Stock Watch

NCAA warns pilots, airlines of hazardous weather during dry season

Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised pilots and airline operators to exercise caution over hazardous weather in the dry season.

The advisory was contained in a circular initiated by the directorate of aerodrome and airspace standards (DAAS), signed by Musa Nuhu, NCAA directorgeneral, and dated December 19, 2022.

Nuhu explained that the advisory circular was a sequel to the seasonal climate prediction (SCP) issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) which reported that there would be cessation of rainfall and weather associated with dry season in Nigeria from late December 2022 to March/April 2023.

Nuhu, who enumerated the effects of hazardous weather on flight operations said “air toground visibility reduction due to haze dust or fog”.

“Aerodrome visibility may fall below the prescribed operating minimal and in severe conditions, dust haze can blot out runways, markers and airfield lightings over wide areas making visuals navigation extremely difficult or impossible,” he added.

“Flights are bound to be delayed, diverted or cancelled where terminal visibility falls below the prescribed aerodrome operating minimal.”

In view of the above, Nuhu said that all pilots, operators and air traffic controllers (ATCs) are obliged to abide by safety requirements.

The safety requirements, he said, include the closure of the airspace by air traffic controllers when any of the aforementioned conditions is observed or forecast by NiMet; and strict adherence to published aerodrome weather minimal by flight crews/operators and air traffic controllers (ATC).

“Pilots/flight crew members shall obtain adequate departure, en-route and destination weather information and briefing from NIMET Aerodrome Meteorological Offices and Stations prior to flight operations and exercise maximum restraint whenever an adverse weather is observed,” he added.

Funding necessary to provide 300,000 housing by 2025 –Adewole

The former Managing Director of Family Homes Funds Ltd, Femi Adewole, has said the availability of funds for mass housing was essential to deliver 300,000 homes by 2025 to shore up the housing deficit.

Adewole disclosed this at the Annual Memorial Lecture for Late Fatai Osikoya, themed “Agenda for Housing Development in Nigeria: 2023 in Perspective” which was held in Lagos recently.

He decried incessant building collapse in the country in recent times and called on people, especially those in the building industry to always engage the services of certified professionals to reverse the trend.

“Nigeria’s building policy for the coming years should be such that it will drive other social strata to stardom with a view to managing some of the crises that have kept the people’s social standard low.

The Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor, on Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, said that the state actors were looking at the builders to reform the system to give Nigerians better housing.

One of the panellists, Olugbega Ismail, said the use of local materials instead of reliance on the importation of inputs would drive down the cost of construction.

Food prices continue to rise in November – NBS

By Abubakar Yunus Abuja

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said that prices of selected food items increased in November.

This is, according to the NBS Selected Food Prices Watch Report for November 2022, released in Abuja on Monday.

The report said that the average price of 1kg boneless beef on a year-on-year basis, increased by 29.00 per cent from N1,812.03 recorded in November 2021 to N2,337.46 in November 2022.

“While on a month-onmonth basis, 1kg boneless beef increased by 3.14 per cent from N2,266.24 recorded in October 2022.”

It showed that the average price of 1kg rice (local) increased on a year-on-year basis by 18.95 per cent from N421.02 in November 2021 to N500.80 in November 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the average price of this item increased by 2.73 per cent from N487.47 recorded in October 2022. ”

The report said the average price of 1kg of tomato on a yearon-year basis rose by 30.18 per cent from N350.15 in November 2021 to N455.13 in November 2022.

“Also, on a month-on-month basis, 1 kg of tomato increased by 0.15 per cent from N454.46 recorded in October 2022.”

Also, the report showed that the average price of 1kg brown beans (sold loose) rose by 18.03 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N490.19 recorded in November 2021 to N578.55 in November 2022.

“While on a month-onmonth basis, the price rose by 2.45 per cent from N564.69 recorded in October 2022.”

The NBS said the average price of Palm oil (1 bottle) increased by 29.87 per cent from N775.11 in November 2021 to N1,006.64 in November 2022.

“On a month-on-month basis, the item grew by 3.91 per cent from the N968.76 recorded in October 2022.”

Also, it said the average price of Vegetable oil (1 bottle) stood at N1,142.99 in November 2022, showing an increase of 30.41 per cent from N876.47 in November 2021.

“On a month-on-month basis, it rose by 3.34 per cent from N1,106.08 recorded in October 2022.”

The report said the average price of a yam tuber stood at N421.08 in November 2022, showing an increase of 29.25 per cent from N325.78 in November 2021.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1 tuber of yam increased by 2.74 per cent from N409.86 recorded in October 2022.”

The NBS said the average price of white garri (sold loose) stood at N325.82 in November 2022, showing an increase of 7.79 per cent from N302.28 in November 2021.

“On a month-on-month basis, the item increased by 2.49 per cent from N317.90 recorded in October 2022.”

The report said at the state level, the highest average price of rice (local, sold loose) was recorded in Rivers at N632.05, while the lowest price was recorded in Jigawa at N378.81.

It said Ebonyi state recorded the highest average price of beans (brown, sold loose) at N868.33, while the lowest was recorded in Kebbi state at N365.71.

Also, the report said Ekiti recorded the highest price of Vegetable oil (1 bottle) at N1,584.31, while Kwara recorded the lowest price at N693.08.

It said analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg boneless beef was higher in the South-East and South-South at N2,851.51 and N2,570.87, respectively, while the lowest price of the item was recorded in the North-East at N1,971.83.”

The report said the SouthSouth recorded the highest average price of 1kg rice (local, sold loose) at N555.80, followed by the South-West at N526.41, while the lowest price was recorded in the North-West at N457.16.

Also, it said the South-West recorded the highest average price of Palm oil (1 bottle) with N1,174.30, followed by the North-West at N1,129.63, while the North-East recorded the lowest price at N765.04.