The Nation Newspaper

Tag: baggage

  • ‘Importers with baggage are those raising false alarms’

    ‘Importers with baggage are those raising false alarms’

    Speaking in an interview, Mrs. Nkiruka Nwala, the Public Relations Officer, Apapa Port Customs Command, Lagos, the premier ports in the country, argued that at the centre of problem poor service delivery at the ports is the issue of importers who circumvent the process for their selfish aggrandisement.

    ‘’Only importers with baggage go about trying to confuse people around that the Customs are slowing things down when they are the real cause of their predicaments.’’

    On the propriety of the mandate on Ease of Doing Business at the ports, she said, it only helped to reinforce some of the things already been done by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

    According to her, before now, there have been a lot of measures in place to turn the tide at the ports. She was however quick to admit that the introduction of the mandate merely shake things up a bit.

    On what palliative measures that could be taken, she said a lot has been done by way of stopgap measures.

    Specifically, she recalled that part of the efforts to ensure security of businesses, especially movement at the port led to the deployment of detachment of policemen by the Lagos state Commissioner of Police to black spots within the ports to ease the flow of traffic before the major intervention by the likes of Dangote.

    Interestingly, she said the policy has come with some benefits, chief among which is the boost in revenue by the Service.

    “I can tell you authoritatively that things are looking up for the economy, especially in the area of revenue generation. Between January and November, the Service has generated about N324billion, out of its targeted N354billion for the year. And I have no doubt that we won’t just achieve that target but even surpass it because Customs has surpassed its target by a whopping N10billion already. Things are definitely looking up.’’

  • Baggage delay: NCAA fines Arik Air

    Baggage delay: NCAA fines Arik Air

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has issued a N6million fine to Arik Air Limited for contravening the provisions of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).

    The NCAA also ordered the airline to pay its passengers ,whose baggage were delayed on the London to Lagos route between Dec. 2 and Dec. 4 , $150 each as compensation.

    The authority disclosed this in a statement signed by its General Manager, Public Relations, Mr Sam Adurogboye, and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  in Lagos on Tuesday.

    According to the statement, the Letter of Sanction with reference no. NCAA/DG/CSLA/RM/1-06/16/439 and dated Dec. 22 ,has already been sent to Arik Air.

    It said in the letter, the NCAA discovered that Arik Air violated Part 19.7.2 and 19.17.2.1 (ii) of the Nig.CARs 2015.

    The statement said the authority was earlier inundated with complaints of delay and inability to ferry the passengers’ checked – in luggage on the airline’s services from London to Lagos from Dec. 2 to Dec. 4.

    It said upon receipt of the complaints, the NCAA invited the airline to a meeting on Dec. 6 which was duly attended by the airlines’ representative.

    “However, Arik embarked on continuous flouting of the Nig.CARs and the authority’s directives to freight all backlog of short – landed baggage to Lagos within 48 hours.

    “Similarly, the carrier declined to offer care and compensation to the affected passengers which were unanimously agreed for $150 toeach passenger.

    “In addition, the airline did not inform the passengers at the soonest practicable time that their checked – in baggage would be off – loaded as required by Part 19.7.2 of Nig.CARs 2015,” the statement said.

    It said the N6 million fine must be paid within seven days of receipt of the letter while the $150 compensation to each of the passengers must be made within 30 days.

    The statement said :”the NCAA expects strict compliance with the provisions of Part 19 of the Nig.CARs by the airline in future.

    “This is to assure all stakeholders that the authority exists to protect their rights at all times and as such any violation of the regulation in that regard will be viewed seriously.” (NAN)

  • Party in need and man without baggage

    What qualifies me to write about a political party and in this case the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?

    Firstly; I was not just a founding member of the PDP in 1998, but indeed one of the six founding convenors of the party in Imo State in 1998; there were two convenors from each Senatorial District and late Senator EmekaEcheruo and my humble self were the two from Okigwe Zone.

    Secondly; I subscribe to the view that for our democracy in Nigeria to survive, we need a very strong and credible opposition party in order to keep the ruling party on its toes and ensure accountable governance and sustainable development in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic Nigeria.

    Thirdly; the gravitas of the leadership of an opposition party determines its credibility and even momentum and capacity to be considered and perceived as another government in waiting or a shadow government as my friends in the United Kingdom will call it.

    Fourthly; I am now a member of a party in opposition (which is the opposite of not being in government) and I believe that for the opposition flank to muster, a leader from the biggest opposition party which is PDP must have respectability and must be bereft of political baggage.

