Monday, February 28, 2011
The Core of Who Am I- Jonathan
As I go about Nigeria campaigning, I am telling Nigerians my detailed plans for Nigeria. However, today I want to talk to you about the core of why I am in public service.
Public office to me is not a means to adding value to the holder of the office. Publc office is the vehicle through which social harmony, happiness and inspirational communal existence is promoted and enhanced. I personally do not believe that you become a 'big man' by simply holding a public office. No! People with that type of mentality are only borrowing moral authority from the office they occupy and as soon as they leave that office that authority leaves them.
I believe that public office is a pedestal for you to use your strength of character to add value to the office by serving the people you are meant to serve and giving glory to our Creator.
Some people accuse me of being humble to the point of servility. They do not understand that the whole purpose of public office is to serve. This is why our late great leader, Umaru Musa Yar'adua said that we were servant leaders. We have not come to demand service from Nigeria but to give service.
This is the principal reason why I opened this page to communicate with Nigerians. I am acutely aware that I do not hold this position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the wishes of any power other than the freely given mandate of the Nigerian people and the grace of God. And that is why I communicate with you because next to the Almighty God, the Nigerian people are my power source and just as an electrical appliance will not work when not connected to it's power source so also can I not work effectively if I am not connected with you the good people of Nigeria.
And while there are politicians who have substantial commitment to Nigeria and others who may have partial commitment to Nigeria, my commitment to Nigeria is total and there is evidence to back it up.
It is believed that a man's greatest treasures are his children and immediate family and the proverb goes that where a man's treasures are there his heart also will be. All my children, every last one of them school in Nigeria and of course my wife and I are fully on the ground. Some might describe other treasures a man has as his real estate property. And again every property I have in life is in Nigeria. Some might consider money as another treasure and again all my accounts every last one of them is domiciled in Nigeria. In everything I do I make a conscious decision to put Nigeria first whether it is in my dressing or the food I eat, or even the music I listen to. I am totally sold out on Nigeria.
What does this tell you? My commitment to Nigeria is not partial, neither is it substantial, but it is total. You can trust me to take good decisions on behalf of Nigeria because I am a stakeholder whose progress is tied to the progress of Nigeria.
This is the core of who Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is. I have made myself an open book, completely transparent to Nigerians because I want to earn your trust. I do not want to demand trust, but I want to inspire it by the way I live my life and with your help and God's favour I shall continue to do this. GEJ
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
NCAA URGES AIRLINES OPERATORS TO INSURE PASSENGERS WITH $100,000
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has disclosed that airline operators without the necessary insurance policy will be liable to a fine of One Hundred Thousand US Dollars($100,0000) per passenger.
In addition, such organization risks the refusal or suspension of its operating license.
These were disclosed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) at the one-day seminar on Aviation Insurance recently.
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) told stakeholders in the industry that the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 which domesticated the Montreal Convention made this compulsory for airline operators.
Section 74 of the Act says among others that:
Any carrier operating air transport services to, from or within Nigeria, or aerodrome operator, aviation fuel supplier, or any provider of ground handling services, meteorological services, air traffic control services, aircraft maintenance services, or provider of such other class of allied service as the Authority may from time to time determine in writing shall maintain adequate insurance covering its liability under this Act and also its liability towards compensation for damages that may be sustained by third parties for an amount to be specified in regulations made by the Authority.
Absence of such insurance shall be sufficient reason for refusal, suspension or revocation of the permission to operate the air transport service or services in question.
Any person having a duty to maintain adequate insurance pursuant to the provision of subsection (1) of this section shall make quarterly returns to the Authority evidencing that such adequate insurance is maintained and that all conditions necessary to create an obligation on the insurer to provide indemnity in the event of a loss have for the time being been fulfilled.
Any Carrier operating air transport services to, from or within Nigeria, or aerodrome operator, aviation fuel supplier, or any provider of ground services, air traffic control services, aircraft maintenance services, who contravenes the provisions of subsections (1) and (3) of this section, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of not less than Ten million Naira and its Principal Officers shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years.
Demurin who was represented by the Director of Airworthiness, Mr. Patrick Ekunwe said “NCAA established and inaugurated in 2010 the NCAA/National Insurance Commission {NAICOM} Aviation Insurance Committee to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006.
“The Committee is also responsible for recommending insurance liability benchmarks for ground handling, airports, air navigation and other allied services providers in the aviation industry”
He explained that the importance of insurance could not be over emphasized considering the various crashes that occurred in the aviation industry in the past adding that during those periods it was difficult for airline operators to compensate the families of the dead victims .
Demurin said the operators are now to apply the updated Montreal Convention of 1999 which was domesticated in the Civil Aviation Act of 2006 which stipulated a compensation of not less than $100,000, instead of the Warsaw Convention of 1929 which stipulated $10,000 as compensation to victim of air disaster.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Insurance Mr. Fola Daniel emphasized that the collaboration between the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), (NCAA/NAICOM) was focused in restoring public confidence to insurance through ensuring prompt settlement of all genuine claims.
“Beyond prompt settlement, the Commission will insist that the flying public are adequately protected at all times, hence we will continue to collaborate with NCAA”he stressed.
In addition, such organization risks the refusal or suspension of its operating license.
These were disclosed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority(NCAA) at the one-day seminar on Aviation Insurance recently.
The Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) told stakeholders in the industry that the Civil Aviation Act, 2006 which domesticated the Montreal Convention made this compulsory for airline operators.
