Tripoli hit by food,water &fuel shortages

*As Search for Ghaddafi continues

By News Wires

The Libyan capital of Tripoli faced severe water and food shortages Saturday as the country's transitional authorities turned their attention to Sirte, Muammar Gaddafi's hometown, which they vowed to take by force should negotiations fail.

Tripoli struggled with collapsing water and power supplies on Saturday as rebels now in control of most of the Libyan capital vowed to take Muammar Gaddafi’s home town by force if negotiations failed.

More evidence emerged of summary killings during the battle for Tripoli, which erupted a week ago.

A correspondent for Britain’s Sky News said he had counted about 53 bodies left in a burned-out warehouse, where they were apparently executed earlier this week.

“It is a scene of mass murder,” Stuart Ramsay said at the scene, quoting witnesses as saying 150 people were killed there on Aug. 23 and 24 as rebel fighters fought pro-Gaddafi forces.

A local resident told Sky the victims were mostly civilians and had been killed by Gaddafi’s forces.

Reports of cold-blooded killings by both sides have surfaced in the last few days, darkening the atmosphere in a city where many residents had greeted Gaddafi’s fall with joy.

Gaddafi’s own whereabouts remain unknown—rebels hunting him say the war will not end until the 69-year-old colonel who kept Libya in his grip for 42 years is captured or killed.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, head of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC), told reporters in Benghazi: “We have no factual report about the whereabouts of Gaddafi and his sons.”

The NTC, which has told its fighters not to carry out revenge killings, is trying to assert its authority and restore order in Tripoli but its top officials have yet to move there from their Benghazi headquarters in the east.

Rebel commanders are still negotiating with Gaddafi loyalists to try to persuade them to surrender control over the coastal city of Sirte, Gaddafi’s home town, Abdel Jalil said.

Libya is effectively cut in two by pro-Gaddafi forces holding territory stretching southwards from Sirte, 450 km (300 miles) east of the capital, deep into the desert.

A rebel commander said forces advancing from the east had reached the edge of Bin Jawad, a town about 140 km from Sirte.

“We are waiting for the people in Sirte to come out and talk but we’ve got no answer up to now. I’ve been waiting for three days,” the commander, Fawzi Bukatif, told Reuters, adding that Sirte must be taken eventually by force or peaceful means.

With rebel forces approaching from east and west, Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte could retreat into the desert and try to reach Sabha, another Gaddafi stronghold far to the south.

“If they pull south to Sabha, we’ll follow them. We’re determined to clear the whole country,” said Bukatif.

The rebels, still a long way from Sirte, have been using artillery backed by NATO air strikes on the town.

Behind rebel lines, shelling subsided but two small fires burned in the distance, giving off black, oily smoke. An ambulance raced away from the front, and rebels in a few trucks drove through a checkpoint, flashing victory signs.

Far to the west, rebels were in control of the border post of Ras Jdir after clashing with pro-Gaddafi forces on Friday, but there was almost no traffic through what is usually a lifeline for food, fuel and medical supplies for Tripoli.

Rebels there said this was partly due to rearguard attacks by Gaddafi’s soldiers and partly to roadblocks manned by pro-Gaddafi tribesmen on the Tunisian side of the border.

“It’s the Al-Shusha tribe, the Hawamid tribe, they love Gaddafi and are stopping the traffic, smashing cars and beating families,” said Walid Suleiman, 31, a rebel fighter.

NTC spokesman Mahmoud Shammam reported attacks near Zawara, about 160 km west of Tripoli. “The Gaddafi brigades are shelling the road, but we hope to be able to control it today,” he said.

The NTC and the Western powers that backed rebel forces with a five-month bombing campaign are acutely aware of the need to prevent Libya collapsing into the kind of chaos that plagued Iraq for years after the U.S.-led invasion of 2003.

Life remains far from normal in Tripoli, whose two million people are grappling with a breakdown in basic services, even as many of them celebrate the overthrow of a hated leader.

