General News
Oduah Inspects MMIA Project Sites, Upbeat on National Carriers
Princess Stella Oduah, minister of Aviation said she is delighted with the pace of work at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.
She expressed her satisfaction while on an inspection tour of facilities at the airport on recently
Facilities inspected include the Extended Departure and Arrival Halls, new in-bound baggage reclaim carousels, on-going construction work on “Fingers” as well as Transit Facilities.
Similarly, the Minister said that the Ministry is focused as regards the proposed national carrier and shall make public pronouncement on the project soon.
Briefing newsmen immediately after inspecting the fingers, particularly on the date the projects will be open to public use, Oduah, “The key word is that we are going to Commission the projects very soon; we want to be able to facilitate the usage of these facilities by first quarter of next year (2014). But what is very key is that passenger traveling experience will be very different. It will be the way it should be; providing them comfort, security and most importantly, it will increase the capacity. There will be ample space for smart operations at the areas. By this strategy, the safety and security of the passengers is being enhanced.
“Thus, Nigerians should expect the aviation industry that was promised to them; an industry that will be catalyst for national development. Essentially, this will be an industry that has been repositioned to create jobs, hubs and skills for the people”.
For other remodeling projects on-going in other airports across the country, she said, “Airport projects are always work in progress. However, ours is targeted at between first and second quarter of next year, we wouldn’t see the massive work on-going. We should be commissioning and using them. Like the finger we just visited, we are changing all the bridges; by the second quarter of next year we should see different bridges. I am sure; most people do not know we have such space upstairs at the MMIA. Ours is to maximize the capacity that has not been tapped into these years.
“Airports like Owerri, Sokoto, Akure, Yola and several others are ready. We are just making sure that is there are T’s to cross or I’s to dot we do so before commissioning them.
“By January we shall start commissioning them, but we allowed passengers to use them because they deserve the best”.
For the national carrier, she added that the Federal Government ought to have pronounced the new national carrier, but it has been delayed due to few challenges.
“We are trying to rectify them. We shall be pronouncing the new national carrier soon, however, the important thing is that we want to give Nigerians the national carrier that we all aspire to have; such that will be a true representation of all of us; such that will be professionally and efficiently managed.
Also, Oduah clarified issues surrounding the on-going power projects at the airport, she said that the first project has commenced, even as the Ministry hopes to mobilize the contractor for the second project.
Oduah, since assuming duties as minister of Aviation, has always reiterated her quest to readdress quagmires she inherited in an industry poorly developed, steeped in crises with threat of imminent collapse.
The absence of a consistent and well articulated national aviation policy, excessive bureaucracy and bad management was its waterloo.
She, therefore, navigated through the cacophony of several policies and came up with the Aviation Road map.
The Road-map provided the institutional framework for the provision of infrastructure, monitoring and control of the industry.
The involvement of aviation stakeholders in producing the policy predictably resulted in unanimous adoption, which has cumulated in several projects completed and on-going in the industry.
Meanwhile, the extended Departures Halls feature 5 nos state –of-the-art screening machines and 2 nos Body Scanner at each of the wings in addition 30 nos new immigration counters.
A distinguishing feature of the new screening machines is the ability to detect explosive materials and potential threat items real time with the lowest rate of false alarm.
The introduction of 30 nos new immigration counters as against the previous 9 nos promises to take the face of facilitation in MMA to another level.
Also inspected were the newly installed in-bound baggages reclaim carousels at each of the Arrivals Halls.
The high- speed carousels are smooter, easier – to- maintain and more resistant to luggage jams than their decades – old predecessors.
This translates into accelerated baggage retrieval, reduced waiting – time and improved travel experience.
Highlight of the visit was the inspection of the on-going construction of 2 new additional fingers as well as new Transit Facilities.
The visit afforded journalists the opportunity to appreciate, first hand, the cause of some leakages experienced at the Terminal some time ago.
Briefing the Minister, the Director of Maintenance and Engineering & Engineer Femi Ogunode, acting managing director of FAAN, explained that the construction work on the new Fingers affected the sealant on the existing Terrance on which the Fingers are built, resulting in dripping of water in some sections of the Terminal.
He said measures have been put in place to check the so-called leakages, promising that services levels in the airport will continue to be tailored to passengers needs.
The two new additional Fingers located on the 2nd level of the Terminal building and each measuring 3,074 sq m, and seating atop the existing Fingers represent a major capacity increase with all the attendant benefits.
Hitherto, arriving and departing passengers made common use of the Fingers, although with a glass partition separating them. With the new development, each of the two new Fingers will be exclusively for Departures while the existing ones will be dedicated to Arrivals, thus enhancing safety, security, and facilitation.
The Transit Facility, located on the 3rd floor of the Terminal building, features 9 standard lounge, and 20 hotel rooms for transiting passengers’ Transit Facility is a major requirement for a hub operations. With this development, MMA is set for a sub –regional hub status in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s vision.
National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), has explained why kidnappers and terrorists are not always traceable despite the country’s expanding digital identity infrastructure.
NIMC explanation pointed to a simple but significant gap in the system.
Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director-general of the agency said that: “A lot of the time, you find out the kidnappers use the phones of the people they have abducted, which means how do you trace them because they are not using their own phones?” she said.
Coker-Odusote spoke during an appearance on Channels Television, where she was asked to explain why criminals remain difficult to trace despite the mandatory NIN-SIM linkage policy.
She said criminals frequently frustrate investigations by using mobile phones belonging to their victims, instead of their own registered lines.
