Nigerian forum inks pact for expat travel

 

COLLABORATION: From left: Shiberu Mamo, Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of Ethiopia, Qatar, Nebiat Hailemichael, Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines, Amadi Nwokocha, NIDO-Qatar President and Enoch Pear Duchi, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria.

For the benefit of respective community members, two entities from Nigeria and Ethiopia have come forward and formally pledged to co-operate and make use of each other’s services.

The Nigerians In Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) Qatar, the representative of the Nigerian community in Qatar, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ethiopian Airlines, for co-operation and mutual usage of services provided by both entities and promotion of special offers and discounts from Ethiopian Airlines to the Nigerian community in Qatar. The agreement, which was signed last week, is for an initial period of one year, with the possibility of extension.

The terms of the MoU include a special offer by Ethiopian Airlines to the Nigerian community of 15% discounts on existing-applicable passenger fares from Qatar to Nigeria, 2pc/23kg baggage allowance and cargo rates that are more attractive to all Nigerian destinations.

NIDO-Qatar will provide an avenue on its social media platforms and sponsored community events to distribute Ethiopian Airlines brochures and fliers to its members.

The agreement was signed in the presence of the Enoch Pear Duchi, Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Nigeria, Qatar; Shiberu Mamo, Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of Ethiopia, Qatar; Amadi Nwokocha, NIDO-Qatar President and Nebiat Hailemichael, Area Manager of Ethiopian Airlines.

“It is encouraging to witness such an initiative. Both parties have to be faithful to the agreement and I am certain that the Ethiopian Airlines will do their best to honour the terms of the agreement while NIDO should also take this advantage,” said Duchi.

“I encourage NIDO to reach out to the Nigerian community and tell them about this laudable agreement with the airline; encourage them to patronise the airline. I am sure the Enugu route would have many passengers during the festive period and am sure Ethiopian will enjoy the relationship,” he added.

The Ethiopian envoy congratulated the airline and the Nigerian community for the agreement. He emphasised the safety, customer service and effective air service of the airline. “Ethiopian Airlines is the largest, fastest and the most profitable airline group in Africa serving more than 90 destinations and flying to four cities in Nigeria — Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Kano. As a pan-African airline, Ethiopian Airlines started the flight to Nigeria in 1960. It has been serving our Nigerian brothers and sisters for more than five decades without interruption, even at the time of crisis like Ebola,” said Nebiat Hailemichael, Area Manager of the airline.
“We have a convenient connection with less than two hours connection time in Addis Ababa for Abuja, Lagos and Kano,” he informed the audience.

According to NIDO-Qatar, membership registration is required to access these special offers. Registered members of the community wishing to travel to Nigeria should obtain the discount code from NIDO-Qatar Executive Council members, can go online to Ethiopian Airline website and make their booking to their desired Nigerian destination, enter the code and automatically receive the 15% discount on the fare.

Ethiopian commands the lion share of the pan-African passenger and cargo network operating the youngest and most modern fleet to more than 85 international destinations across five continents.

Ethiopian fleet includes ultra-modern and environmentally friendly aircraft such as the Boeing 787, Boeing 777-300ER, Boeing 777-200LR, Boeing 777-200 Freighter and Bombardier Q-400 with double cabin. In fact, Ethiopian is the first airline in Africa to own and operate these aircraft.

Recently, NIDO-Qatar launched its new website and membership card to assist both public and private entities in Qatar in sourcing for information and opportunities in Nigeria. The membership card is to create avenues for discounts on purchases and services.

The organisation is the umbrella body of over 7,500 Nigerians in Qatar. Its aims are to promote unity, love and harmony amongst all Nigerians living in the State of Qatar, promote the image of our country and assist every Nigerian in Qatar to achieve their legitimate personal goals and aspirations.

By Umer Nangiana

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#SAAConnectsAbuja – SAA Connects Abuja to the tail end of the world

On the 27th of January 2016, history was made as South African Airways, Africa’s leading airline that have won the SkyTrax Awards for the best African carrier for 13th consecutive years, touched down in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city in the early hours of the morning at exactly 6:15am.

Not that this is the first time SAA is landing on Nigeria soil, but it is certainly the very first time, heralding a new chapter in the history of South Africa and Nigeria that the airline touched down in Abuja – All the works, plans and commitment of both nations came to fruition as SAA commences Johannesburg-Abuja flight on that epoch day.

The inaugural SAA Johannesburg-Abuja flight like any other all over the world landed with pomp and celebration with over 150 passengers which included dignitaries from both countries, businessmen, private passengers and of course members of the media.

Water salute for the SAA Johannesburg-Abuja inaugural flight

The Nigerian Fire Service stationed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport became the very first agency to welcome the aircraft to Abuja with two colourful water tank shower.

South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Lulu Louis Mnguni received the dignitaries at the SAA check-in counter for a formal mini ribbon cutting ceremony before heading to the majestic Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the heart of Abuja business district where the gracious celebration took place later same evening.

