tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43717154563122802622024-03-04T22:16:55.655-08:00Welcome to Sesan Onileimo Maritime BlogAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.comBlogger635125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-9565536416477299012017-01-30T03:11:00.000-08:002017-01-30T03:11:00.304-08:0010 YEARS AFTER PORT CONCESSION: Wharf Rats Return To Lagos Ports
• Importers/clearing agents groan as car vandals descend on vehicles at terminals
About 10 years into the much-celebrated port concession in Nigeria, there are strong confirmations that one of the key achievements of the reforms is already being weakened.
Although, the masterminds of port concession achieved a crowd-free and miscreants-free ports, reports indicate that vandalisation of imported used vehicles have returned to the ports, especially at terminals where such vehicles are handled.
Although there were attempts to assert that thieves, popularly called wharf rats in that inglorious pre-port concession era, are no longer in the ports, investigations by our correspondents revealed otherwise.
At least three importers whose identities are being withheld, but whose vehicles were vandalised at Tin Can port have narrated their experiences to Shipping Position Daily. At different times, they told our correspondents how their vehicles that were vandalised at the terminals had to be towed outside because they had been badly demobilised.
One of them told us that his Toyota Venza which came with a key-less device was vandalised and he had to tow the vehicle out of the terminal, after which he replaced the device at the cost of about N75,000.
Another importer alleged that his Highlander SUV was stripped of all the interior accessories. According to him, the vehicle was also rendered immobile, as even the Battery was removed.
Yet another alleged that his Lexus 350 SUV was stripped of all its accessories at one of the terminals at Tin Can port.
Reliable sources however hinted our correspondent last week that most of the vehicles might have been vandalized at the port of a neighbouring country where the ships were berthed and discharged before the cars were shipped to Nigerian seaports.
But, speaking with Shipping Position Daily on the development last week, a clearing agent at PTML Terminal Alhaji Ajisafe Ademola said that most of the time, the dockworkers handling the vehicles are mostly responsible for the act.
He also alleged that the evil is usually perpetuated with the collaboration of some spare part sellers who usually hang around the port to buy some of the vehicle parts that have been stolen at cheap prices.
“The terminal operators are mostly held responsible for the vandalization; although they have their own personal securities that sometimes monitor the stevedores to prevent the act”
“Because of the Nigerian economy, nobody is trust worthy, anything can happen, since not many vehicles are coming into the country, they believe that they might not get other jobs tomorrow”
“Spare parts sellers even hang around the ports encouraging the vandals and expecting them, they are aiding and abetting” he said
When he was contacted, General Manager of PTML Terminal, a frontline RoRo terminal at Tin Can Port, Mr. Tunde Keshinro denied the allegations.
Keshinro advised our correspondent to collect the bill of laden of such vehicles and their chassis number to substantiate the allegations.
According to him, “The handling procedure of vehicles at PTML does not leave room for any vehicle to be vandalized, because from the discharge point, there are CCTV cameras monitoring the workforce, both the stevedoring workers, PTML staff handling the vehicle from the ship down to the car park. Outsiders are not allowed to access vehicles except during examination together with security personnel, customs and the agents”
“We make provision for security to ensure that vehicles are received in fairly good conditions, the way the vehicle landed is how we deliver it to the owners without any pilferage or vandalization. He who alleges must substantiate, let them provide us with evidence or else it is just a rumour and an allegation” he said.
Also speaking with our correspondent, Head of Complaint Unit at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Fadipe Moses an Assistant Director said that there has not been any report of vehicle vandalism brought to the Council.
“I have not received any report of vandalization in recent times, the agents might want to say this probably one of the clients of one of their executives was affected, tell them to come forward and complain and document it with us, if you don’t document a complain, how do you substantiate the authenticity”
He however acknowledged that: “In the past, there were such reports, but in recent past, there is nothing of such complaints on my table”.
But, a clearing agent , Sunday Okafor, who specialised in clearing of used vehicles from both Port and Cargo as well as PTML terminal confirmed to our correspondent last Friday, that cars cleared at both terminals are 100 percent safe, adding that there has not been any case in recent time.
He maintained that ‘’it has been a very long time that I have heard about car vandals at the ports, mostly, PTML’’
‘’Even as we speak, it is difficult for any form of vandal on cars to take place at the terminal because the terminal has all necessary facilities in place to monitor such’’
When contacted for further information, Head Corporate Affairs Sifax Group, Mr. Muyiwa Akande promised to furnish our correspondent with relevant information, but he was yet to do that as at press time.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-10806552177925071322016-01-15T01:23:00.002-08:002016-01-15T01:23:15.029-08:00N13bn Fraud: Court Issues Arrest Warrant For Tompolo <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGpoZWLI31ElcyN2iOeGC_VYdNffoZX22zSGx8mAgpgCR419Tw9BXcbtYGcCupJLTJJWJZsLbFfxg3TkZcoLZn6zKjpzbYAZZ0x3sC7xHK5eCG1JEC4hvx6kKlQJ9HDCZEc_fLrLDdkY/s1600/TOMPOLO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGpoZWLI31ElcyN2iOeGC_VYdNffoZX22zSGx8mAgpgCR419Tw9BXcbtYGcCupJLTJJWJZsLbFfxg3TkZcoLZn6zKjpzbYAZZ0x3sC7xHK5eCG1JEC4hvx6kKlQJ9HDCZEc_fLrLDdkY/s320/TOMPOLO.jpg" width="320" /></a>•Ex-militant Shuns Federal High Court’s Invitation </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>•Ex DG arrives court in clutches</strong></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />Justice Ibrahim Buba of a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday issued a warrant for the arrest of a former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo (popularly known as Tompolo).<br />The judge said the warrant had to be issued after Mr. Ekpemupolo failed to respond to invitations to appear before the court.<br />Government Ekpemupolo has shunned the order of a Federal High Court in Lagos to unconditionally appear yesterday (Thursday) to answer a 40-count of alleged N13bn fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is accusing Tompolo of corruption.<br />While all his co-accused, including a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, were present in court, only Tompolo failed to appear.<br />The former DG of NIMASA however arrived at the court in clutches, and aided by his counsel. <br />Justice Ibrahim Buba has consequently issued a bench warrant on Tompolo and ordered the police to produce him in court by all means.<br />Tompolo’s co-accused; Akpobolokemi was accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of conspiring with others to convert various sums of money.<br />The 40-count charge include the conversion of N601, 516.13 and $1, 766, 428.62, property of NIMASA, into private concerns; conversion of NIMASA’s N27,690,113.79 and $17, 491, 378.64, as well as another N27, 690,113.79 and $17, 491, 378.64, belonging to the agency to personal use, knowing that the said sums were proceeds of theft, an offence contrary to section 15 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.<br />Prior to yesterday, Tompolo had refused invitation by the EFCC. Contesting his invitation, Mr. Ekpemupolo said in an earlier statement in December 2015 that the EFCC merely resorted to “self-help” after failing to appear before a court in an earlier case he filed against the anti-graft agency.<br />Mr. Ekpemupolo said he went to court after the commission froze his company’s accounts since August 2015.<br />He said if there were questions regarding the contracts awarded to him, they should be directed to the federal government bodies that approved and awarded them.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-32803966930517669592016-01-13T02:15:00.001-08:002016-01-13T02:15:36.367-08:00Why We Are Yet To Bring Greece Ships To Nigeria------- NISA <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp819DhD5P0nDPYFO5yjSbcPXq8rUvQ76b-GuGu6-QhOs7rVtRzt2ZoI1AhZc4gCIUTYvNzS5-xo7r8WBudeNJTPnkUimJrHrT42yb0CYNrNMiXqZVdFi1Wu2zAYf-jhUuzaVi3r_5qDc/s1600/pix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp819DhD5P0nDPYFO5yjSbcPXq8rUvQ76b-GuGu6-QhOs7rVtRzt2ZoI1AhZc4gCIUTYvNzS5-xo7r8WBudeNJTPnkUimJrHrT42yb0CYNrNMiXqZVdFi1Wu2zAYf-jhUuzaVi3r_5qDc/s320/pix.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">FLASH BACK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">NISA President; Capt Dada Labinjo (
M) and some executives of the association, signing the MoU on acquisition
of ships from Greece in 2015. Left are representatives of Greece ship owners </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
After about seven months after it assured Nigerians that it had sealed a ship acquisition deal with Greek ship owners, the Nigerian Indigenous Ship owners Association (NISA) yesterday gave reasons for non-arrival of the ships in Nigeria.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Coordinator, Lagos zone of NISA; Captain Franklin Akinpelumi in an exclusive chat with Shipping Position Daily, in Lagos disclosed that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with their Greek counterpart is still intact. <a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Captain Akinpelumi told our correspondent that the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had been instructed by the Federal Government to ensure that litherage operations are to be undertaken by local operators, which in turn led to the agreement with their Greek counterparts, but accused the NIMASA of not living up to expectations of indigenous operators.<br />Lighterage is the process of transferring cargo between vessels of different sizes, usually between a barge and a bulker or oil tanker. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lightering is undertaken to reduce a vessel's draft in order to enter port facilities which cannot accept very large ocean-going vessels. Lightering can also refer to the use of a lighter barge for any form of short-distance transport, such as to bring railroad cars across a river. <br />According to Akinpelumi, lack of lighterage business in Nigerian is a major setback for the Greek ships to come to Nigeria to commence operations, he lamented that efforts have been made consistently by NISA to ensure that lighterage business is reserved for its members. