Business

Nigerian Govt Reveals Reason UAE Flights Remain Banned

The Federal Government has disclosed that flights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are yet to resume due to the discriminatory nature of the protocol introduced by the UAE.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, made the remark during the briefing by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 in Abuja on Monday.

Sirika, who explained that the protocol appeared to be targeted at only Nigerians, added that it was discriminatory and not backed up scientifically.

He explained that UAE was insistent that all passengers intending to visit its country must use Emirates Airline or spend two weeks in the alternative carrier’s country before gaining entrance to Dubai.

The minister dismissed insinuations that the continuous delay in the resumption of flights was ego-related.

He, however, said that talks were ongoing to resolve the matter.

According to him, Emirates in particular and other airlines, including KLM, gave some conditions that were not acceptable to Nigeria because they don’t make scientific sense.

“After review, some of the airlines, especially KLM, saw sense with what Nigeria presented which is that you can do the test 48 hours to 72 hours before you leave and do another test on arrival.

Emirates at that time wanted us to do the test 48 hours before boarding and 48 hours is not yet the incubation time.

”They expect us to do a rapid test at the airport and then fly seven hours later and do another test in Dubai and then follow us to our hotel or our accommodation and do another test.

“That dragged on and in the interest of our people and cordial relationship, even though it is a commercial decision for the airline to take at any point in time, we ceded and accepted that we would do those tests that doesn’t make scientific sense to us at the expense of our people and our monies.

“We accepted what Emirates presented and proceeded even though KLM and other airlines saw our reasons and rationale and towed the lines of Nigeria.

“In this case, Emirates insisted again that in addition to the test on arrival and other tests, that Nigerians cannot fly to UAE except through Emirates airline.

”And that if we choose to do so through other airlines like Ethiopia, Qatar, Turkish or other airlines, we must remain in the country of that airline for two weeks if we are Nigerians before we continue to Dubai.

“So, they insisted that we must fly by Emirates and majority of Nigerians are petty traders and the ticket of Emirates, in this case, may be higher than other airlines,” Sirika explained.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that Emirates Airlines has suspended the embargo, only to reimpose it after a few days citing COVID-19 concerns.

Business

PENGASSAN enforces Dangote Refinery shutdown

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, implemented the shutdown of the Dangote Refinery plant on Sunday.

This was contained in an update on the striking union’s action against Dangote Refinery over mass sacking.

The union said its members have shut all oil installations nationwide.

It noted that the refinery plant is 100 per cent shut down; fertiliser plant train two is also 100 per cent shut, with train one running at 60 per cent capacity.

The union added that the diesel plant is still running at the moment. However, the development has not been confirmed by Dangote Refinery.

The implication is that crude and gas supply to the refinery have been disrupted.

Recall that in a statement on Saturday, Dangote Refinery described the PENGASSAN directive as economic sabotage.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission on Sunday urged Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN to engage in dialogue to resolve the rift.

The dispute between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN started after the former sacked over 800 workers for belonging to the union.

Business

FAAN, Paystack to begin cashless payment at Lagos, Abuja airports

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), in partnership with Paystack, says it will begin cashless and contactless payment at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, beginning from Sept. 29.

FAAN announced this in a statement signed by its management in Abuja on Friday.

It said that all payments at revenue points such as access gates, car parks, VIP and protocol lounges would be made only through cashless channels.

The authority said the initiative, known as “Operation Go Cashless”, would help provide fast and secure payment, reduce reliance on cash, and improve customer experience at airports.

According to FAAN, the system will also enhance revenue assurance and align Nigeria’s airports with global digital trends.

It added that trained brand ambassadors had been deployed to guide users, assist with onboarding, provide demonstrations and answer questions during the transition.

“Passengers can obtain a ‘FAAN Go Cashless Card’ at airport access gates in Lagos and Abuja, and activate it immediately via www.gocashless.faan.gov.ng.

“FAAN remains committed to continuous improvement and will expand this cashless policy to other airports nationwide in phases,” the authority said.

It urged airport users to contact its support line at 0700-227-3226 or email gocashlesssupport@faan.gov.ng for inquiries.

Business

PENGASSAN cuts crude supply to Dangote refinery over labour dispute

PENGASSAN threatens 30-day shutdown, Nigeria risks N1.37tn loss

The industrial dispute between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) took a dramatic turn on Saturday as the union ordered seven branches to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the $20 billion facility.

In a 26 September letter by PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Mr. Lumumba Okugbawa, the union accused the refinery’s management of sacking its members in retaliation for exercising their constitutional right to join the union.

The union’s move marks an escalation in the standoff, with PENGASSAN accusing the refinery of anti-labour practices and the unlawful sack of its members.

In the directive issued to its branch chairmen, PENGASSAN instructed its branch chairmen in key upstream and midstream oil companies, including TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, and Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company, to immediately cut off all crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery.

The directive comes after PENGASSAN alleged that Nigerian workers were sacked by Dangote Refinery after joining the union, claiming that management also withdrew staff buses and denied entry to locals while allowing expatriates access.

The union threatened to picket the refinery if the situation was not addressed.

In a statement on Friday, the refinery clarified that only a small number of workers were affected by what it described as a reorganisation aimed at preventing acts of sabotage within the facility. It said over 3,000 Nigerians remain in employment, rejecting claims of mass layoffs.

Dangote Refinery maintained that the restructuring was necessary after what it described as recurring acts of sabotage in different units of the refinery, which posed serious risks to human lives and operations.
As a result, PENGASSAN instructed its branches in TotalEnergies, Seplat, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, Renaissance, and NGIC to cut gas supply to the refinery immediately.

The union described the move as ‘illegitimate’ and accused the refinery of spreading misinformation instead of addressing the matter through dialogue.

The directive read: ‘As you are aware, the Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disengaged our members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to being unionized.

‘They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong.

‘Consequent to these, you are hereby directed to cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately. All crude oil supply valves to the Refinery should be shut. The loading operation for vessel headed there should be halted immediately’.

The union further mandated the NGIC Chairman to ensure strict compliance with the order and told all branch chairmen to give regular updates on the action taken.

‘NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately. All chairmen on this summons are to report promptly the progress of the directive. Kindly accept the assurances of our highest esteem. Thank you’, the statement read.

Reaffirming its solidarity, PENGASSAN ended the directive with its slogan: “Injury to one! Injury to all!”

On Thursday, the company announced it would suspend petrol sales in naira from September 28 following the exhaustion of its crude-for-naira allocations