In one hospital, wounded patients lay on bare mattresses in bloodsoaked bandages amid a stench of blood and sweat. None was on an intravenous drip, although many had lost blood.

“There are widespread shortages of fuel, food and medical supplies, particularly in the Nafusa Mountains and Tripoli,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in New York.

Tripoli’s supply problems have worsened, even though NTC chairman Mustafa Abdel Jalil said on Thursday his forces had discovered huge stockpiles of food and medicine in the capital that would eliminate any shortfalls.

NTC spokesman Shammam said the council wanted staff at the National Oil Corporation, the de facto energy ministry, to get back to work and tackle shortages of petrol, fuel oil and gas.

He said diesel and cooking gas cargoes were on the way and that talks had taken place at the Zawiyah refinery to discuss ways to supply western Libya with gas and restart the refinery.

Mountains of rubbish

In Tripoli, stinking garbage was piled high in the streets. In some districts, people set it on fire to stave off disease.

Electricity and running water were scarce. Residents carried containers to mosques, which often have wells, hoping to fill up. Outside one mosque, a sign read: "No water left."

In Abu Salim, bullet casings littered a square. About 50 charred cars dotted the neighbourhood.

Dozens of decomposing bodies still lay in and around a hospital in Abu Salim that was abandoned by medical staff during the fighting. It was not clear how they had died.

Five bloated bodies lay on trolleys at the entrance to the emergency department, while 25 lay in the garden, wrapped in rugs and sprinkled with lime in a vain attempt to keep down the smell. Surgical masks and gloves were scattered on the ground. Ambulances were still parked in front of the hospital.

The rebel council is pressing foreign powers to release Libyan funds frozen abroad to help it restore security, provide services and revive the economy after six months of conflict.

The United States and South Africa struck a deal on Thursday to allow the release of $1.5 billion in frozen Libya funds for humanitarian aid and other civilian needs.

But Gaddafi’s long-time allies in Africa offered him a grain of comfort on Friday by refusing to follow Arab and Western powers in recognising the NTC as the legal government.

South African President Jacob Zuma, a vocal advocate for Gaddafi, said the African Union could have prevented deaths in Libya if it had been given the chance.

“We still believe that had the AU been allowed space to work, heavy loss of life would have been averted,” he said in a statement a day after chairing an AU meeting in Addis Ababa.

Many Libyans are eager to seal the victory of a popular uprising that was inspired by those in neighbouring Egypt and Tunisia by seeing the deposed leader dead or behind bars.

“We hope we can catch Gaddafi and if we do I would like him to be put in a cage in the zoo with the animals, him and his family,” said Wajdi Ramadan, 30, a wounded fighter.


source:France24

EGYPT TO HOST WORLD TOURISM DAY CELEBRATION

The Egyptian city of Aswan will host the official 2011 World Tourism Day (WTD) celebrations, which will include a High-Level Think Tank on this year’s theme, “Tourism – Linking Cultures" (September 27, 2011).

“It is most fitting that Egypt, home to some of the world’s most celebrated cultural heritage and a leading tourism destination, be the host country for the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011,” said UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai, announcing the news.

Egypt is world famous for its rich history and vibrant culture, which draw millions of tourists to the country each year. It is precisely this interaction between the peoples and cultures of the world, driven by tourism, that is at the heart of the WTD 2011 theme, “Tourism – Linking Cultures."

“We are very honored to be hosting the official celebrations of World Tourism Day 2011 in Egypt. Tourism is one of the most important sectors of our society, representing 12% of our GDP in 2010 and responsible for one in every seven jobs. World Tourism Day is an excellent opportunity to raise awareness around the world of this vital economic sector and its contribution to social, economic, and environmental well-being worldwide and in Egypt in particular,” said the Minister of Tourism of Egypt, Mounir Fakhri Abdel-Nour.

