Business
Commissioner to NAPPS: flush out quacks in your midst
From Omoregie Elvis, Benin
Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Tamunosis Gogo-Jaja has
called on the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools,
NAPPS to flush out quacks in their midst and employ only the services
of qualified personnel in their institutions.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the 11th
annual conference of the National Association of Proprietors of
Private Schools, NAPPS, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and made
available to newsmen in Benin City.
The Commissioner said the quacks in their midst have given the
qualified teachers among them bad names and that the association must
do all in its power to cull them out and reposition the teaching
profession.
The Commissioner commended NAPPS for leading in the provision of
quality educational service and for partnering with the administration
of the executive governor of the state in ensuring that the
educational system is not left the way it was met but improved upon.
Earlier, President, NAPPS, Dr. Sally Adukwu-Bolujoko in her welcome
address, while highlighting the strengths, challenges and prospects of
private schools in Nigeria, challenged school owners to build a strong
and respectable association that could stand the test of time and that
which the Nigerian people could look up to.
She said the school owners have the responsibility to build human
capacity for the nation and thus must increase their capacity to meet
that mandate.
Sally stressed that proprietors must develop ways of raising funds to
keep their schools alive in a volatile economy in the face of multiple
levies and high interest rates by commercial banks.
Delivering the lead paper titled “The Challenges of Funding Private
Education in a Volatile Economy, Prof. Nath M. Abraham of the Faculty
of Education, University of Port Harcourt, highlighted a volatile
economy as one characterized by uncertainties, instabilities,
fluctuation of prices of goods and services causing frequent rises and
falls of returns on investments.
Prof. Nath further encouraged school proprietors not to give up but to
adopt turn around strategies that will guarantee that they continue
providing quality service that will guarantee greater access for
children.
According to the national publicity secretary, Chairman mobilization
and contact committee, Bishop Opukeme Godly, I just want to thank God
for the success of our annual convention that we were able to achieve
two concrete things which is the ratifying of the long awaited
constitution review and the constitute of board of trustees. Names of
the board of trustees are: Dr. Saidu Mijinyawa, Chairman North West,
Dr. Rabiu Kurfi, North West, Alhaji A.U. Misau, North East, Hon.
Kundak Abdulmununi, North East, Mrs. D.O. Balogun, North Central,
Comrade Jude Idakpo, North Central, Chief Gbenga Olowe, South West,
Prince Shakiru Raji, South West, Lady Dr. Gina Yeseibo, South-South,
Obong Edet Udoh Inwang, South-South, Dr. Mrs. F.C. Olikeze, South
East, Lady Josephine Ndukwu, South East.
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Business
Federal Government Moves to Slash Sky-High Airfares as Minister Keyamo Exposes Airline Tactics
Federal Government Moves to Slash Sky-High Airfares as Minister Keyamo Exposes Airline Tactics
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has vowed to tackle the exorbitant cost of air tickets for both domestic and international flights, revealing major efforts to cut costs, enhance airport safety, and address airline pricing manipulations.
Speaking at the Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Keyamo exposed a series of economic and policy-based factors that have led to the skyrocketing price of flight tickets, making air travel increasingly unaffordable for Nigerians.
Why Are Airfares So Expensive? The Inside Story
Keyamo broke down the root causes of excessive ticket pricing, which include:
🔹 Limited access to affordable aircraft leasing, forcing Nigerian airlines to either lease aircraft at exorbitant rates or buy aircraft outright—a cost that ultimately burdens passengers.
🔹 Foreign airlines deliberately inflating ticket prices for Nigerian travelers due to fears of trapped funds and currency depreciation.
🔹 Heavy government-imposed airport taxes, which are among the highest in Africa, further pushing up fares.
Foreign Airlines Caught in the Act? Keyamo Exposes Pricing Tricks
In a shocking revelation, Keyamo unveiled how foreign airlines had been exploiting Nigerian travelers by restricting them to only the highest-priced tickets.
“We called international airlines and asked what they used to do. They said if you want to buy international tickets, you will see business class Z, grade J, different grades, but it’s all the same. One can be N2 million cheaper than the other. Those ones, they opened for countries where they could get their money immediately. But they now opened only the high fare for Nigerian passengers,” he disclosed.
He explained that because foreign airlines feared currency depreciation, they set high fares in anticipation of inflation affecting their trapped funds.
“They said because they were taking into account inflationary rates of the money that will be trapped, they didn’t know when they would get it back. So instead of selling a ticket for N2 million or N3 million, they sold it for N7 million. Meanwhile, Ghana had lower ticket prices,” he added.
Government’s Response: No More Exploitation!
The government, according to Keyamo, is actively engaging foreign airlines to adjust their pricing in line with the recently cleared backlog of trapped funds.
“President Bola Tinubu, being very smart on this, cleared that first. But even after clearing the backlog, they were still enjoying the high fares. So we told them, ‘No, you cannot continue to do this. The excuse is gone. Nigerian passengers must now get fair pricing like other countries.’”
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is leading discussions with these airlines to force a price adjustment, ensuring that Nigerians no longer face inflated airfares.
Airport Taxes: Another Major Culprit
Keyamo acknowledged that Nigeria’s airport taxes are among the highest in Africa, further worsening ticket prices. However, he emphasized that reducing these taxes is not solely within his power, as it requires collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.
“The Nigerian Airspace Management Authority and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria are reviewing these charges, but I cannot singlehandedly reduce them. It involves the Minister of Finance,” he clarified.
He stressed that airlines pass these high taxes directly to passengers, further inflating ticket costs.
What Lies Ahead? Promises of Cheaper Flights Soon
Keyamo assured Nigerians that with ongoing government interventions—including negotiations with foreign airlines, new aircraft leasing agreements, and possible tax reductions—airfares will soon become more affordable.
“We are addressing these issues. The results will soon be visible with the Cape Town Convention and the Dublin Conference. The deals are coming in, and we will see the results soon,” he promised.
Final Verdict: Relief in Sight or Another Empty Promise?
While the Federal Government’s efforts signal hope for Nigerian travelers, many remain skeptical about whether these promises will translate into real, affordable ticket prices. Will Keyamo’s intervention finally ground the exploitative pricing system, or will passengers continue to pay the price for policy failures? Nigerians are watching closely.
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