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Tag: Chanchangi

  • I plan to harness numerous underdeveloped sporting talents – Chanchangi

    I plan to harness numerous underdeveloped sporting talents – Chanchangi

    The organiser, Abuja Metro Basketball Tournament, Queen Amb. Dr. Krystal Chanchangi, said she’s aiming at harnessing several untapped sporting talents in Nigeria. 

    According to her, sport speaks the language of unity irrespective of religion and culture, saying the sector needs more investment to foster the country’s oneness. 

    The Abuja Metro Basketball Tournament hosted by the Africa Multicultural World Foundation took place in the nation’s capital recently with top officials of the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports in attendance, including the Minister, Senator John Enoh who was represented. 

    Chanchangi, who is the CEO Africa MultiCultural World Foundation and SSA Youths & Diaspora Police Community Relations Committee while featuring on Arise TV sports programme, expressed dissatisfaction that other countries of the world are taking away Nigerian talents, insisting that the country is at the receiving end. 

    She listed soccer, basketball, tennis and others as her major targets, stating that the culture in Nigeria has not done enough to encourage sports development. 

    According to Chanchangi, a diasporan, attracting investment into Nigeria has become crucial, especially wealthy Nigerians making names for themselves from across the world. 

    She said the intention is to have them come back to invest towards developing sporting talents in the country instead of investing only in foreign lands. 

    Her plan is to expand the horizon of the Abuja Metro Basketball Tournament and ensures it covers a larger number of states in subsequent tournaments. 

    She expressed gratitude with the outcome and quality of people who graced the Abuja tournament despite a short period under which it was planned. 

    Read Also: Chanchangi Airlines mulls ‘come back’

    It was both the confluence of sports, entertainment as top Nollywood stars were equally present. 

    The Abuja Metro Basketball Tournament also recognised those who have made remarkable and impactful contributions towards the development of sports.

    Dr. Ewa Ewa, the chairman African International Chicago and Alh. Mogaji Ibrahim Olaniyan, the Honorary Police Community Relations Committee National Chairman made guest appearances.

    Also, Mrs. Delu Yakubu Bulus, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Nollywood actors Yakubu Muhammad, Uzee Usman several others made celebrity guest appearances.

  • AON pledges to pay NCAA all unremitted funds in full

    The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) has pledged to ensure that all outstanding debts are paid to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) as agreed.
    This assurance was given during a meeting between the management of the regulatory authority led by the director general, Capt. Muhtar Usman and the Airline Operators at the NCAA Conference Room yesterday .
    Speaking on behalf of the operators, the AON Chairman, Capt. Noggie Meggison remarked that it is incontrovertible that operators are heavily indebted but promised that all unremitted funds will be fully paid.
    He thanked the  director general for holding a series of meetings with all operators, a move he said was long expected. Meggison therefore requested for similar fora¨ where the Authority’s vision will be properly articulated from time to time to enable us key into it.’’
    He, however, called for a retreat where stakeholders will meet to brainstorm on some knotty challenges which operators and the entire industry is confronted with.
    In his response, Capt.Usman enjoined the airlines to comply as agreed because the issue of Ticket and Cargo Sales Charges is sacrosanct. According to him, this is to enable the Authority and other benefiting Agencies effectively carry out its regulatory and Statutory responsibilities.
    The Director General and the NCAA management emphasized the need for automation by operators which will offer real-time and transparent transaction. He directed that all reconciliations must be done within the 60 days window provided.
    He advised the operators to forward all required documentations to verify conflicting claims.
    Capt. Usman admonished the operators to be alive to their responsibilities and challenges.
    He urged operators to take advantage of various Bilateral Air Services Agreements (BASA) entered into by the federal government to compete with their foreign counterparts thereby generating the much needed foreign exchange.
    Usman assured the operators that there will be a broader stakeholders’ forum very soon where various grievances could be looked into and addressed and charge the operators to fully embrace the automation  for the sake of transparency and an end to discrepancy over figures forthwith.
    Over 20 airlines chief executives and their representatives attended the meeting. These include Arik Air, Medview, FirstNation, Chanchangi, Kings Airlines, Overland among others some of who also contributed richly to the issue of the day while the meeting lasted.

  • Gbajabiamila Northwest’s candidate, says Chanchangi

    Gbajabiamila Northwest’s candidate, says Chanchangi

    A lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Ahmed Rufai Chanchangi (APC Kaduna), has said his geopolitical zone will support Minority Leader’s Femi Gbajabiamila’s bid to become the Speaker.

    According to him, of the 90 members-elect from the Northwest,  75 to 80 are in support of Gbajabiamila’s candidacy.

    Chanchangi, who spoke to reporters in Abuja, said from the perspective of the Northwest, there is no doubt that the Minority Leader deserves the position based on the sacrifices he has made for the zone.

    “Let’s go to the other contenders, such as Dogara. There has been a lot of noise about Dogara and why I am saying this is that first of all, you have to convince me that your state is behind you.

    “Bauchi State has 11 members and I don’t see any of the 11 members behind Dogara  campaigning with him.

    “So, for me the only person contesting is Femi. I am from the Northwest, we have almost 90 members from the zone. Kaduna has 16, Kano 24, Katsina 15, Jigawa 11 and Sokoto 12.

    “What we have is almost one-quarter of the total members of the House. And if you take a look at the Northwest statistics, about 75 to 80 members are with Gbajabiamila.”

    The lawmaker said Gbajabiamila’s 12-year experience in the Green Chamber is filled with testimonies.

    “For someone to lead you from darkness to light, we know he is the right candidate.

    “We don’t have to even  doubt. He led the opposition from minority to majority party and he stood firm despite the persecution.