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He explained that, "lighterage business in Nigeria has not been successful and that is the cause of the delay why those ships from Greece are yet to sail into our waters"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Otherwise the agreement is still intact, and the alliance with them is still intact as well".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He noted that without any cargo to lift, owning ships is bad business, because according to him, lifting cargo is the hallmark of any shipping business. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The mariner added that, "we signed that agreement which is also the MoU with the hope of taking over our lighterage business and in fact there was a ministerial directive to NIMASA that henceforth all litherage operations must be undertaken by Nigerian vessels, manned, crewed and maintained by Nigerians"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He said it was on the strength of government directive to NIMASA that the association entered into the agreement with its Greek counterparts.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/why-we-are-yet-to-bring-greece-ships-to-nigeria-nisa" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/why-we-are-yet-to-bring-greece-ships-to-nigeria-nisa</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-36949950259267403522016-01-12T02:38:00.002-08:002016-01-12T02:38:30.347-08:00MT TANK/MT ELIXIR ACCIDENT: AGF May Commence Criminal Proceedings Against Acting DG NIMASA, 2 Others <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6DIffuy7J2PcxB1JVsIijhAzjsql90YAv7vanj4GD2SySQG_3v7iWl-drsbdvGTYbNQKF2fB9Gd57ndg1uoWuZcGv2DdThni6p1W0ZfxdAXHrmCNuXNRFqHVtjalr4ppDjRS0XfVNaY/s1600/baba-haruna-jauro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW6DIffuy7J2PcxB1JVsIijhAzjsql90YAv7vanj4GD2SySQG_3v7iWl-drsbdvGTYbNQKF2fB9Gd57ndg1uoWuZcGv2DdThni6p1W0ZfxdAXHrmCNuXNRFqHVtjalr4ppDjRS0XfVNaY/s320/baba-haruna-jauro.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Mr. Hauro Jauro </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are strong indications that the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) may commence criminal proceedings against the acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Mr. Hauro Jauro and two others over alleged denial of information on an accident involving two ships in October 2015 which led to the death of nine crew. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Counsel to Twinstomp Energy Limited , owners of the ill-fated vessel MT Tank; Andrias and Company is also warming up to slam the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) notice of intention to commence legal proceedings<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a letter titled "Notice of intention to commence legal proceedings" which was addressed to the acting director general of NIMASA Mr. Baba Jauro, it alleged that the agency refused to give relevant information to the legal counsel about details of the other vessel MT Elixir. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the letter made available to Shipping Position Daily over the weekend, lawyer to Twinstomp Energy Limited Barrister Olawale Agbolade on behalf Andrias and company (Legal Practitioners) noted that DG and two others namely the Director, Maritime safety, Engr. Vincent Udoye and the Assistant Director, Accident Investigation Bureau, Engr Edubio Kiniyi are all defaulting officers for wrongful denial of information for perusal. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
In a letter to the acting DG titled, ‘Re: SHIP COLISSION INVOLVING MT ELIXIR (IMO NO. 9282510) AND MT TANK (IMO NO. 8681460) LEADING TO LOSS OF LIFE AND SHIP’ through the counsel to the Shipowner ANDRIAS &CO. ", the law firm said it was also ready to take legal proceedings against the apex maritime agency for wrongful denial of information.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to the statement ,“Our client relief shall include an order of court directing the Attorney-General of the Federation to commence criminal proceedings against the Director-General, Mr. Baba Haruna Jauro; the Director, Maritime safety, Engr. Vincent Udoye and the Assistant Director, Accident Investigation Bureau, Engr Edubio Kiniyi all being defaulting officers for wrongful denial of information.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Also, having received your letter of 20th November 2015, by which you refused our client request for the information and records requested,</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"It is our opinion that your refusal to grant the request and indeed the reason adduced for such refusal is wrongful. Kindly therefore take this as our notice of intention to commence legal proceedings against your agency".</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
“Our cause of action is predicated on your act of wrongful denial of information in contravention to the Freedom of Information act 2011.”</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The law firm however asked on behalf of its clients (Twinstomp Energy Limited) and the nine victims that lost their lives for detailed particulars of the owners of MT ELIXIR, detailed particular of all crew onboard MT ELIXIR on the day if the incident.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The letter reads further, “A detailed particular and copies of records of the undertaking extracted from the owners of MT ELIXIR to make available any crew or members as may be needed in future.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Report of search and rescue so far carried out by NIMASA on the ship collision and report of investigation conducted on the collision so far.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The firms also stated that it would ask the court to compel the agency to disclose the above mentioned information to the plaintiff.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Meanwhile, efforts to get the reaction of the agency proved abortive as the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Hajia Lami Tumaka telephone lines were unreachable. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It would be recall that 12 personnel were on-board, the ill fated with 3 survivors and nine missing or dead following the October 19 collision off the coast of Warri in Nigeria’s Delta State.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Media reports also has it the apex regulatory agency which is NIMASA lied about rescuing the three survived crew on board the ill - fated vessel even as a Lagos lawyer Olumide Oyewole described as blatant falsehood the assertion that agency rescued 3 out of twelve crew members that were involved in the marine accident in Delta State.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/mt-tankmt-elixir-accident" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/mt-tankmt-elixir-accident</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-49771167463012349192015-12-18T00:35:00.001-08:002015-12-18T00:35:46.200-08:00Customs To Sack 66 Officers For Drug Addiction—CG <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" /></a>Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (retd), yesterday said 66 officers found to be hooked on hard drugs would be eased out.<br />Ali disclosed this while addressing officers and men of the Plateau/Benue Area Command of the service in Jos.</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
He said: ``We are now operating zero tolerance on the issue of drugs, because it is very dangerous and inimical to our operations and to our success as a government revenue generating organ.<br />``These 66 identified drug addicted personnel are as good as out of the system because we have no place for such persons in the service,’’ he said.<br />Ali blamed the existence of ‘’bad eggs’’ in the service on the recruitment system, which, he said, had to be changed to rid it of unscrupulous and unwanted persons.<br />He charged the officers to be disciplined in order to serve the nation well and gain their promotions.<br />According to Ali, promotions from now must be earned and not got.<br />He told the officers to display the fear of God in all their operations and to be diligent in attending all the courses lined up for them.<br />He expressed hope that the service would meet its 2015 revenue target of N944 billion before the end of the year.<br />``Presently, we have generated N825 billion but we have to double up so that we will not only meet the target but surpass it by God’s grace, ’’ he said. <a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-to-sack-66-officers-for-drug-addiction-cg" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-to-sack-66-officers-for-drug-addiction-cg</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-30353738027127725792015-12-17T01:22:00.001-08:002015-12-17T01:22:05.420-08:00Transport Minister; Amaechi Promises To Empower Shippers’ Council As Port Economic Regulator <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtHXQrd1UykudoxNWUGk5AkDdHl8fo7guzbRgaJPhYGhbbOQWv3W2jy98La36rN7j3dh1pErHa7Cev9gxNpK0CL1_OipzPL5rjHRBPiQ4ZBCOvKpb5jaFXlV22VlFi2CGbdsqJqYoxIE/s1600/PG+2+9TH+35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtHXQrd1UykudoxNWUGk5AkDdHl8fo7guzbRgaJPhYGhbbOQWv3W2jy98La36rN7j3dh1pErHa7Cev9gxNpK0CL1_OipzPL5rjHRBPiQ4ZBCOvKpb5jaFXlV22VlFi2CGbdsqJqYoxIE/s400/PG+2+9TH+35.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minister of Transport; Mr Rotimi Amaechi being received on arrival for an official visit to the corporate head office of the Nigerian Shippers Council by the Executive Secretary; Mr Hassan Bello on Monday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>...As Executive Secretary; Bello Begs For Exclusion From TSA </strong><br />Minister of Transport; Mr. Rotimi Amaechi has assured that his office will pay more attention to ensuring that the Nigeria Shippers Council is empowered to regulate all the stakeholders in the maritime sector efficiently.<br />Amaechi gave this assurance when he visited the agency on Monday. He was full of commendations for the Council, saying that he will learn more from the Shippers Council on how to push the industry forward.<br />At an interactive session with the staff of the council, he charged them to support the government to achieve its fight against corruption and engender a more stable economy for all Nigerians to participate in.<a name='more'></a>The Minister advised other agencies in the transport sector to take a cue from the Shippers Council in terms of organization, management and maintenance of clean environment.<br />He said: "If I am to learn, I will learn more from the Shippers Council because that is the one that concerns me more, I am going to know what you do and how to ensure the industry runs well"<br />"You appear more organized and I am impressed with the environment, I hope others will learn from you, it can't be poverty that is making the other agencies look dirty as they are, government has spent billions of naira on them and nothing to show"<br />"Organization wise, I congratulate the Shippers Council and I promise that whatever it takes to implement the law, believe me we will support you" he assured.