The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Stakeholders

  • Bandits ‘kidnap’ dead bodies in Southeast

    Kidnapping for ransom in the Southeast has been a major headache for stakeholders, including security agencies, residents, the government as well as the traditional institutions.

    With an unenviable status as the zone with the highest rate of kidnapping in the country, the heinous crime is, indeed, a scourge in the Southeast.

    Immeasurable human and material resources have been committed to fighting this menace and it is gradually scaling down. The reports are no longer damning, there is almost a heave of relief. The security chiefs are satisfied with their feat in defeating the bandits, at least technically, the people are getting relaxed and businesses are picking up again.

    But it is not yet time to say uhuru. The kidnappers are not giving up; instead they have devised another tactics.

    They now ‘kidnap’ corpses from mortuaries, where they will encounter little or no resistance and thereafter demand some ransom from owners of the corpses.

    They have returned to business and on daily basis corpses are missing from the morgues and the owners are parting with huge sums of money to reclaim the bodies of the dead.

    It is indeed a disturbing trend, it is an abomination, but the allure of raiding an unguarded morgue and carting away defenseless corpses is irresistible to the kidnappers.

    Kidnapping of corpses is now in vogue in the Southeast. One can imagine the agony and frustration of a family that has made all preparations for funeral ceremony only to get to the mortuary and discover that the remains of their beloved one have been ‘abducted’ and hours later they will receive phone calls for ransom.

    One may be tempted to ask what the negotiating power of the kidnappers is, when their victim is already dead and decomposing. How do they get the relatives to part with money, unlike when they abduct a living person and threaten to kill their victim if ransom is not paid?

    But the answer is not far-fetched, burial ceremonies in the Southeast are attended by great fanfare and festivity. The rich and the poor alike invest huge sums of money to bury their loved ones under the illusion that it is a mark of love and respect for the dead. It is a serious stigma on any family that could not give their dead ones befitting burials.

    The new trend of kidnapping of corpses may sound unreal, but the Imo State Police Command recently paraded two suspected kidnappers who stole a female corpse and demanded N5 million ransom from the owner of the morgue.

    The suspects, Chukwudi Chukwu and Bethel Ibe both from Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State, were reported to have broken into the Jesus Hospital Mortuary also in Ikeduru and carted away the corpse whose identity was concealed from reporters.

    They thereafter contacted the owner of the morgue, Prince Bright Njoku and demanded ransom.

    But the police smashed their hideout, arrested them and rescued the corpse before the ransom could be paid.

    The Imo State Commissioner of Police, Dasuki Galadanchi, described the trend as disturbing, but assured that the Command will continue to make the state uncomfortable for all manner of kidnappers.

    He said: “It is an abomination to desecrate the dead. How can people invade a mortuary and carry away corpses? But everyone involved in this heinous crime will not go unpunished.”

    Meanwhile the suspects, who claimed that they were introduced to the business by some of their friends that specialised in abducting dead people, blamed the devil for their action.

    Narrating how they stole the corpse, the suspects said: “We went into the mortuary that night and carried one corpse and took it to the bush where we hid it. We didn’t know the identity of the woman. After that we called the owner of the mortuary to give us N5 million. We were still in the bush waiting for the money when policemen came and arrested us”.

  • Lagos CJ seeks stakeholders’ support on justice delivery

    Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Opeyemi Oke, has called for support from stakeholders to enhance justice delivery.

    She spoke at the unveiling of a commitment statement banner at the Magistrates Court in Ajeromi/ Ifelodu Local Government Area (LGA).

    Eleven similar commitment statements have so far been unveiled at both the High Court and Magistrates Courts across the state.

    Justice Oke, who was represented by Justice Hakeem Oshodi, said it was important for stakeholders to key into the commitment statement.

    She said the Judiciary leadership alone could not deliver on the promises in the statement without their support.

    “I hereby call on all relevant stakeholders in the judicial sector to key into this commitment statement in order to achieve its laudable aim for the common good and for posterity of residents of this state,” she said.

    According to Justice Oke, the commitment statement emphasises the hallmarks of accountability, transparency and efficiency needed for effective discharge of duties in the state judiciary.