Acting Chief Executive Officer, South Africa Airways, Musa Zwane (right); South Africa High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni; SAA Board Member, Yakhe Kwinana; General Manager, Operations Zuks Ramasia; General Manager Commercial, Aaron Muretsi and Dr John Tambi SAA Board Member during the Inaugural Flight of South African Airways, Abuja-Johannesburg Route

In the evening of same day, the fountain area of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel was beautifully decorated with SAA blue and red colours, sparkling to the high heavens as the light rays clashed stunningly with the water fountains.

#SAAConnectsAbuja

The dignitaries and the invited guests elegantly walked into the venue that have been so well decorated to celebrate another new positive chapter in the renewed brotherliness of South Africa and Nigeria.

“We are happy to witness this day in the history of both South Africa and Nigeria and to deepen Africa Agenda. This truly shows both countries commitment to the development human and business relations”,

South African High Commissioner said during his opening speech at the SAA inaugural Johannesburg-Abuja flight launch dinner.

SAA acting Chief Executive Officer, Musa Zwane glaringly a proud man on the occasion of the launch said,

“I am very proud today to stand in front of you on behalf of our staff to announce the launch of Johannesburg-Abuja route and it is such a great present for us as we attain 82 years. We have flown here for 20 years and have seen the growth of the Nigerian market overtime, hence the decision to fly to Abuja’’.

Senator Hadi Sirika, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Aviation, who was represented at the occasion by Mr Hassan Musa, the Director of Air Transport, Ministry of Transportation, praised the commitment of SAA in ensuring further integration of South Africa and Nigeria – the two most powerful economies on the continent of Africa.

He observed that virtually all African airlines had more than one entry point into Nigeria. Therefore, Sirika said that Nigeria would work assiduously to ensure the integration of the African continent through aviation and other sectors.

Lusanda Jiya, SAA GM Stakeholder Relations presents gift to Mr Hassan Musa, the Director of Air Transport, Ministry of Transportation

In between the speeches, there were colourful traditional dance performance from the indigenes of Abuja, known as the Gbagyi people. The celebration also witnessed stand-up comedy performance from Buchi, popular Nigerian comedian.

Africa renowned entertainment personality, IK Osakioduwa host of Big Brother Africa added glitz to the event as compere while Praiz, Nigeria soulful singer infused dance and romantic rhythm to the event.
The Johannesburg-Abuja SAA inaugural flight extended beyond celebrations at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. For two days, South African delegation toured the city of Abuja exploring all the beautiful sights and sounds including food.

The delegation started with a visit to Jevenik Restaurant for a taste of Nigerian menu, then explored the impregnable Zuma Rock – The rock with human face – just outskirt of the city of Abuja. Afterwards, the visiting South Africans visited Ushafa Village (otherwise known as President Bill Clinton Village) where the delegation danced to the live rhythm of the Gbagyi people, inhabitants of the village after a special reception by the traditional ruler. The delegation also witnessed the art of pottery for which the village is famous. President Bill Clinton had earlier in 2001 put Ushafa Village on world tourism map by visiting the village alongside his daughter, Chelsea during his state visit to Nigeria.

South Africa delegation with the Traditional Ruler of Ushafa Village

Undone with exploring the beauty of Abuja, the South African delegation also visited the new Jabi Lake Mall constructed and managed by South African firm before arriving the world renowned Nike Art Gallery where art speaks volume.
 

To appreciate a variety of handmade artifacts and souvenirs, the delegation also visited the Abuja arts and craft market.

credit: BellaNaija.com

In the end, SAA successfully connects Abuja to the tail end of the world #SAAConnectsAbuja

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Why People Are Traveling Around The World To See A Doctor

Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images

A dental patient is treated in Hungary, where thousands of Western Europeans travel every year for such care.

You've likely heard of medical tourism -- when individuals travel abroad to obtain health care they find too costly or delayed at home. What you might not realize is that this industry, fueled by inefficiencies in national health care systems and an increasingly interconnected world, is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars annually.

In his new book, Outpatients: The Astonishing New World of Medical Tourism, journalist Sasha Issenberg takes a look at the practice and its ramifications for the way people around the world receive health care. He examines examples ranging from a Hungarian dentist who has built an empire out of treating travelers, to heart surgery on the cheap in Thailand, to a backlash against foreign patients in Israel.

Though one might assume medical tourism is dominated by wealthy elites flying for elective surgeries, Issenberg explains that it's largely driven by middle class individuals seeking cheaper health care. Through interviews and case studies, the book lays out the sometimes surprising implications of the decision to travel for medical care.
The WorldPost sat down with Issenberg to discuss how medical tourism works and whom it helps and hurts.

What are some of the key factors that have spurred the growth of medical tourism over the past couple of decades?

The first is air travel -- in Europe, specifically discounted air travel. The moment that low-cost carriers make it possible to get to Budapest for 79 quid, the economics for somebody in Liverpool just radically changes.
European integration, too. Serbia would love to compete with Poland [for medical tourists], but until they're a member of the European Union, it'll be just that much harder to get people to travel there from Western and Northern Europe.

