The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, says there is no going back on the Sept. 5, 2020 date for resumption of international flights as all preparations have been completed. Speaking at the daily briefing of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 in Abuja on Thursday, Sirika said all aviation preparations and COVID-19 protocols had been perfected and the airport was set for reopening. The minister also revealed that Air France, Lufthansa, Ethihad airlines, Air Rwanda, Air Namibia, among others, were banned from coming into the country. He, however, said that British Airways, Delta, Emirates, Qatar, Middle East, Turkish, Egypt Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Virgin Atlantic were among the airlines approved for operations with appropriate COVID-19 protocols. Sirika further noted that intending passengers must register online, pay for COVID-19 test fee and upload the COVID-19 negative result not older than 72 hours before boarding. While warning against sharp practices, he said any airline caught with passengers without COVID-19 negative result would be fined $3500 for each passenger and the passenger returned if he or she was a foreigner. Giving more insights into the reasons for ban and the principle of reciprocity being applied to some countries, the minister said Nigeria was simply following what each country had done to the country. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN), reports that the principle means all countries that have banned flights from Nigeria, will also have planes from their countries banned from entry into Nigeria. Some of the countries which have already banned flights from Nigeria are in the European Union (EU) as the EU included Nigeria on the banned countries on the first of July, 2020 when they opened their airspace. NAN reports that an inspection of the airport showed that all areas had been adequately marked for social distancing, with necessary signals placed across the airport. Also, hand sanitisers, water for hand washing and all necessary non pharmaceutical protocols had been installed at the airports in readiness for the resumption of flights. Meanwhile, the Chairman, PTF on COVID-19, Mr Boss Mustapha, expressed worry over increasing cases of COVID-19 in Ethiopia and South Africa. According to him, South Africa still has the highest case count in Africa but has fallen from the fifth to the sixth position in the world. “In Ethiopia, the numbers have been on the increase. “Both South Africa and Ethiopia are of interest to Nigeria in view of the passenger traffic between Nigeria and the two countries and our plans to reopen the international air space,” Mustapha said.

……FG to inaugurate use of CNG, LPG in October ……..TUC says government action wicked , demands immediate reversal Fuel marketers across the country adjusted their pump prices on Thursday to between N 158 and N 162 per litre of petrol, saying a further increase in global crude oil prices would push the pump price of petrol higher. Petrol prices have increased for three straight months , rising from N 121. 50– N 123. 50 per litre in June to N 140. 80- N 143. 80 in July , N 148-N 150 in August and N 158- N 162 in September . The Petroleum Products Marketing Company , a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had, on Wednesday , increased the ex -depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol) to N 151. 56 per litre from N 138. 62 per litre but later reduced it to N 147. 67. The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots. When the collapse of global crude oil prices triggered the reduction of the pump price of petrol from N 145 per litre to N 125 in March , the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency said it would advise the NNPC and oil marketing companies on the monthly “ guiding retail price ” at which the product shall be sold across the country. The Minister of State Petroleum Resources , Timipre Sylva, in a statement on May 15, said deregulation was approved on March 19 this year . “ But as you all know , PMS and other petroleum products are very strategic commodities, so you cannot allow the prices of these commodities to be determined wholly by the marketers, ” he added . In June , the Executive Secretary , PPPRA , Abdulkadir Saidu, said , “ For the avoidance of doubt, it is instructive to state that no private individual or group has the mandate to fix prices of petroleum products , however , the statutory regulatory body is saddled with the responsibility of advising guiding prices . ” But the PPPRA failed to issue any guiding prices in August and September and has remained silent since then , despite repeated calls and messages sent to the agency by one of our correspondents on the issue . The spokesperson of the agency, Kimchi Apollo , however , told our correspondent on Thursday that he would get information on the development and revert . He had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report. The National Operations Controller, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria , Mr Mike Osatuyi , told one of our correspondents that the increase in petrol pump prices was a reflection of the global oil prices. “ In July , the crude oil price was around $43 per barrel . But rose to about $44-$45 in August. Last Monday , it increased to $46. If the crude oil price falls to $40, petrol prices will come down. But if it goes up to $50, we should be expecting petrol price to rise to about N 163 per litre if the exchange rate remains the same, ” he said . Osatuyi stressed the need for government to create a level playing field by allowing marketers to also have access to foreign exchange at the official rate like the NNPC to enable them to import products. The Chairman , Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria , Mr Adetunji Oyebanji, said earlier on Thursday that pump prices would have to be adjusted to reflect realities of the increase of ex – depot prices by PPMC . “ However , the magnitude of the increase , timing and location is a decision left to each company. Consistent with global best practices, MOMAN does not dictate prices to its members as this would be anti -competition in a fully deregulated market. “ We welcome government ’ s action in allowing the market to determine prices, as we believe it will prevent the return of subsidies , while allowing operators the opportunity to recover their costs . This will, in the long run , encourage investment and create jobs, ” he added . But a groundswell of public opposition across the country have greeted the hike in petrol prices. FG to inaugurate use of CNG, LPG in October The Federal Government will in October inaugurate the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for motorist as alternative to use of petrol in the country. Chief Timipre Sylva, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, made this known while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Thursday. Compressed Natural Gas (methane stored at high pressure) is fuel that can be used in place of gasoline, diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas. He said that introduction of CNG, LPG and others would help to reduce the impact of the high cost of premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol on Nigerians. He said that since the Federal Government was no longer in the business of fixing the price of petroleum products, its focus was to protect the interest of Nigerians. He said that CNG and LPG was cheaper, cleaner and globally accepted. “The solution to reduce the pains with increase in petrol is to create another source that is cheaper, cleaner and global friendly. Introducing LPG, CNG is creating a toll gate and alternative route for people that may not be comfortable to have a choice. “The introduction of the new products will be cheaper and better, in the end Nigerians will be happy for it,” he said. On how it will be rolled out across the country, he said that all the Nigerian National Petroleum corporation (NNPC) petrol stations would be used for the project. He said that an LPG and CNG skid to dispensed the products would be fixed in all the NNPC stations across the country. He said some private marketers had also requested to

