Apapa Customs Cries Out, Says Importation Is Dropping, Revenue Is Falling

From Left:  Deputy Controller In Charge Of Administration, Apapa Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Danaan G.G, Acting Area Commander and DPO Apapa Port CSP Sani Shuaibu And Controller, Apapa Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Charles Edike At The Monthly Stakeholders Meeting Held, Yesterday In Lagos.
Pix By Wale Buraimoh

All is not rosy at the moment at the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, as revenue collection has dropped in the October 2015.

This was disclosed by the Controller in charge of the command, Comptroller Charles Edike during the monthly stakeholders meeting which held at the command in Lagos yesterday.

Comptroller Edike attributed the lull in revenue collection to the Central Bank of Nigeria policy, even as he disclosed that some cargoes at the terminals which serve as remnant are also trapped due to non- issuance of PAAR.

He told stakeholders who were at the meeting that: "The remnant are dwindling, reducing and so this month may not be rosy as in previous months, we also know that some cargoes are trapped in the ports, so many containers are also trapped in the port"

MT TANK, MT ELIXIR COLLISION TRAGEDY:

• Damage to the MT Tank following the collision. INSET: Damage to the bow of the MT Elixir.

‘Survivors Were Talking To Themselves For Three Hours, But NIMASA Wasn’t There To Help Them’---Victim’s Brother

Last Monday’s collision involving two tanker vessels; MT Tank and MT Elixir leading to unconfirmed number of casualties has continued to generate more revelations and controversies.
The latest revelation is coming from a brother to one of the missing crew members on board MT Tank; Engineer Imade Salami Augustine who alleged in a chat with journalists on Monday in Lagos that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) failed to show up at the scene of the incident for immediate search and rescue, even as he lampooned the agency for allegedly not carrying out proper investigations.

Crisis Hits Nigerdock Plc, Sacks 1,664 Workers

...MWUN Vows To Deal With Coy.

Trouble is currently brewing at Nigerdock Nigeria Plc, as the company's contracting firm, Prime Services Company has allegedly laid off a total of 1,664 Nigerian workers Shipping Position Daily has confirmed.

The lay off was allegedly carried out because the workers were demanding for a pay rise after five years of Casualization of labour without increment in remuneration.

Nigerdock Nigeria Plc is an industrial corporation focused on Oil & Gas construction and major marine services including offshore and pressure vessel fabrication, ship building and repair, and specialized Oil & Gas and Maritime support.

NIMASA Reiterates Commitment To Resettle IDP's, Dead Soldiers Children

Coming on the heels of an appeal made few weeks ago by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai that Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other organizations should assist with the resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) NIMASA has assured that it is pursuing this vigorously.

Deputy Director of Public Relations of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka at an event in Lagos on Tuesday‎ said that the agency is taking huge steps to resettle the IDP's and to absolve the children of soldiers who died in their fight against Boko Haram in some of NIMASA's programmes.

Dockworkers Death: NIMASA ‎to Sanction Five Star Logistics ‎Terminal

There are indications that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)‎ may have resolved to sanction Five Star Logistics Terminal at the Tin Can Island port for lacking in good health care and safety standard of workers in their environment.

This is coming against the backdrop of deaths of two dockworkers within the terminal in two weeks.

The victims are Samson Oheha who died in an accident on Sept. 19. E leven days after the death of Oheha another dockworker
was killed in an accident when  heavy metal pipes fell on Mr Pius Itahon a 62-year-old grandfather, who later died before he could get to the hospital.

FG Approves November 2, 2015 As Take-off Date For CTN

…Shippers’ Council Notifies Shipping Lines, Consignees, Others

There are strong indications that the Advance Cargo Information System, otherwise called International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) will formally become a component of the Nigerian cargo importation procedure as from November 2, 2015.
The CTN is a global information system that concerns carriage of all goods and transactions on carriage by sea.
Ahead of commencement, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has already notified all carriers, shipping lines, shipping lines agencies, cargo owners, consignees and other stakeholders of the imminent take-off next month.

Cargo Tracking Note Will Check Under-declaration, Concealment, Others At Ports --- Shippers Council Boss

Group photograph of the management team of Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the Nigeria Customs Service when the latter visited last Thursday in Lagos

Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council; Mr Hassan Bello has assured that the imminent introduction of advanced cargo information system, also known as Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) will eradicate the rampant cases of sharp practices in the nation’s seaports.
Bello gave this assurance last Thursday when he received the Comptroller General of Customs; Col Hameed Ali (rtd) at the Council’s corporate head office in Apapa, Lagos.

