Dangote Immensely commended by Global Bodies for investment in Africa

Global Organised Labour under the aegis of African Industrial Global Union has commended the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his strategic investments across African countries and creating thousands of jobs for the teaming population.

The body, at a meeting in Lagos, called for special recognition for the African entrepreneur, describing him as a success story from African soil for which African countries must be proud of.

Speaking at a network meeting on unionisation in Dangote group, organised by Industrial Global Union Africa Region in Lagos, Union leaders one after another said Dangote has offered a relief to Africa from the negative narratives the western countries latched on to discredit her and her people.

They stated that much as an African could be so patriotic as to be dotting African soil with billions of dollars investments to create jobs and reduce poverty, he needs to be given special recognition to motivate others to tow similar line.

Relishing on the prospective of an African country hosting the single largest Refinery and Petrochemicals train project, the union leaders said it was planning in their next African meeting to bring the business mogul to address global union leaders.

Regional Secretary, Sub-Saharan Africa, Fabian Nkomo said the body cherished the business acumen of Dangote and would like to work closely with him so that as he creates jobs, the union could also partner to ensure job quality is maintained.

He said he has moved round Africa and discovered no one else has invested so much in Africa as an Africa and therefore Dangote should be encouraged. “He has help governments across African states to create vital jobs and reduce poverty among our people, the unions are very proud of him”, Nkomo stated.

In his remark, the Africa Regional Chairman of Industrial Global Union, Issa Aremu who is also the General Secretary of Textile Workers Union commended Aliko Dangote for leading industrialisation in the Africa continent.

Aremu acknowledged the remarkable efforts of Aliko Dangote at re-industrialisation of the continent, stimulating the continent’s growth and creating more jobs for its huge population.

Dangote Group was commended for the strong network of branches across the Africa continent; Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’ Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo, Cameroun, Kenya, Ethiopia among others.The labour leader lauded the commitment of Dangote to sustainable industrial development and urged government to provide favourable environment for investments as well as improvement in infrastructural development.

Aremu added that it was time Dangote group entered into mutually rewarding engagement with relevant unions with a view to unionisation even as he called on trade unions to support business through improved productivity.

He alluded to the $12 billion dollar Refinery, Petrochemicals and Fertilizer projects which he said will be a revolution of the Nigerian industrial space when completed.

As partners in progress, Aremu pledges the support and cooperation of Industrial Global to ensure business-friendly unionization of the Dangote workers.

He nevertheless cautioned the unions involved to be proactive and strategic in approaching the exercise saying “we need to show that we are partners to improve on the businesses of Alhaji Aliko because we are talking of unionization because there is an investment in which workers are engaged. If there there are no businesses, we can’t be talking of unionism.

“So first and foremost, we must be seen to be part of forces that are protecting investments. We are not business killers, if anything we are adding values. So we cherish him as one of the few Nigerians making a good story out of Nigeria and Africa and would like to collaborate with him.

Industrial Global Union with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the cement, mining, energy and manufacturing sectors. Industrial is a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.

Nigerian Olympic Team Coach Robbed In The US

Nigeria Olympic team coach Samson Siasia has been robbed in Atlanta, Georgia, where his team have been training ahead of next month’s Olympic Games.

“It is true that my car was burgled but I have taken the necessary steps on the item stolen in the car,” Siasia confirmed.

“We are focused and preparing hard for the Olympics that is what I can tell you for now.”

Siasia’s team are due to play a final warm-up game against Honduras Olympic team on Tuesday before they depart for Brazil on Friday.The car Siasia has been using to run around for the team was broken into at the team’s hotel’s car park and his credit cards, two phones, the phone of his personal assistant Abu and some money were taken away.

Airlines’ Tariffs Have Been Liberalised, Not Increased, Says NCAA

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) says all airlines’ tariffs for services rendered, which include fares, rates, add-on charges or terms and condition of service, have been fully liberalised.