Section 74 of the Act says among others that:
Any carrier operating air transport services to, from or within Nigeria, or aerodrome operator, aviation fuel supplier, or any provider of ground handling services, meteorological services, air traffic control services, aircraft maintenance services, or provider of such other class of allied service as the Authority may from time to time determine in writing shall maintain adequate insurance covering its liability under this Act and also its liability towards compensation for damages that may be sustained by third parties for an amount to be specified in regulations made by the Authority.
Absence of such insurance shall be sufficient reason for refusal, suspension or revocation of the permission to operate the air transport service or services in question.
Any person having a duty to maintain adequate insurance pursuant to the provision of subsection (1) of this section shall make quarterly returns to the Authority evidencing that such adequate insurance is maintained and that all conditions necessary to create an obligation on the insurer to provide indemnity in the event of a loss have for the time being been fulfilled.
Any Carrier operating air transport services to, from or within Nigeria, or aerodrome operator, aviation fuel supplier, or any provider of ground services, air traffic control services, aircraft maintenance services, who contravenes the provisions of subsections (1) and (3) of this section, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on conviction to a fine of not less than Ten million Naira and its Principal Officers shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of not less than two years.
Demurin who was represented by the Director of Airworthiness, Mr. Patrick Ekunwe said “NCAA established and inaugurated in 2010 the NCAA/National Insurance Commission {NAICOM} Aviation Insurance Committee to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006.
“The Committee is also responsible for recommending insurance liability benchmarks for ground handling, airports, air navigation and other allied services providers in the aviation industry”
He explained that the importance of insurance could not be over emphasized considering the various crashes that occurred in the aviation industry in the past adding that during those periods it was difficult for airline operators to compensate the families of the dead victims .
Demurin said the operators are now to apply the updated Montreal Convention of 1999 which was domesticated in the Civil Aviation Act of 2006 which stipulated a compensation of not less than $100,000, instead of the Warsaw Convention of 1929 which stipulated $10,000 as compensation to victim of air disaster.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Insurance Mr. Fola Daniel emphasized that the collaboration between the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), (NCAA/NAICOM) was focused in restoring public confidence to insurance through ensuring prompt settlement of all genuine claims.
“Beyond prompt settlement, the Commission will insist that the flying public are adequately protected at all times, hence we will continue to collaborate with NCAA”he stressed.
ARIK JOINS BSP FOR NIGERIA AND GHANA
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 06:50
Arik Air in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has joined the Billing Settlement Plan (BSP) for Nigeria and Ghana. BSP facilitates access to all IATA accredited agents to sell Arik Air’s tickets through their outlets.
Apart from normal ticketing, passengers can buy other facilities and services of Arik Air which include upgrade to a higher class, excess baggage tickets, airport lounge facility through any IATA accredited travel agents.
Arik Air’s Senior Vice President Commercial, Mr. Kevin Steele said: “We are committed to delivering the best available facilities and services to our customers in a quick and effective way; through BSP we are coming closer to the passenger community.”
The airline’s Vice President Sales and Distribution, Mr. John Brayford elaborated: “With this new system more than 500 travel agents will be able to sell Arik Air’s products and services through their outlets in Nigeria while agents selling Arik Air’s tickets in Ghana will increase to 85 from the current single digit”.
“We are delighted to become a member of BSP and hope to build strong business relationships with our travel agency colleagues and their customers in the future. This is just one of several initiatives we will roll out during 2011 designed to improve service to our customers”
BSP is a system designed to facilitate and simplify the selling, reporting and remitting procedures of IATA Accredited Passenger Sales Agents, as well as improve financial control and cash flow for BSP Airlines.
Arik Air was founded in 2006 and started commercial operations on October 30, 2006 between Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt with three brand new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft becoming the first CRJ900 operator on the African continent and the first airline to introduce new commercial aircraft into Nigeria in over 20 years.
(Photo courtesy of Arik Air)
Arik Air in cooperation with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has joined the Billing Settlement Plan (BSP) for Nigeria and Ghana. BSP facilitates access to all IATA accredited agents to sell Arik Air’s tickets through their outlets.
Apart from normal ticketing, passengers can buy other facilities and services of Arik Air which include upgrade to a higher class, excess baggage tickets, airport lounge facility through any IATA accredited travel agents.
Arik Air’s Senior Vice President Commercial, Mr. Kevin Steele said: “We are committed to delivering the best available facilities and services to our customers in a quick and effective way; through BSP we are coming closer to the passenger community.”
The airline’s Vice President Sales and Distribution, Mr. John Brayford elaborated: “With this new system more than 500 travel agents will be able to sell Arik Air’s products and services through their outlets in Nigeria while agents selling Arik Air’s tickets in Ghana will increase to 85 from the current single digit”.
“We are delighted to become a member of BSP and hope to build strong business relationships with our travel agency colleagues and their customers in the future. This is just one of several initiatives we will roll out during 2011 designed to improve service to our customers”
BSP is a system designed to facilitate and simplify the selling, reporting and remitting procedures of IATA Accredited Passenger Sales Agents, as well as improve financial control and cash flow for BSP Airlines.
Arik Air was founded in 2006 and started commercial operations on October 30, 2006 between Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt with three brand new Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft becoming the first CRJ900 operator on the African continent and the first airline to introduce new commercial aircraft into Nigeria in over 20 years.
(Photo courtesy of Arik Air)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)