Business

Outrage As Aero Contractors Abandon Passengers’ Luggage To Shed Load

Published

3 years ago

October 11, 2021

Editor

There was outrage at the Margaret Ekpo Airport in Calabar on Sunday, after passengers from Abuja on an Aero Contractor flight found that the airline had deliberately abandoned their luggage before take off.

Airline officials had claimed that passengers were hinted that their luggage would not be flying with them but those affected insisted the airline abandoned their luggage in Abuja on purpose, allegedly to conserve aviation fuel.

Although it is not clear how that could have been possible, but other passengers at the airport claimed the luggage was deboarded in Abuja to make room for airlifting of aviation fuel, reportedly to be used for another flight via Calabar.

Passengers who spoke to DAILY POST, said Sunday’s incident was not the first time the airline was denying passengers of their luggage. Some claimed they had been frequenting the airline, days after their flights and were yet to get their bags.

“My luggage was cleared by FAAN alongside others and we even saw it at the foot of the airline while boarding, which was very deceptive of Aero. I was shocked and angry when I did not see my luggage at arrival here in Calabar. I was told my luggage will arrive tomorrow by 5:30 pm” one of the affected passengers, a journalist, Bishop Onche, lamented.

Nuel, another Abuja-Calabar passenger said, two days after his flight, he was back at the airport, again, to see if his luggage had arrived.

“We arrived here on Friday, they said the aircraft was overcrowded or something like that and they couldn’t carry our bags. So I left, then I came here on Saturday to claim it and they said there was no flight yesterday that’s why I am here today being Sunday only to meet a host of new passengers without luggage too.”

Nuel, a Sound Engineer, lamented that he had very essential work equipment in his luggage for a job he came to Calabar for and was not informed that his luggage would be dumped for that long to shed some weight off the aircraft.

He also decried the attitude of airline officials who allegedly were nonchalant at the plight of passengers.

“This is past 4pm and I have been here for the past one hour and nobody has said anything,” Nuel complained.

Udom Blessing Matthew, another passenger, told DAILY POST that she was in Calabar for a marriage ceremony but two days after the wedding she came to attend, a bag containing her bridesmaids’ dress was still at the airport in Abuja.

Udom said she arrived on Aero contractors 3.10pm flight on Friday, only to discover her luggage was left behind in Abuja.

“I left Abuja on Friday for a wedding which was supposed to hold on Saturday, the dress and hair I was supposed to wear at the wedding are in my luggage and this is Sunday I still haven’t gotten them. I’ve been wearing the same clothes and inner wear since Friday,” Udom cried profusely.

She claimed the airline treated its passengers with disdain as none of those affected had received either a call, a text message or an explanation as to why their luggage was abandoned.

But an Aero Contractors Manager in Calabar, Victor Dan, who spoke to our correspondent said he had called Abuja and was told that the bags would come in on Monday afternoon, however, after a follow-up inquiry, an affected passenger confided in our reporter that he was yet to receive his luggage.

A staff of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN) in Calabar, stationed at the Servicom desk said she had recorded the incident and that a report would be sent to the office of the NCAA as it is the responsibility of the agency to sanction the airline.

An official of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), who simply identified himself as Bruno, said this was not the first time the airline had treated passengers in such a shabby manner.

Bruno explained that though shedding of weight on aircrafts was not new in aviation history, the NCAA Act mandates the airline in question to inform all the affected passengers before take-off.

“And even after take-off, the airline is expected to pay compensation to the affected passengers while ensuring that the luggage is taken to the passengers wherever or whatever address they make available,” Bruno said.

He asked passengers to fill the necessary complaints forms promising to follow up the matter and assured our correspondent that the NCAA would ensure that compensation is paid to affected passengers and their luggage delivered to them.

(DAILY POST)

Business

Stock Market Review: FBN Holdings Leads 41 Others As Investors Gain N811bn

Published

10 hours ago

May 4, 2024

Editor

FBN Holdings Plc has topped 41 other advanced equities to pull the Nigerian Exchange Ltd.(NGX) market indices up by 1.46 per cent, week-on-week, making investors gain N811 billion.

The market, having opened for four days in the week, following the May Day holiday, had FBN Holdings leading the gainers’ table by 32.68 per cent to close at N27 per share.

Sterling Financial Holdings followed by 27.75 per cent to close at N4.88, while UACN gained 24.60 per cent to close at N15.45 per share.