Planned WTD activities in Aswan include a High-Level Think Tank on the 2011 theme, at which leading public and private tourism stakeholders, academia, and the media will address the role of tourism in building understanding, respect, and tolerance worldwide.

WTD activities running throughout the year include the annual WTD Photo Competition, which offers a round-trip to Egypt as first prize. UNWTO has also launched the first ever WTD Twitter Competition, asking people to “tweet" about how they consider tourism to link cultures. Winning entries will appear on the official program handed out during the celebrations in Aswan.

ABOUT WORLD TOURISM DAY

World Tourism Day is celebrated annually on September 27. Its purpose is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political, and economic value. The event seeks to address global challenges outlined in the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlight the contribution the tourism sector can make in reaching these goals.

El-Rufai chides Obasanjo over failure of privatisation of public companies by BPE

*Senate issues warrant of arrest against
  Chairman of Transcorp

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterady received thumbs down from one his main acolytes Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, who accused him of being responsible for the seeming failure of the commercialization and privatisation of public companies as implemented by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).
El-rufai, who was pioneer Director-General of the BPE made the accusation during his testimony at the public hearing organized by the Senate Adhoc Committee set up to probe the entire privatisation process.
El-Rufai, alleged that the mess in the BPE kicked off with the appointment of his successor from outside the bureau against his recommendation to the presidency. Based on the request of President Olusegun Obasanjo he said he forwarded three names each from the senior and the junior cadre among his directors in order of preference to the President for appointment.
"I was particularly specific that the appointment should come from within the Bureau because of the huge amount of money spent in training many of the staff for the privatization process and its technical nature.
"But the government employed someone that was literarily fired from the BPE. We have never investigated anybody for corruption. The person we investigated ended up being the DG of BPE. I knew everyone that worked with me, their capability and competence. We have people sent to the best school for training but the government of the day went to appoint someone who was literarily fired from the BPE and brought him back and the institution has suffered for it.
"The public hearing will not be complete without speaking with the staff of the BPE. I met with them and knew each one by name; they were only one hundred and eighty staff. I am very proud of the BPE because my years there are my very best. But unfortunately one of the people we investigated ended up being the DG," he said.
The ex-DG further noted that the legal framed work of the BPE can be improved but the key thing is to have the right people in office and prevent them from political interference. 
According to him government was losing N265 billion to support inefficient and corrupt enterprises adding that the objective of the privatization in Nigeria was not to create jobs but to make those companies functional.
Nonetheless, El Rufai disagreed with the Chairman of the committee, Senator Lawan (ANPP) on the illegality of deductions from proceeds that accrue to the BPE from the sale of companies. Lawan had said the proceeds ought to be paid into the CBN account according to section 19 of the BPE Act and section 80 of the 1999 constitution as amended in 2010 instead of doing otherwise.
"Everybody is interested because we ask for the gross earnings since 1999 but up till today, we have not seen any record on it. We should rather look at the possibility of making the BPE work easier within the ambit of law," he said.
But el rufai countered saying there is nothing like proceeds within the BPE because government did not participate in the privatization and should not be expecting revenue from it.
"I do not believe we broke the law and I do not believe we have been breaking the law. When we started we came to the National Assembly to appropriate money for us, but they did not see it that we needed money for our operation. I want you to scrutinize all our transactions and you will see that we did everything transparently. But an incredibly cranky person was made the BPE DG and he turned everything upside down. He started promoting people anyhow without due process. I do not believe the cost of undertaken a transaction is a revenue accruable to the federal government if it has not paid for the transaction. I did not abuse the law but may be those after me abuse it," el-rufai said.
On whether he still believes that the exercise was meant to witch-hunt him, el-rufai said he would reserve his judgment until after the committee report is made public adding that there is no doubt in his mind that privatization has served the country well adding that the BPE is more than just selling companies.
"I can understand why some political leaders do not want privatization but itcan be improved," he said.
Also at the hearing, the Chairman of Folio Communication, Fidelis Anosike confirmed the sale of three assets of Daily Times of  Nigeria Plc in London and Nigeria amounting to £520, 000.00, N600 million and N720 million.
Folio however dismissed the allegations that it has sold most of the DTN assets saying it has only sold the one in London and two others in Nigeria with the assent of the BPE according to the MOU.
BPE Director General, Ms Bolanle Onagoruwa also admitted to the sale of some of DTN assets to settle some liabilities to sort out the balance sheet of the company.
On the use of the company premises as warehouse by a beer company, Anosike said 80 percent of the premises were rented out to get money and there was nothing in the MOU preventing Folio from doing so. He also told the committee that out of 900 staff inherited from the company, only 120 are left operating only the online version of Daily Times.
However, in another twist another claimant of DTN, Senator Ikechukwu Obiora representing DSV Limited in his written submission accused Folio of illegal and fraudulent asset stripping contrary to the expectations of BPE, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) and Nigerians.
"It has turned out that Fidelis Anosike and Noel Anosike used their Folio Communications Ltd to gain entry into Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) with the sole purpose of ridding DTN of its assets and abandoning the company thereafter; it is now obvious that they never intended to see DTN run as a going concern.”
The BPE boss lamented that the bureau has been denied access to the company but Lawan assured her that both the committee and the BPE will go to the Lagos office together. Lawan said the committee will like to establish the real owner of DTN and regretted the downturn of the companies saying it is one of the bad examples  of the privatisation exercise.
Also, yesterday the Senate Ad hoc Committee bared its fangs as its Chairman, Senator Ahmad Lawan directed the committee secretary and the Sergeant at arms to issue a warrant of arrest on the Chairman of Transcorp, Otunba Funso Lawal.
The committee's decision was hinged on the refusal of Transcorp management to honour the letter of invitation sent by the committee to Transcorp inviting them to appear on the 6th day of the public hearing on commercialisation and privatisation of public owned companies.
Hearing continues today.

