Activities Standstill At Lagos Ports As Presidential Elections Results Are Being Awaited

...As Banks Also Close Early

Last weekend’s Presidential and National Assembly elections result coupled with early closure of the banks in Apapa yesterday affected ports operations even as stakeholders have expressed worries over the economy implications.

A cross section of the operators who spoke to Shipping Position Daily in Lagos, accused banks for over actions which they said could lead to  revenue loss to the the federal government, even as they reiterated that there is no cause of panic over the presidential polls.

STOAN VS SHIPPERS' COUNCIL LEGAL TUSSLE

Shippers’ Council Lawyer; Agbakoba Says ‘Terminal Operators Have No Right To Keep Collecting Illegal Charges’

Counsel to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in its legal battle against the terminal operators under the aegis of the Seaport and Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN); Olisa Agabkoba (SAN), has argued that the terminal operators cannot continue to impose and collect illegal charges from Nigerian shippers and clearing agents on the pretext that they have re-filed an application for stay of execution against the December, 2014 ruling of the Lagos High Court.

ANLCA Accuses Terminal Operators Of Deliberately Starving Bonded Warehouses Of Cargo

The‎ National President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Prince Olayiwola Shittu has accused terminal operators under the aegis of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) of deliberately sabotaging freight forwarders and their importers through refusal to stem containers to bonded warehouses.

Shittu who spoke in Lagos on Tuesday observed that this move is meant to punish the freight forwarders for showing support for the Nigerian Shippers’ ‎Council in the court case involving the council, shipping companies and STOAN over arbitrary charges being collected at the ports.

The ANLCA boss said that cargoes that can easily be cleared at bonded warehouses are now being held up at the terminals for several weeks in order for them to attract demurrage.

FG To Establish Multi Satellite Surveillance, Commission Drones For Maritime Domain Safety

Federal Government is set to set up more satellites equipment to monitor maritime activities on the nation's territorial waters.
This revelation was made in Lagos yesterday by the Senior Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime affairs, Mr. Leke Oyewole during a visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
According to Oyewole, the multiple satellite surveillance at sea will further assist the authorities to get more reports on what transpires at sea, noting that the current information by the present satellites are not enough.
The Special Adviser also disclosed that the government will deploy drones to complement effort of the maritime agencies on water, pointing out that more aircraft and platforms will be used for day-to-day operations at sea to quash illegal activities.

Protesting Dockworkers Cripple Ports, Hold Warming Strike Over Wages

Dockworkers in all the nation’s seaports yesterday stopped all stevedoring activities, in protest over alleged non-payment of their reviewed wages.
Members of the dockworkers’ branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) is demanding payment of a bi - annual review of their wages, which Shipping Position Daily gathered has been due for another review since June 2014.
Reports from our correspondents in Port Harcourt and Onne ports, both in Rivers State tallied with those in Lagos. They all reported that the dockworkers were on work-to-rule.

At Last, FG Gazettes CRFFN Practitioners’ Fees Collection

…Approves 60%, 35%,5% Sharing Formula for Council, Associations, Coys

 

Just as scooped by Shipping Position Daily in its Monday March 9, 2015 edition, the Federal Government has gazetted collection of “Practitioners Operation Fees” by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

The fees, which are collectable on all cargoes entering into and exiting the country through land, air and sea, are contained in the official gazette which was made public last week and which was obtained exclusively by one of our correspondents.

 

Shipping Position Daily had scooped that the Federal Government has approved a new revenue collection platform for the CRFFN and that the official gazette was being expected.

NPA Commits $118Million Into Lekki Deepsea Port Project

Managing Director, Lekki Deepsea Port, Mr. Haresh Ascoani (2nd from left)
and the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi,
surrounded by senior managers of NPA during the MD's working visit to ‎the
Lekki Deepsea port site in Lagos yesterday.

Fresh indications emerged that the Federal‎ Government may have committed a whopping $118Million‎ to the development of the Lekki Deepsea Port, even as the lead sponsor of the project; Tolaram Group has assured that full construction works at the port will begin by July 2015.

The Lekki Deepsea Port project is expected to gulp $1.5Billion.

Speaking during a visit to the site of‎ the port at Lekki Free Trade Zone in Lagos yesterday, Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mallam Habib Abdullahi debunked recent allegations leveled against the Federal Government by the Lagos Governor, Babatunde Fashola that the government was reneging on its commitments towards the project.

