The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended the license of Mattini Airline Services Limited and launched a comprehensive audit of private jet operators following a runway excursion incident involving one of its planes at Ibadan Airport on Thursday.

A Challenger CL 601 jet operated by Mattini Airline under a Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF) veered off the runway while landing at Ibadan Airport on January 26, according to a statement by the NCAA.

The regulatory agency said it has commenced an economic inquiry into Mattini Airline’s adherence to its PNCF terms and conditions. Consequently, the airline’s PNCF has been suspended pending confirmation of compliance.

Additionally, the NCAA has kicked off a sweeping audit of all private jet operations in the country – scrutinizing both safety and economic aspects.

The incident is also being investigated by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau to identify contributing factors.

NCAA Director of Public Affairs, Michael Achimugu, said the actions underscore the organization’s commitment to prioritizing safety and maintaining confidence in Nigeria’s aviation industry.

The increased oversight follows repeated incidents and violations involving private jet operators in Nigeria over the past year.

No fewer than 140 officials will track and assess the performance of federal ministries, departments, and agencies ahead of the first assessment exercise at the end of this month.

This is as the officials joined the third technical retreat for delivery desk officers of federal ministries on the implementation of presidential priorities and ministerial deliverables in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, which began on Wednesday.

A senior official working closely with the Central Delivery Coordination Unit headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, revealed that the officers, who would conduct the assessment, were drawn from 35 federal government ministries, departments and agencies.

“It will involve a permanent secretary and directors of planning and other officials, four each from 35 ministries. They are considering the modalities of the assessment, the key performance indicators and the reporting mechanisms and all of those,” the official who did not want to be mentioned told one of our correspondents.

At the retreat, Bala-Usman echoed President Bola Tinubu’s words to participants when she warned that her principal would sack ministers who failed to perform their duties.

She noted that Tinubu was poised to deliver on his promise of making life better and easier for Nigerians.

Calling for the total commitment of delivery officers and directors of planning in ministries, Bala-Usman said, “We must understand that the President is very serious about his promises and that ministers will be assessed, and ministers will be dropped if they don’t perform.

“You must understand that as ministerial delivery desk officers, you are the engine room that will provide that feedback, constantly track ministerial progress, and report challenges and bottlenecks to the central coordinating and delivery unit.”

The presidential aide, who dove into the specifics, explained, “In the Ministry of Aviation, we will be assessing FAAN on customer experience at the airports; are the escalators, lifts, and conveyor belts functional?

“What are the consequences of delayed time of departure for airlines? These are things that everybody can feel and see.

“When talking about agriculture, we want to see our index of fertiliser use per hectare grow because of the attendant investment that has been made in fertiliser interventions.”

On October 17, 2023, Bala-Usman said her office would begin a quarterly assessment of the performance of the 48 ministers (now 47) appointed by the President by January 2024.

She said January would be the best period to begin the exercise as all the ministries would have received their budgets for the 2024 fiscal year.

“We’re looking to commence an assessment of the respective ministries in January 2024. We’re going to have a quarterly assessment of performance, which will culminate into an annual scorecard,” the former boss of the Nigerian Ports Authority explained in an interview on TVC.

She said the annual scorecard would be reviewed during periodic retreats where performances would be assessed against key performance indicators.

The three-month period for the first evaluation will follow a three-day cabinet retreat for ministers and presidential aides, which was held from November 1 to 3, 2023, where ministers signed a performance bond with the President.

The bond signed by each minister and permanent secretaries detailed the deliverables each ministry plans to achieve within the 2024 budget cycle.

“That performance bond is what we’re going to use to track the performance of the ministers,” Bala-Usman had said.

Lawyers, CSOs comment

Commenting on the development, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Mike Ozekhome, said the performance review of the ministers should not be the priority of the government as the nation was in a dire strait.

He stated, “This President should be one in a hurry. This country is battered and tattered. The country is bleeding. The people are downtrodden. There is anger and melancholy. There is poverty. There is agony. Nigerians are crying and in abject penury. There is gnashing of teeth across the divides in Nigeria.