Sustainable tourism in action in Seychelles

Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino and Constance Ephelia Resort, two of the largest hotel companies in the Seychelles, have come to an agreement this week with the Seychelles Farmers Association and Cooperative to purchase local chicken instead of imported chicken.
To date, it is believed that Berjaya Resort consumes approximately 2 tons of chicken per month and the Ephelia Resort consumes approximately 6 tons of chicken per month.
The initiative for the drive for local tourism establishments to use locally produced products had been spearheaded by the Minister Peter Sinon of the Ministry of Investment, Natural Resources, and Industry.
Both hotel companies have said that they support the initiative as this is part of the sustainable tourism practices, which the Seychelles Tourism Board is developing.

PHOTO (L to R): Mr. Ken Choo, Minister Peter Sinon,
 Mr. Phillip Guitton / Photo from Seychelles Tourism Board

Mr. Ken Choo, General Manager of Berjaya Beau Vallon Bay Resort & Casino, and Mr. Phillip Guitton, the Regional Manager of Constance Ephelia Resort, has met with Seychelles Farmer’s Association Chairman, Mr. Serge Benstrong, and General Manager of Seychelles Farmer’s Marketing Cooperative Mr. Simon Hoareau.
Both the hotels are committed to purchasing chickens from local farms from the next month at the agreed price. This support shall provide ample time for the local farmers to further improve their operations on matters like (a) Hygiene (b) Packing (c) Storage and (d) Halal Certification (which some hotel companies requires).
Mr. Ken Choo, the General Manager of Berjaya Beau Vallon Resort & Casino, said, “Our hotel company has initiated several practices with regards to sustainable tourism in Seychelles in areas such as energy conservation and water conservation.
Today we are looking into another angle in our Sustainable Tourism effort which goes beyond the hotel itself. Supporting the local farm and local industries are important criteria to achieving a successful hotel business.
I see our hotel company integrating itself into the community in which we operate in. The integration is important. No doubt about it. We are not only purchasing local chicken, we are also purchasing local eggs, pork, fruits, vegetables, bread, fish, etc.
Not every consumer is sensitive to price. Not every consumer looks at price alone as the sole factor when deciding on the purchase of local chicken verses imported chicken. We need to look at the bigger picture of sustainability of local farms and farmers in the community in which we are operating in."
"However, having said that, we have informed Mr. Benstrong and Mr. Hoareau that local chicken suppliers have to not only meet the demand requirements of hotels but also hygiene standards and other requirements of hotels to ensure sustainable demand for their product in the long term. We are glad that the Seychelles farmers [are] opening [their] doors to welcome our field visits to the farms. This builds business confidence and transparency in our partnership agreement.”