This was disclosed in a statement by the General Manager, Public Relations of NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, which was made available to the press in Lagos on Sunday.

The statement explained that this was to clarify reports in some sections of the media that the NCAA had authorised airlines to increase their fares.

According to the statement, air fares and sundry charges have been statutorily deregulated and subjected to market forces.

“However, all air carriers or their agents shall file, with the authority, a tariff for that service showing all rates, fares and add-on charges.

“These include the terms and conditions of free and reduced rate transportation for that service, as specified in Part 18.14.1.1 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs).

“They shall obtain approval from the authority to introduce and or increase add-on charges or surcharges such as fuel, internet booking, insurance, security and similar surcharges, prior to implementation,” it said.

The statement said the section also requires all tariffs to be filed at least seven days before the rates come into effect, except in the case of matching an existing rate for which no prior notification was required.

The statement also stated that prior to the approval, all fares filed with the authority are subjected to Breakeven Analysis and this continues intermittently.

“This analysis is to curb anti-competitive pricing among airlines and to ensure that fares are not too low as to impact on safety arising from inability to carry out prerequisite maintenance on their aircraft.

“On the other hand, NCAA will similarly intervene if the fares are too high to avoid overpricing that will deny the teeming passengers access to air transportation,” it said.

According to the statement, the NCAA under Part 18.14.1.4, may sanction an airline for failing to apply the fares, rates, charges or terms and conditions of carriage set out in the tariff that applies to that service.

It said the airline would be directed to pay compensation for any expense incurred by a person adversely affected by its failure to apply the fares, rates, charges or terms and conditions set out in the tariff.

NCAA advised all airline operators and stakeholders to discountenance the reports and continue to operate in an atmosphere of liberalisation and level playing field the Federal Government has put in place.

Source - NTA

Molested child begs president's wife for help

An eleven-year-old girl, Blessing (not real name) gang-raped by two boys in Abia State who also broke one of her legs, is appealing to the President’s wife and non-governmental organisations to take up her case.

Eleven-year-old Blessing (not real name) is no longer the girl she used to be. Once cheerful and the joy of her mother, she is now a shadow of herself. Managing to say hello to visitors in the hospital, she burst into tears as she tried to recount how she was gang-raped and beaten up by two young men in her village. As she narrated the nightmare, Blessing kept making a plea: “Bring the boys who raped me to justice.”

Blessing narrates as she lay on a bed at the Police Clinic at Bende Road, Umuahia in Abia State, said she would be happy if the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, could help her to get justice.

“We are poor and have nobody to help us. The police haven’t helped us. So, I think Mrs. Buhari is the one who can help me to get justice. After they raped me, they were still moving around freely and no one could do anything to them,” she said.

She also implore NGOs to come to her aid. Saying, "they should help me to get justice by arresting those who raped me. They are walking freely. They are even threatening my family members especially my mother. The police have not also been able to offer help even when my mother ran to them for help,’’ as she stared at some of the people standing close to her bed stand.

NCAA suspends three pilots for taking alcohol before flight

Three pilots who were suspended by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for allegedly taking alcohol before operating their flights. They are to undergo psychiatric evaluation before rejoining the service, the authority said on Friday.

Sam Adurogboye, acting general manager, public relations, NCAA, disclosed this while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The NCAA had recently withdrawn the licenses of the three pilots and placed them on a three-month suspension for breaching civil aviation regulations in the country.

According to the rules, a pilot is prohibited from taking alcohol for at least three hours before flight time.

Mr. Adurogboye noted that such act could compromise the safety of their passengers, adding that the NCAA was very vigilant in ensuring strict compliance to safety rules.

“It is very clear. They are to be off duty for three months. While on suspension, they are to be made to go through psychiatric evaluation before rejoining the service,” he said.

Mr. Adurogboye advised airline operators and pilots to abide by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs), warning that offenders would be visited with severe penalties. (NAN)