    She stated that the commitment statement should serve as a reminder of duties and obligation that must be professionally delivered to the public.

    She said it was to show her determination to bring a new dawn to the state judicial system.

    The CJ also restated that the Lagos judiciary would continue to be the hope for the common man and do justice without fair or favour to any party.

    She assured residents of the state of her zero tolerance for corruption.

    Justice Oke promised to improve public access to justice, transparency and accountability to boost confidence in the judiciary.

     

  • Stewardship: Stakeholders score lawmaker high

    The people of Ikorodu constituency 1 in Lagos State, led by their monarchs and political leaders, during a stakeholders meeting, held to discuss peaceful elections and other issues, have scored their representative in the state house of assembly, Hon. Bolanle Agunbiade, high and endorsed him to return for another term come 2019. At the event held at Ai Royal Hall, Aga, Ikorodu, Agunbiade, who is the Majority Leader in the Lagos State House of Assembly, said it is important for elected public office holders to constantly discuss with the people through feedback channels like the meetings. He rendered a very comprehensive stewardship account that saw the people clapping and praying for him all the way.

    Chairman and members of the council of Baales in the division, chairman and members of the Nigerian Union of Teachers, chairman and members of the League of Journalists, Ikorodu, as well as leaders and members of numerous other trade and artisan unions in the constituency also graced the occasion. Councillors from Ikorodu Central LGA, Ikorodu North LCDA and Ikorodu West LCDA as well as numerous LGA and Ward party executives alongside lots of party faithful were also present at the event to show support for Agunbiade. Community leaders including Community Development Councils’ Chairmen, Iya Olojas (market leaders) led by Alh. Taofeekat Allinson, party members and youth leaders, among others, were also on hand to be part of the occasion.

    Agunbiade, who appreciated the royal fathers, political leaders and his entire constituents for their unrelenting support over the years, thanked the people of Ikorodu for always showing interest in the business of governance. He said their keen interest at all times have helped him to perform better as their representative. While speaking during the event, the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabir Adewale Shotobi, extolled the virtues of the majority. “For us in Ikorodu, we have a representative that is doing very well and can still do even more if we allow him to. I am pleased with Agunbiade’s performance and I am happy he still wants to serve us further. That is why I asked you if you also want him. Now that you have said yes, I urge you all to vote for him again, again and again,” the Ayangburen said.

     

  • Stakeholders hail LBIC’s market performance

    The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC) Plc, Mr. Adeshina Soyebo, yesterday lauded the organisation’s resilience which enabled it to successfully navigate through a depressed global economy.

    There was a lull in the Mortgage Banking sector in 2016, which was subdued in 2017 following tougher macro-economic climate.

    Soyebo expressed satisfaction that the company still improved its asset by 17 per cent, despite the gloomy business climate at the time.

    More impressive, he said, was that LBIC was able to close the financial year with shareholders’ fund standing at N2.9 billion, about N400 million above the required minimum capital requirement stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Besides, the company’s gross earnings grew to N285 million, with its loss position dipping to N133.4 million.

    This is besides increasing the company’s asset by 17 per cent last year.

  • Stakeholders chart ways for capital market growth

    •Stockbrokers get new head

    Stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market have underscored the importance of integrity, innovation, investors’ education and professionalism in building a virile capital market that will support sustainable economic growth.

    At the investiture of the new president and sendoff for the immediate past president of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Lagos, capital market operators and regulators agreed on the need to reinvigorate investors’ education, enhance financial creativity and sustain the core ethics of trust and integrity to stimulate capital market growth.

    Country and Regional Senior Partner, West Africa, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Mr Uyi Akpata, identified some of the factors militating against competitiveness of the Nigerian capital market to include high transaction cost and dearth of securities.

    Akpata, who delivered a paper titled: “Exploring the Nexus between Capital Market Growth and Economic Development”, outlined that product development, financial literacy and investor education, among others, are some of the issues that must be addressed in order to enhance Nigerian capital market competitiveness.