Cash Crunch Hits NIMAREX 2015 Planning Committee

There are indications that the 2015 planning committee of the Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX)‎ may be experiencing serious financial challenges, even as the committee has said that it has not received enough financial commitment from relevant government agencies in the maritime sector.

Chairman of the committee; Mr. Ayo Adedoyin who‎ gave this indication in Lagos on Tuesday at a meeting said that the agencies were apprehensive as the Federal Government has ordered a 20% slash in the budget of all its ministries, including transport ministry.

Adedoyin who was represented at the meeting by a member of the Committee; Mr. Vincent Abulu however appealed to stakeholders in the maritime sector, especially Nigerian shipowners, to take up exhibition booths at the expo to help the committee to generate funds.

NISA To Approach National Assembly Over Double Taxation By NIMASA, NIWA

President of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA)
Capt Niyi Labinjo (middle) flanked by Otunba Shola Olatunji‎ (left)
and Engineer Yinka Adu during the 2015 first quarter
 meeting of the association in Lagos yesterday.

...Sets Up Standing Disciplinary Committee

The Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) has raised an alarm over what they called double taxation, ‎ saying that Nigerian shipowners are now being compelled by the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to come forward and register their vessels, barges and thugs.

The association has however expressed its worries about NIWA's demands, even as it expressed readiness to take up the matter with the National Assembly because it is a case of double taxation from NIMASA as statutory flag state control administration and the NIWA.

NPA Repairs Two Patrol Boats For Marine Police

From Left: Executive Director, Marine and Operation, Nigerian Ports Authority
(NPA); Engineer David Omonibeke, Managing Director, Mallam Habib Abdullahi
 and AIG Maritime, Nigeria Police Force; Mrs Helen Adeyemi during a working visit
 by AIG Maritime to NPA headquarters in Lagos  yesterday.

...Laments shortage of manpower at ports
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Western Ports says it  has repaired two patrol boats  for the use of Police in the Western ports operational zone to secure the waterfronts even as it lamented that there the nation’s ports are presently under policed.

General Manager, Western Ports of the NPA; Engineer Adeyinka Adetunji Odunsi made this known yesterday during  a courtesy visit by the Police Assistant Inspector General  (AIG) in charge of Maritime;  Mrs. Helen Adeyemi and top officials of the Police force in Lagos.

FG Tinkers With New Date For Commencement Of Auto Policy

After postponing commencement date several times, there are strong indications that the Federal Government may further extend the July 1, 2015 date for the full implementation of the automotive policy for another six months to enable the various assembly plants to commence full operations.

This indication was given by the Director General, National Automotive Council (NAC); Alhaji Aminu Jalal on Friday during a working visit to the Nigeria Shippers' Council in Lagos.

8 Years After Port Concession:

Transport Minister Berates Terminal Operators For Breech Of Agreement, Charges NPA To Furnish Him With Report On Compliance
Appraising the nation’s eight year old port concessioning policy yesterday in Lagos, the
Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar has berated terminal operators for failing to comply with the concession agreement they entered into with the Federal Government.
The Minister gave this verdict during his keynote address at an event tagged; "Monitoring and Compliance Conference, 8 Years After Concessioning of the Terminals" held in Lagos by the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA).

Merchant Navy Raises Alarm Over NIMASA Non Domestication Of MLC 2006

Despite its ratification and subsequent flag-off by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has raised alarm over NIMASA's inability to domesticate the all-important Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006)

  

The association says that without the domestication, the convention will not yield positive results and seafarers will continue to be at the losing end.

AUTO POLICY BACKLASH:

The ever- busy PTML access road now deserted yesterday due to non-activity.

“No Vessel Has Visited PTML Terminal In The Past One Week”--- Clearing Agents

‎Nigeria's biggest vehicle handling port; the Port and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) has not received any vessel in the past one week due to the effect of the federal government's auto policy on importers of used vehicles.

Clearing agents operating at the terminal lamented to Shipping Position Dailythat there is even no hope of any vessel calling at the port this week, even as they said that this has never happened in the history of the terminal.

One of the clearing agents who is a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Olorogun Andrew Ugwi said that the last vessel that visited the port; Grande Africa, only came in with 45 vehicles‎ as against the usual 2000 vehicles that comes into the terminal aboard the ship.

