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We Won’t Reverse Nigeria’s Travel Ban Over FG’s Threat —– UK

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The British High Commission on Sunday said the United Kingdom would not reverse its travel ban on Nigeria because of a threat of retaliation by the Federal Government.

The spokesman for the British High Commission, Dean Hurlock, said this in response to an inquiry by The PUNCH on Sunday over a statement by the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, that the UK, Canada, and Saudi Arabia would be put on Nigeria’s travel ban on Tuesday.

Hurlock stated that Britain had made it clear that travel abroad would be different this year, adding that the UK was sticking to its “standard background lines.”

In a text message to the high commission, one of our correspondents stated that the Federal Government had said it would place a travel ban on the UK as a retaliatory move.

The correspondent then asked, “Will that make the UK to rescind its travel ban?”

In his response, Hurlock stated, “The UK Government propose sticking to our standard background lines on whether ‘x’ country will put us on the red list and avoid getting into hypothetical situations.

“The UK government has been clear that travel abroad will be different this year and countries may impose border measures at short notice in line with their own coronavirus policies.”

He added that the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office travel advice was kept under constant review and asked travellers to continue to check it for entry requirements of the destination they plan to visit.

“Travellers can also sign up for e-mail alerts on GOV.UK to get the latest updates as soon as they happen. We are in regular conversations with other countries about their travel policies,” Hurlock explained.

In an earlier response to a media inquiry, he said, “The position stated in our press release of last weekend still stands at present.”

In the press release, the UK had said Nigeria would be added to the travel red list from 4 am on December 6 following 21 cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 reported in England, which had travel history from Nigeria.

“These are temporary measures that have been introduced to prevent further omicron cases from entering the UK and will be examined at the three-week review point on 20 December.”

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had said Omicron cases in the UK had clear links to overseas travel from Nigeria and South Africa.

Also On Thursday, Laing, in an interview with Channels Television, insisted that the travel ban was evidence-based.

According to her 19 out of 21 passengers with Omicron variant with Nigeria’s travel history flew directly to Britain from Nigeria.

But the Minister of Aviation, Sirika, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday, said the Federal Government would place a travel ban on the UK, Canada, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia as a retaliation for the travel restriction on Nigeria.

He disclosed the Federal Government would restrict airlines coming from Canada, the UK, and Saudi Arabia into Nigeria.

According to him, the decision is to reciprocate restricted flights from Nigeria into those countries over the new COVID-19 variant, Omicron.

Sirika said the regime of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, (retd.) would also place the UK, Canada, and Saudi Arabia on a red list over the outbreak and spread of the Omicron variant.

The minister noted that if those countries placed Nigeria on a red list, they lacked a moral right to have their airlines fly into Nigeria on commercial operations.

“There is also the case of Saudi Arabia that put Nigeria on the ban list. On Sunday, I participated in a meeting with the COVID-19 task force.

“We have given our input that it is not acceptable by us and we recommended that those Canada, the UK, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina also be put on the red list.

“As they did to us if they do not allow our citizens into their countries; who are they coming, as airlines, to pick from our country?

“They are not supposed to come in. I am very sure in the next three days; Monday or Tuesday, all those countries will be put on the red list of COVID-19,’’ the minister said.

He stressed that airlines of the affected countries remained banned and the countries placed on Nigeria’s red list.

 

PUNCH

BIG STORY

Transcorp Power Plc Records 775% PBT Jump In Q1 2024 With Impressive Revenue Growth

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Transcorp Power Plc (Transcorp Power), one of the electricity generating subsidiaries of Nigeria’s leading, listed conglomerate, Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), has demonstrated impressive financial performance in its released Q1 2024 unaudited financial statements, for the period ended March 31, 2024.

The Company recorded N67.86 billion in gross earnings, compared to N21.04 billion reported in Q1 2023, reflecting a significant increase of 223%.

The strong performance is further demonstration of the Company’s strategic focus and effective execution, as part of Transcorp Group’s implementation of its integrated power strategy.

Highlights of Transcorp Group Results

Q1 2024 Revenue N67.86 billion, up 223%, compared to N21.04 billion in Q1 2023.