Medical tourism would also be functionally impossible without the ability of people to research things over the Internet. It remains a surprisingly do-it-yourself area where almost all the initiative is taken by individuals.

Kuni Takahashi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Foreign exchange rates are displayed at the Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals facility in New Delhi.

To what extent is medical tourism a naturally occurring thing and to what extent is it driven by a desire to lure foreign patients? You talk in the book about how the Hungarians have been able to brand themselves as the dental capital of the world.

I think it's fairly organic, and governments are currently trying to corral it or steal market share from it.
There's not a lot of marketing that I see anywhere that is convincing people who would stay at home to travel for care. There's no marketing that is trying to turn people into medical tourists. But the Turkish government is trying to get people who would think about going to Greece to go to Turkey.

It seems like in Hungary there's a degree of national pride about medical tourism, but in other countries like Israel there are people condemning it for taking up part of their medical system. How do you account for the differing reactions?

Part of it is what the national expectations about health care are. Have you been as a people conditioned to think of health care as a national guarantee? Have you been conditioned to think there's a natural scarcity, where only X amount of procedures can be done in a year, and if a foreigner gets one, then your countryman does not? Have you been told that there's a shortage of skilled doctors or professionals in your country?
In some places, specifically in single-payer systems, there's a fear of scarcity. Almost invariably foreigners are coming in and paying cash and full retail price. So if you have any sort of medical system where local patients are paying anything less than that, it's going to be really appealing for hospital administrators or doctors to prioritize foreign patients ahead of them.

You see certain amounts of skipping ahead of the line.
Exactly. If people are in a system where they feel as taxpayers they are guaranteed health care and they're not getting it at the speed that they are entitled, and then they see foreigners buying their way into a system they helped build -- which is what is going on in Israel -- that's the resentment.

When it's seen as a competition for public resources, that's where you get a dangerous mix.

In Hungary, dentistry has been private for 20 years. There's not a perception of scarcity and not a government guarantee. Dental coverage is treated far more as a private good.
When it's seen as a competition for public resources, that's where you get a dangerous mix.

When it comes to medical tourism involving organ transplants, is there a different calculus than, say, the dental industry? Because transplants seem to have a bigger benefit for the receiver than for the destination populace.

It's a great question. Definitely ethicists think of organ transplants belonging in a different category.
There's also a level of specialty in organ transplants that means there's far fewer facilities on earth that are able to do organ transplants and it is a reflection of some form of comparative advantage that some countries have developed.

It would be functionally impossible for us to live in a world where every country or big city had an organ transplant hospital. So at some point, people will have to travel for organ transplants.
The question for the world is not do we feel OK with people getting organ transplants in countries other than their own, but how do we develop an ethical way of doing it that recognizes the national boundaries around organ transplants are inherently problematic because there's a lot of places where countries are not capable. 

The question for the world is not do we feel OK with people getting organ transplants in countries other than their own, but how do we develop an ethical way of doing it.

Does medical tourism potentially take pressure off governments to change their own health care policies? An example would be Ireland: Are they less likely to legalize abortion if it becomes easier to travel abroad to do that procedure?

Yeah, I think so. Certainly for the politically, culturally or morally tricky issues like those. I write about a women's health hospital in Sofia, [Bulgaria,] that's relying on Turks and Italian couples to come for in vitro fertilization because for religious reasons, Italian and Turkish law makes it very difficult for couples to get that at home. The political constituency that there would be for reproductive reform in those countries has basically disappeared because they're being satisfied elsewhere.

The deeper problem is not just in the areas that are politically, morally, religiously tricky, but in developing countries where the whole elite reflexively goes abroad for treatment. In the book, I have something about how Nigerians with any money will save up to send family members abroad when they need something, because they're probably rightfully distrustful of the local medical infrastructure in Nigeria.

There is going to be no domestic pressure on Nigerian officials to improve the quality of medical offerings, to remove corruption from the domestic health system, if anybody in Nigeria knows they can get decent health care if they leave the country.

Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Patients travel to Thailand for care because the cost is often much lower than in the travelers' home countries.

Who are the biggest beneficiaries of medical tourism and who are the biggest losers?
The biggest losers are probably those in developing or underdeveloped countries that could be on the cusp of having governments or civil societies that are able to invest in modern medical facilities, and instead see any political urgency around that dry up because their political, economic elite and their middle class have access to medical care abroad.

I start the book with a great beneficiary of medical tourism, who is [Hungarian] Prime Minister Viktor Orban's dentist. He is probably the greatest beneficiary. So you do have select doctors, dentists and hospital administrators who have done well because of this, but not on a great scale. There's no global corporation that has cornered the market on medical tourism. I've yet to find the hedge fund that's gotten filthy rich off medical tourism.

The beneficiaries are middle and upper-middle class consumers in the developed world, who are no longer trapped by the decisions that their politicians have made about the necessary trade-offs to create a health care system that serves their entire country.

Policymakers have often made a lot of very responsible and reasonable decisions that are in the best long-term interests of a country on how to provide the best possible care for the most people at the least unnecessary cost to society. Different countries have come up with their own solutions, each of them imperfect in their own different ways. But, almost by definition, in the short term those are not going to serve everybody. Some people are going to not get what they want out of that.