<br />He however said that the government is confronted with financial constraints. He said that the fall in the price of crude oil is bad for the government and that government is trying to manage its lean resources to achieve its objectives.<br />According to him, it is difficult for government to rehabilitate the rails because of the fall in crude oil price. He assured that President Buhari is trying to pay 2billion dollars to a Chinese company to construct the rail lines from Lagos to Kano.<br />Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary of the Council; Mr Hassan Bello said that it is only the maritime sector that can fill the revenue gap and cushion the effect of the financial pitfalls that Nigeria is facing.<br />He appealed to the minister to provide the Shippers Council with the political will and courage in order to be able to carry out its regulatory role effectively.<br />Bello also appealed to the Minister to work out a financial autonomy for the council because according to him, being a regulator of the ports takes a lot of financial commitments and in view of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), this might be challenging.<br />He appealed to the minister for the council to be given autonomy in running it's account since the money was generated by the shippers themselves for the council.<br />Appealing for exemption from the TSA, he said: "We are calling for special consideration for the maritime economy, regulation is very important for that potentiality to be realized and we are not getting the money from federal accounts or allocations or budget, this is money that is being generated by shippers themselves so that we can work for them"<br />"The sector is really important and deliberately chosen for the minister to unlock the potentials in the sector; there is no person who can do it but you and your team"<br />"We need the support of the ministry of transport in order to carry our regulatory role; we need the political will and courage which you personally exemplify"<br />"The Council has the platform of engaging all stakeholders - Customs, shipping companies, terminal operators, NPA, NIMASA; we are the only people who can coordinate all these because we are neutral"<br />"I want you to immediately encourage the synergy between the agencies in the sector, we have the same goal but we are so far apart, we need to come together exchange ideas and overlapping functions"<br />The shipper’s council boss also called for automation, because according to him, the current method of clearing cargoes in the port is primitive.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/transport-minister-amaechi-promises-to-empower-shippers-council-as-port-economic-regulator" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/transport-minister-amaechi-promises-to-empower-shippers-council-as-port-economic-regulator</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-10392744823988651142015-12-16T01:04:00.003-08:002015-12-16T01:04:22.096-08:00Amaechi Suspends Work On NIMASA University; Okerenkoko <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvk1_6bzmPwpIjofTa1to_utDnFFyUW_s3TAkXs6ZYoayvyKRBxGx1wk7LyVAzrPdauxBwriqkr680jsSO-nY4AXirCZEB-jimEaU6VVZ6PoN6r8hgK2oYCz6MKQOSmY3lXN7G7Hy1N8/s1600/PG+2+9TH+34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdvk1_6bzmPwpIjofTa1to_utDnFFyUW_s3TAkXs6ZYoayvyKRBxGx1wk7LyVAzrPdauxBwriqkr680jsSO-nY4AXirCZEB-jimEaU6VVZ6PoN6r8hgK2oYCz6MKQOSmY3lXN7G7Hy1N8/s400/PG+2+9TH+34.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left: Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika; Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and Acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, during the facility visit by the Ministerial delegation to NIMASA Resource Centre at Kirikiri, Lagos… on Monday<br /> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Minister of Transport; Mr. Rotimi Amaechi has ordered that further construction works at the Nigerian Maritime University in Okerenkoko in Delta State should be suspended for now.<br />The maritime university and the shipyard project are being spearheaded by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) under the former Director General; Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.<br />Amaechi stated this when he held a meeting with management staff of NIMASA as part of his familiarization tour of Lagos ports and maritime agencies on Monday.<a name='more'></a>He said that the ministry has ordered suspension of work on the university project and that all efforts would be concentrated on developing the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom state to meet international standard.<br />Amaechi also said that he is currently studying the Cabotage Act in order to know the defects of the law, even as he promised to write a memo to President Muhammadu Buhari and the cabinet on how to work out implementation.<br />"On the issue of misplacement of priority, I have already addressed it, when they came to me about the University at Okerenkoko, I said they should hold on because we need to build the Oron school to the standard that we need in order to be able to compete with the global institutions"<br />"When we get there (MAN Oron) and there is not enough space for the students, then you can go ahead with Okerenkoko" <br />"We are not saying that the school will not go ahead but we want to place priority on Oron first to see what is doable, there is no money so we must be careful before taking on new projects" he said<br />Amaechi who is former Governor of Delta State equally explained that he had decided to tour the ports alongside his minister of State on Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika in order to study and to learn.<br />He said that the NIMASA boss, Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro should be able to balance out the issue of promotions in the agency, according to him, he should be able to promote people because it is a stimulant that will make them work hard.<br />He said that the quota system in Nigeria should be followed whenever employment and promotion exercises are carried out<br />"He should also do more to address the imbalance in NIMASA in terms of management and in terms of staff, he must understand the fact that all of us are Nigerians" he said.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/amaechi-suspends-work-on-nimasa-university-okerenkoko" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/amaechi-suspends-work-on-nimasa-university-okerenkoko</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-63371644658075284492015-12-15T00:37:00.002-08:002015-12-15T00:37:26.241-08:00Amaechi Lampoons NIMASA, Demands Financial, Staff Audit <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xEEvyP4z50EHlVNBTt4khVtucPvIS6rIOwALOfDn155lwrrt8roRCvRPgXWAlf22qg7GuSNU77FIV33PWDWb4eCwyzXei-ZkZoTHeSArs_xiVGBbmMpP03PyQW3cfO2P-c10hsYDBVw/s1600/DSC_0052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xEEvyP4z50EHlVNBTt4khVtucPvIS6rIOwALOfDn155lwrrt8roRCvRPgXWAlf22qg7GuSNU77FIV33PWDWb4eCwyzXei-ZkZoTHeSArs_xiVGBbmMpP03PyQW3cfO2P-c10hsYDBVw/s400/DSC_0052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">R-L Managing Director ,Nigerian Ports Authority ,Habib Abdullahi leading the Hon. Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amechi to inspect facilities at the NPA during the ministers' maiden working visit to Lagos. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
•<strong>Demands to know how NIMASA spends N100b annual budget</strong><br /><br />The Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi has expressed strong dissatisfaction at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) over the infrastructural decay at the agency's Search and Rescue Coordinating Centre located at Kirikiri, Lagos.<br />A visibly angry Amaechi equally ordered the Acting Director General of NIMASA, Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro to furnish his office with up-to -date financial records and all contracts signed and executed by NIMASA since 2007.<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
The Minister, as part of his familiarization tour of Lagos ports which began yesterday had earlier visited the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) where he directed strongly that cargoes must be moved out of the ports within 48 hours.<br />After checking the NIMASA resource centre; moving from one office to the other, to the surprise of the staff, the minister said it is disgraceful to note that billions of Naira had been sunk into NIMASA without any positive result.<br />He said he was interested in knowing how many contracts have been awarded with NIMASA funds, the name of the contactor and the level of completion of such contracts.<br />The minister equally demanded for the nominal roll of the staff in NIMASA and their qualifications. He said that some departments are fitted with the wrong staff.<br />Amaechi expressed shock that, NIMASA as Nigeria's flag administrator could not boast of up-to-date search and rescue equipment.<br />"I took my time to visit where they referred to me as Search and Rescue Clinic and the Acting DG was very happy to tell me that they have equipment, but all they had was stethoscope"<br />"I visited the place they called lab and there was no equipment there, the place was unkempt, they had officers in Agriculture and Law in the lab, there was absolutely nothing inside the lab, I have told them to record it so that we can show it to Nigerians"<br />"The place they called restaurant was an old, dirty and unkempt place. The place they called the multi- purpose hall, go there you will see water leaking there"<br />"This means that the billions of Naira spent by NIMASA, only God knows where they are spending it, although I have not checked their records, so I cannot say if they were properly spent or not, but I can at least say that the facilities I have seen so far do not exist" <br /><br />"If NIMASA has the responsibility for security and for rescue, then we are yet to begin, the kind of money I hear they have spent, we should at least get the equipment for the purposes of search and rescue" Amaechi said<br />Another revelation that shocked the Minister was when he was told that the lift at the rescue centre had stopped working three years ago.<br />``Over N100 billion is given to this agency yearly and I am yet to see how it has been spent. I am yet to see some of the projects being executed by this agency,’’ Amaechi said.<br />He instructed the acting director-general to forward the staff nominal roll of the agency to the Federal Ministry of Transport to know if there were vacancies that could be filled by competent people.<br />He assured that the transport ministry under his watch will be transparent and that stakeholders should furnish his office with genuine complaints and suggestions.<br />While speaking at an interactive session at the NIMASA headquarters in Apapa, staff of the agency charged the Minister to concentrate on buying a vessel for the agency for purpose of training.<br />They also demanded for promotions as at when due.<br />Earlier, the minister also directed the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to work toward achieving 48-hour-cargo-clearance target.