    According to him, operating in an environment of uncertainties required that the Nigerian capital market is tuned to adapt to the constantly evolving developments in the financial services space by focusing on product innovation and simplification and continued integration of business with technology.

    He added that concerted efforts must be made to create a resilient bond market, create favourable business environment and push for regulatory reform.

    Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki urged stockbrokers to take the values of their profession to the political space in order to move the country forward.

    Obaseki explained that every professional stockbroker operates on the premise of my word is my bond and noted that Nigerian politicians needed to embrace this element of integrity in order to ensure economic growth and development.

    He noted that his background in stockbroking over the years had contributed immensely to the efficiency of his administration.

    “Those of us that have corporate background would find out that we are quite different from others as we have an obligation to deliver and under no circumstances must we fail to keep our promise,” Obaseki said.

    He noted that the CIS had come a long way, pointing out that the repositioning that some leaders of the institute undertook over the years have started yielding fruits.

    Obaseki commended the newly elected President, Mr Adedapo Adekoje and assured the institute of the support of his administration.

    He also congratulated the entire stockbroking community on the milestones recorded over the years despite the challenges in the operating environment.

    Acting Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Mary Uduk, urged stockbrokers to do more to take investor education to people at the grassroots rather than concentrating their activities in urban areas.

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Oscar Onyema said the Exchange would always support initiatives aimed at enhancing the growth of the capital market.

    “We at the Nigerian Stock Exchange are going to be firmly supportive of the new administration and the institute,” Onyema said.

    Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON),Chief Patrick Ezeagu, also assured that ASHON would continue to support the Institute to attain greatness.

    “ASHON is very delighted to be a part of the Institute because we are like the other part of the Institute, we shall extend the same level of cooperation and support to the new president. It is very important that we must work together to take the Institute to greater heights,” Ezeagu said.

    In his acceptance speech, Adekoje expressed gratitude to the stockbrokers for the confidence reposed in him and urged them to support his administration in order to move the market forward.

    Earlier, CIS immediate past president, Mr  Oluwaseyi Abe thanked the stockbrokers for their support during his administration, noting that many achievements were recorded during his tenure, including the newly acquired corporate office at Ikoyi, stand-alone-certification programme for stockbrokers and sustained initiatives to attract the youths to stockbroking profession among others.

     

  • NPO, stakeholders reject Press Council Bill

    THE Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) has rejected the Nigerian Press Council Bill 2018, describing it as unconstitutional and irreparably bad.

    The bill, which is at second reading stage at the Senate, seeks to empower the Nigerian Press Council on decisions relating to training institutions and professional qualifications that would be acceptable for journalism practice in Nigeria.

    The NPO comprises the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) and other media stakeholders.

    A statement signed by NPAN President Nduka Obaigbena, NGE President Funke Egbemode, NUJ President Waheed Odusile, BON Chairman John Momoh, International Press Centre (IPC) Director Lanre Arogundade, Institute For Media and Society Executive Director Dr. Akin Akingbulu and Media Law Centre  (MLC) Director Richard Akinnola said the bill, if signed, would “adversely and illegally interfere in media operations in Nigeria”.

    The NPO said the bill would also be sub judice because a case against it is pending at the Supreme Court.

    The statement read: “The bill is, for all intents and purposes, draconian and anti-press freedom being an amalgamation of the obnoxious Public Officers Protection Against False accusation Decree No. 4 of 1984 and the Newspapers Registration Decree 43 of 1993.

    “The bill seeks to criminalise journalism practice despite the fact the laws of the country already have enough provisions and avenues for seeking legal redress.”

    The NPO accused the bill’s promoters of attempting to extra-judicially “usurp the powers of the courts” through the bill.

    It was also stated that the bill could incapacitate the media in the exercise of its constitutional duties and obligations to “monitor governance and hold government accountable to the people.”

    According to the NPO, the bill violates Section 39 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act) No. 2 of 1983 which is now part of the country’s laws.

