Author: Vardiafrica

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has suspended 10 private jet operators over failure to commence the recertification process. A statement signed by NCAA’s Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, said the suspension was rooted in its Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations 2023 Part 18.3.4 which forbids holders of Permit for Non-Commercial Flights (PNCF) from using their aircraft for carriage of passengers, cargo or mail for hire or reward which is commercial operation or charter service. The suspended operators are Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd, Bli-Aviation Safety Services, Ferry Aviation Developments Ltd, Matrix Energy Ltd, Marrietta Management Services Ltd, Worldwide…

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited Mallam Mele Kyari has declared that the drive to bring Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) closer to Nigerians has since commenced and is irreversible. Kyari, who disclosed this on Thursday during the simultaneous commissioning of 12 CNG stations in Abuja and Lagos, said in addition to the massive deployment of CNG stations nationwide, the NNPC Ltd and its partners would also build three Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) stations in Ajaokuta. “There is simply no way to turn back on delivering CNG for all Nigerians. It is the right thing to do. Is it…

President of the Economic Community of West African State, Omar Touray, has regretted that despite numerous deliberations, ECOWAS has been unable to persuade Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger to reverse their decision to withdraw from the regional bloc Touray said this during the opening ceremony of the 92nd Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers on Thursday in Abuja. He noted that despite the efforts of ECOWAS to engage these countries, their response has not been positive. After the military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger announced their decision to withdraw from ECOWAS since January 2024, the regional bloc…

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated the Presidential Economic Coordination Council (PECC) tasked with strategising a way out of the current economic situation in the country. The Council has a mix of government officials, top private sector players, and consultants including President of the Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Aliko Dangote; Chairman of the United Bank of Africa, Mr Tony Elumelu; and Chief Executive Officer of the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane. Briefing State House Correspondents after the Inauguration of the Council, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun said the Council is to meet…

Kylian Mbappe said Thursday it would be “an honour” to play against his boyhood hero Cristiano Ronaldo when France and Portugal meet in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 in Hamburg on Friday. “It is an honour. Everyone knows about my admiration for Cristiano,” France captain Mbappe, 25, told reporters on the eve of the game. Growing up, Mbappe famously decorated his bedroom wall with pictures of Ronaldo and was introduced to the Portuguese superstar at Real Madrid’s training ground when the Spanish club tried to sign him as a young teenager. “I have got to know him over time. We…

The Federal Government has warned that the increasing level of flooding and continuous rainfall may worsen the spread of cholera in the country. The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Joseph Terlumum raised the concern while addressing a press conference on Thursday. According to him, a total of 63 deaths and 2,102 suspected cases have already been recorded as of Wednesday, July 3, 2024, since the outbreak of the epidemic. Recent incessant rains have resulted in floods in some states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), a situation that prompted the minister to call on state governments across the country…

The Court of Appeal, Abuja has nullified the expulsion of Martin Amaewhule and 24 others from the Rivers State House of Assembly by the Rivers State High Court. Justice Charles Wali had in May, while ruling on a motion exparte following a prayer brought before his court by Victor Oko Jumbo, issued an ex parte order barring Amaewhule and 24 other lawmakers from parading themselves as members of the state House of Assembly. But on Monday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the lower court lacked the jurisdiction to grant the exparte order. The court held that…

The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday reacted to the nullification of the party’s governorship election, insisting that Asue Ighodalo is its flagbearer Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja voided the February 2024 election that produced Ighodalo on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP But the party insisted that the Lagos-based lawyer remains its flagbearer ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State. “Let it be on record that the candidature of Dr Asue Ighodalo as the…

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship election in Edo State that produced Asue Ighodalo as its candidate The election conducted on February 22, 2024, was voided on the ground that 378 delegates who were supposed to vote at the primary election were unlawfully excluded by PDP. Justice Ekwo nullified the primary election while delivering judgment in a suit instituted by the aggrieved delegates. The suit was instituted by one Kelvin Mohammed in a representative capacity. Justice Ekwo held that both the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and…

The Senate of the University of Benin has shut down academic activities at the institution following Wednesday’s protests. Disclosing this in a statement on Thursday, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire, said the shutdown does not affect the non-academic staff. The university also ordered students to vacate their hostels immediately “Following the refusal of students of the University of Benin to shift grounds on their demands for twenty-four hours supply of electricity and more, considered unrealistic by the University’s Senate, the University has shut down academic activities indefinitely,” the statement read. “Students are to vacate the hostels immediately while…