Customs CG; Ali Replies Senate, Says Most Rice Miller's Are Impersonators

After being summoned by the Senate last week for daring to 'lift ban' on the importation of rice through the land borders, the Customs Comptroller General, Hameed Ali Ibrahim has said that he only "lifted the restrictions" that customs had earlier placed on rice imports through land borders.
Ali‎ at a press briefing in Ikeja Lagos last Friday accused the lawmakers of not having adequate understanding of the situation, even as he accused most Nigerian millers who according to him are taking advantage of the waivers on rice imports, of being ordinary traders and not genuine millers.
The C boss told maritime journalists that it was necessary to remove the restrictions on rice importation through land borders because Customs was losing revenue while smugglers were having a field day by smuggling rice through neighbouring Benin Republic and Niger Republic.

Customs Boss Ali; Accuses Shipping Companies Of Masterminding Questionable Manifest

....Solicits support from Shippers Council

The Comptroller General , Nigeria Customs Services ,Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) has faulted operations of multinational shipping companies in Nigeria saying that most of the shipping manifests of the consignments that they carry are surrounded with irregularities.

Ali made the allegation yesterday, during his visit to the Nigerian Shippers' Council in Lagos as part of his current interface with stakeholders in the maritime industry, even as he called for synergy among maritime agencies in ensuring that importation and exportation of consignment are properly documented.

Reps May Split Marine Transport Committee Into Two

There are indications that the House of Representatives may have spilt the Marine Transport committee into two as part of its move to create additional standing committees in the lower legislative chamber.
Our correspondent confirmed that, the leadership of the House, especially its Speaker; Yakubu Dogara has been convinced to increase the number its committees from 84 to 95.

Customs Orders Immediate Removal Of Rice From Import Restriction List At Land Borders

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has ordered the immediate removal of rice from import restriction list and the re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders.
The Public Relations Officer of customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said that the restriction was only applied at land border stations before now, adding that the customs boss had lifted restriction on rice at border stations.

Customs FOU Zone ‘C’ Comes Hard On Smugglers, Says It Will Not Be Deterred By Falsehood, Blackmail

Controller Federal Operations Unit, Zone ’C’, Owerri;
Comptroller Victor Dimka

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone‘C’ in Owerri , Imo state has come hard on those it called blackmailers and smugglers for carrying out a campaign of calumny against the Zone.
It declared yesterday at a press briefing in Owerri that it will not be deterred by falsehood and attempt to blackmail in its renewed onslaught against smuggling of contraband and fake goods, vehicles with fake documents, and other illegalities into the country especially into the zone.
Addressing newsmen on a recent publication, the Zone’s Public Relations Officer; Onuigbo Ifeoma raised alarm that, smugglers of fake drugs may have commenced a campaign of falsehood against the Zone.

Family Of Deceased Dockworker‘ll Be Compensated, Says Five Star Logistics Official

The Management of Five Star Logistics Terminal in Lagos on Monday said it would pay all entitlements of the dockworker, Mr Pius Ifah, who died on Sept. 30, to his family.
The Group Chief Accountant of Five Star Logistics, Mr Bashiru Adesina , who made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, noted that the management was waiting for the report of an investigation into the accident that claimed the life of the dockworker.
He said the company was used to observing safety standards in all its operations.
Adesina added that the company was aware of the occupational hazards and had serious concerns about safety.

Former NMA DG; Patrick Egesi Asks President Buhari To Scrap NIMASA Executive Directors Positions

...Urges FG To Pick Substantive DG‎ From Directors Cadre

Former Director General of  the Nigerian Maritime Administration‎ and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Sir John Patrick Egesi has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to scrap the posts of  Executive Director in the agency and  also look in the direction of  Directors and Assistant Directors in the agency for the appointment of  a substantive Director General for the agency.
Speaking exclusively with Shipping Position Daily last week, Sir Egesi who headed NIMASA (then National Maritime Authority) tasked President Buhari to discontinue political appointments at the apex maritime agency, saying that political appointees created what he called existing rot in the agency.‎

Cargo Ship clips bridge in Port Colborne, Canada

The 152 meter long, 8,388 tonne cargo vessel Lena J allided with a bridge in the Welland Canal at Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada.

The Lena J was en route to Burns Harbor,

Why We Engaged Global West Vessel Specialists – NIMASA DG

Chief of the Naval Staff; Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, presenting a plaque to the Acting Director General of NIMASA; Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, when the NIMASA boss visited the Naval Head Quarters Abuja recently.

Acting Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro has disclosed that the need to ensure adequate security and safety of all business activities within the nation’s maritime domain led to the engagement of Global West Vessel Specialists Limited (GWVSL) on Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The NIMASA boss however explained that the contract with Global West was approved by the Federal Government.
Jauro made this disclosure when he visited the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas at the Naval Head Quarters Abuja recently.