    It added: “That the bill through some of its other obnoxious provisions seeks to indoctrinate Nigerians, through the use and misuse of curricula in training of journalists and usurp the powers of the regulatory bodies in the educational sector affecting media training, especially the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

    “The bill seeks to create the impression that the Nigerian media community does not take the issues of ethics and self-regulation seriously whereas it is a well-known fact that the mechanisms actually exist including the Code of Conduct of Journalists in Nigeria, the Ethics Committees of the NUJ and NGE and the recently launched Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage endorsed by media stakeholders.

    The stakeholders made three demands, including that the bill should be dropped, the government should “guarantee press freedom” and “borrow from best practices in other jurisdictions”.

  • How industry can grow, by stakeholders

    •Awosika warns against market disruptors

    TO grow the industry, stakeholders should  embrace change and respond to the economic, social and technological needs of their clients.

    Stakeholders, who spoke at this year’s Presidential Valedictory Lecture for the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN)  President and Chairman of Council, Mrs. Funmi Babington-Ashaye, said  firms  should embrace new ways of delivering their services to meet the expectation of the new generation of consumers.

    The lecture, delivered by Mrs Babington-Ashaye, had as its theme ‘’Insurance and generation next-Meeting the needs of stakeholders’’.

    FirstBank of Nigeria Limited Chairman, Mrs Ibukun Awosika, said insurance model is not sustainable because change was inevitable.

    Mrs Awosika, who chaired the event, said the industry will die if it does not open itself to change and embrace the new space, stating that there are a lot of disruptors that are ready to take over the business and offer the same services the insurance companies or the brokers think they are offering.

    She said the potential for growth was huge, because the industry is at the least of its capacity. ‘’There is a bit of complacency in the industry, so you might not survive the next generation if people and technology come in with the new things they have,’’ she stated.

    Mrs Babington-Ashaye looked the fundaments of change in the industry, charting the future for the profession.

    She said for the industry to catch-up with the next generation, players must leverage technology, adopt new ways of working, repackage products, improve  on pricing strategy, and data mining.

    The industry, she further said, is at the threshold of its evolution where development in technology would significantly impact its products offerings, operations and the skill sets of personnel required to deliver value to the diverse stakeholders, in the near future, which will be dominated by next generation.

    ‘’Given the declining inflow of new entrants into the profession, the fear of a talent gap in rife. We need to change the wrong perception by showcasing the career opportunities that exist, the product we develop, the risks we assume and the professional advisory services we provide,” Mrs Babington-Ashaye said.

    Discussants, who include Group Managing Director, Custodian Investment Plc, Wole Oshin; Director-General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Yetunde Ilori; Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Director-General, Muda Yusuf and Consolidated Hallmark Managing Director and  CIIN Deputy President, Eddie Efekoha, agreed on the need for firms to bring flexibility and varieties to the system.

     

     

  • Stakeholders, Fed Govt fail to agree on signing of ACFTA

    SOME business stakeholders yesterday insisted that it was still too early for Nigeria to sign the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA).

    They bared their minds during the Eighth Presidential Quarterly Business Forum at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had last week disclosed that he would soon sign the agreement on behalf of Nigeria.

    Accepting that the agreement will be good for Nigeria in the long-run, the stakeholders maintained that many things still need to be put in place in the country before Nigeria can sign the agreement.

    Among the infrastructures they want in place, include good interstate roads, power, access to ports, and efficient rail transportation.

    If care is not taken, they warned that Nigeria would eventually become a dumping ground.

    Speaking at the interactive session, the Chairman of NEPAD Business Group and former President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Chief Mrs. Nike Akande, said Nigeria was not ready for the agreement and urged Nigeria’s goods and services to be competitive enough.

    She noted that the government cannot do it alone, otherwise the country would become a dumping ground.

    Good infrastructure, she said, was key to promoting trade and investment in the country.

    Also speaking at the interactive session, the Vice President of the North-West Zone of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ibrahim Usman, an engineer, said: “We are not against signing the agreement, but if we don’t get this right, we will be in trouble.

    “We agree that the agreement is for services and not goods. If things are still work in progress, why the hurry?”

    Director-General and Chief Negotiator of the National Office of Trade Negotiations (NOTN) Chiedu Osakwe notissues in the Nigerian economy that must be addressed first.

