Metro

China, Ethiopia Ground Boeing 737 MAX Fleets After Second Crash In Five Months

Published

6 years ago

March 11, 2019

Chinese airlines have been ordered to ground their Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes, after the modern jet suffered a second fatal crash in just five months – with its aviation watchdog noting disturbing similarities between the incidents.

“Given that two accidents both involved newly delivered Boeing 737-8 planes and happened during take-off phase, they have some degree of similarity,” the Civil Aviation Administration of China said Monday, emphasizing its principle of zero-tolerance on any safety hazards.

All Chinese domestic airlines were requested to suspend operation of the 737-8s by 6:00pm local time (10:00am GMT) and, according to local media and flight tracking resources, on most routes the jet has already been replaced with older-generation planes.

With the first 737 MAX crash in late October still under investigation, the tragedy on Sunday that claimed 157 lives might well have been a coincidence, but security concerns and the potential grounding of the entire MAX fleet would severely impact Boeing’s business. A Boeing spokesman declined Reuters’ request for a comment.

Chinese carriers account for about 20 percent of the plane’s sales, with dozens of Boeing 737 MAX 8 jets already in operation and many more scheduled for delivery. China Southern Airlines Co. has the biggest fleet, with 16 of the aircraft, while Air China Ltd. currently operates 14 jets. China Eastern Airlines Corp. has 13.

‘Some degree of similarity’

While the US manufacturer continues to emphasize the jet’s “unmatched reliability” and to market MAX 8 as the customer’s preferred choice for “comfortable flying experience,” the latest generation Boeing 737 has a gloomy track record since its commercial debut in 2017, having been involved in two fatal crashes in the last five months.

On October 29, 2018, a two-months-old jet belonging to Indonesian low-cost airline Lion Air crashed into the Java Sea, just 13 minutes after takeoff from Jakarta. All 189 on board died. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but early reports indicate that the pilots struggled to control the climb due to an autopilot system malfunction, which kept on forcing the jet’s nose to dive.

A similar fate was suffered by Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on Sunday when its 737 MAX 8 crashed some six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa en route to Nairobi, Kenya. The aircraft was only four months old. All 149 passengers and eight crew members on board died.

The tragedy of a truly international magnitude on Sunday killed three Russians, eight Americans, four Indians and eight Chinese citizens – in addition to 18 Canadians, 32 Kenyans, eight Italians, nine Ethiopians, six Egyptians, three Australians, four Slovaks and five Dutch persons. Morocco and Poland each lost two of its nationals. Among the passengers were 19 UN Workers representing different nationalities.

While Boeing has sent an investigative team to get to the bottom of the tragedy, Swedish flight-tracking website flightradar24 said the jet displayed an “unstable vertical speed” during its takeoff. Despite worldwide concerns over the aircraft’s safety, Boeing has yet to make a decision on whether to ground the planes globally, pending investigation. Currently 350 units of the 737 MAX have been delivered worldwide. Another 4,661 are planned for delivery.

Business

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

Published

4 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Port Harcourt Refinery Stays Active: NNPC Denounces Sabotage Rumors

NNPC Debunks Shutdown Rumors, Confirms Port Harcourt Refinery Fully Operational

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) has dismissed reports circulating in certain media outlets claiming that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery, which was re-streamed two months ago, has been shut down.

In a statement released by Olufemi O. Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC Ltd, the company clarified that the refinery is fully operational. The statement noted that the facility’s operational status was recently verified by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC during a site inspection.

“Preparation for the day’s loading operation is currently ongoing,” the statement confirmed, emphasizing that allegations of the refinery’s shutdown are baseless and intended to create panic or artificial scarcity in the fuel market.

NNPC Ltd urged members of the public to disregard such misleading reports, labeling them as the work of those seeking to exploit Nigerians.

The Old Port Harcourt Refinery has been in operation since its re-streaming, and the company remains committed to ensuring stability in the supply of petroleum products across the country.

Business

Nigerian Banks Donate Multimillion Naira Relief Materials to Jigawa Flood Victims

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Nigerian Banks Donate Multimillion Naira Relief Materials to Jigawa Flood Victims

In a show of solidarity, the Committee of Banks in Nigeria has extended a helping hand to victims of the September 2024 floods in Jigawa State. On Thursday, a high-profile delegation led by Dr. Oliver Alawuba, Chairman of the Committee and Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), visited Dutse, the state capital, to present relief materials to the state government.