    Finally, I have looked at the field of contestants for the post of the national chairmanship of the PDP and if you put in perspective the ongoing internecine debilitating warfare between the Makarfi Caretaker Committee and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, you don’t need a soothsayer or Nostradamus to tell you that the last thing a party like PDP needs now is another “Strong Man”; what the party needs is a man with pedigree, excellent education; high name recognition, and absolutely no reputational or political baggage.

    If you consider the field of aspirants for the national chairmanship, you will find that many of the seasoned “political heavyweights” are flaunting sheer hubris; people who matter are waiting for PDP to make the final mistake and bury itself forever by presenting another “big man” in the mould of Ali Modu Sheriff and chant its Nunc Dimittis, yes a dirge will be sung for PDP if it does not make the right choice at the Port Harcourt convention holding this August.

    Historically, PDP is marinated in impunity and imposition and I bear first-hand eye witness testimony; this was entrenched by then President Obasanjo; in circa 2001, I was on the threshold of becoming the National Secretary of the PDP at its National Convention in Abuja; when two days to the convention, Obasanjo ordered his then Minister for Economic Planning; Chief Vincent Ogbulafor who was then, still a member of ANPP (the party nominated him to the cabinet) to come and become the National Secretary, even before he joined the PDP. I still continued my campaign; when the recently deceased Chief OjoMaduekwe CFR saw the intensity of my campaign, he called me and said; “Ziggy why are you stressing yourself?The Convention tomorrow will not be an election but a coronation”. Alas; a coronation it became; even though I refused and rejected all offers and entreaties to withdraw, I attended the party’s screening and insisted I would be on the ballot to see the result of my efforts. At the convention ground, I was given the seat as a candidate, but my name was not even announced or mentioned as a challenger/candidate; Vincent Ogbulafor was returned “unopposed”, and that continued to be a recurring trend all through the Obasanjo era. That was quintessential PDP.

    Now, with the “lesson” Sheriff is teaching the party, I am sure that the hierarchs, aka the governors and other “powerful” members must know that the days of impunity should be over.

    To rescue, revitalize, re-energize, reposition, reorient, reinvigorate and re-vision PDP, the party needs a chairman whose persona and aura exudes HOPE and Renaissance; he must be charismatic; of sound repute and professional pedigree; his name must resonate with men of goodwill as an apostle of truth even in the quagmire of Nigerian politics; PDP needs a man of sterling integrity; a man the people can trust; I even dare say that Nigerian politics of today in order to engender hope must have men of such character leading all the parties, I believe that what PDP requires in a national chairman is that man whom even other opposition parties apparatchik and leaders can count on to give inspirational direction while the parties are in the shadow of the party in power.

    I am a member of the Board of Trustees of APGA; and I have no intention now or in the future to abandon my own party which I know is the most appealing brand in the South-east where my political constituency lies and a party I know to be the default choice of every Igbo man; and as every politics is local I  hold unto APGA which has expanded beyond its niche Igboland frontiers and become a veritable platform of choice in diverse places and constituencies like in Nassarawa State; FCT Abuja, Taraba and even Sokoto. But we are in opposition and as opposition goes, there must be some unanimity within the opposition flank except the party in power expands its embrace in a veritable Government of National Unity, which APC of today has absolutely no interest in.

    For those who might not know the leading aspirants within the fold of the PDP for the position of national chairman are all formidable in their individual rights and would ordinarily give a good account of themselves if put in that position; men like Chief Bode George; Alegho Raymond Dokpesi; Professor Tunde Adeniran, JimiAgbaje; Prince UcheSecondus and others are quite accomplished and have a lot going for them; but only one man; one man only has the gifts to alter the public perception of PDP as a Fuji House of Commotion, a bedlam and a congregation of those who ruled and “destroyed” Nigeria in the last 16 years.

    If the narrative of PDP as told by APC and other opponents must change, then a man who never participated in the PDP government and governance yet remained a leading light of that party must lead it. Only JimiAgbaje can give this leadership at a time like this; a Fellow of the Nigerian Pharmaceutical Society and governorship cof the PDP in 2015 elections where he led the party to win National and State House of Assembly seats; the Jury is still out about what actually happened in the governorship election 2015 in Lagos State.

    Jimi is loved by Lagosians; only Jimi can give the National PDP a new lease of life, PDP as a political party is in need of a man without political, sociological and character baggage. PDP needsJimi Agbaje as national chairman.

     

    • Chief Azike, Ksc, member of the Board of Trustees APGA, writes from Lagos.