M.K.O Abiola, Abacha Were Murdered,says Al-Mustapha in Court

Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to deceased General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha Monday told a Lagos High Court that the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election, Bashorun MKO Abiola and General Sani Abacha were both murdered following theintrigues that surrounded Nigeria’s power play in the aftermath of the annulment of the June 12 Presidential Election.
Al-Mustapha who is standing trial for the alleged assassination of one of the wives of Abiola, Kudirat, said he has both video and audio evidence to prove how both men were killed.
Mustapha blamed former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar for his long incarceration for fear of divulging information about how the men were murdered.
Abacha died in office in June 1998, while Abiola died in detention about 3 weeks later in July 1998. Both deaths were officially declared as resulting from natural causes, but Al-Mustapha who was responsible for Abacha’s security and Abiola’s wellbeing at that time has maintained over the years that they were both killed.
"In the course of this testimony, I wish to say that I will omit any issue that will affect the national security of the country as a serving officer of the Nigerian Army.
“I am an officer who is being persecuted.  After the death of Abacha so much happened within three days and the country was without a President or Vice President. The then Vice President, Lt Gen Diya, was imprisoned for staging a coup. Many senior officers wanted to become Head of State, but God gave me the wisdom and I assisted General Abdulsalami Abubakar to become President. But,this is the price I am paying for my loyalty and for assisting him.
“My incarceration was as a result of a script written and acted out by former Head of State, General Abdulsalam Abubakar to further keep me in prison. First were the events that happened after the murder of General Abacha and late Chief MKO Abiola. But for fear that I may divulge information that led to their death, they had to keep me in prison till today,” the former CSO stated while being led in evidence by his counsel.
"Abiola would have been killed the very day Abacha died, but I relocated him within the barracks and used the Strike Force to protect him from those who wanted to balance the equation,” Hamza Al-Mustapha said, adding that when Abiola was eventually killed, General Abubakar ordered the central bank to release various sums of moneys--$200 million, £75 million and N500 million to placate South West leaders to ease the tension in the region at that time.
He denied the allegation that he ordered the assassination of Kudirat Abiola. The court adjourned further hearing till August 03, 2011.