<br />Amaechi gave the directive during his maiden visit to the headquarters of NPA in Lagos.<br />He said he had promised President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that Nigerian ports achieved 48-hour-cargo-clearance target.<br />``Other countries operating maritime industry are achieving 48-hour-cargo–clearance target; so, Nigeria must not be an exemption to the rule.<br />``I believe in transparency and hard work. We should endeavour to do what people are expecting us to do.<br />``I will inform the public about the activities of the maritime industry to make sure you do what people will like to know,’’ he said.<br />In his address, the Managing Director of NPA, Malam Habib Abdullahi, said he had made tremendous efforts in the last three years in championing the affairs of Nigerian ports.<br />``When we take you round the ports, you will be able to see the developments at Lagos ports. We have two of the ports in Lagos while the remaining four are outside Lagos.<br />``NPA is one of the oldest parastatals in the country and is still maintaining its status and statutory obligations as directed by the Federal Government,’’ Abdullahi said. <br />The minister also visited the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/amaechi-lampoons-nimasa-demands-financial-staff-audit" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/amaechi-lampoons-nimasa-demands-financial-staff-audit</a></div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-54154215228338478882015-12-14T01:13:00.000-08:002015-12-14T01:13:04.690-08:00Anxiety As NPA Sets To Sack 5000 Dockworkers This Week <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVcQB2fsarqzXNiNvvKkxacKzKPcSxqQoirBiSCE_L5xeKnQ7ALIIRyaUqTZv2sP3CSnd6lnT6lVG5FP18K_YyEcgxF4K0O7yR5pxL62PWlbV5OgUVorgwV8AMP1V13DhDYgza677FVg/s1600/pg+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVcQB2fsarqzXNiNvvKkxacKzKPcSxqQoirBiSCE_L5xeKnQ7ALIIRyaUqTZv2sP3CSnd6lnT6lVG5FP18K_YyEcgxF4K0O7yR5pxL62PWlbV5OgUVorgwV8AMP1V13DhDYgza677FVg/s320/pg+1.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong> • Stevedoring Contractors In Last Minute Lobby To Reverse Decision<br />• Tally Clerks, Onboard Security Yet To Receive Payment</strong><br /><br />There appears to be no going back on the decision by the Nigerian Ports Authourity (NPA) to stop further payments to about 5000 stevedores who are currently engaged in five of the nation’s seaports.<br />The ports are: Lagos port, Tin Can Island port, Onne port, Rivers port and Calabar port. The affected stevedores are all members of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).<br />Shipping Position Daily confirmed last week that, stevedoring companies have stepped up their lobby</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
to arm-twist the NPA into rescinding the December 15, 2025 deadline given to the on-board security men and tally clerks.<br />Sources at the Federal Ministry of Transport hinted our correspondent that there have been moves to force NPA to continue payment of the embattled stevedores, in view of the political implication to the Federal Government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).<br />The same was confirmed by one of our correspondents at the NPA, where a senior officer hinted that a verbal directive may have been handed down to NPA to continue to bear the financial burden of paying the stevedores. <br />Shipping Position Daily also confirmed last week that, even though the Nigerian Ports Authority had promised to pay all outstanding monies it was owing tally clerks and on-board security men before December 15th 2015 (tomorrow), none of the affected worked have been paid the outstanding wages.<br />The National Association of Stevedoring Companies has also accused NPA of making empty promises.<br />President of the stevedoring companies association; Mr. Bolaji Sunmola confirmed to Shipping Position Daily that the NPA has not paid any of its members as promised.<br />The NPA's Executive Director Marine and Operations, Engr. David Omonibeke had at a stakeholders meeting ?in Lagos recently assured that the NPA will pay the tally clerks all their outstanding arrears before 15th December. He had also threatened that after the date, NPA will disengage from further contractual agreement with the either the stevedoring firms or the workers.<br />Speaking with our correspondent last weekend, Sunmola said:? "We are waiting on NPA to make a pronouncement and we have not heard from them up till now"<br />"They have not paid us a kobo as at today, apart from what they paid us two months ago. It is an empty promise they have made because as at today which is a Saturday, they have not paid a dime to any of my members" Sunmola said.<br />He confirmed that following the associations petition to the Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, the minister has intervened on the matter.<br />"I am well aware that the Minister has intervened, I am aware that several meetings have been held, the outcome of it we are yet to be officially told".<br />"I don't want to speculate, let's wait for the actuals and see how thousands of Nigerians will be thrown into unemployment"<br />"We believe that the money paid to tally clerks and on-board security men are recoverable and this is why we are looking for a time with NPA to discuss this" he said<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/anxiety-as-npa-sets-to-sack-5000-dockworkers-this-week" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/anxiety-as-npa-sets-to-sack-5000-dockworkers-this-week</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-42134752968855534402015-12-11T01:15:00.001-08:002015-12-11T01:15:22.229-08:00EFCC Invites Tompolo Over N13b NIMASA Land Scam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPpJCoqRqjYifyT-Ja9cDtyZj6yGUdMwkjIkeX-0_LkHiAnu1Athw165yDsRiDbP-BdVIiKzMN3csissrUZIGkw1duzUyKaf_uxgMhxomE5K8h7huNERiiDAJqnJSVlEbPApSiIS0xKE/s1600/tompolo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPpJCoqRqjYifyT-Ja9cDtyZj6yGUdMwkjIkeX-0_LkHiAnu1Athw165yDsRiDbP-BdVIiKzMN3csissrUZIGkw1duzUyKaf_uxgMhxomE5K8h7huNERiiDAJqnJSVlEbPApSiIS0xKE/s400/tompolo.jpg" width="400" /></a>The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission yesterday invited former Niger Delta warlord, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, over a N13 billion land scam involving the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.<a name='more'></a><br />The EFCC gave the former Niger Delta militant leader one week to appear before them or be declared a wanted man.<br />In a statement issued yesterday, the Head of Operations at the EFCC, Iliasu Kwabai, recalled that Tompolo had earlier been invited to appear before the Commission in November, but he never showed.<br />Tompolo is now expected to appear at the EFCC facilities on Thursday, December 17th.<br />The land was meant for the construction of a university by NIMASA.<br />The EFCC had in July arrested the immediate past Director General of NIMASA, Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi, two weeks after he was fired by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 16.<br />There have been several allegations of financial impropriety against NIMASA during Akpobolokemi’s tenure, including those which suggested the agency funded the lavish lifestyles of some Niger Delta militants and bankrolled most of the hate campaigns against Buhari in the run-up to the 2015 elections.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/efcc-invites-tompolo-over-n13b-nimasa-land-scam" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/efcc-invites-tompolo-over-n13b-nimasa-land-scam</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-34002429987968494532015-12-10T02:13:00.003-08:002015-12-10T02:13:32.615-08:00MAN Oron Rector; Joshua Okpo, ANLCA Chieftain; Chuks Kanikwu Dead <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3x_i_4PA31TbJJX8ypirBWhD05ZW1QNLAQaK4Y4cfPvrcQ1nUhmQt3KAVyUtqPqtQLOPMbGkCABrrqmbA7L0R-q1aODJyE90nhy07xsd2W_laKZauvKEgA41mEI7xqneoN0YjW1c0WE/s1600/KANI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3x_i_4PA31TbJJX8ypirBWhD05ZW1QNLAQaK4Y4cfPvrcQ1nUhmQt3KAVyUtqPqtQLOPMbGkCABrrqmbA7L0R-q1aODJyE90nhy07xsd2W_laKZauvKEgA41mEI7xqneoN0YjW1c0WE/s1600/KANI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo3x_i_4PA31TbJJX8ypirBWhD05ZW1QNLAQaK4Y4cfPvrcQ1nUhmQt3KAVyUtqPqtQLOPMbGkCABrrqmbA7L0R-q1aODJyE90nhy07xsd2W_laKZauvKEgA41mEI7xqneoN0YjW1c0WE/s320/KANI.jpg" width="320" /></a>Tragedy struck twice in the Nigerian maritime industry on Tuesday as two prominent stakeholders died.<br />The first to be acknowledged was that of Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State; Mr Joshua Okpo.<br />He reportedly died in his hotel room in Abuja while preparing for a scheduled appointment.<br />While the news of Okpo’s demise filtered-in late on Tuesday, that of a frontline clearing agent and member of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Mr. Chuks Kanikwu was broken early yesterday.<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
Kanikwu who is Managing Director of Owelle Ventures reportedly died at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital in Ibadan, Oyo State after a brief illness that started last week.<br />Sources close to the family, disclosed to our correspondent yesterday, that the deceased freight agent was under the weather as at last week and was advised to go for medical attention.<br />But before his death on Tuesday around 2pm, the late MAN Oron Rector; Okpo was reportedly under investigation by the Minister for fraud allegedly committed at the academy.<br />Okpo assumed office at the maritime academy in 2011 and was serving a second term. <br />A source close to the late Rector confirmed to Shipping Position Daily late Tuesday that, "he was preparing for a meeting with the minister when he had a heart attack and he was rushed to the hospital where he died".<br />The source also confirmed that Okpo has had a running battle with his health recently.<br />However, a close associate of the deceased ANLCA chieftain told one of our correspondents that it was the son who broke news of his father’s death. "Kanikwu’s son called us on Tuesday to inform us about his father's death"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Although I am aware that he was ill as at last week because we went to the CAC's office together and I noticed that the was not feeling fine", the source disclosed yesterday.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The source who is also a member of ANLCA at Tin Can Island Chapter also disclosed that a condolence register has already been opened for the late Kanikwu. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"The sudden death of our colleague came to us as a shock”, he added. <br />But, Public Relations Officer of the chapter, Mr. Emmanuel Onyeme confirmed his death to Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday. He said that Kanikwu's remains have been transported to his home town in Delta State.<br />Onyeme described the late Tin Can scribe as one of the best brains that the association has ever had.