  • Missing baggage tops air passengers’ complaints

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) has identified missing baggage aboard foreign carriers as the major complaints lodged with it for resolution by Nigerians in the last two years.

    Apart from missing luggage, overbooking of flights, denied boarding, mishandled/misrouted baggage as well as pilferage also featured prominently among complaints lodged by passengers.

    Disclosing this, NCAA’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr Fan Ndubuoke, said its Directorate of Consumer Protection has resolved over 55,000 complaints from passengers in the last two years.

    The NCAA said some of the passengers’complaints were roll over cases resolved alongside the figures for the period under review.

    The spokesman of the regulatory authority, Mr Fan Ndubuoke, put the figures for 2013 at 15,839. He said 13,954 of the complaints were received from international airlines operations, while 382 complaints were received from 65,368 domestic airline operations.

    He said the bulk of complaints from passengers were in the categories of overbooking of flights, denied boarding, mishandled/misrouted baggage, baggage pilferage and discourtesy of airline staff.

    The resolution, according to Ndubuoke, swas achieved through the extensive training of Consumer Protection Officers who monitored flight operations at the various airports.

    The NCAA personnel, he said, were trained to handle airline receipting processing, mediation and resolution of complaints from aggrieved passengers.

  • Baggage for Jonathan

    Whether President Goodluck Jonathan likes it or not, suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi has become his baggage. If he had been a little more patient, things would not have been the way they are now. Sanusi has a few months left to complete his first five – year tenure, which ends in June and the man knows that there is no way he would have got a second term, at least not as long as Jonathan remains the president.

    Like a bolt out of the blue, he was suspended last Thursday for what the government described as financial recklessness. Now, I am not a Sanusi fan and readers of this column can attest to that. I have had occasions to join issues with him over the CBN donation to some Boko Haram victims in Kano, his home state, and some of his policies, which led to the crumbling of some big banks. But on this matter of his suspension, it seemed the president was not well advised.

    The president has for long wanted Sanusi out of the way and the last straw that broke the camel’s back was the suspended CBN governor’s letter to him on the missing oil money, which was purportedly leaked to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In his own letter to the president, Obasanjo quoted the Sanusi letter and asked Jonathan not to watch while corruption is being perpetrated under his nose. Jonathan did not find the matter funny and he promptly asked Sanusi to resign. Sanusi refused, insisting that he could only be removed by the president, with the backing of two-third of the Senate.

    The battle line was drawn. The president and his loyalists must have thought who is Sanusi to talk to the number one citizen like that. There should be a way to deal with him no doubt. Apparently after going through the books, they came up with what they thought was their trump card – suspension. By suspension, the president would not have sacked Sanusi in the real sense of it, he would only have rendered him incapacitated. But does the law approve of such a “disciplinary action” to borrow the president’s word? On the special Presidential Media Chat (PMC) held on Monday as part of activities to commemorate the centenary celebrations, he said as part of his oversight functions on federal executive bodies he could suspend the CBN governor.

    The question is can CBN be referred to as a federal executive body when it is not so defined in the Constitution? The Constitution in Part 1 of the Third Schedule lists out the federal executive bodies as established by Section 153. They are : Code of Conduct Bureau, Council of State, Federal Character Commission, Federal Civil Service Commission, Federal Judicial Service Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission, National Defence Council, National Economic Council, National Judicial Council, National Population Commission, National Security Council, Nigeria Police Council, Police Service Commission and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission. In law, these are the recognised federal executive organs and except the Constitution is amended to accommodate the CBN as one of them there is no way it can be classified as such now in order to satisfy the whim of the president.

    The thing is the CBN is a special creation and I believe it is a deliberate act to ensure its autonomy, not total independence, from the state as represented by the head of state. Globally, central banks are protected by their own laws, which shield them from undue interference by their countries’ leaders. Central banks are the economic livewires of their countries. They are not only the keeper of the treasury, but the treasury. So, they are insulated from the executive to avoid financial abuses. Although, the laws setting up these banks state that their governors or chairmen or chancellor or by whatever name so called shall be appointed by the head of state, they guarantee these bankers’ tenure by making their sack somewhat difficult for the appointor.

    No appointing authority has the sole power to sack a central bank chief without recourse to the legislature. This is why it is absurd that the president is saying that he can suspend Sanusi when the law setting up the CBN does not contemplate such an action. Call that an error of the law, may be. But it is more the error of those who drafted the CBN Act. There should have been a provision for the punishment of the governor, his deputies and directors for infractions, but the law is silent on that. Does that mean that the governor himself cannot discipline any of his deputies or the directors found wanting in the discharge of their duties? I do not think that is the intendment of the law. But where there is no such provision, can it be imported into the law?

