for the completion and submission of its report to the Federal Government to next week.
Tukur told The Tide source in Abuja that the initial three weeks timeline given to the committee could not be met due to some issues it encountered at the beginning.
Tukur added that the Easter holiday also contributed to the delay, adding that the government granted the committee an extension of time to enable it to complete the assignment. “We are still on the assignment and we are hoping to complete it in the coming week.
“The initial timeline was three weeks but the ministry granted more time to finish the assignment because of some unforeseen issues we encountered in the course of our job.
“I can assure you that in the coming week, the assignment would have been completed and when the report is out, it will be made public for everyone to analyse it‘.’’
Tukur thanked the President, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Dr Benard Aliu, for his visit to Nigeria and commended the organisation’s Audit Team for paying attention to the country’s aviation industry.
He said that the visit of the world aviation body and its president was a good sign for the industry and the country, urging the government to implement all the recommendations made by the ICAO boss.
According to him, given the place and importance of aviation around the world, there must be adherence to certain minimum standards for the sake of passengers and all participants in the industry.
“It is good for ICAO to from time to time carry out this audit and advise on how to improve aviation safety and security at least not only in Nigeria but all over the world.
“Like I said earlier, for the ICAO President to come to Nigeria, it shows the importance the world body attached to the nation’s civil aviation, especially the change in the new administration.’’
Tukur also commended Aliu for the decision of ICAO to make the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) a regional training centre in Africa.
According to him, NCAT is a premier institution in Africa and therefore, should be given its pride of place in the region through necessary upgrades and transform it into a world class Aviation College.
Tukur further said that the establishment of a national carrier would help boost the contribution of the aviation sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), adding that many countries had sustained their economies through aviation.
He, however, advised that adequate steps be taken to ensure that the country does not repeat the mistakes that led to demise of the defunct Nigerian Airways.
According to him, the economy must be able to sustain the aviation industry before a country can have a national carrier, because it is foreign currency dependent.
“We don’t manufacture things that the industry uses; that means there would be high demand of foreign currency to take off to such a level that we would be able to use local content.
“Many countries, even within the African region, have moved aviation to such a position that their economy depends on it.
“Take Ethiopia for instance, Ethiopian Airline is world standard because it is part of the star alliance and it is contributing greatly to the economy of that country.
“The same thing will happen if Nigeria is able to marshal its resources and give the aviation industry the boost it needs with the establishment of a national carrier,’’ Tukur said.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

3 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.