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Albanians living in UK ‘would work for free’ to tackle fuel crisis

Albanians

Albanians living in UK ‘would work for free’ to tackle fuel crisis

Albania has said thousands of its migrants to the UK would be willing to work for nothing to help tackle the petrol crisis.

Albania’s ambassador to the UK, Qirjako Qirko, told the Guardian: “If your government would like, we can offer good reliable drivers, maybe 5,000 immediately.”

He claimed many of the estimated 150,000 Albanians living in the UK would work out of gratitude to their British hosts. As a significant number are believed to be undocumented, it is impossible to know how many are qualified HGV drivers.

But Qirko, who had just spent an hour queueing for petrol without success, said he believed many Albanians in Britain were truck drivers who could help make up a shortfall estimated at up to 100,000.

He said: “The Albanians are ready to work for the British government to overcome this problem free of charge. I don’t know if they have the right licences, but if they did I’m sure everyone here would say ‘I can help’.

Qirko cited the 1999 Nato intervention in Kosovo for saving hundreds of ethnic Albanians and said: “Albanians in the UK would work free of charge for this country because of what this country has done for them … We are grateful forever to the government, and to the army of this country, for what they did for our brothers in Kosovo.”

Albania, one of the poorest countries in Europe, has hopes of joining the EU but in 2019 France blocked the opening of membership negotiations. In 2017, twice as many Albanians as people of any other nationality were caught as stowaways at UK ports, Home Office figures showed. This year, the home secretary, Priti Patel, signed an agreement to remove Albanian nationals without the right to be in the UK.

Qirko urged the British to see Albanians as an asset rather than a problem, complaining they were too often portrayed as gang members, drug dealers and human traffickers, including by government bodies such as the National Crime Agency.

He said: “Of course, there are some people from my community that are involved in criminal activity, but why is it so necessary to mention their nationality? Nationality has nothing to do with criminality. You don’t say someone is a gay or lesbian criminal, so why say there are ‘Albanian criminals’?”

He added: “By mentioning the nationality you create a negative perception, regarding the whole community here that is doing an honest job. Albanians who come here are not criminal. They are people who like a better life.”

In 2019, Qirko criticised the Fifty Shades of Grey author EL James for her portrayal of Albanians in her novel The Mister, about a London maid who had been trafficked. Qirko has a copy of James’s letter in response on his desk. She wrote: “In the course of my research for the novel, I did visit Albania and found it to be an extremely beautiful country. And its people to be warm and welcoming.”

Qirko said: “I’m here to stand up for my people. They are not criminal, they are hard-working and honest.”

The military is set to start delivering fuel to forecourts on Monday, amid reports that south-east England is experiencing worsening shortages. Petrol prices are rising, with one garage in London reportedly charging £2.93 for a litre of super unleaded.

Qirko strongly denied reports on Sunday that Albania was negotiating a deal with the UK to receive migrants who cross the Channel in small boats. The Sun said officials were close to striking a deal on an overseas processing centre. Setting up such a centre for refugees is part of the new nationality and borders bill.

The Home Office did not confirm or deny the report. But Qirko said there had been no negotiations. “This is absolutely and totally fake news. Totally false. There are no discussions and no negotiations. I am sure that the Home Office will react and deny this story.”

Olta Xhaçka, Albania’s foreign minister, has also denied the report. “So embarrassing the fake news spreading in the British media about an ‘offshore hub in the Balkans’ namely in Albania to ‘detain migrants crossing Channel from France’,” she tweeted.

Banking

Africa Energy Bank to launch in first quarter, targets $120 billion asset base

African energy bank logo (credit: Goggle)

The Africa Energy Bank, which will fund oil and gas projects and support the continent’s energy transition goals, will launch in the first quarter of 2025 and target an asset base of $120 billion, Nigeria’s junior oil minister said on Tuesday.

The fossil fuel-focused bank, a partnership between trade finance institution Afrexim Bank and the African Petroleum Producers Organization, was due to start operations by mid-2024, an Afreximbank official said last year.

“The building is ready, and we are only putting finishing touches to it, by the end of this quarter, this bank will take off,” said Nigerian junior oil minister Heineken Lokpobiri.

The minister joked that Nigeria too will follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s mantra on increasing oil drilling and remove all impediments to grow oil production to 2.5 million barrels per day this year. Currently Nigeria’s crude output averages 1.7 million bpd.

Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer, beat three rival African countries for the right to host the multilateral lender.

(REUTERS/POLITICALE)

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MTN hikes prices of data, SMS to reflect new tariff plan

MTN, Nigeria’s largest telecommunications operator on Tuesday commenced implementation of the Nigerian Communications Commission’s approved tariff hike by increasing its data prices.

A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) using the *312# code on the MTN network showed the revised MTN data prices.

For the monthly plans, MTN 1.8GB now goes for N1,500, replacing the previous 1.5GB plan priced at N1,000; the 15GB plan now costs N6,500, a rise from N4,500.

The 20GB monthly plan has been adjusted to N7,500, up from N5,500, among others.

Text messaging on the network has also increased to N6.00 reflecting the 50 per cent hike, while hike in voice calls rates are yet to be ascertained.

Other mobile operators comprising Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile are yet to update their data prices as at the time of filing this report.

NAN reports that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the industry’s regulatory body had approved a maximal increment of 50 per cent tariff adjustments to operators.

The Commission said its approval, though less than the 100 per cent hike demanded by operators, was in response to prevailing operational costs.

It said that its decision was pursuant to its power under Section 108 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003 (NCA) to regulate and approve tariff rates and charges by telecommunications operators.

The NCC said that, while recognising the concerns of the public, the decision was made after extensive consultations with key stakeholders across the public and private sectors.

“The NCC recognises the financial pressures faced by Nigerian households and businesses and remains deeply empathetic to the impact of tariff adjustments,’ the NCC said in a statement.

It noted that these adjustments would support the ability of operators to continue investing in infrastructure and innovation, ultimately benefiting consumers through improved services and connectivity.

The NCC added that consumers would benefit from better network quality, enhanced customer service, and greater coverage within the country. (NAN)

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Business

Tinubu increases 2025 budget to N54.2tn

President Bola Tinubu has raised the proposed 2025 budget from ₦49.7 trillion to ₦54.2 trillion, citing additional revenues generated by key government agencies.

The President conveyed the budget adjustment in separate letters sent to both the Senate and the House of Representatives, which were read during plenary today by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

According to President Tinubu, the increase was driven by ₦1.4 trillion in additional revenue from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), ₦1.2 trillion from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and ₦1.8 trillion generated by other government-owned agencies.

Following the announcement, the Senate President has referred the President’s request to the Senate Committee on Appropriations for urgent consideration.

He assured lawmakers that the budget would be finalised and passed before the end of February.

With this development, the National Assembly is expected to fast-track deliberations to ensure timely approval and implementation of the 2025 budget.

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