“How can a bag of rice be selling at over N55,000 and the Presidency is talking about assessing ministers? Take a look at the naira that is currently in a free fall because we are subjected to neo-colonial dictates from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

“To me, it is a case of ‘Physician heal thyself’ as the President is trying to heal the ministries. To assess a minister is to know the deliverables. What benchmark did the President set when he appointed the ministers? What was in the All Progressives Congress manifesto as to their deliverables?

“Since the ministers were sworn in more than six months ago, what have they done? If we take the Ministry of Works, for instance, it will be easy to assess how many roads have been constructed or started or earmarked for commencement. But, for other ministries like special duties; how will they be assessed?

“As for the Ministry of Poverty Alleviation and Humanitarian Affairs, how will they assess them? Where is all the money that has been pumped to alleviate poverty? Why is there so much poverty in the land? What number of Nigerians has been brought out of poverty? What are the verifiable indices to show that this has been done? I have already seen some ministers who are not performing at all. Some of them are just there like onlookers.”

On his part, Chief Yomi Alliyu (SAN), faulted the move, saying, “In the first instance, I don’t see how anyone will assess a minister. The criteria are bound to be subjective rather than objective. This is because ministers are not really the ones working in the ministries. They are just policymakers. The civil servants are the ones who will implement policies. In that instance, it is the members of the public who can assess whether a minister is working or not.

“A minister could be hyperactive and corrupt. We have seen ministers use their former companies as pipes to siphon government money from another ministry and some of them are still serving.

“You will not say because a minister has some media hype, he will score well and perform. Sometimes, it is not the people that you hear of who are the performers in this country. Nobody can evaluate any minister other than members of the public.”

Also reacting, another senior lawyer, Mr Ebun Adegboruwa (SAN), stated that it was PresidentTinubu himself who needed to be assessed.

“I don’t think the President has the moral justification for such an assessment. It is the President himself who needs an assessment. The ministers have no direct responsibility to the people of Nigeria. They were not the ones elected. The buck stops on the President’s table. Is it for the insecurity, inflation, or the collapse of the exchange and forex regime?” he queried.

Civil Society Organisations called on Tinubu to suspend ministers who underperform or are found to be enmeshed in corrupt practices.

The Chairman of Civil Society Organisations in Rivers State, Enafaa Georgewill, made the call in an interview with one of our correspondents, adding that ministers could be likened to employees who should be held accountable when necessary.

Georgewill stated, “The President can be likened to an employer and if an employer employs an employee and the employee is not performing as expected, he who hired them should fire them and where there is a need for caution, disciplinary action like suspension and other reprimand actions should be taken.

“Until those in authority, and in this case, the President, begin to instil discipline and real governance, as well as social welfare, we will not be able to make real progress. So, yes, the President has the power to reprimand ministers and he should use it.”

The Director of Youths for Change, Taiwo Oyayinka, urged the President to ensure the dismissal of underperforming ministers as he had earlier promised.

He said, “President Tinubu promised us last year that ministers who underperform would be dismissed; he should stand by this charge. Corrupt ministers should be flushed out of the system.

“Such an action will serve as a deterrent to others. There should be no sacred cow in power. All those found culpable should be suspended or dismissed.”

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Segun Sowunmi, said the assessment of ministers was a novel idea, but noted that such an endeavour must be holistic.

He said, “This is the first time we have heard that ministers are going to be accessed and that there will be consequences after the assessment, but you know anything with government, especially in our country, it is always better for you to exercise some caution because if you celebrate early, you may just end up disappointed.

“On the surface, it is a good idea; maybe it will help us scale up service delivery. Also, maybe the report of the assessment can serve as a benchmark either for the others or people who will be taking government office.”

The National Secretary of New Nigeria People’s Party, Mr Oladipupo Olayokun, “I think that is the normal thing to do because when you give someone an assignment, you should periodically assess his performance because don’t forget that the President told Nigerians that the ministers would be assessed. It is a departure from what we witnessed in the past eight years, especially given what Nigerians are experiencing under this government.”