Nigeria partners Sao Tome and Principe on investment

Prospective Nigerian investors are expected at The Investour Sao Tome e Principe Seminar 2011, scheduled to take place in Sao Tome, Sao Tome e Principe from 1-6 September.
Government agencies, policy makers and private sector participants will converge in Sao Tome e Principe to address the gathering.
The islands of São Tomé and Príncipe lie in the Gulf of Guinea, some 500km south of Nigeria. The country is blessed with substantial reserves of hydrocarbons, fertile vegetation and lush sandy beaches making it both a haven for investment and an exotic travel destination. Other neighbouring countries to Sao Tome e Principe include Cameroun, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and Angola.
 The Investour Sao Tome e Principe Seminar is a 6 day event which includes a pre-conference day, a conference day, an exhibition/site visit day, two tourism days and a meetings/appointments day.
 The Investour Seminar series combines all the elements of a conference, exhibitions and meetings event with a 5 star holiday package where delegates will enjoy the chance to gain insight on the investment opportunities while also exploring the touristic offerings of Sao Tome e Principe. The theme of the seminar is Go.Discover.Network.
 The event which is jointly organized by National Petroleum Agency of Sao Tome e Principe (ANP-STP), Sao Tome e Principe Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Services (CCIAS) and Emerald Concierge - a Nigerian based travel management company is set to focus on partnership opportunities in various sectors of Sao Tome e Principe’s economy including Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Tourism, Telecommunications, Real Estate, Transport & Logistics, Fisheries and more.
 The country’s Minister of Public Works and Natural Resources, Engr. Carlos Vilanova, the Executive Director of National Petroleum Agency, Mr. Luis dos Prazeres, and the
Director of the Regulatory and Licensing Agency for Water, Power and Telecommunications, Engr. Deolindo Costa are just some of the dignitaries expected to speak at the event.
 Cosme Rita, Secretary General of Sao Tome e Principe’s Chamber of Commerce believes the investour seminar will be a great vehicle to showcase the potential of his country.
“These are exciting times for Sao Tome e Principe. We have recently completed our first oil licensing round in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and towards the end of the year, we shall invite tenders for a new GSM operator as we are presently installing submarine telecommunications cables,” he said
 Rita goes on to say “construction plans are also underway on a Deep Sea Port due to Sao Tome e Principe’s unique positioning in West Central Africa and this country is poised to be one of the most important hubs for intra-African trade in the next few years.
 “Without a shadow of a doubt, Sao Tome and Principe is one of the most beautiful places on this earth, it is the definition of paradise” says Adaeze Ekwueme, Managing Director, Emerald Concierge. She said, “apart from the obvious which is investing in Oil and Gas, potential, investors should explore opportunities in Agriculture, Fisheries and Tourism as the country is blessed with fertile soil, abundant sea life and uniquely unspoilt exotic beaches.”
 The Investour Sao Tome e Principe Seminar 2011 will give investors all they need to know to be successful in Sao Tome e Principe.

Norway survivor: "I lay on the beach surrounded by bodies, playing dead"

On July 22, Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian right-wing extremist, planted two bombs near an Oslo government building and went on a brutal shooting spree in a Labour Party youth camp on the nearby island of Utoeya. On that fateful Friday, Adrian Pracon, 21, was volunteering at the camp. Little did he know when he heard about the Oslo bombings that his life was about to change forever.

 

For over an hour, he and his friends went through the kind of scene you only expect in Hollywood horror movies. Shot in the shoulder by Breivik and left for dead, he is one of the few young men and women gathered on the island who survived to tell his story. Here is his account.

CONTRIBUTORS

Adrian Pracon

"I tried swim to another island, but nearly drowned because of the weight of my clothes"

Adrian Pracon was present on Utoeya island when Breivik launched his attack. He spoke to FRANCE 24 from his hospital bed on Monday, July 25.

 

On the island, we had just heard about the bombings that targeted the government building in Oslo, and we were all very shocked. Many of us knew people who worked in the area, and were very concerned. We heard that policemen had been dispatched to the island to inform us of the situation and instruct us on security procedures.

 

I was at grocery store a little higher up on the coast to get some food when I first heard gunshots. I found out later that a man disguised as a police officer had called on all the people in the camp to gather around him, claiming that he wanted to inform them of the situation. Suddenly, he pulled out his gun and opened fire on the crowd.

 

From where I was, I could see people running in every direction. I tried to take cover in nearby woods. Looking over my shoulder, I could see the killer shooting everyone he came across. He was looking for people who were hiding in the camp’s tents, and shooting them one by one. Once he decided he was finished, I guess, he began heading towards the woods where I was hiding. That’s when I ran to the beach and dove into the icy water, with all my clothes on.

 

"I begged him not to shoot. Then, inexplicably, he lowered his weapon and walked away. "

 

I tried to swim to another island, which was 800 meters away, but nearly drowned because of the weight of my clothes. So I decided to return to the beach. I could see bullets zipping through the water’s surface. Sometimes he’d hit someone, and the water would turn blood-red. At that point, I saw him on the beach, jPost written with FRANCE 24 journalist Ségolène Malterre. ust 15 meters away from me. He looked at me and raised his weapon. I begged him not to shoot. Then, inexplicably, he lowered his weapon and walked away. What I felt at that moment was very strange. He had spared me.