The donated items, worth several million Naira, included essential food supplies such as rice and cooking oil, along with mattresses and beverages. Dr. Alawuba highlighted that the gesture aimed to alleviate the hardship faced by flood victims and support critical institutions, especially public hospitals, in their efforts to assist those affected.

“We stand in solidarity with the people and government of Jigawa State during this difficult time. This donation is our way of expressing empathy and supporting those who have lost loved ones, properties, and livelihoods,” Dr. Alawuba stated.

The delegation included notable banking leaders such as Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna of Access Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji of Zenith Bank Plc, and Dr. (Mrs.) Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe of Fidelity Bank Plc, among others. Their collective presence underscored the banking sector’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and national development.

Governor Malam Umar A. Namadi expressed profound gratitude for the donation, describing the visit as a rare and commendable act of compassion. He assured the delegation that the relief materials would be judiciously distributed to the intended beneficiaries, emphasizing the importance of partnerships in rebuilding lives and communities.

The Committee of Banks also reiterated their commitment to supporting Nigerians during emergencies, drawing attention to previous interventions, including relief efforts during the 2011 and 2013 floods, the COVID-19 pandemic, and security initiatives like the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

This humanitarian gesture reflects the collective resolve of Nigeria’s financial institutions to foster social and economic growth, making a meaningful impact in times of need.

Bank

Polaris Bank Clinches SERAS Award for Excellence in Sustainability and CSR

Published

1 day ago

December 20, 2024

Sahara Weekly

Polaris Bank Clinches SERAS Award for Excellence in Sustainability and CSR

Polaris Bank has once again cemented its position as a leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) by winning the prestigious Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility Awards (SERAS), Africa’s foremost recognition for impactful community and sustainability initiatives.

The bank was honored at the 18th edition of the SERAS Awards, held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, for its unwavering dedication to sustainable development and critical community interventions across Nigeria. The organizers commended Polaris Bank for its consistent efforts to improve lives and foster growth in underserved areas.

The SERAS Awards, often regarded as the gold standard in sustainability and CSR, celebrate organizations that drive innovation and create lasting societal and environmental benefits. Polaris Bank stood out this year for its extensive portfolio of impactful projects, earning the “Best in Rural Population Integration” award.

Some of the bank’s notable initiatives include:

Sponsoring the planting of 2,000 economic trees in communities like Ajingi, Kano State.
Renovating the Ibeju-Lekki Skill Acquisition Centre and donating essential equipment.
Installing boreholes in underserved rural areas to provide clean water access.
Supporting over 15,000 indigent students in public schools with educational resources, including uniforms, sandals, and books.
Providing free breast cancer screenings to 20,000 women over a decade and supporting survivors through retreats.
Establishing hospitals and rehabilitation centers for victims of sexual violence and vocational centers for women.
Donating ICT labs to skill acquisition centers and promoting financial literacy among students.
Organizing medical outreach programs and aiding Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
These initiatives have not only improved living conditions but also reduced rural-to-urban migration by making communities more self-reliant and livable.

Rebuilding Community Resilience
Polaris Bank recently demonstrated its commitment to resilience by rebuilding its Sagamu branch, which was destroyed during the cash crunch riots following the Naira redesign policy. The bank fully reconstructed and re-equipped the branch, restoring critical banking services and supporting economic recovery in the community.

Commitment to Sustainability
Speaking on the award, Polaris Bank’s Managing Director, Kayode Lawal, emphasized the institution’s dedication to sustainability. “This recognition underscores our deliberate efforts to drive impactful socio-economic interventions and address the effects of climate change on our environment, economy, and people,” he said.

Lawal reiterated that for Polaris Bank, sustainability is not just a destination but a continuous journey of creating positive change.

Celebrating Africa’s Sustainability Leaders
The SERAS Awards brought together policymakers, business leaders, and global sustainability experts to celebrate organizations shaping Africa’s future through innovative solutions. Attendees used the event to connect with like-minded professionals and reaffirm a shared vision of lasting positive change across the continent.

As a trailblazer in sustainability and CSR, Polaris Bank remains steadfast in its mission to uplift communities, foster economic growth, and champion solutions to pressing societal challenges.