The National Director, Media and Publicity of the Labour Party, Dr Yunusa Tanko, said, “Any minister found wanting shows he or she is not qualified to serve the country. If the President wants to begin to screen his aides, that means he must have presented himself for screening ab initio. He does not have a locus standi to start screening people because if they were screened ab initio, we would have known about their credentials.”

Super Eagles head coach, Jose Peseiro, has said the team’s approach against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday is to defend as a unit while being clinical in front of opposition goal.

The gaffer said this on Friday in Abidjan at a pre-match press conference ahead of the epic clash.

“I don’t want to concede goals tomorrow (Saturday), I want to score at least one. If we do this, we will beat Cameroon,” Peseiro said.

The coach switched to a more defensive 3-4-3 formation in the group stage resulting in scrappy wins against Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau and a draw against eventual group A leaders Equatorial Guinea.

The coach said the most important thing at this stage was to win and advance to the quarter-finals stage.

He expressed optimism that the team’s goal poacher and Napoli hitman, Victor Osimhen, would start firing again from the knockout stage.

“For our next match (Cameroon), Osimhen will score; he’s important for the team. He’s the top scorer, but this is a different tournament and tough competition.

“He deserves to reach the top position because against Equatorial Guinea, he created so many chances and he scored.

“Did Equatorial Guinea beat us? No, we shared the points, and I know we will beat them next time because it’s not easy in this competition,” he said.

The Portuguese tactician also dispelled rumours of a rift with Leicester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho, who has not featured in the tournament, owing to an earlier injury.

He hinted at the forward seeing some action in the crucial clash with Cameroon.

“There are a lot of negative stories out there. If there was something between us, Kelechi will not be here. I will not invite him.

“He was injured before the competition and was not with us in Abu Dhabi. He arrived before our first game and started work the following day.

“We have to work with our doctors on his recovery process. We believe in Kelechi, he is going to play and score for us in this competition,” Peseiro said.

Nigeria and Cameroon will clash in a blockbuster Round of 16 tie slated for the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, at the ongoing 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire.

The Super Eagles will wrap up their preparations for the game with a training session at the Ecole Nationale de Police training pitch on Friday evening.

The last time both teams clashed at the 2019 AFCON, the Super Eagles came from behind to eliminate the Lions 3-2, in a thrilling encounter.

NAN

Many have argued that Nigeria is currently facing its most challenging times, prompting a steady exodus of people seeking a better and more comfortable life. Every week, a considerable number of Nigerians relocate to various parts of the world in pursuit of improved opportunities.

Before moving to a new country, it’s important to think things through. You don’t want to relocate and then regret your choice.

Also, it is better to ensure you travel through the legal routes and avoid cutting corners. It’s also important to use a trusted agent or do it yourself (DIY) to avoid getting scammed. 

These are the top five countries for Nigerians to consider:

United Kingdom

The UK has become a ‘home away from home’ for most Nigerians in the last three years. The United Kingdom, a sovereign state, is composed of four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, boasting a population of approximately 67 million people.

In the first half of 2023, the UK granted approximately 132,000 visas, and those are all sorts of visas, which include visit, work, and study visas.

The UK economy is one of the strongest, and the British pound is the joint fifth-strongest currency in the world.

It has also proven to be a strong educational destination for most Nigerians.

USA

The USA has one of the most iconic cities in the world, which is perfect for all your travel or vacation needs.

Tagged ‘land of opportunities’ The USA is where one can achieve anything they put their mind to, no matter who they are.

Its multicultural population, coupled with abundant natural resources, a robust culture of innovation, and a resilient domestic system, makes it a good destination which matches with the ‘Can do spirit’ in Nigeria.

The USA is home to the world’s biggest educational schools.

Australia

Regarded as both a country and a continent, Australia, inhabited by 26 million people, presents abundant opportunities for migrants seeking employment.

It further distinguishes itself by providing affordable tertiary education at universities of choice, supported by a stable economy and expansive public service sectors.

It also offers a lot of sporting activities and is a perfect destination for animal lovers.

At least 72 per cent of Australians speak English as their main language, making it easier for Nigerians to communicate with others in the country.