 

I was frozen stiff and in a state of shock when I reached the beach. There, a group of survivors gathered around me. There were about 25 of us. Then the killer came back and started shooting again. Of all the people on the beach, only three survived. We were lying on the rocks, surrounded  by bodies, playing dead. He came right next to us, kicking the bodies he came across to see if they were alive. I could hear the sound of his boots right next to me, I could hear his heavy breathing. Then he loaded his gun, shot me in the shoulder, and left. I hardly felt a thing at the time. Once again I was lucky, I’m sure he was aiming for my head.

 

Police and ambulance teams finally arrived. A girl lying next to me had been shot in the leg. We were brought back to the mainland by boat, with emergency teams trying to quell the flow of blood from our wounds. I was brought to the hospital, and have been here since. The physical pain is nothing compared with the psychological pain. I’m about to meet with the other survivors present in the hospital. I haven’t seen them since the massacre.”

Post written with FRANCE 24 journalist Ségolène Malterre. 

Two Ladies Arrested With Fake $2,000 At Hajj Camp,Lagos

Posted by Lateef Lawal

Two ladies have been arrested at the Hajj Camp of Murtala Mohammed International Airport Ikeja while attempting to dupe a Bureau de Change operator by presenting fake $2,000 for exchange to N310,000.
On discovering the antics of the ladies, the operator of the Bureau de Change(name withheld), unknown to the suspects promptly informed other dealers to ensure that they did not escape after which they were handed over to the Police.
Reacting to the arrest of the ladies, the Chairman of Hajj Camp Forex Exchange Market, Arewa Complex, Alhaji  Abubakar Usman said the trend has become a source of worry to them.
According to Alhaji Usman, the two ladies in their late 20s were apprehended while trying to exchange fake dollars for naira.
Alhaji Usman revealed that members of the association have lost millions of naira to fraudsters as a result of fake foreign currencies and warned that anyone caught will be handed over to the law enforcement agents for prosecution.
He said the ugly trend has reduced trust of their customers in them, adding that in every month about 12 suspects were apprehended for similar offences.
Alhaji Usman recalled with how some of their members were killed by fraudsters after inviting them to hotels to exchange money and vowed that none of their members would be lured again to any transaction in hotels, eateries and other public places.
He lamented that some military personnel were in the habit of defending some of these fraudsters when they were arrested and that it took the intervention of operation MESA  to get one of the suspects arrested and taken to the police station.
He said henceforth any officer caught encouraging the release of suspect will be reported to the appropriate authorities for discipline.
Alhaji Usman warned that the incident of fake foreign currencies has dented the image of the country as it also affected foreigners.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Hajj camp police station was not readily available for comment but a senior police officer confirmed the arrest of the two suspects.

     

ITF condemns murder of aviation union leader

The International Transport Workers' Federation(ITF) has vehemently condemned the murder of the president of an aviation union in Pakistan last Saturday.
 Amir Shah, president of the ITF-affiliated People’s Unity Union of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Employees was killed in Karachi after unknown assailants opened fire on his car.
In a statement released on 18 July, ITF president Paddy Crumlin and ITF general secretary David Cockroft paid homage to Shah, describing his death as a “rude shock not only for Pakistan but the entire world”.
The statement said that ITF members were ready to expose “forces in society that try to silence the democratic voices of working class organisation.”
Kamran Chaudhry, general secretary of the union, said: “Thanks for sharing the sad incident of our president, Amir Shah; it is really tragic and very shocking. He had just succeeded in getting increased pay for PIA workers and permanent status for temporary/daily/contractual workers, strengthening the union force. Pray for us to bear this loss.”
PIA workers went on strike last Sunday to express their anger over the murder and demand that government take steps to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The protest affected flights in and out of Karachi and Islamabad airports. It has been reported that an investigation involving police and representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency would take place.