<br />He said, "the cause of his death is not known to us yet, we were still together last week Thursday and I only noticed that he was going down in size"<br />"We were advising him to go and treat himself in the hospital and he went into the hospital from Thursday, until he gave up on Tuesday"<br />"In this line of our job, you can never know what is coming after your life" Onyeme lamented.<br />Our correspondent tried to get in touch with the Chairman of the chapter; Prince Kayode Oyinlola but his phones were switched off. The PRO later confirmed that he was devastated when he heard the sad new.<br />Kanikwu was a former chairman, Tin Can Island Chapter of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), from where he crossed to ANLCA. Until his death, he was the secretary of Tin Can Island Chapter of ANLCA.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/man-oron-rector-joshua-okpo-anlca-chieftain-chuks-kanikwu-dead" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/man-oron-rector-joshua-okpo-anlca-chieftain-chuks-kanikwu-dead</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-15064011887132792472015-12-09T02:49:00.000-08:002015-12-09T02:49:01.162-08:00 Nigerian Pirates Release Five Polish C<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDrfuKh2ET2FTrgkaoNeHllph5lqFQ5TesFJm779MYXv8INJccbOs8c2Y3d4iEEsuUX9Mg6ldq0ahQeTWtH4MUIeduGZauf9wFj5zwjT_zuvW6iglAvjzlVvZdl78SkG33NJkUo_-cU8/s1600/PIRATE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIDrfuKh2ET2FTrgkaoNeHllph5lqFQ5TesFJm779MYXv8INJccbOs8c2Y3d4iEEsuUX9Mg6ldq0ahQeTWtH4MUIeduGZauf9wFj5zwjT_zuvW6iglAvjzlVvZdl78SkG33NJkUo_-cU8/s320/PIRATE.jpg" width="320" /></a>Five crew members kidnapped from a Polish-owned cargo last month off the coast of Nigeria are heading home, according to Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo.<br />The captain and four crew members of the Cyprus-flagged MV Szafir were kidnapped by pirates at about 11 p.m. on November 26th. According to the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, pirates in two </div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
speedboats approached and boarded the ship while underway approximately 70 nautical miles south-west of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Eleven crew members managed to lock themselves in the engine room, but five remaining crew members were kidnapped and taken ashore by the pirates, the IMB said.<br />The release of the crew was announced Tuesday by Prime Minister Szydlo during the joint press conference with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Earlier, Szydlo had spoken to the crew by phone and confirmed that they were safe and unharmed.<br />The MV Szafir is operated but EuroAfrica. The ship was sailing from the Port of Antwerp to Nigeria’s Onne port when it was attacked.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/nigerian-pirates-release-five-polish-crew" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/nigerian-pirates-release-five-polish-crew</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-64425713840399472472015-12-09T02:46:00.001-08:002015-12-09T02:46:23.384-08:00MAN Oron Rector; Joshua Okpo Is Dead<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXSVyVUxpbyzveu5TCvF_xntkcuRsnnRRneOoVgwQ1OLlKlLeQZdcnzpy-fqqYNX3xs8L9rmplx4I3ZQGBAX7yEP3P4p_tg-s6Kqfzmrjnq9G2sXTw9Ik4JSCKkzfNPQbuZFyBaL9d7k/s1600/Okpo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXSVyVUxpbyzveu5TCvF_xntkcuRsnnRRneOoVgwQ1OLlKlLeQZdcnzpy-fqqYNX3xs8L9rmplx4I3ZQGBAX7yEP3P4p_tg-s6Kqfzmrjnq9G2sXTw9Ik4JSCKkzfNPQbuZFyBaL9d7k/s320/Okpo.jpg" width="267" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joseph Okpo </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The embattled Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron Akwa Ibom State is dead. Okpo died in Abuja on Monday in his hotel room in Abuja.<br />Before his death on Tuesday around 2pm, the late MAN Oron Rector was reported to be under investigation by the Minister for alleged high scale fraud he committed at the academy.<a name='more'></a>Okpo assumed office at the apex maritime academy in 2011 and he was running on his second term appointment given to him by president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.<br />A close source to the rector confirmed to Shipping Position Daily late Tuesday that, "he was preparing for a meeting with the minister when he had an heart attack and he was rushed to the hospital where he died".<br />The source also confirmed that Okpo has had a running battle with his health recently.<br />Against the backdrop of series of financial allegations levelled against the Rector, Ameachi was reported to be getting set to probe him and visit the academy.<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Rector was accused of mismanaging over N13bn given to the academy<br />over the past three years by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/man-oron-rector-joshua-okpo-is-dead" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/man-oron-rector-joshua-okpo-is-dead</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-52160047177621745182015-12-09T00:56:00.000-08:002015-12-09T00:56:01.120-08:00NPA Advocates Diversion Of Petroleum Vessels Out Of Lagos <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-0CGVwbCVIIfHKub1cXxE12uLxZrd8Tvb3b0vVVMaSijp4NauGZz-mlOxapsU2Q8-TLiTOcs_BTCfxcH5kc60AQGnmB-ZON3cRPZMqPzQa9MLvV94tC-uIRAs_qC2BjQlrznPyt-I4c/s1600/MD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-0CGVwbCVIIfHKub1cXxE12uLxZrd8Tvb3b0vVVMaSijp4NauGZz-mlOxapsU2Q8-TLiTOcs_BTCfxcH5kc60AQGnmB-ZON3cRPZMqPzQa9MLvV94tC-uIRAs_qC2BjQlrznPyt-I4c/s320/MD.jpg" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Nigerian Ports Authority has called on the Federal Government to consider ensuring that petroleum cargoes coming into Lagos State are diverted to other ports across the country because the State is already congested.<br />Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi made this call in Lagos on Monday while addressing members of Senate Committee on Marine Transport led by its Chairman, Senator Sanni Yerima during a stakeholders meeting in Lagos.<a name='more'></a>Abdullahi said that the initial design of the ports in Lagos was not to handle the quantity of cargoes they are forced to handle presently. He called for removal of the petroleum tank farms from Apapa.<br />The NPA boss called on the Senators to look into how the ports can be connected to the rail systems in order to ease traffic, while also ensuring that petroleum products are circulated in the country through the use of pipelines and barges.<br />The NPA boss appealed that with the right policies and legislation, vessels would be stemmed to other neighbouring ports within the country, in order to curtail activities of petroleum tanker drivers, as well as the petroleum tank farms.<br />According to him, NPA is the most affected agencybecause a lot of man hours is being wasted on the roads.<br />"I want to appeal to this committee not to look at the transportation sector alone, but at other policies that affects the economy as well, especially the importation of petroleum products into the country"<br />"Must it be only Lagos, why can't we divert some vessels to other neighbouring ports, why can't we come up with new ideas like piping of these petroleum products, this will reduce a lot of vehicular movement around the ports", he stated.<br />He told the Senators that: "The port was built several years ago and anywhere there are port activities, there is huge economic and environmental effect. Apapa is now a commercial area with banks as well as other activities, the roads leading to the port now serve the West African sub region, because of the activities there is always congestion"<br />"You don't have to look at the roads alone, but at other factors, the rail transport and inter-modalism is very important, only if there is a connectivity with the rail system, the tankers would not be there"<br />He said that the transportation of petroleum products used to be done by railways but now tankers have taken away the use of the rails.<br />He said that the presence of tank farms is also contributing greatly to the traffic problems in Apapa.<br />Abdullahi charged the Federal Ministry of Works to fix the roads leading to the ports, arguing that it is their responsibility, even as he charged the Lagos State Government to ensure security of port users.<br />"I am happy the works ministry has owned up to their responsibility, it is their responsibility to take care of that road, it is also their responsibility of the Lagos government to provide security, and also the works to develop other connecting roads" he said<br />Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Amori Igboyota noted that the Apapa port is the dirtiest port in the world and that there is no sane investor that can come into such a choked environment.<br />He charged maritime stakeholders to make representations to the committee to work with.<br />Igboyota assured that the committee is ready to work and that it is not going to be business as usual.<br />The Acting Director General of NIMASA, Haruna Baba Jauro and the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr Hassan Bello also made presentations to the Senators.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/npa-advocates-diversion-of-petroleum-vessels-out-of-lagos" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/npa-advocates-diversion-of-petroleum-vessels-out-of-lagos</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-31327298570619489362015-12-08T00:59:00.000-08:002015-12-08T00:59:08.038-08:00N1.5billion Stalling Completion Of Tin Can Holding Bay ----Senate Committee <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKPURflivqaZ6GZzDcuUqgM4555cya_wk1ZTHtkHsAFWsz8DUIGqD_l6TPx4ic_ynkifjXV8RHRK2ce-dypNhI-B_Ba3gPvi-iQqg_uZWkHQiks5PHLOQOmqmGmIBFqG5TZRJ7Tvsvkg/s1600/PG+1+9TH+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIKPURflivqaZ6GZzDcuUqgM4555cya_wk1ZTHtkHsAFWsz8DUIGqD_l6TPx4ic_ynkifjXV8RHRK2ce-dypNhI-B_Ba3gPvi-iQqg_uZWkHQiks5PHLOQOmqmGmIBFqG5TZRJ7Tvsvkg/s400/PG+1+9TH+28.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">L-R: Senator Isiaka Adeleke former Governor of Osun State, General Manager Western Ports of NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi, Chairman Senate Committee on Works, Senator Kabiru Gaya and Chairman Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Ahmed Sanni Yerima during an on-the-spot assessment of the Tin Can port holding bay by the marine committee yesterday</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Four years after the project was slated to be delivered but it was not, the Chairman of Senate Committee on Marine Transport; Senator Sanni Yerima has revealed that the contract for the construction of the Second Liverpool Bridge and the 400-capacity truck bay was being delayed because of N1.5billion government being owed the contractor.<br />The contract was awarded by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Works to Messrs Borni Prono Construction Company in 2009 at the cost of N8.6 billion, to ease the traffic congestion around the Tin Can Port.<a name='more'></a>It was expected to have been completed within the first quarter of 2012. <br />Speaking during an on-the-spot assessment of the project yesterday, Yerima who was accompanied by Chairman Senate Committee on Works; Senator Kabiru Gaya and other top executives of the Nigerian Ports Authority vowed that the contractor will be paid immediately.