Canada

Canada has consistently gained a reputation as a haven and a beacon of hope for a better life for numerous immigrants from different countries around the world.

The country’s unemployment rate of around 5.8% (December 2023) is ranked one of the lowest in the world, with a high demand for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled workers.

With a literacy rate of 99 percent, Canada has one of the best educational systems in the world. It also has a world-class infrastructural system.

Germany

In June 2023, the German parliament passed an immigration law that was devised to encourage more people from outside the European Union, including Nigeria, to come work in the country.

It is the second-largest economy in the world in nominal terms, after the United States, and the third-largest in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms, after China and the United States.

Germany provides high-quality education and efficient public transportation, and it has a reputation for innovation and technology.

The Rivers State House of Assembly has voted to override Governor Siminalayi Fubara and pass 4 new bills into law.

According to reports, this development occurred during plenary on Friday (today) at the House of Assembly Quarters after the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule read 4 letters addressed to him by the governor wherein he declined his assent to the four new bills which had been sent to him for assent.

Governor’s accent no longer required

The House relying on Section 100 subsection 5 said the assent of the governor is not required for the passage into law of the said bills.

• The section stats that “where the Governor withholds assent and the bill is again passed by two thirds majority, the bill shall become a law and the assent of the Governor shall not be required.’’
• Amaewhule also accused Governor Fubara of having no plans to conduct local government elections in the state, saying “by the reasons given by the Governor it means he doesn’t plan to conduct local government elections in the state”.
• Speaking further said, “the key thing here is that this law removes the power of the Governor to appoint Caretaker Committee Chairmen for the Local Governments, the Governor is not happy that we’re removing his powers to appoint caretaker chairmen.”

The 4 Laws passed are:

• The Rivers Local Government Amendment Law
• The Rivers State Traditional Rulers Amendment Law
• The Rivers State Advertisement and Use of State-Owned Property Prohibition repeal law.
• The Rivers State Funds Management and Financial Autonomy Law.

What you should know

In a related development, a Federal High Court in Abuja had a few days ago nullified the N800 billion budget passed by the Edison Ehie led group of the Rivers State House of Assembly and signed into law by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The court also upheld the suit filed by the Assembly and Speaker Martin Amaewhule, against Fubara, which sought an order of injunction restraining the governor from frustrating the Assembly under his leadership as speaker, among others.

The presiding judge, James Omotosho, held that everything done by the 4 lawmakers was null and void.

[Nairametrics]

Moses Simon has boasted that the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon can’t derail the Super Eagles ambition of emerging champions at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria will keep a date with their perennial rivals in a Round of 16 contest at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan on Saturday.

The Super Eagles are desperate to add to their three titles in Cote d’Ivoire.

Simon restated the team’s ambition to go all the way in the competition.

“We don’t think about history, whatever happened between Nigeria and Cameroon belongs to the past, “the Nantes winger told a press conference in Abidjan on Friday.

” We are going to approach the game the same way, the mindset is to win and move into the next round.

” I have a clubmate (Jean-Charles Castelleto), in their team. I know his strengths and weaknesses.

“Our goal is to win the game and the trophy as well. We will take it game by game. We are ready for the game and won’t allow them stop us “

[DailyPost]

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state on Friday, January 26, said he has no plans to dump the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on whose platform he won the governorship polls.

Yusuf was responding to an invite by the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to join the APC.

Governor Yusuf, whose election was affirmed by the Supreme Court penultimate week, is the only NNPP governor in Nigeria.

However, Ganduje on Thursday, January 25, wooed Yusuf and his godfather Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso as well as Ibrahim Shekarau of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asking them to join APC, according to him, in the interest of Nigerians and the country.

During the party’s stakeholders’ meeting in Kano, Ganduje said: “I am appealing to Governor Yusuf, along with his members from the NNPP, to defect to the ruling APC at the national level to ensure massive political growth of the state.

“We are working very hard to ensure more members of the National Assembly from Kano State and others from other political parties join hands with the progressives as doors of the party remain opened to all.”