    “This is someone we can never forget, he really worked for this party and now I think he is the only person who is supposed to be in the race and right now he is the only one in the race.”

    Chanchangi said the zone cannot forget the role played by Gbajabiamila in the election of Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the seventh House.

    The lawmaker debunked insinuations that Tambuwal is supporting another candidate.

    He said the law of reciprocity demands that Tambuwal supports Gbajabiamila.

    “Actually, I won’t say Tambuwal is behind any contestant other than Femi.

    “ If he is, he should come out and say so. Once he hasn’t said anything, then we believe it is already ‘dead on arrival’.”

  • Arik, Chanchangi, IRS, Medview battle for Lagos-Yola route

    Arik, Chanchangi, IRS, Medview battle for Lagos-Yola route

    Four airlines Arik, Medview, Chanchangi and IRS are battling to have an edge on the Lagos-Yola route.

    The rivalry became obvious last weekend, when Chanchangi Airlines began flight operations into the route, with its newly acquired Boeing 737-500 aircraft. The route was hitherto dominated by Arik Air and Medview Airlines.

    Chanchangi entered the route following IRS’ suspension of its flights on the route for operational reasons.

    To fill the void Chanchangi started operations on the route with 103 passengers on its inaugural flight.

    Arik and Medview, investigations reveal are jittery over Chanchangi’s entry into the route.

    Chanchangi Group Public Relations Manager of Mr Olu Balogun said the airline operation on the route was a new beginning for it.

    He described the route as lucrative affirming that Chanchangi is mobilising for the competition ahead by other carriers which fly into the route.

    Balogun said the Yola flight became inevitable as a result of the acquisition of additional aircraft three weeks ago.

    He said the airline will start flight operations to Port Harcourt International Airport before the end of the month while another aircraft will arrive in the country in November.

    He said: “We are set for the competition that our operations will bring to the Lagos-Yola route. This should be expected because of the high passenger traffic on this route. We are calling on more airlines to commence flight into this route.”

    Speaking on competition on the route, the Managing Director of Medview Airlines Alhaji Muneer Bankole said the carrier is offering unique services that other airlines cannot offer.

    He said the airline has just acquired additional aircraft in order to give passengers the best comfort that they deserve with a reduced air fare stressing that the motive of the airline was to ensure that passengers have seamless travel experiences across the country.

    “Our strategy is simple. Good treatment of passengers is the key. Passengers are key to our heart and we show the passengers that we love them,” he added.

     

  • Chanchangi acquires aircraft

    Chanchangi Airlines has taken delivery of an additional aircraft to boost its flight operations.The aircraft, a Boeing 737-500 with registration number 5N-BQZ flew into Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at the weekend, where it was received by officials of the airline and relevant regulatory authorities.

    According to the Group Public Relations Manager Chanchangi Airlines, Mr Oludele Balogun, the aircraft is suited for short haul operations.

    The aircraft wet-leased from a South African company brings to two the aircraft in the airline’s fleet.

    The Lagos Station Manager, Ahmed Babadiya, explained that the airline is repositioning for better domestic operations.

    According to him, the airline is grappling with some challenges which it hopes to overcome soon.

    He added that the airline is rebranding to meet its customers demands.

    Babadiya said, the airline will also take delivery of some aircraft to boost its operations.

     

  • Chanchangi decries high cost of fuel

    Chanchangi airline has decried the high cost of aviation fuel in the country, describing it as a major setback for domestic airline operations in the country.

    The Lagos Station Manager of the airline, Mr Babadiyia Ahmed, made this known to aviation correspondents in an interview in Lagos. He said about 70 per cent of the operational cost of airlines in the country was for aviation fuel.

    According to Ahmed, a litre of aviation fuel JET A1 costs between N160 and N180 per litre, and that this has greatly affected operations in the country’s local route. He added that the government in the past tried to find solution but nothing came out of it.

    He urged the government to look into the challenges of aviation fuel and resolve it for the advantage of both the airlines and the travelling public.

    Ahmed noted that airline business was always dull in the first quarter of every year as low traffic were recorded during the period.

    He said Chanchangi airlines was overcoming its problems with arrangement concluded for the arrival of its own aircraft, adding that Owerri and Port Harcourt routes, which the airline has been operating before the problem will be added as soon as the aircraft arrived.

  • Chanchangi goes digital

    Chanchangi Airlines is set to introduce electronic ticketing to enable passengers to book, pay and check in for their flights without coming to the counters at airports.

    This is part of the rebranding measures put in place by the airline, which has secured funds from Unity Bank to acquire more aircraft under the aviation intervention fund packaged by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

    The funds will assist Chanchangi Airlines to acquire at least four aircraft in the next few months. The airline, however, did not disclose the amount accessed.

    Its Group General Manager Mr John Disley, who stated this in an interview in Lagos, said it has become imperative to introduce electronic ticketing to meet the demands of passengers, who continue to seek improvement in services.

    He said in the next three weeks, work would be completed on the portal of the airline, which will offer passengers a robust window to book and pay for their flights from the comfort of their homes and offices, instead of wasting man hours rushing to the airport.

    Disley said as the “peoples’ carrier”,: Chanchangi will soon acquire additional aircraft to boost its operations, affirming that its officials will continue to promote safety and security as the selling point of its flight in over a decade that it had operated flights in the Nigerian airspace.

    Disley said since the airline resumed operations after a recess to fix its aircraft in Belgrade, passenger traffic has remained steady on its traditional Lagos/Abuja and Lagos/Kaduna routes.

    He said that some of its crew members are currently undergoing simulator training in the United Kingdom, ahead of the arrival of its second aircraft to consolidate its operations.

    He lauded efforts by the government to assist domestic airlines acquire aircraft.