Tuesday <strong>07</strong> <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2017</strong> A2 BUSINESS DAY C002D5556
A2 NEWS BUSINESS DAY C002D5556 Ethiopian Airlines brings B787-9 to Nigeria, increases flight to Libreville IFEOMA OKEKE Ethiopian Airlines, has disclosed plans to bring its newest plane tagged the Big Brother to Abuja on Tuesday. The airline said the B787- 9 is part of its commitment to deliver exceptional level of service to the African market by operating the latest technologically advanced aircraft in the market. The airline said it has always services Abuja with its newest Aircraft. It brought the Dreamliner B787 to Abuja in 2012 and Reopened the Abuja Airport this year with the A350 when the Airport was reopened after 6 weeks closure. Ethiopian Airlines has been operating into Nigeria since 1960 and currently flies to 5 cities in Nigeria. It was the only international Airline that flew to Kaduna Airport when Abuja Airport was shut down for repairs. Ethiopian becomes the first carrier in Africa to operate the 787-9 and extends a tradition of setting aviation milestones. Ethiopian became Africa’s first carrier to fly the 787-8 in 2012, and similarly introduced the 777-200LR (Longer Range), 777-300ER (Extended Range) and 777 Freighter. The 787 Dreamliner is the most innovative and efficient airplane family flying today. Since 2011, more than 600 Dreamliners have entered commercial services, flying almost 200 million people on more than 560 unique routes around the world, saving an estimated 19 billion pounds of fuel. This comes as ET announced that it will add a 6th weekly service to and from Yaoundé & Libreville effective <strong>Nov</strong>ember 3, <strong>2017</strong>. Bi-Courtney seeks approval to commence regional flight operations …says terminal is utilising only 50 per cent of its capacity IFEOMA OKEKE Bi- Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL) on Monday challenged the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA) to restore its approval for commencement of regional flights from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two ( MMA2). The terminal operator explained that the NCAA had approved it twice to commence regional flight operations, but wondered why the same regulatory agency cancelled the approval. Speaking at the terminal during the tour of the facilities, Jari Williams, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BASL, emphasised that the organisation had expended several millions of naira to acquire state-of-the-art facilities in preparation of regional flight operations, but decried that the inconsistency in government policy despite the approval had prevented it from using the facilities. On the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) that prevented local and international passengers from mixing in the same terminal, Williams said that several countries around the world had improved on the recommendation and today operate both flights from same terminal. He specifically mentioned Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport and Port Harcourt Airports in Abuja and Port Harcourt respectively as two of the airports local and international passengers are processed from the same terminal. Apart from this, he also mentioned Heathrow Airport in London, Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana and Benin Republic Airport as some of the countries where local and international passengers are still processed from the same terminal, stressing that Nigeria could not be an exception. FUNAI student wins Vision Africa Icon award Theodore A Orji, The Senator representing Abia Central at upper Legislative Chamber of the National Assembly, has promised a special tertiary scholarship to a 300-level music student Christian Okechukwu C. of Federal University Ndufe Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi Ebonyi State, who won the <strong>2017</strong> edition of Vision Africa Icon Award. Speaking during the Radio Icons and Personality Award which took place at the Michael Okpara auditorium, Umuahia, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu who was represented by his Deputy, Ude Oko Chukwu, promised that the Abia State government would partner more with Vision Africa Radio station on talent development. The governor commended the station for doing well in its corporate social responsibility and also thanked Bishop Sunday Onuoha, the President of Vision Africa for his idea to organize the music competition. He said the station had done well in the moral upbringing and the gospel of God, adding that it had equally gone a long way to changing the lives of many in Abia. The governor appreciated all the awardees and urged them not to depart from the efforts that earned them the award. Tuesday <strong>07</strong> <strong>Nov</strong>ember <strong>2017</strong> Infrastructure upgrade in Lagos threatened by rising tax default cases JOSHUA BASSEY The Lagos government said on Monday that its infrastructure upgrade drive could be threatened by inadequate funding arising from growing cases of tax default by taxation persons and business organisations. The state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode had recently decried that only 600,000 Lagosians were up to date in tax payment. The population of Lagos is estimated at 21 million out of which about 10 million are said to be taxable. The state in the last one decade has relied more on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and loans to fund its annual budgets unlike most of the other 36 states which depend …as stats orders full enforcement against defaulters on allocations from the federation account. Lagos currently earns about N300 billion annually from IGR, making it the richest state in the country. Meanwhile, the state government has directed its relevant agencies to immediately commence comprehensive enforcement against tax defaulters in the state. Steve Ayorinde, the commissioner for information and strategy, in a statement made available to the media on Monday, decried the unwillingness of taxable persons and organisations to fulfill their civic obligations to the state, saying the situation, if not checked, would adversely affect the infrastructural renewal drive of the state government. Ayorinde said that government has therefore concluded plans to go all out to enforce the tax laws so as to bring more people into the tax net. Ayorinde said government remained committed to completing all ongoing projects on schedule, but that it was largely dependent on prompt payment of taxes by residents in the State. He listed some of the major ongoing projects to include the Oshodi Transport Interchange, reconstruction of the Oshodi International Airport Road, network of roads in Epe to link Ijebu Ode, construction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Lane from Abule Egba to Oshodi as well as the construction of the Pen Cinema flyover. L-R: Michel Puchercos, GMD/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc; Mobolaji Balogun, chairman; Edith Onwuchekwa, acting company secretary, and Adebode Adefioye, director, at the Lafarge Africa extra ordinary general meeting in Lagos, yesterday. Pic by Olawale Amoo He said the government has also commenced the construction of over 20 network of roads within the boundaries of Lagos and Ogun States to ease movement and enhance business activities between the two states. Ayorinde listed the 20 roads to include Ikola Road with Odo Obasanjo Bridge – 6.4km (from Ipaja/Command to Ilo River); Ogunseye Road – 1.75km (from Ajasa/ Command to Ikola Road); Oko Filling Road – 1.5km (from AIT to Ilo River); Osenatu Ilo road – 620m (from Ibari Road to Ilo River); Amikanle road – 3.1km (from AIT to Ogunseye Road); Aina Aladi road – 1.9km (from AIT to Ilo River) and Aiyetoro Road with a bridge– 1.4km (from New Market/Ishefun Road intersection to Ilo River). Party supporters demand ‘stomach infrastructure’ from Obaseki IDRIS MOMOH, Benin As Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki concluded his “thank you” visit to all the 18 local government areas 11 months after the September 28, 2016 governorship election in the state, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, have called on the governor to fulfill his “stomach infrastructure” promises. Godwin Alabi, the Oredo local government area chairman of the party, made the call in his welcome address on Sunday during the “thank you” visit by the governor to the local government at Urhokpota hall in Benin-City. “I want to thank the Governor for all that he has been doing in the state. But one thing i will not forget to talk about is stomach infrastructure for members. This is part of your electioneering promises to the members of the party in the state. I know with your able lieutenants and advisers that will be a thing of the past.
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