According to Ganduje, the APC would commence e-registration and the target is to get the highest number of membership from the state and also have a one party state.

He added: “We will provide an enabling environment for all defectors for the overall political growth of our party and state,” disclosing that “some opposition governors and National Assembly members will soon join the ruling party.”

In his reaction, Yusuf however, rejected Ganduje’s invitation, telling the APC national chairman he would not exit from NNPP.

The governor spoke in a statement by his media director, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

The statement read: “We heard that he (Ganduje) is begging the Governor to join the APC. What is surprising is, that Ganduje as a former governor and former deputy governor, knows better than anyone the right channel to send a message to a sitting governor.

“Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf does not have plans to leave his party and will not leave the party. Changing a political party is like changing a house. You just cannot wake up, pack your bags, and say I have left my party. There are things to be done before you decide to change your house.”

During the meeting held at the APC secretariat in Kano, Ganduje also said the Kano state APC has accepted the Supreme Court judgment in good faith, hailing President Bola Tinubu for his love for the state chapter of the party.

Ganduje said talks have reached an advanced stage such that other smaller parties nationwide, including governors and lawmakers, would soon dump their political parties and join the ruling APC.

Ganduje explained that the coming of the Kano governor (Yusuf) to APC will strengthen the ruling party in Kano and at the national level, driving developments to the state.

[TheNation]

Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has once again sworn-in nine Commissioners who earlier resigned their appointment in the wake of the governor’s face-off with his predecessor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, thereby re-admitting them into the State Executive Council (SEC).

The Commissioners include Professor Zacchaeus Adangor, Dr. Jacobson Nbina, Dr. Gift Worlu, Mrs. Inimefien Aguma, Egnr. Chukwuemeka Woke, Prof Chinedu Mmom, Dr. Dakorinama Kelly-George, Isaac Kamalu, Esq., and Mr. Ben Chioma.

Recall that the Commissioners, loyal to former Governor Wike, were earlier screened and confirmed for the second time by the Rt. Hon. Martins Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly on January 17, 2024.

Speaking after the swearing-in ceremony at the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Friday, Governor Fubara charged them to engage in activities for which they will be positively remembered by posterity.

The governor told the appointees that: “I wish you well in your coming back. Stand for justice, and stand for the interests of our dear state. That is the purpose of your appointment and that is the truth.

“I can see how heavy your hearts are. But I assure you that I don’t have anything against anyone of you. You were caught in between during the crossfire.

“I will advise that you give your best. Like I said the first time, let this State and posterity remember you for what is good.”

A private jet with 10 persons onboard has reportedly crash-landed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The jet was said to have crash-landed on Friday around 11 am at the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport.

Firefighters and rescue officials from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria have been deployed to the scene.

Details later…

[Punch]

The Supreme Court has upheld the five-year jail term imposed on Farouk Lawan, a former member of the House of Representatives, affirming the judgment of the Court of Appeal. Lawan was convicted and sentenced in 2021 for accepting a $500,000 bribe from Femi Otedola, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd.

In a unanimous decision on Friday, a five-member panel of the Supreme Court agreed with the 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which had affirmed Lawan’s five-year sentence on count three of the three counts brought against him at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Justice John Okoro, who prepared the lead judgment, had it delivered by Justice Tijjani Abubakar. The apex court found Lawan’s appeal to be without merit and dismissed it accordingly.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court had sentenced Lawan to seven years imprisonment for receiving a $500,000 bribe while serving as the chairman of the House’s ad-hoc committee investigating the fuel subsidy fraud in 2012.

The trial judge, Angela Otaluka, held that Lawan demanded $3m and received $500,000 from Femi Otedola in 2012 to remove Otedola’s oil company, Zenon Oil and Gas, from the list of firms indicted for fraud in the fuel subsidy regime.

She also held that Lawan was guilty of all three counts of corruption and bribery.

Not satisfied, Lawan approached the appellate court where his jail term was reduced from seven to five years.

Lawan is at the apex court urging the court to set aside the judgments of the lower court.

Reading the lead judgment, Justice Tijjani Abubakar upheld the decision of the appeal court and dismissed the appeal.