Covid-19

Prime Minister Boris Johnson sinking over COVID controversy, four top aides resign

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4 years ago

February 4, 2022

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The Prime Minister of Britain, Boris Johnson, may be sinking over the COVID controversy, as four Senior aides of his administration resigned on Thursday. The prime minister’s aide on Policy, Munira Mirza, set the resignation pace early. Later on Thursday, the Chief Of Staff to Prime Minister Johnson, Dan Rosefield; the Principal Private Secretary, Martin Reynold, the Director of Communication, Jack Doyle, also resigned and vacated Downing street.

While they said their resignation is personal, many attributed their resignation to the political quagmire over the several parties held at the Prime Minister’s office when Britain was on COVID-19 Lockdown. There have been pressures on Prime Minister Johnson to resign since his apology over the parties during lockdown.

Several members of the British Parliament have accosted Johnson, telling him to resign over the controversy.

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Rising Tensions Between Regulators and Airlines The financial strain has coincided with renewed friction between the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), following disputes over the remittance of statutory charges and the delivery of regulatory services. Operators say the situation reflects deeper systemic liquidity stress across the sector, where airlines are increasingly unable to meet overlapping obligations imposed by aviation agencies while maintaining operational stability. A Layered and Fragmented Tax System At the centre of industry complaints is what operators describe as a “multi-layered and excessive” taxation structure involving the NCAA, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), and the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA). Airlines such as Air Peace, Ibom Air, and United Nigeria Airlines are subject to a range of compulsory charges, including the 5% ticket levy, passenger service charges, value-added tax on tickets and aviation inputs, and other operational deductions collected at different stages of the value chain. Industry players argue that the system creates cash flow distortions because several charges are collected upfront or deducted at source, leaving airlines with reduced working capital for day-to-day operations. Beyond ticket-based deductions, carriers also face landing fees, parking charges, overflight fees, navigation levies, and ground handling costs. Combined with jet fuel, which accounts for a significant share of total operating expenses, analysts say profitability on many domestic routes has been severely constrained. 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Prime Minister Boris Johnson sinking over COVID controversy, four top aides resign

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson sinking over COVID controversy, four top aides resign

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson sinking over COVID controversy, four top aides resign

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