<br />He said that the project is already 95 per cent completed.<br />Yerima assured that the Senate committee is committed to making sure that the traffic problems bedevilling the Apapa ports is solved in the shortest time.<br />"What we did was to go and see the problems for ourselves, we are holding a meeting with the stakeholders, listen to them to see how best we can solve these problems quickly"<br />"We are considering short term plan, medium term plan and the long term which is the final of making sure that these problems (traffic) never comes back again."<br />"We have seen the car parks they are doing for trailers, one of the members of the committee who is now the chairman of works committee; Senator Gaya from Kano, called the Ministry of Works and found out that the contractor has already done 95 per cent and all he needs is payment, he has N1.5billion to be paid"<br />"You will see what will happen, we will go and pursue and make sure that the payment is made so that the place can be completed and at least in the short term, it will reduce traffic by directing all the trucks parked in that place, we are really going to work, it is not like before." he assured.<br />Yerima assured that if the contractor is paid immediately, he will go and complete the work.<br />Also speaking, Chairman Senate Committee on Works, Senator Kabiru Gaya corroborated that the contractor; Messrs Borni Prono is owed N1.5billion and that government is going to release the money.<br />Gaya said that the project is important to ease the traffic experienced by port users along the Tin Can corridor.<br />Shipping Position Daily gathered that Borni Prono had already been paid N7bn, but had applied for an upward review of the cost.<br />The contractor cited an increase in the cost of materials, including the depreciation of the exchange rate of the Naira since 2009. <br />However, new agreement has been signed.<br />The truck bay is to serve as a transit point for trucks entering the Tin Can Island Port and the bridge is meant to take trailer traffic off the road into the seaport, freeing the thoroughfares for other road users.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/n15billion-stalling-completion-of-tin-can-holding-bay-senate-committee" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/n15billion-stalling-completion-of-tin-can-holding-bay-senate-committee</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-54635951884481005092015-12-07T02:05:00.001-08:002015-12-07T02:05:39.061-08:00CMA CGM Delmas Boss Throws Weight Behind CTN, Says It Will Help Nigeria <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHRc0p0FIE5sMoWLyuyWiTbOMadZJmTFNUP9zzmM5G4soGQj2QXF8Xxo5CbEnOTTLZWP6pCuUgXdpOj6fgcS7DX3IWAzvzIRcwLuc5i8Kx79KRqa3Wq0P0OXoYadfVULBUKCHsulPNic/s1600/PG+2+9TH+27.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRHRc0p0FIE5sMoWLyuyWiTbOMadZJmTFNUP9zzmM5G4soGQj2QXF8Xxo5CbEnOTTLZWP6pCuUgXdpOj6fgcS7DX3IWAzvzIRcwLuc5i8Kx79KRqa3Wq0P0OXoYadfVULBUKCHsulPNic/s400/PG+2+9TH+27.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head of Complaint Unit of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Fadipe Moses (3rd from right) and Managing Director, CMA CGM Apapa, Mr. Tadd Rives flanked by other officials of the Council and CMA CGM when the Shippers Council team visited the Shipping company in Lagos last week.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>…As Shippers’ Council sets to launch standard operating procedures at port</strong>The rank of stakeholders who have thrown their weights behind the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN) has swollen. It has been endorsed by the chief executive officer of CMA CGM Apapa Office, Mr. Todd Rives.<br />Endorsing the ICNT last week, Mr Rives categorically stated that the CTN, currently being implemented by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will help Nigeria by ensuring that there is a single cargo traffic data.<a name='more'></a>He said it will engender a single window system where all data will go directly to the custodian of the CTN, from where others can now cue in.<br />He gave the CTN endorsement when the Complaint Unit of the Shippers’ Council paid a courtesy call on CMA CGM Delmas in its Apapa office in Lagos. The team was led by Head of Complaints Unit; Mr. Fadipe Moses.<br />The delegation was at the carrier’s office to discuss the imminent launch of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to address the overlapping functions of government agencies in the maritime sector.<br />Team leader; Fadipe said that the SOP is designed to cut-off unnecessary delays caused by some agencies, which, according to him, is adding to port cost. <br />He said that the Council has asked all agencies to come up with their SOP, and added that these are already being harmonized by the Council and some experts.<br />In line with this, Fadipe said the Shippers Council complaint unit has already visited Grimaldi Shipping, Comet Shipping while it is set to visit Mersk Line and MSC shipping this week.<br />On the CTN, the CMA CGM Delmas boss; Todd Rives said that, by embracing CTN, a lot of problems associated with cargo manifest will be eliminated.<br />"Why are we having different agencies asking for different documents, there is need for every of the agency to link up on the same server and this is what is bringing out this ICTN, because the Nigerian authorities don't have cargo statistics"<br />"It will save us the stress of submitting manifest individually to agencies, it will be sent to NPA, NIMASA and Shippers Council on one single link-up"<br />"There should also be a single bill where a shipping company will know how much it would cost to bring in a vessel", he stated.<br />…Fadipe told his host that, already, the proposed SOP has been submitted to all agencies including; Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for fine-tuning and it is ready for launching.<br />"When it is launched, everybody gets it so that it will clear to everyone what it entails to clear cargo from the port. All parties that have stake in clearing will know their limits"<br />"This will put an end to delays in clearing cargoes at the port and we can now ascertain how much it will take to clear cargoes from the port, cargo duel time will be reduced"<br />"So far, 85% of the agencies have sent it back to us, immediately it is completed, it will be launched by all the agencies, so it is not a question of fostering it on anybody" he assured.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/cma-cgm-delmas-boss-throws-weight-behind-ctn-says-it-will-help-nigeria" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/cma-cgm-delmas-boss-throws-weight-behind-ctn-says-it-will-help-nigeria</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-6486508025393208562015-12-04T00:14:00.002-08:002015-12-04T00:47:23.068-08:00EFCC Arraigns Akpobolokemi, Ex-NIMASA DG And Nine Others For Alleged N1.153 Billion Scam<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-P4yAVZXUe7iYvgpz6Y8NeNyH-UJuZkJz-r9PuqSmEJBe0ZREBP7K8dvgdaWdrl3WH3HBrUFGoCIeIc0xSEvMQ3UpXWrGOHWHKU-XRXl-QOU4F3BgoMVh_WHrE_NAPGeSlmnJSlBDSEQ/s1600/PG+1+9TH+26+OK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-P4yAVZXUe7iYvgpz6Y8NeNyH-UJuZkJz-r9PuqSmEJBe0ZREBP7K8dvgdaWdrl3WH3HBrUFGoCIeIc0xSEvMQ3UpXWrGOHWHKU-XRXl-QOU4F3BgoMVh_WHrE_NAPGeSlmnJSlBDSEQ/s320/PG+1+9TH+26+OK.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission today December 3, 2015 arraigned a former Director General of
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Patrick Ziadeke
Akpobolokemi; and seven other staff of the agency including Captain Eziekiel
Agaba, Executive Director, and their two companies before Justice
Salihu Sa'idu of the Federal High Court Lagos on a 30- count charge bordering
on conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds and Money Laundering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Others are Ekene Nwakuche, Felix
Bob-Nabena, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Governor Amechee Juan, Ugo Frederick, Timi
Alari, Alkenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited </span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The accused persons allegedly
conspired to convert and launder several sums of money running into billions of
naira under the guise of providing security intelligence around the Maritime
domain.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A committee on intelligence was
established by the agency under the watch of Apobolokemi with the
second accused person, Captain Agaba as chairman. The committee allegedly
received a total sum of N1, 153,000,000 (One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty
Three Million Naira Only) between December 2013 to July 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In disbursing the sum, the accused
persons allegedly conspired and hired companies which investigation revealed
were neither registered nor have requisite capacity to provide such
services. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Investigation further disclosed that
most of the companies contracted were either nominated by the accused persons
or are directly owned by them</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One of the counts read, “that you
Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Captain Eziekiel Agaba, Ekene Nwakuche, Felix
Bob-Nabena, Captain Warredi Enisuoh, Governor Amechee Juan, Ugo Frederick,
Timi Alari, Alkenzo Limited and Penniel Engineering Services Limited on or
about 20th of December 2013 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court did
conspire among yourselves to commit an offence to wit; conversion of the sum
N1,153,000,000 (One Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Three Million Naira Only)
property of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency which sum was
derived from stealing and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 18a
of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable
under section 15 (3) of the same Act”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After listening to the charge, the
accused persons pleaded not guilty. Prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo prayed
the court to remand the accused person in prison and fix a date for trial.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Counsels representing the accused
persons: Joseph Nwobike SAN for the first and forth accused persons, Lanre
Olayinka for the second and ninth accused persons, Pascal Made for the third
accused person, C.A Nmarkwe for the fifth accused, Kayode Omoya for the eighth
accused, Ige Asemundara for the sixth accused and E.O Ogbebor for the seventh
and tenth accused persons filed bail applications praying the court to admit
their clients to bail</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In opposing the bail application for
the first accused person, Oyedepo filed a counter affidavit praying the
court not to grant the defendant’s application. He argued that the first
defendant had jumped the administrative bail granted to him by the Commission.