Nick Robins-Early World Reporter, The Huffington Post 
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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​Travellers condemn high charges for using trolleys at airports

Air travellers in Nigeria are lamenting the high cost of using some facilities at the nation’s airports, describing payment for using facilities like trolleys as clear exploitation.

In a nationwide survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the travellers queried the high cost of some facilities provided at the Nigerian airports, ranging from parking vehicles to other sundry services.

They wondered why users of items such as trolleys still had to pay to use the facility, arguing that use of such facilities had been built into air tickets.

At the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja some of the travellers said they paid between N150 to N400 to use trolleys that ought to be provided free.

A traveller at the local wing of the airport, Mr Hakeen Adebola, told NAN that he resorted to dragging his luggage, instead of paying a huge amount demanded by an airport official for him to use trolleys.
He argued that it was wrong for government to allow private firms to extort money from air travellers, pointing out that use of trolleys was free in other countries around the globe.

“Why are things different in Nigeria, why should air travellers in Nigeria pay for facilities that are provided free in other countries.’’

“I am calling on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to make trolleys available to air travellers at no cost in Nigeria,’’ he stated.

Similarly his colleague, Mr James Pam, said the payment of money to a private firm before using facilities at the nation’s airports portrayed high-level exploitation of travellers.

Pam argued that such arrangement was not in the best interest of the country, adding that it did not speak well of Nigeria before the international community.

His co-traveller, Mrs Juliet Abdul, said that using trolleys was free at airports around the world, expressing her disappointment that people should be compelled to pay before using trolleys in Nigeria.
A check by at the premier Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, showed that a big trolley is rented at a cost of N2, 500; while a small one goes for N1.600.

Using the trolley also attracts a service charge of N150, which excludes `tips’ usually demanded by porters conveying luggage for travellers.

NAN checks also showed that some travellers have resorted to avoiding using the trolleys in a bid to avoid payment.

They often resort to pulling their suitcases and and other luggage, some carrying the loads on their heads to get to either the arrival or departure areas.

The scenario often casts a nasty picture at the airports, questioning the contract signed between the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Skyblue Aviation Services Ltd on trolley services at the airport.
According to information on the website of Skyblue Aviation Services, the currently has 220 members of staff and 2, 250 trolleys for travellers at the Lagos airport.

A staff of the company, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, said the trolley charges were fixed to enable the company provide world-class services to air travelers.

“As you can see here at MMA2, our boys are everywhere ensuring that idle trolleys are returned immediately and at the same time ensuring that passengers who require our assistance are given prompt attention,” the worker said.

At the Port Harcourt, a businessman and regular traveller, Mr Kingsley Tamuno, said he was not happy with the charges paid to use trolleys at Nigerian airports.

“ I have travelled abroad and nobody has charged me any fee for using trolleys at the airport.
“Passengers pick the trolleys for their bags and leave the airport on arrival.

“But I pay N500 to use trolleys in Nigeria and it is not funny to me,” Tamuno said.

Another Port Harcourt air traveller, Mr Kedi Nde, expressed his worry over the high the charges paid to use trolleys at Nigerian airports.

“ It’s a discomfort on passengers. In Europe and other African countries, there are no charges on trolleys; it’s only in Nigeria I pay for using the trolleys.

“To us as tourists, it’s exploitative and should be stopped,” he pleaded.
At the Asaba Airport, a merchant, Mrs Uju Okoye, said it was wrong to pay for trolleys, arguing that the facility should be provided free at airports.

“The trolleys are part of airport facilities to assist air travelers with the movement of their luggage, so why should we be made to pay?

“To me, it is the height of exploitation because it can be likened to asking a visitor at a high-rise building to pay before using the elevator to climb upstairs.’’

At the Margaret Ekpo International Airport in Calabar, the Airport Manager, Mr Mahmud Sani, said the trolley business was not contracted to any firm for financial gain.

He explained that the airport had two trolleys, one for passengers, wanting to be assisted by porters and another for travellers wanting to use the trolleys by themselves.

“It is for the comfort of our passenger that we have two sets of trolleys, one for payment and the other for free self use.

“Some passengers, especially tourists who are coming into the state may want their luggage carried for them by the airport porter.

“These tourists may appreciate the porter with a token amount because there are no fixed charges for assisting any passenger in carrying luggage.
“Also, we did not contract the trolley business to any firm. We are running it locally for the comfort of our passengers.’’

Sani said that with the efficient management of trolleys at the airport, no passenger had complained of luggage loss.

A porter, Mr Tony Etim, told NAN that he often got tokens from kind-hearted travellers whenever he assisted them in carrying their luggage with the trolleys.

He said that he was directly employed by the airport’s management to ease the stress of passenger carrying their luggage.

At the Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu, an official told NAN that the management of the airport was not aware of any service charge by porters at the airport.
The official, who pleaded for anonymity, explained that porters at the airport relied on whatever they got from travellers to maintain the trolleys and make their living.