    On what was learnt from the three months of nationwide consultations and the plan for going forward, he said: “This is how we stand, 45 out of the 55 members of the African Union have signed it, six have ratified. In ECOWAS, out of the 15 members, 13 have signed, only two have not – Nigeria and Guinea Bissau…

    “There is a strong support for it, but at the same time, there is consensus by the private sector that there are issues to address on Nigeria’s business environment to address.”

    Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo noted that this is the time for Nigeria to act on the agreement.

    According to him, Nigeria cannot afford to take the backseat on the issue.

    Stressing that some of the fears expressed are not out of place, he said: “While the engine is running, we are not going to wait. I think this is the time to go ahead and do something about it.”

    The Vice President said the current administration has invested massively on infrastructures in the country.

    He said: “With respect to the ACFTA, there are clearly huge advantages for us; no question about it at all. The rest of Africa see the enormous advantage of Nigeria’s participation. Everybody is waiting for us naturally and that is because they see a huge market. But we must ensure to get the best possible terms for Nigerian trade and commerce.

    “Our experiences with dooming and other injurious practices make it obvious to us that our market could be a real target, our local manufacturing could become unprofitable and our agricultural advantage could be reversed.

    “Consequently, we have embarked on extensive consultations with trade groups, manufacturers and organised labour  in all the six geo-political zones in other to get a clear sense of concerns as we navigate the process of  signing the treaty.

    “I think the general resolve favours engagement but the concerns remains around improving the domestic environment for greater competitiveness, concerns of power supply and investment in infrastructure. I don’t think I will make a more eloquent case than the honorable Minister of Power, Works and Housing has just made.”

    Minister of Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah said the agreement is a ticket to play.

    He added that there would be more engagements on the agreement with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and other stakeholders.

    Minister of Power, Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola, who noted that the government started at the point of recession, said the government is focused and has momentum.

    The government, he said, is supporting business in Nigeria to do what it does best.

    Whether the agreement is signed or not, he noted that Nigeria is already doing international trade with so much goods and services already leaving the shores of Nigeria on a daily basis.

    According to him, the present administration is making headway in critical infrastructural developments in the country.

    Stressing that power in the country has been improved, he said the conversation has changed from lack of power to how to distribute the excess generation.

    Only 14 private sectors in Nigeria, he said, have indicated interest to take advantage of getting their power directly from the Gencos.

    On road projects, Fashola said: “There is no state in Nigeria where the government is not building at least one major road or the other.”

    The roads, he said, are leading to international borders around the country.

    He said: “I hear that we are not ready. I am not a businessman, I don’t know how to do business.  But if the decision on whether to sign or not were mine, I will look at the countries that have signed.”

  • Stakeholders share DEEPEN’s success story in Southwest

    Commissioners of Education as well as their Budget and Planning counterparts with other top government functionaries, private school associations and others in the Southwest gathered on Tuesday at the Park Inn Hotel in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, to discuss the success stories of a programme sponsored by the Department for International Development (DFID), the Developing Effective Private Education Nigeria (DEEPEN).

    It is expected to wind down in August.

    At the gathering, DFID’s Southwest Regional Coordinator, David Ukagwu, and DEEPEN Team Leader, Dr Gboyega Ilusanya, as well as other team members shared their experiences.

    They recalled how, through the five-year programme implemented in Lagos State, the government got statistics on over 18,000 private schools operating in the state and saved billions of naira it would have spent educating over 1.4 million learners.

    The team also shared how the government built the capacity of low-cost private schools serving the poor to improve their schools and attracted finance as well as linked them up with service providers to enable them achieve same.

    Present were Kwara State Education Commissioner Mrs Bilkisu Oniyangi, her counterpart in Ogun State, Mrs Modupe Mujota; Commissioners for Budget and Planning in Osun and Kwara states, Dr Olalekan Yinusa and Mr Odewale Wasiu.

    There were representatives from Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo states who were urged to learn from the Lagos experience and establish partnership with private sector education providers, particularly low-cost schools with the aim of providing access to quality education among Nigerian children.