He further added that someone who could not honor administrative bail should
not be trusted to honour bail granted by the court.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Oyedepo also told the court to
refuse the bail applications of all the other accused persons based on the
severity of the proof of evidence before it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Justice Salihu however admitted the
first accused person to bail in the sum of N100,000, 000 and two sureties. One
of the sureties must have a landed property in either Lekki, Ikoyi or
Victoria Island. The other surety must be in either Federal of State government
employment not below the rank of Director.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The other accused persons were
granted bail in the sum of N50, 000,000 each with one surety in like sum. One
of the sureties must be in either Federal of State government employment not
below level 16 and the other must have a landed property within Lagos.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Justice Salihu adjourned the case to
January 29, 2016 for the commencement of trial and ordered that the accused
persons be remanded in Ikoyi prison pending perfection of their bail terms.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/efcc-arraigns-akpobolokemi-ex-nimasa-dg-and-nine-others-for-alleged-n1153-billion-scam" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/efcc-arraigns-akpobolokemi-ex-nimasa-dg-and-nine-others-for-alleged-n1153-billion-scam</a></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-86626737830610777532015-12-03T00:54:00.000-08:002015-12-03T00:54:56.009-08:00Customs Gives Dec.31 Deadline For Removal Of Abandoned PHCN’s Equipment From Ikorodu Terminal <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1WwKA7z7bN3nMIuyiHOADlmeu3HgOXDjLI2JqaxBIPEyqfcqBj3tChxOpGkEIoGPqijD7e_NVjnnfqWHMl8LkAuf5udE4MafHVjgTLFf4g4Vtm-TT-CmLWFY_h4Z8ZsEyUfcv3gRjkk/s1600/PH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1WwKA7z7bN3nMIuyiHOADlmeu3HgOXDjLI2JqaxBIPEyqfcqBj3tChxOpGkEIoGPqijD7e_NVjnnfqWHMl8LkAuf5udE4MafHVjgTLFf4g4Vtm-TT-CmLWFY_h4Z8ZsEyUfcv3gRjkk/s1600/PH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="156" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ1WwKA7z7bN3nMIuyiHOADlmeu3HgOXDjLI2JqaxBIPEyqfcqBj3tChxOpGkEIoGPqijD7e_NVjnnfqWHMl8LkAuf5udE4MafHVjgTLFf4g4Vtm-TT-CmLWFY_h4Z8ZsEyUfcv3gRjkk/s400/PH.jpg" width="400" /></a>Successor companies that took over assets and liabilities of the defunct PHCN must remove their abandoned imported electricity equipment from Ikorodu Lighter Terminal before end of this year or forfeit them to the Federal Government. <br />Assistant Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in charge of Zone A, Mr Eporwei Edike gave the ultimatum on Wednesday while on a visit to the terminal at Ikorodu, which the Nigeria Customs Service uses as its warehouse for overtime cargoes. <br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
He lamented that the electricity equipment imported by the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) had been left unclaimed at the terminal in Lagos for years. He consequently gave a December 31, 2015 deadline for the removal of the equipment.<br />``The relevant agencies must remove the overtime consignments before Dec. 31 or forfeit them to the Federal Government’’, he said. <br />Edike said that the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, had given the directives to decongest the terminal of overtime containers.<br />``It is incumbent on all officers, including myself, to support the C-G to achieve his policy thrust, anchored on transparency, honesty and integrity.’’<br />He said that the service had also reduced charges to enable the owners to clear the goods from the terminal.<br />``A lot of containers loaded with electricity equipment lying uncleared at the terminal belongs to the defunct PHCN. These containers were deployed there from the ports.<br />``We are pleading with them to come and take delivery of the goods and use them for the benefit of Nigerians,’’ Edike said.<br />He said that the Jigawa State Government had 50 containers of tricycles (Keke NAPEP) while 20 containers containing building equipment belong to the Delta State Government.<br />Edike also noted that the Area Controller of Ikorodu Lighter Terminal, Comptroller Nasir Ahmed, said that some of the containers were transferred to the terminal between 2011 and 2015.<br />He said that the service had also auctioned the goods to the owners, stressing that they refused to take them away from the terminal.<br />Ahmed, however, stressed the need for continuous training of officers at the terminal. <a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-gives-dec31-deadline-for-removal-of-abandoned-phcns-equipment-from-ikorodu" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-gives-dec31-deadline-for-removal-of-abandoned-phcns-equipment-from-ikorodu</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-65063857951050568062015-12-02T03:44:00.001-08:002015-12-02T03:44:18.501-08:00Shippers Advocate Scrapping Of SONCAP Certificate <div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTVmvQvQ0W00DPoYqPOiRUB13mv9vr9_-LPW0g1Tf7sxZVJXPYri1M0WtwCLq412kZK74bcvWeGjIbk6ckmcGgipCfOMTO4M68ry0xRCXacHB3xneMdjbw3S-21v5S2PokCYhbFvvt4I/s1600/Shippers-Council-NSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTVmvQvQ0W00DPoYqPOiRUB13mv9vr9_-LPW0g1Tf7sxZVJXPYri1M0WtwCLq412kZK74bcvWeGjIbk6ckmcGgipCfOMTO4M68ry0xRCXacHB3xneMdjbw3S-21v5S2PokCYhbFvvt4I/s1600/Shippers-Council-NSC.jpg" /></a></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS)
has called on the Federal Government to scrap the Standards Organization of
Nigeria Conformity Assessment Programme, also known as SONCAP, saying that it
not relevant for the assessment of goods imported into the country.<br />
<br />
The SONCAP is a product conformity scheme whose objective is to help ensure
that products exported to Nigeria meet minimum standard. This will help ensure
that Nigerian consumers are not exposed to potentially unsafe and sub-standard
goods.</span></div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
President of SAL; Reverend Jonathan Nicole made the call for the scrapping of
SONCAP in an exclusive chat with <b><i>Shipping Position Daily</i></b>
yesterday, in Lagos on the side line of an event put together by Portbizness
Communications Limited. <br />
<br />
According to him, SONCAP negates trade facilitation and creates unnecessary
delay in the clearance of consignment. <br />
<br />
The shippers’ association boss alleged that issues of the SONCAP certificate
have created bottlenecks in the ports operations, adding that procedure is
cumbersome and slows down efforts of importers to receive their consignments on
time. <br />
<br />
He added that the shippers will resist the issue of SONCAP certificate, even as
he stressed the need for government to intervene now. <br />
<br />
He further alleged that most shippers have lost their clients because of the
delay of SONCAP issuance certificate by the Standards organisation of Nigeria
(SON ). <br />
<br />
Nicole also alleged that SON charges N3500 for each certificate for 20-foot
container while N7000 is collected on 40-foot container ". <br />
<br />
"Scrapping of SONCAP certificate will make the bottleneck at the ports to
stop and we all know that it is not everybody that is computer literate at the
moment , therefore, in our own view we think that the SONCAP certificate is
unnecessary and we are calling on the government to scrap it"<br />
<br />
"When we talk of standards we want SON to go into our industry and get
themselves involved in the standards of goods produced in this country to meet
Nigerian standard"<br />
<br />
"We believe that SON was set up to regulate standard and it has left its
primary function ,it has intervened in the port system for finished goods and
not only that we are resisting the SONCAP now, because when you pay for SONCAP
it takes weeks before it gets to the importers" ,he alleged. <br />
<br />
He however blamed Nigerian government for trading with India and China, saying
that most of the sub-standard goods flooding Nigerian markets are from the two