He described maintenance of the trolleys as a big issue, saying that it was difficult for FAAN to provide enough trolleys at the airport to ease the hardship of travellers.

“The porters are not paid salaries because they are not staff of FAAN. They depend on what they get on daily basis to maintain the trolleys as well as take care of their families.

“However, we have not got any report that passengers are charged for the usage of the trolleys to move their luggage or goods.

“The much we know is that the passengers freely give to the porters whatever they have to appreciate their services.”

The official said that the services of the porters at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport were not contracted to any firm, unlike what obtained in bigger airports in the country.

“We have not been lucky to attract corporate organisations to donate trolleys to us as was done in other airports.

“This could explain why we have limited number of such equipment,” the official said.
Speaking on the issue, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs of FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati, argued that
 paying for the use of trolleys was not peculiar to Nigeria.

“There are people who are in charge of ensuring that the trolleys are there for use by travellers. So whoever you put there you have to pay him.
“It is expected that the cost have to be borne somehow.
“At the moment, the trolley services are paid for by the passengers who require them. It is not compulsory. Those who do not require them have no need for them.

“We ensure that the concessionaire has a trolley service that is serviceable and is also at par with international standards,” said Dati

But the President of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Mr Benjamin Okewu, told the management of FAAN to consider reducing the trolley charges.

Okewu said: “For example in the United States, I know that in New York, they charge $5 per trolley. So I believe what they are charging here is high.

“Although, this service was provided freely to travellers some years ago but all over the world now, there is no where you will get trolley service at the airport for free.

“If FAAN should buy them and make the facility free to travellers, do you know how many people that it will employ to move the trolleys around?

“All over the world, the airport authority does not have any business to provide trolleys for air travellers.
“If FAAN should involve itself with such services, the cost of operating the terminal will increase.”
However, Mr Lucky Izevbokun, Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees, Lagos State Chapter, argued that charging for using the trolleys was not convenient for travellers.

“FAAN is generating revenue from the concessionaire on trolley service at the detriment of air passengers using the item to convey their luggage.

“I have travelled far and wide to different countries and most countries providing such service as part of their facilitation to air travellers, provide it to them for free,” he stated.

Similarly, an aviation expert, Mr Olumide Ohunayo, said that trolley services at the airports should be part of the perks to be given to travellers.

Ohunayo, however, lamented that using the trolleys had been monitised and now used to provide jobs for the “boys”.

A tour operator, Miss Lorreta Ogwu, noted that air travellers were supposed to use the trolleys, saying that free access to the trolleys had been denied because of the concession agreement between FAAN and Skyblue Services.

A businessman, Mr Ikechukwu Usali, said that although the trolley service made travelling convenient, many travellers avoided it because of high charges.

“I think they should reduce the price of renting the trolleys or in the alternative, include it into the airfare,” Usali said.

A top-level official of FAAN, who pleaded anonymity, told NAN that the payment for trolleys was instituted
during the tenure of a former Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah.

The official explained that the ministry during Oduah’s tenure, signed a concession agreement with a company called “Jace Darl Trolley Services’’ to undertake trolley services at the airport.

“That is why travellers pay for the use of trolleys now and the amount is N150 for those who want to push it themselves and N400 for those who prefer the company’s staff to push for them.

“The immediate past Minister of Aviation, Mr Osita Chidoka, had directed that the concession agreement should be discontinued at its expiration to enable the passengers to use trolleys free.

“Now that we have a new government, we don’t know whether Chidoka’s directive will still work or not,’’ the official added.

The official also disclosed that a church in Abuja, known as “Family Worship Centre’’ had donated a number of trolleys to the airport for travellers to use free.

Meanwhile, the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has given his assurance that payment for the use of trolleys at the nation’s airports would stop as soon as the current contract agreement expired.
Sirika explained that the arrangement could not be stopped immediately as it could lead to litigations, adding that the contract would not be reviewed as soon as it ended.

According to him, some travellers have petitioned the ministry over the issue, insisting that the cost of usage of trolleys is covered by certain taxes and charges paid by passengers.
“We have had discussions with FAAN on this and we have decided that as soon as this contract ends, we will return to the old system,’’ he said. (NAN)​

By Daily Post Staff

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Why Nigerian women are more desperate to relocate abroad By Clement Ejiofor.

Magine a couple who had lived and worked abroad for over 60 years but are now living off a pension. Imagine the husband wakes up one day to bring the idea of relocating back to Nigeria, and mama kicks against it.
 She gives reasons why they should not get back home, at least not for now. Should this not lead to the conclusion that more women are desperate to live abroad than men? Let’s look at statistics According to the 2011 statistics by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) on African immigrants in the United States, 53.6% were men and 46.4% were women. The stats show that gender imbalance among African immigrants was more pronounced among those from certain African countries.