Less than 24 hours after the increase in the ex – depot price of Premium Motor Spirit ( petrol) was announced, some filling stations in Lagos and Ogun states have adjusted their pump prices , selling the product at between N 150 and N 162 per litre. Our correspondent , who visited several filling stations along the Lagos – Ibadan Expressway, observed that Fatgbems sold a litre of petrol at N 162; NNPC , N 160; and Mobil , N 159. 9. Enyo sold the product at N 159. 9 per litre; Capital Oil and Gas, N 158; and Oando, N 150. Crimefacts.News had earlier reported that the pump price of PMS appeared set to hit N 160 per litre as the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation increased the price at which it sells the product to marketers from N 138. 62 per litre to N 147. 67. The Petroleum Products Marketing Company , a subsidiary of the NNPC had, on Wednesday, increased the ex -depot price of the PMS to N 151. 56 per litre, with marketers saying the product would be sold at between N 158 and N 162 per litre. The ex – depot price is the price at which the product is sold to marketers at the depots. The Chairman , Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria , Mr . Adetunji Oyebanji, told our correspondent on Thursday that pump prices would have to be adjusted to reflect realities of the increase of ex -depot prices by PPMC . He said , “ However the magnitude of the increase , timing and location is a decision left to each company . Consistent with global best practices, MOMAN does not dictate prices to its members , as this would be anti -competition in a fully deregulated market. We welcome government ’ s action in allowing the market to determine prices, as we believe it will prevent the return of subsidies , while allowing operators the opportunity to recover their costs . “ This will, in the long run , encourage investment and create jobs. ”

Members of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Anambra, have suspended their planned strike in the state scheduled to hold on Thursday over levy and other issues. Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community, who announced the suspension said that the government and the association had met and reached some agreements which addressed their demands. The shutdown was to protest multiple levies by government agencies, police harassment and indebtedness by Transport Company of Anambra State (TRACAS), to Siluch Oil and Gas Limited. Recall that IPMAN on Aug. 4, issued an ultimatum to shut down the state after 21 working days if the government did not revert to the unified annual levy agreed by both parties. It also asked the government to withdraw all court cases against their members. Anyaso said that the suspension was based on the communiqué jointly signed by the association and state government after a meeting. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Prof. Solo Chukwudebelu, the Secretary to the Anambra Government, represented the state while Anyaso signed for IPMAM. Anyaso stated that at the end of the meeting, the following resolutions were reached: “That the Internally Generated Revenue Payable by IPMAN members which had been N100,000 per station since 2017 be continued untill Dec. 31. ”The Anambra Internal Revenue Service will meet with the leadership of IPMAN to renegotiate the new rate(s) that will apply from 2021. ”Those who had yet to pay for the subsisting levy of N100,000 for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 must clear the arrears immediately, but not later than Sept. 30. “Anambra government will suspend all pending court cases against members of the depot community who are currently in default of payment of the levies, this suspension apples until Sept. 30.” The chairman further said that on the indebtedness of TRACAS to Siluch Oil and Gas limited, the parties agreed that the Commissioner for Transport would review the claims and send memo to the governor within seven days. He said that the meeting, however, agreed that it was a private commercial transaction which should not be matter for industrial action. He further said that the parties mandated the Special Adviser, Legal and Petroleum Resources to facilitate a meeting between IPMAN leadership and Commissioner of Police to understand the scope of IGP’s monitoring team within one week. Government will provide a suitable land within one month and a Certificate of Occupancy will be held in the name of Ministry of Transport,” Anyaso said. He added that the depot community on its part would provide a detailed business proposal on financing and management.