Customs Sanctions 23 Officers For Rape, Other Illegal Conducts

Comptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said on Monday it sanctioned 20 senior officers in the past two months for various illegal acts allegedly committed during official duties.
The service Public Relations Officer, Mr Wale Adeniyi, announced this in a statement in Abuja.
He disclosed yesterday that, “12 of the officers were suspended from service pending the outcome of investigations while 11 others are currently facing investigative panels set up by the Comptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi.
The service had earlier suspended three Assistant Superintendent of Customs for allegedly extorting US$13,000 at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja.
The officers allegedly extorted the money during the outward clearance of the passengers on Emirates Airline flight.

Nigerian Shippers’ Council Tipped For National Transport Commission

• New FEC Draft Bill indicates Council’s proposed status

Strong indications emerged last week that the recent approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of seven transport sector bills may have paved the way for the eventual transmutation of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to a more encompassing National Transport Commission (NTC).

The transport sector bills that were approved by the FEC are: the National Transport Commission Bill (2015); National Roads Fund Bill; Federal Roads Authority Bill; Nigeria Ports and Harbour Authority Bill (2015); National Inland Waterways Authority Bill (2015); Nigerian Railway Authority Bill (2015).

FOR PUSHING FOR INDIGENISATION OF FREIGHT FORWARDING:

‎Clearing Agents ‘Attack’ Shippers’Council, Say Agency Biting More Than It Can Chew

For daring to announce that it is working towards barring non-Nigerians from engaging in the practice of freight forwarding in Nigeria, some licensed customs agents in the maritime sector have come hard on the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, saying that it is suffering from misplaced priorities.
Leading the pack of the antagonists, in a chat with Shipping Position Daily, a former Chairman of the Tin Can Island Port Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Mr Kayode Farinto said that taking on the task of indigenization of freight forwarding may consume the Shippers Council.
Rather, Farinto suggested that the Council should push the responsibility to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) as the body saddled with the responsibility of regulating freight forwarding, while the Shippers Council concentrates on reverting the high charges being collected by terminal operators and shipping companies.

Customs CG Repeats No Road Block, Checking By Officers In Hinterland

 CG Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde.

...Says, “Our job is at the border”

The Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Adullahi, says the ban on roadblocks and checkpoints by customs personnel in the hinterland within the country, is still in force.
Abdullahi restated this when he received the Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Ima Niboro, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said officers of the service could only intercept vehicles in the hinterland based on credible information, either that the vehicle carried contraband or smuggled goods.

Anxiety Mounts As Stakeholders Tackle NIMASA Over CVFF Fund Disbursement

There are indications that stakeholders in the maritime industry might be warming up for a show down with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) ‎ over the non-disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) which according to them has accrued into billions of dollars over the years.

This is even as a frontline maritime lawyer and former President of Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has called on all stakeholders in the maritime sector to rally round the Nigerian Shippers’ Council so as to formulate a Maritime Action Plan.

At a joint press briefing between his firm; Olisa Agbakoba Legal (AOL) and the Shippers Association Lagos State held in Lagos yesterday, Agbakoba noted that‎ NIMASA over the years has not been successful in the handling of the CVFF fund.

Shippers’ Council Boss Says Nigerian Ports, Most Expensive In West Africa

The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC); Mr Hassan Bello has rated Nigerian ports as the most expensive ports in West Africa, even as he noted that inefficiency in the procedures and operations of agencies and service providers and even users is adversely affecting and undermining Nigeria’s competitive advantage in international trade.
Bello who is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Council gave this verdict last weekend in Lagos during a media interaction with senior editors of some news media.
Applauding the nation’s port reforms as a step in the right direction, the NSC boss acknowledged that in an effort to address the post-port concession issues, the Federal Government appointed the agency as the economic regulator.

Shippers’ Council Set To Indigenise Freight Forwarding

From Left Director Commercial Shipping Services, Nigeria Shippers
Council Mrs. Dabnay Shall Holma, Vice Chairman ,
Customs Consultative Council (CCC), Chief Eugene Nweke and Secretary of
 CCC, Sir Jude Maduka at CCC Working Visit To
the Nigeria Shipper Council In Lagos Yesterday.

As part of the new port order, the Nigeria Shippers’ Council has commenced plans towards indigenisation of freight forwarding in the Nigeria.

Director, Commercial Shipping Services of the council; Mrs. Dabney Shall Holma  made this known during a meeting with members of the Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) led by its vice chairman;  Chief Eugene Nweke in Lagos on Friday.

Shal Holma said that a decision was taken to address the issue of foreign participation in freight forwarding in Nigeria, adding that the council is only waiting for implementation.

According to her, the Nigeria Shippers’ Council is coming up with a template that will outlaw participation of foreigners in freight forwarding in the country.