The tilt towards men was more exaggerated for immigrants born in Senegal (63.7% men), Morocco (59%), Tanzania (58.3%), Ghana (57.6%), and Guinea (57.6%), while the African-borns from Zimbabwe (51.7%), Somalia (51.3%), Sierra Leone (50.6%), Nigeria (52.4%) and Cape Verde (50.2%) were women. Although there may not be much difference in the percentage of Nigerian men and women living abroad as shown above, but there seem to be more Nigerian men based in Nigeria with their wives based abroad than women based in Nigeria with their husbands based abroad.

Struggles of men To show you the extent of desperation of some Nigerian women, I’ll tell you a real life story. A man got a tourist visa to the US to visit his cousin. While he was in the US for the visit, his wife called on a daily basis to remind him why he mustn’t return to Nigeria. “She’d always tell me that I should join my mates in anything to gather dollars,” the man said. Other women encourage their husbands to marry in order to legalise their stay. The wife does not want to care about what her husband goes through with the hope she’ll be joining him soon.

He must go and clear the road to remove every impediment so she does not suffer when she arrives. The desperation of a man to travel abroad comes out of his frustration. No job, no means of livelihood, no help from rich family relations, etc. He understands that to be a father and husband someday, to put food on the table, he must have to struggle to make ends meet. Even if a man is from a wealthy background, he still has to go through certain natural rigours to stand.

On the other hand, very few women go through such frustration. Women are nursing the interest of travelling or living abroad from the cradle. Even at 50 years, whether or not their husbands are well-to-do, that interest is always rekindled, especially when a neighbour’s wife visits Nigeria. By then, envy and wishes creep in. A thousand of miles away However, because the number of men with better-paying jobs in Nigeria is higher than that of the women, these men would not want to go to a country where their remunerations are taken back in a tax system.

You pay tax for owning a house, you pay tax for buying almost everything. Such men want to only travel for a tour and get back to their jobs. Even if they have the opportunity to live abroad, the fear of starting all over dissuades them from leaving their jobs. Instead, some of these men (if not all) will allow their wives and children to go live abroad. Some of these men prefer such status when they tell their friends: “My wife and children live abroad … I visit them every month”. But then, no matter the kind of a better-paying job a woman may have in Nigeria, once there is an opportunity to permanently reside abroad, she’ll grab it… and off she goes. There are many cases of men not wanting to base abroad, while their wives would not want to base in Nigeria.

They agree to make their marriages a long-distance relationship in two separate worlds. For men, it becomes monthly visits. They may be communicating, but being apart creates a vacuum in the family. Women may no longer care anymore that their husbands are not living physically with them in a foreign land. They have learned to prefer taking the pains to raise their children alone abroad to being in Nigeria. No matter how in touch you as a man may be with your wife and children, there is still a wide gap that can never be filled when the children grow up. But when a man remains adamant, the wife has no choice but to do it alone. She cannot let go of the ostentatious life abroad, especially with basic amenities and the opportunities the children would be exposed to.

For the Nigerians based abroad, there is more likelihood for the men to retire back to Nigeria having attained an age when they can no longer work. There is this attachment they have to home, kinsmen and traditional beliefs which makes them want to go home to be identified and reverenced perhaps. The children, because they were born and brought up abroad, do not know what the original home and traditions are. The men still don’t care, they go back home. In some cases, their wives follow them.

Women and being independent In other cases, women back home may not be given the opportunity to be independent. The hardworking ones may not be able to stay a day without doing something but because of the status of their husbands and the environment they live in, they cannot help but stick to what “oga” says. Some men in Nigeria have gone as far as making their wives quit their jobs and resolve to paying them on a monthly basis.

Those women who agree are definitely at the mercy of her husband whenever they are in need of money. When such a woman finds herself abroad, she’s more likely to be more independent than the men. Unlike the man, she is ready to start all over to join the money-making venture. Thus for this independence factor, a Nigerian woman would always prefer living abroad. Another reason is that the lifestyle, environment and laws
concerning families favour women more than men. A man who is prone to promiscuity back home may have to start watching it abroad.

No woman-beater can go scot-free in the UK or the the US. No cheater can openly cheat on his wife in such environments, and for this reason, marriages are protected against polygamy. To round it off, many people relocate abroad for various purposes, but, even if more women do it for the reasons pointed above and many others, the most important thing is that the majority of them yearn for self-development and, to a large extent, bettering the lots of their family members.

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Wonders of SouthWest Nigeria

Southwest Nigeria is made up of 6 States and each of these states have amazing places of interest for you to visit. However in this article we shall be taking a trip to Ondo and Ekiti State both in the southwest region. In SouthWest Nigeria, their main language is Yoruba and their common food is the Pounded yam and Amala.

Idanre Hills (Ondo State)

Ondo State (Sunshine State) is surrounded by hills and it is a 4 hour drive from Lagos. The State shares boundaries with Edo and Delta States to the East; Ogun and Osun States to the West; Ekiti and Kogi to the North and Atlantic Ocean to the South. The major occupation of the locals is Agriculture and they produce cash crops such as: palm produce, cocoa and timber. These crops constitute seventy-five percent of the State’s Gross Domestic product and sixty percent of Nigeria’s annual cocoa output.