    I understand the president’s dilemma over Sanusi. He wants to assert his authority as the person in charge, but in so doing, he should follow the law. No doubt, he has the power to hire and fire, but the CBN governor is not just any staff that can be fired at his whim without following strictly the provisions of the law. Yes, he has not sacked Sanusi. The handwriting is clear on the wall that Sanusi is not coming back to that job, with his replacement, Godwin Emefiele, standing in the wings to take over from him in June. Forget that, Emefiele will be cleared by the Senate, which has come out strongly on the side of Jonathan on his suspension of Sanusi. When will the Senate ever learn to stand for what is right?

    It is good that Sanusi is contemplating going to court to challenge his suspension. No matter how long the case takes, let him pursue it to its logical conclusion so that the judiciary can tell us whether or not the president can suspend the CBN governor. Such a pronouncement will go a long way in avoiding a recurrence in future. If only the court had decided the Justice Ayo Isa Salami case, perhaps, Sanusi may not have suffered the same fate as the former President of the Court of Appeal, who was suspended for almost two years before his retirement.

     

  • Adamu Mu’azu’s baggage

    Adamu Mu’azu’s baggage

    •The new PDP chairman assumes office under heavy cloud of corruption charges

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) partisans will confess some relief: the divisive Bamanga Tukur storm is over with the exit of the troubled former national chairman, under whose charge the federal ruling party lost five governors, is not any way cocksure of the support of two aggrieved others, has lost its majority in the House of Representatives, and could yet face some defection crisis in the Senate.

    Even with Tukur’s exit, it is not clear that the crisis of 2015 presidential nomination is over. That, to start with, was the driver of the crisis; with a segment of the party insisting President Goodluck Jonathan cede his constitutional right to run for a second term and Tukur, staking his all for the right of his principal.

    By the Tukur sacrifice, therefore, his opponents — and Jonathan’s presidential 2015 nomination opponents — may have won a battle. But it does not amount to the President and his supporters losing the war. All it means is that the battle is deferred. Still, it is only natural that the two camps welcome the immediate, post-Tukur cool-off period. Whether it signals lasting peace or just another brief interregnum before guns start booming again is another matter.

    For now, however, the PDP ‘selectorate’ has made their choice in Adamu Mu’azu, a former two-term governor of Bauchi State. That Isa Yuguda, incumbent Bauchi governor and hitherto no political friend of Mu’azu, actually nominated his predecessor, might just excite PDP peaceniks that the party has turned the bend. Hope, after all, springs eternal!

    Still, beyond intra-party peace and war, Mu’azu selection is less than reassuring. To start with, of all previous seven chairmen before Mu’azu, only one, Ahmadu Ali, served out his full term, as turbulent as it was. All others got sacked midway, by acts of impunity by sitting presidents, which riled party members, and precipitated the chairmen’s premature ouster.

    From Tukur’s tragic tenure, that penchant for impunity and willful party subversion has not changed under President Jonathan. So, though Mu’azu is new, the operational dynamics are not. Therefore, lasting peace in the party will depend on how President Jonathan moderates his expectations (read 2015 presidential nomination); and how, fairly and lawfully, party members perceive Mu’azu to manage the situation. By PDP’s quaint convention, the President as party leader is all but untouchable; and the party chairman only reigns in peace if he is able to accommodate the President’s demands, without provoking a backlash.

    From the point of governance, and if corruption is the most lethal governmental headache today, Mu’azu’s selection is even less reassuring. As at the time he came on board, former Governor Mu’azu is, in court, facing charges of corruption, from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). It is trite every accused is presumed innocent; and we by no means suggest Mu’azu is guilty of the allegations against him. In Bauchi State, a seven-man panel reported that he misappropriated N20.4 billion while he was governor.

    But it is not illegitimate to question the judgment that catapulted a citizen facing corruption charges to chairman of the federal ruling party, when people with less baggage were available. Would it be fair to assume there would be some nuanced pressure, any time Mu’azu is docked? What of President Jonathan’s commitment to fighting corruption? Somehow, the chairman’s selection would appear to reinforce Jonathan’s low priority in the war against corruption. That is not good for his government.

    But whatever the case is, the PDP must realise it is Nigeria’s ruling party and its conduct redounds, positively or negatively, on the polity. That is why it should go the extra mile to rededicate itself to democratic principles. That is the only way it can run its affairs with little or no crisis.