“We already know the NIN is the foundational identity for the security architecture, but a lot of the time, you find out the kidnappers use the phones of the people they have abducted. Which means, how do you trace them because they are not using their own phones?” she said.
She also suggested that some criminal elements involved in kidnapping operations may not even be captured in Nigeria’s identity database.
“There is a theory that it may be possible that these kidnappers are not Nigerians and are brought into the country 48 or 72 hours before a kidnapping takes place specifically for that purpose. I’m not insinuating anything, but if that were the case, they naturally would not be captured in our database,” she added.
The comments have revived questions about whether expectations placed on the NIN-SIM linkage have exceeded what the system was designed to deliver.
The NIN-SIM linkage exercise was introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in collaboration with NIMC to strengthen identity management, eliminate anonymous SIM ownership and support national security.
Over the years, the exercise resulted in millions of subscribers linking their SIM cards with their National Identification Numbers, while telecom operators also deactivated millions of lines that failed to comply with regulatory directives.
Earlier, the NCC maintained that the policy was aimed at improving the integrity of Nigeria’s SIM registration database, strengthening identity verification and supporting security agencies in criminal investigations.
The regulator also described the exercise as an important component of the country’s digital economy and national security framework.
Telecommunications operators have consistently maintained that while they play a critical role in implementing the NIN-SIM linkage policy, they are not responsible for tracking criminals.
Quest Merchant Bank recently hosted the second edition of the Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission, reaffirming its commitment to fostering a high-performance workplace culture and advancing people-centric leadership practices.
The Study Mission serves as a collaborative learning platform that brings together Great Place to Work® Certified organizations to exchange insights, share best practices, and strengthen workplace cultures.
The event welcomed Human Resources leaders and representatives from FITC, Princeps Credit Systems, Tonic Technologies and Esentry Limited for an engaging and insightful session focused on building thriving workplace cultures, promoting continuous learning, and advancing employee-centric practices that drive organizational success.
Speaking at the event, Tolulope Dayo-Peters, Head of People Management, emphasized the importance of continuous learning and collaboration in building sustainable workplace cultures.
“We are delighted to host the second edition of the Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission. At Quest Merchant Bank, we believe building a great workplace is an ongoing journey rooted in trust, purposeful leadership, and a genuine commitment to our people.
“We are pleased to share the practices that have shaped our culture and look forward to more opportunities to learn and collaborate with like-minded organizations.”
Also speaking at the event, Afolabi Olorode, Acting Managing Director/CEO, Quest Merchant Bank Limited, highlighted the critical role workplace culture plays in driving long-term business success.
“We recognize that a strong workplace culture is fundamental to sustainable business success. Creating an environment where our people are empowered to grow, innovate, and perform at their best enables us to consistently deliver value to our clients and stakeholders. We are proud to support initiatives like the Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission that encourage organizations to learn from one another and collectively raise the standard of workplace excellence in Nigeria.”
The Study Mission reinforced the importance of collaboration among organizations committed to creating exceptional employee experiences.
By providing a platform for open dialogue, peer learning, and the exchange of practical ideas, the initiative enabled participants to explore innovative approaches to employee engagement, organizational culture, leadership development, and talent management while strengthening a growing community of employers dedicated to workplace excellence.
Hosting the Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission further strengthens Quest Merchant Bank’s position as a thought leader in workplace culture and talent management.
It also enhances the Bank’s employer brand and demonstrates its unwavering commitment to creating an environment where employees can grow, innovate, and achieve their full potential.
Quest Merchant Bank remains committed to championing initiatives that promote learning, innovation, and people-centric leadership. Through strategic partnerships and knowledge-sharing platforms such as the Great Place to Work® Nigeria Study Mission, the Bank continues to contribute to the advancement of exceptional workplace cultures and the future of work across Nigeria’s corporate landscape.
Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA) has warned of possible floods in parts of Adamawa, Bauchi, Edo, Imo, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Kaduna, Plateau, Niger, Benue, and Borno states within the next seven days.
According to information posted on NIHSA X handle, the Agency announced medium flood advisory in force for the next 7 days across Adamawa, Bauchi, and 11 other States.
“Localised inundation is forecast along the main channel; named communities below sit on the projected footprint. Stations: Saminara on the Karam river, Waya Dam Site on the Waya river, Amber on the Amber river.
“Adamawa; Lemsa, Lamurde, Numan Exposure: 147 comm. 49 schis 40 hith 6 mkts17 relig. Bauchi-Bauchi, Ningi, Shira. Exposure: 4 comm. Kaduna; Chikun, Giwa, Igabi, Jaba, Jema’a, Kachia, Kaura, Kauru, +6 more. Exposure: 1 comm.
“Borno-Gubio, Mobbar. Exposure: 680 comm. 8 schls 6 hith 5 mkts 21 relig. Edo-Akoko-Ed, EtsakoEa, EtsakoWe, Ikpoba-Okha, Orhionmw, OviaNort, OviaSo.. Exposure: 3 comm.
“Imo-Aboh-Mba, Oguta, Ohaji/Eg, Okigwe, Owerri North, Owerri West. Exposure: 3 comm. 7 more states affected and severity LGAs”.
NIHSA advised people in the affected areas to “do NOT cross flooded roads, bridges, or fast-moving water on foot or by vehicle.
“Clear drainage channels and river-mouth blockages; avoid building or living in the floodplain and move people, livestock and valuables from the floodplain to pre-identified higher ground,” NIHSA stated.
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