The State which is known for its many hills and mountains has one prominent hill that has become very popular and that is the Idanre hill. The Idanre hill is a 667 step hill which has over the years attracted both locals, foreign tourists, and religious groups because of the mysteries surrounding it. One remarkable thing about the hill is the footprints belonging to one of the early dweller of the hill called Agboogun. The footprints shrinks to any foot size when it is placed on it.

Idanre Hills was home to early dwellers of idanre town.They had an established system then as you will notice from the King’s palace, primary school and court where offenders were punished. It is not surpising that despite westernization and modernization, the hill is still inhabited by some locals who feel they owe it as a responsibility to their ancestors and deities.

Ascending the hills can be tasking but the fun and adventure makes up for this. For those who are planning to visit Idanre hill, it is advisable to come with your mountain climbing kit, comfortable shoes and clothes to aid your climb and make it enjoyable. On your way to the top, you will see different hills that make up the Idanre hill itself. The fact that the people of Idanre town hold their ancestors in high esteem is reflected in their naming of each hill after past dwellers who have had a great impact in the history of the people. Therefore it is not surprising that each of these hills is named after prominent historical figures who ruled Idanre town. One of such hills that stands out among the others is the Aghagha hill.

Aghagha hill emits smoke from it all year round without any visible source of fire and a few meters away is the Agboogun foot prints. Agboogun foot print belongs to a great hunter and warrior in the ancient Idanre town. The footprints was used in the early times to traditionally hunt for witch/wizard. According to locals, the practice was anyone who was accused of being a witch is asked to place their feet into the footprints which has a mystical power to resize itself to the person’s feet. If it doesn’t shrink, the accused will be tagged a witch/wizard. The practise was however abolished when Christianity came and now people can just place
 their foot in it to see if it really shrinks. You should try it when you visit, it is fascinating.

One amazing thing about Idanre hill, is the five spot for resting which is designed in such a way that climbers don”t have to wait till they get to the top before catching their breath. So don”t worry about how you will climb the numbers of stairs without a stop, nature had you in mind when forming the hill. Once at the top, there is a mind blowing panoramic view of the town and also a small settlement of villagers who have refused to leave behind their tradition. There are also cultural relics of traditional arts, former palace of the Oba of Idanre, historical monument such as: Primary school, Old native court and Mausoleum.
The Idanre hill is suitable for mountaineering, bird watching, sport hunting and other fun activities. At the entrance, you pay a fee of one hundred and fifty naira. Getting a tour guide is optional but it is advisable you get one as they know their way around there and they tell you stories about the hill.

Ikogosi Warm Spring (Ekiti State)

Ekiti State (Fountain of Knowledge) is in the Southwest region of Nigeria and the State is a 5 hour journey from Lagos and 45 minutes from Akure the capital of Ondo State. Situated in Ekiti State is an amazing warm and cold water spring known as Ikogosi Warm Spring.

Ikogosi Warm Spring is a mysterious warm and cold water spring that flows side by side without the cold or warm water loosing it thermal density. At the source, the warm water has a temperature of 70c and after it comes in contact with the cold water it reduces to 37c.

There has been a lot of stories on how the warm and cold water can flow alongside each other without a change in their thermal density. According to one of the stories told by locals; the warm and cold spring represents the wives of a hunter. One of the wives was hot tempered (representing the warm water) while the other was cool and calm (representing the cold water), in the wake of rivalry and misunderstanding between the wives, they turned into the warm and cold water spring while their husband became the undulating hills that encompass the springs.

It is believed among the locals, that the spring has a curative power and that it has a sort of therapeutic effect that cures body aches and other ailments when one comes in contact with the water. Also available in the vicinity of the spring is the warm water swimming pool and an open bar where tourist can swim and have fun. The Ikogosi warm spring, according to tourism experts, is one of eight of such warm springs discovered in the world.

Ikogosi warm and cold spring has been in the little town of Ikogosi since time immemorial but it was brought to the limelight when Tai Solarin (A renowned Nigerian philanthropist) started making publicity for it and then it was visited by Rev. Macgee of the Baptist Church who established a student camp close to the spring. Rev. Macgee later went on to build a chapel (which has now been renovated to serve the purpose of a conference hall) and hostels for his student that came for the camp.

The resort which is highly secured can be used for conferences, business meeting and also a weekend getaway for families, honeymooners and for all type of events as they have a hall and open space. For those who just want to see the spring will have to pay a fee of five hundred naira at the reception desk before making their way along the wooden path.

The resort has a hotel that meets international standards and their services are impeccable. While there, you can dine at the restaurant which serves local and intercontinental dishes. The hotel has rooms that are luxuriously decorated to suit the taste of their prospective clients both business and leisure travelers. Their rooms can be categorized as follow: 1 Executive VIP chalet, 3 VIP villas, 12 western suites and 75 standard rooms.