Profit before Tax rose by 775%, amounting to N28.77 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N3.29 billion in the same period last year.

Profit after Tax grew by 665% year-on-year to N20.1 billion in Q1 2024, compared to N2.6 billion in the same period last year.

Total assets grew to N276.2 billion in Q1 2024, up from N223.3 billion in Q4 2023.

Commenting on the financial highlights, Evans Okpogoro, the Chief Financial Officer said, “The Q1 2024 results saw a gross margin of 51%, a cost to income ratio of 70% and net profit margin of 30% compared to Q1 2023 gross margin of 37%, cost to income ratio of 87% and net profit margin of 13%. This highlights the remarkable operational efficiency gains of the Company. Transcorp Power has continued to grow its revenue aggressively and consistently over the last five years. We expect that by year end 2024, we will see a similar growth trajectory recorded between FY 2022 and FY 2023.”

Transcorp Power MD/CEO, Peter Ikenga, commented on the results, “We are pleased to report further robust financial performance, despite sectoral challenges such as gas supply issues and macroeconomic challenges. Our ability to sustain growth amidst this environment shows the resilience of our business model and the efficient execution of our strategic initiatives.”

“We remain committed to leveraging our strengths to capitalise on emerging opportunities, drive sustainable growth and provide superior value to all our stakeholders. We will continue to prioritise ingenuity, operational excellence, corporate governance, and stakeholder engagement, to deliver superior value for our long-term growth”. He added.

About Transcorp Power Plc

Transcorp Power Plc is an electricity generating subsidiary of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp Group), one of Africa’s leading, listed companies, with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors.

Transcorp Power is committed to creating value and driving economic growth, by improving lives through access to electricity and transforming Africa.

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BIG STORY

Oil Price Surge By 4 Percent As Israel Launches Counterattack On Iran

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Oil prices have increased by nearly 4 percent as Israel launched a missile attack on a target in Iran, according to international media reports.

The country’s nuclear plant is located in the central Iranian province of Isfahan, where explosions have been reported.

Later, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) declared that the plant was unharmed.

In reaction to Iran’s last-week missile and drone attacks, Israel had pledged retaliation.

Iran had launched the attacks in response to the April 1 strike that killed its senior security officials at its embassy in Syria apparently carried out by Israel.

A US official told ABC News that Israel carried out a strike inside Iran, confirming reports of the explosion by the Asian country’s media.

There were also reports of blasts in Iraq and southern Syria.

Commercial flights we re-routed as parts of the Iranian airspace were closed.

Iran says it activated its air defence systems.

Israel is not planning further attacks and Iran is not going to retaliate either, according various officials quoted by the media.

Brent crude price is now over $90 per barrel, up from $87 before the strike.

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BIG STORY

Boosting Health Access: Lasaco Assurance Supports NYSC Corps Members’ Health Mission [PHOTOS]

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Insurance underwriter, Lasaco Assurance Plc, has donated health recovery items to support the Health Initiative Programme of the National Youth Service Corps members serving in the Ifako Ijaiye Local Government area of Lagos State.

A statement from the firm said that the donation was to boost health development in the country.

Some Corps members, under the aegis of Local Government Initiative, for their first quarter Health Initiative, embarked on a project to provide health services to rural dwellers, whose access to quality health services was limited due to poverty, ignorance and superstition.

Lasaco Assurance supported the corps members to reach the target audience and help them overcome their difficulties in accessing quality health.

10 corps members head to India for youth exchange programme

Group trains youths to solve environmental challenges

NYSC confirms release of abducted corpers

The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Seye Smart, who represented the Head of Strategy, Research and Communications, Dayo Adetokun, at the presentation of the gift items to the corps members, emphasised the importance of exposing the citizens to quality health and safety as that would improve their capacity, make them function well and prolong their life expectancy.

A healthy citizen, she explained, would contribute meaningfully to the growth of society and be useful for the development of humanity.

Leader of the LGI team, Bose Ojimi, said the programme was the group’s modest contribution to the country’s quest for improved health and safety for Nigerians and hoped that other corporate organisations would follow in the footsteps of Lasaco Assurance to offer necessary assistance to the people.

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