UPWARD REVIEW OF REVENUE FORMULA IN FAVOUR OF STATES WILL ENHANCE MINIMUM WAGE PAYMENT, says Babangida Aliyu,Governor,Niger State

The upward review of the revenue sharing formula in favour of the 36 States in the country will enhance the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage to civil servants across the country,the Governor of Niger State,Babangida Aliyu has posited.
Under the present sharing formula, the centre gets approximately 52 per cent of the Federation Account, the 36 states share 26.72 per cent and the 774 local governments get 20.60 per cent. The Governors’ Forum proposes 35 per cent for the Federal Government, 42 per cent for the states and 23 per cent for the local governments.
Governor Aliyu who spoke  with journalists at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport Ikeja, said it woull be difficult for the governors to pay the minimum wage of N18,000 with the current revenue allocation formula to states unless more money was increased to the states.
“As we are today, we won’t be able to do anything but with either revenue formula or with fund that we expect will come from deregulating, am sure all the states will be able to do that.” Aliyu declared.
A member of the Senate from Oyo State, Olufemi Lanlehin and other mnotable Nigerians had recently  called for the review of the revenue sharing formula to take care of the financial needs of each of the three tiers of government.
Mr Lanlehin, an Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) Senator, who spoke with journalists in Ibadan arecently during the burial ceremony of his mother, Monilola Lanlehin, said there exists lopsidedness in the way revenue is shared among the federal, state and local governments.
According to him, the financial commitment of local and state governments are too enormous compared to that of the federal government which takes the lion share of 52.56 percent of the revenue accruable to the federal purse.

SAFETY: IATA, ICAO & IFALPA Jointly Announce FRMS Implementation Guide for Operators

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and the International Federation of Airline Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA) today announced the release of a Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS) Implementation Guide for commercial aircraft operators. 

FRMS is a methodology based on scientific principles that will allow operators to manage the fatigue-related risks particular to their types of operations and context. 

It provides a viable alternative to traditional prescriptive flight and duty time rules. Advancements in science have brought a better understanding of the correlation between fatigue and performance as well as fatigue mitigation methods. 

The FRMS Implementation Guide applies these advancements to enhance flight safety at a time when fatigue is increasingly cited as a contributing factor in accidents. 

Nancy Graham, Director of ICAO’s Air Navigation Bureau stated that “Safety is aviation’s number one priority and we all share in the responsibility to protect the lives of passengers and crews. 

The collaborative process for developing the FRMS Guidance is a perfect example of what can be achieved when we commit to finding and implementing a common solution.” 

IATA, ICAO and IFALPA collaborated on developing an FRMS Implementation Guide for Operators, in line with specific guidance for regulators.

The Guide includes valuable insight into the methodology and framework for implementing an effective fatigue risk management program and an explanation of the science supporting it. 

“FRMS enhances safety scientifically and in consideration of today’s operational realities and accumulated experience. This Implementation Guide now puts regulators, pilots and the industry on the same page when it comes to ensuring safe operations with optimum crew performance,” said Guenther Matschnigg, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Safety, Operations and Infrastructure. 

“The value of this document is that pilots, regulators and operators have all agreed to a common approach to the complex issue of fatigue. I am enthusiastic as this is just the beginning of a progressive and productive relationship with our industry partners on this important issue,” concluded Captain Don Wykoff, IFALPA’s President. 

In support of this cooperation and to further facilitate understanding and implementation, IATA, ICAO and IFALPA are joining forces to deliver FRMS information workshops around the globe to outline the context for the FRMS requirements from the perspective of each of the stakeholders – regulator, operator and pilot. 

Accordingly, the Council of ICAO recently adopted international standards for FRMS, to ensure both consistent implementation of FRMS by operators and oversight by regulators. 

Source: IATA/ICAO/IFALPA