Embassy of The Republic of Turkey
Address: 5, Amazon Street (Minister's Hill), Maitama A6, Abuja.
Phone: +234 9 4139787; Fax: +234 9 4139457
Email: contact@turkembabuja.com
Website: http://turkembabuja.com - See more at: http://talkoftourism.blogspot.com.ng/2016/02/95-countries-you-can-obtain-their-visas.html#sthash.7fLQHtM8.dpuf

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Group unfolds plans to train business executives

Nigerians yearning for professional exposure in marketing and tourism industry now have an opportunity of actualising their dreams in the country, an education-consulting group, Market Space, has said.

Its Director of Studies, Mr. George Thorpe, made this known at a briefing in Lagos.

According to him, the group has concluded plans to commence part-time diploma programmes in Marketing Management as well as Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management for Nigerian business executives.

Already, the firm, he said, had received accreditation from a recognised regulatory body in the United Kingdom, ABE UK, to run the programmes.

Thorpe, who said the Lagos training centre of the company would be in use for the programmes, noted that Nigerian business executives needed empowerment and international exposure.

He said, “I am committed to mobilising a best-of-breed faculty and other local resources to take advantage of the robust ABE UK Diploma syllabuses and content in meeting the learning aspirations of management executives and their corporate sponsors.”

Urging Nigerian business executives to key into the programmes, Thorpe noted that the faculty would employ both the web-based and traditional teaching methods.

He explained that the beneficiaries would receive quality tutorials on how to grow their businesses creatively, especially in these challenging times.

He added, “The decision to reposition Market Space from short duration marketing and management courses to higher grade executive education in marketing management and related disciplines is timely. Nigeria, the largest, most dynamic and competitive market in Africa, is projected to show unprecedented growth and development in the coming years; employees need new capabilities that only international quality professional qualification can certify.”

  Credit: PUNCH.

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5 flight booking mistakes

Flying in Nigeria is expensive and booking airfares can become a nail-biting experience especially if you are yet to master the trick of take advantage of discount bookings offered by airlines.

While there is nothing you can do to avoid paying more than you’d like for airfare in Nigeria, there are a few things you can avoid to keep from paying more than you should. 

Booking too early

When it comes to flying, the super early bird really does catch the worm. While booking early for travel to popular destinations, as well as travels on high-traffic days and peak seasons may seem like a good rule of thumb, getting your flight ticket more than three months before the trip will most likely not yield the best price as you will be charged a higher fare.

You stand the greatest chance for the lowest possible fare 45 days out for domestic travel and 60 days for international because outside that time window, most airline computers are not programmed to give you any kind of a deal.

Also, airlines are still confident they will find a maximum amount of passengers to fill the seats, so they keep the fare high enough for extra benefits. It seems like a very tricky thing to do but booking at the right time can save you money.

Booking too late

Neither too early, nor too late! Do not hold off too long to book your tickets especially when it is for an international trip.

Apart from business trips which very often tend to be impromptu, you can plan your honeymoon, vacations and retreats in advance. If you have already marked out the probable flying date on the calendar, why not book a flight ahead to get rebates on airfare?

In Nigeria, the difference between today and tomorrow’s airfare depending on the available seats on flight is staggering.

Some airlines still offer low-cost, last-minute flights, especially when they are running a promo, but the likelihood is slim.

The only other exception to this is the bargain shopping found at the counter of these airlines on the morning of departure. In a mad scramble to fill the plane, some airlines reduce the cost of tickets and giving you the option of saving thousands of Naira on a choice flight. This, however, is usually an option reserved for those who know how to hustle.

Booking during business hours

If you are a savvy Nigerian traveller, you will know that airline ticket prices fluctuate throughout the day and you have a chance of making substantial savings just by booking at the right hour or time of the day.

Many people who do not know this trick end up paying more for their flights.

Business hours (9 am – 5 pm) are the worst times to book your airfare as there are a large number of others trying to book a flight ticket and the rush in traffic inevitably ups the ticket rates.

Travel experts say that the best time to book a flight is actually Wednesday at 1 a.m (in the time zone the airline is based) as all of the super-low fares that were not purchased come back onto the airline’s system, providing a prime opportunity to take advantage of a glut of discounted ticket prices. Good thing is that you can do this online in Nigeria too.

Not booking with the airline

In Nigeria, there are so many platforms that assist with airfare comparison and flight bookings.

While this seems like a good option to take, especially as it makes booking super easy and convenient, it can cost you much more than you are willing to deal with. Apart from the charge they tack on to book through them, sometimes these  websites get your information wrong or give you incorrect details on the airline you are booking on.

For instance, they can charge you normal flight rates when the airline is running a seasonal promo. So once you have done research and found the lowest available flight, get on the airline’s website or call them directly to book the flight yourself.

Not clearing your cookies

This might a little too tech for some travellers, but it is a huge mistake most people who book their flights online make. Every savvy traveller is well aware of the fact that most airlines track online behaviour of their users, that way they identify which flights that are searched frequently per time and up the airfare for such flights.

It is therefore important to clear your cookies or book on another computer altogether after shopping for fares on one computer, as that is the best way to counter the trend. You can even take it a step further by changing your location or simply asking someone in another location to make the booking for you.  Again, you can beat the IP issue by using your mobile device as long as you it is not also using your home Wi-Fi connection.

By Adeniyi

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