Julius Berger added 23.76 to close at N72.40, while Flour Mills rose by 20.66 per cent to close at N36.80 per share.

Conversely, Nascon Allied Industries Plc led the losers’ table by 17.03 per cent to close at N43.60, University Press trailed by 16.67 per cent to close N2.05 per share.

Neimeth International Pharmaceuticals shed 14.14 per cent to close at N1.70, Berger Paints Plc declined by 9.87 per cent to close at N13.70 and Vitafoam Nigeria lost 9.81 per cent to close at N17 per share.

Meanwhile, 42 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 27 equities in the previous week.

Thirty-six equities depreciated in price, lower than 43 in the previous week, while 76 equities remained unchanged, lower than 84 recorded in the previous week.

Consequently, the All-Share Index and Market Capitalisation appreciated by 1.46 per cent to close the week at 99,587.25 and N56.323 trillion, respectively, in contrast to 98,152.91 and N55.512 trillion posted last week.

Similarly, all other indices finished higher with the exception of NGX Consumer Goods, NGX Oil and Gas and NGX Industrial Goods which depreciated by 0.26, 0.68 and 0.36 per cent, respectively, while NGX ASeM and NGX Sovereign Bond indices closed flat.

Meanwhile, a total turnover of 1.941 billion shares worth N32.644 billion in 35,807 deals was traded this week by investors on the floor of the Exchange, in contrast to a total of 1.839 billion shares, valued at N34.258 billion, that exchanged hands last week in 37,528 deals.

The financial services industry measured by volume led the activity chart with 1.496 billion shares valued at N22.453 billion traded in 19,225 deals, thus contributing 77.08 and 68.78 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively.

The consumer goods industry followed with 144.722 million shares worth N5.063 billion in 4,966 deals.

In the third place was the conglomerates industry, with a turnover of 109.978 million shares worth N1.539 billion in 2,064 deals.

Trading in the top three equities, namely Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Holdings Company Plc and Access Holdings Plc, measured by volume, accounted for 898.940 million shares worth N14.314 billion in 5,518 deals.

These contributed 46.31 and 43.85 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value, respectively.

(NAN)

Business

BREAKIN: NDIC Increases Maximum Deposit Insurance Coverage

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Thursday increased the maximum deposit insurance coverage levels for Deposit Money Banks from N500,000 to N5 million.

The Managing Director of NDIC, Bello Hassan, announced this in Abuja at a press conference, stating that it takes effect immediately.

He said, “For Deposit Money Banks, the increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage from N500,000 to N5,000,000, would provide full coverage of 98.98% of the total depositors compared with the current cover of 89.20%.

“In terms of the value of deposit covered, the revised coverage would increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 25.37% compared with the current cover of 6.31% of total value of deposits.

“The increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage from N200,000 to N2,000,000, would provide full coverage of 99.27% of the total depositors compared with the current level of 98.76% and would increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 34.43% compared with 14.38% of total value of deposit, currently covered.

“The increase of the maximum deposit insurance coverage from N500,000 to N2,000,000 would provide full coverage of 99.34% of the total depositors compared with the current 97.98% and would increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 21.04% compared with 10.77% of total value of deposit, currently covered.”

Hassan also stated that raising the maximum deposit insurance coverage for primary mortgage banks from N500,000 to N2,000,000 would provide full coverage for 99.99% of total depositors and increase the value of deposits covered by deposit insurance to 43.10% of the total deposit value, up from the current 40.60% cover.

The Corporation has also raised the maximum pass-through deposit insurance coverage for subscribers of Mobile Money Operators from N500,000 to N5,000,000 per subscriber.

Business

Dangote Speaks On Devaluation Of Naira

Published

4 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

Chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote has said that the devaluation of Naira created the biggest mess for the company in 2023.

Speaking at the annual general meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote said this affected lots of companies in the country.

He said: “We are doing whatever it takes to make sure that at the end of the day, we will be paying dividends because if you look at our dividends last year, it was almost 50 percent more so we will try and get out of the mess.

“The biggest mess created was actually the devaluation of the naira from N460 to N1,400. You can see almost 97 percent of the companies, especially in food and beverages businesses, none of them will pay dividends this year for sure but, we will try and get out of it as soon as possible.

“We want to see that at the end of the day, no matter how small, we will be able to pay some dividends, especially if there is a rebound of the naira.”