    Ukagwu said the DFID, through the programme, was showing the Nigerian government what was possible through judicious use of funds.

    He said the DFID was “supporting the government of Nigeria to efficiently use its own resources to provide basic services for citizens”.

    Ilusanya said with research showing that 21 per cent of children living in cities across the world attend private schools, it was important that government steps in to provide an enabling environment for the schools to thrive and set up effective modalities to regulate their activities to deliver quality education.

    A former President of Association for Formidable Educational Development (AFED), the foremost umbrella of low-cost private school associations, Mrs Esther Dada, attested to how DEEPEN had been promoting a cordial relationship with the Lagos State government.

    She said the group was involved in the state’s policy meetings, addressed multiple taxation and provided access to finance and capacity building for its members.

    Representatives of the various states promised to work more closely with low-cost private schools operating in their domains.

    Mr Oluseye Oyeleye, the Director-General of

    DAWN Commission, the body sponsored by governments of Southwestern to promote regional development, urged states to act on the lessons they learnt at the event.

    Aid: “Whatever you learnt, find a way of implementing it. What we do is to write the political leaders on things we think will work in their states. You can write to us to do the work for you, if you think they may not listen to you.”

  • Stakeholders hail all-female crew flight

    Passengers, government officials and aviation regulators last week were excited as Air Peace celebrated its  first all-female crew flight  comprising Capt. Sinmisola Ajibola; Senior First Officer Quincy Owen; Flight Instructor Rosemary Uagbor; Cabin Executives Chidimma Chimezie and  Opakirite George in Lagos, Abuja and Owerri.

    The all-female flight, which took off from Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, was operated days after Air Peace produced its first female Captain, Sinmisola Ajibola. The flights, the airline said, were in honour of Sinmisola, to promote gender equality in the nation’s aviation industry and project Nigerian women as capable of standing tall among both their male and female counterparts across the world.

    The Boeing B737-300 aircraft with Captain Simisola in command and co-piloted by Senior First Officer Quincy, landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja to a spectacular water salute performed by men of the Fire Service Department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and a rousing welcome by passengers, government officials and aviation regulators

    From Abuja, the aircraft flew into Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri where it  received  another water salute and warm welcome from passengers and  airport workers.

    Other females involved in the operations were Flight  Engineer, Justina Etim, who signed out the aircraft in Lagos and dispatchers Chisom Onyeakposi and Olubukola Olajiga. Ladi Amadu and Loretta Ekeh dispatched the flight in Abuja and Owerri respectively.

    Speaking at a brief welcome ceremony for the flight crew in Abuja, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Mr. Allen Onyema, said over 20 key positions in the airline, including those of the vice chairman, chief operating officer and chief of finance and administration, were occupied by women, whom he insisted had demonstrated excellent capacity to deliver on their tasks.

    The airline, he said, had employed about 2,000 workers since it commenced operations almost four years ago. About 1,500 of the employees, he disclosed, were women.

    “Air Peace is an airline run by women. We are very proud of giving women opportunities to excel because we believe that there is nothing that men can do that women cannot do. We want to encourage our female children that they should aspire to be whatever they want to be by emulating what our female flight and cabin crew members have done today,” Onyema said.

    He commended the government  for its support for domestic airlines; in particular, the  removal of Value Added Tax (VAT) on transportation and waivers granted on importation of aircraft spares.

    On  his part, Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, praised Air Peace for joining the league of airlines that had operated flights with only women in charge of the cockpit, cabin, engineering and dispatch.

    The minister, who was represented by the Director, Safety and Technical Policy, Ministry of Transportation, Capt. Talba Alkali, said the feat had shown the airline was gender friendly.

    He confirmed that Air Peace’s all-female flight was first  time a Nigerian airline was deploying a high capacity aircraft like the Boeing 737 with only Nigerians in charge.

    “Air Peace has made a tremendous impact on the industry and we as regulators and the ministry will continue to create an enabling environment for the airline and other domestic airlines to thrive. Today’s event is yet another testament of the safety of our airspace and we will continue to work with the airlines to make it safer,” Sirika assured.