countries.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/shippers-advocate-scrapping-of-soncap-certificate" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/shippers-advocate-scrapping-of-soncap-certificate</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-30440181130963550762015-12-01T00:29:00.002-08:002015-12-01T00:29:45.148-08:00SON Destroys N10bn Worth Of Substandard Goods <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DGUDSKg38t9sVf4TAHFGOg6LAqq7RR6PUgyIxQG-vt4lXjQdFlduJxv2idwPDUOLJuNEp7Cj8TcP59gvpL6Cd41gbZq1w8TdOLXDzh-4MG9m53QAn6lhe57BP4PUaE0fX-OwTu5RsMc/s1600/Roland+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8DGUDSKg38t9sVf4TAHFGOg6LAqq7RR6PUgyIxQG-vt4lXjQdFlduJxv2idwPDUOLJuNEp7Cj8TcP59gvpL6Cd41gbZq1w8TdOLXDzh-4MG9m53QAn6lhe57BP4PUaE0fX-OwTu5RsMc/s320/Roland+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deputy President of NAGAFF; Mr. Oluwole Adeyemi presenting the NAGAFF Fellow Certificate to the Director General, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON); Dr. Joseph Odumodu, while Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam (L) looks on during DG’s visit to NAGAFF village yesterday </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Director General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON); Dr. Joseph Odumodu said that the agency destroyed goods worth N10 billion in the last four years, even as he urged freight forwarding associations to collaborate with the agency to rid the country of sub-standard and fake goods. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Odumodu disclosed this yesterday during his official visit to the Headquarters of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos.<br />He said that the items were destroyed from 2011 to date.<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Acknowledging that SON is not an expert in maritime affairs, he said this necessitated his call for collaboration with relevant maritime group like NAGAFF with a view to synergising to put a stop to influx of substandard item into the country. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He noted that the government has mandated the agency to reduce the influx of substandard and fake goods to less than 15%, adding that with the support of the freight forwarding associations it will be achievable. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He told the freight forwarders that, "In the next few years we will reduce sub-standard product to 15 per cent.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"Now we are going through period of change. President Muhammadu Buhari was elected because of honesty and integrity.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I am pleading with you all to change from all ramifications because many people are dying day by day of cancer as a result of substandard goods coming into the country," he said.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He compelled freight forwarders to be part of the positive change, adding that they should all comply with the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Odumudu said "if people continue to do the wrong thing by failing to comply, then the organisation would continue in stopping containers on the road". <br />``You should all be part of the positive change by complying with the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform,’’ Odumodu warned.<br />He commended the Nigeria Customs Service for supporting the organisation.<br />In his remarks, Founder of NAGAFF Chief Boniface Aniebonam urged freight forwarders and clearing agents to collaborate with SON to reduce substandard products.<br />He said that seized containers should be checked and conveyed to SON’s base by the officials of the organisation instead of at check points. <br />``Enlightenment platforms and strategic processes can help in solving all the problems encountered during cargo importation as well as cargo clearance," Aniebonam said.<br />He stressed the need for continued campaign to remind agents on the actual time for moving out <br />On his part, the National Deputy President of NAGAFF, Mr Oluwole Adeyemi, said that trade could not be facilitated under a rigid and uncoordinated process and procedures.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Adeyemi said that there was need for implication, harmonisation and coordinating of activities to enable the organisation to blend with the era of e-commerce trade facilitation. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He commended the organisation on the e-Product Registration and e-Provision Clearance Certificate platform.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"We wish to advice that SON management to go further by creating a forum where our National officers and other members will be given proper training and sensitisation programme. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"This sensitisation will help our members in-depth understanding of the scheme, he said.<br />``We wish to advise SON management to go further by creating a forum where our national officers and other members will be given proper training and sensitisation programme. <br />``This sensitisation will help our members in depth understanding of the scheme," he added.<br />Also in attendance, President of National Council for Managing Director Licensed Custom Agent (NCMDLCA), Festus Ejiofor said the association would continue to support SON on its operations.<br />Ejiofor said NCMDLCA would comply with SON to ensure that containers were no longer stopped on the road. <a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/son-destroys-n10bn-worth-of-substandard-goods" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/son-destroys-n10bn-worth-of-substandard-goods</a></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-63264489775597836372015-11-26T00:31:00.002-08:002015-11-26T00:31:46.560-08:00ANLCA Makes U-Turn, Teams Up With NAGAFF To Okay Cargo Tracking Note Implementation <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaSlWRI3UeVb_iu8Yl-GJkcwcT_pkEWx5bJpj4Voa51ji9mFbOT6cv6oD6lidGTCiOn_DpeOaeAoVInuHXzPsgEQyHLTv9e8AiOInqd14VDMDhvWbbsMhbNOikSmsD5tJenJy6u7s7PY/s1600/PG+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaSlWRI3UeVb_iu8Yl-GJkcwcT_pkEWx5bJpj4Voa51ji9mFbOT6cv6oD6lidGTCiOn_DpeOaeAoVInuHXzPsgEQyHLTv9e8AiOInqd14VDMDhvWbbsMhbNOikSmsD5tJenJy6u7s7PY/s1600/PG+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGaSlWRI3UeVb_iu8Yl-GJkcwcT_pkEWx5bJpj4Voa51ji9mFbOT6cv6oD6lidGTCiOn_DpeOaeAoVInuHXzPsgEQyHLTv9e8AiOInqd14VDMDhvWbbsMhbNOikSmsD5tJenJy6u7s7PY/s320/PG+1.jpg" width="320" /></a>After weeks of sitting on the fence, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) yesterday openly declared its support for the implementation of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN).<br />In a joint press release with its sister association; the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, the ANCLA stated pointedly that, ‘’whoever is against ICTN has an ulterior motive and should be treated as enemy of trade facilitation, safety and security of the nation’’.<br />In the press release which was made available to Shipping Position Daily and was jointly signed by presidents of the two associations, namely: Prince Olayiwola Shittu (ANLCA) and Dr Eugene Nweke(NAGAFF) respectively, they concurred that ‘’the benefits of ICTN far outweigh its administrative costs.’’<br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
They consequently called on all ‘’well-meaning freight forwarders to support the Nigerian Shippers Council in this noble to add value to our international trade supply chain’’.<br />The two associations adduced 35 reasons to justify their support for ICTN, and also expressed confidence in the capacity of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to administer the scheme successfully.<br />They acknowledged that ICTN ‘’will act as a revenue booster to NCS, NIMASA, NPA, reduce the high incidences of manual process in the supply value chain’’ <br />According to both NAGAFF and ANLCA, ‘’with cargo status indicator, it will boost the operations of SON, NAFDAC, etc in line with providing adequate real time information of cargo owner, nature of cargo and address for the interventions by SON, NAFDAC, etc thereby, facilitating the reduction in the influx of substandard and counterfeit products into the country’’.<br />They noted that other benefits of ICTN, are that ‘’With its anti–theft device ability, it improves the confidence of the shipper, Terminal operators and carriers, as cargo/fleets management is enhanced, it will eliminate to the barest minimum the incidence of cargo dumping and diversion <br />They also agreed that ‘’overtime, it will generate enough revenue that will be ploughed back for the development of the port security system and infrastructure’’. <br />Eulogising the ICTN, both associations stressed that: ‘’In the case of perils at sea, ICTN records/information database will be apt in insurance salvage and general average reconciliations between the shipper, carrier and underwriter’’.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/anlca-makes-u-turn-teams-up-with-nagaff-to-okay-cargo-tracking-note-implementation" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/anlca-makes-u-turn-teams-up-with-nagaff-to-okay-cargo-tracking-note-implementation</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-18822566836237131502015-11-25T00:55:00.003-08:002015-11-25T00:55:49.002-08:00Apapa Customs Intercept 576kg Of Hard Drugs At APM Terminal, Apapa Port <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlu_9huGspB70H5r7Fbs-y3COQVoTPhK0vbYlIyVMTkaVwXzgTYePMD9pz7GJ7eY5Ae60eaVMp-dF7b6l-ZLuZinW4q_mEFOCX7M75q7ecPcmCf-zt0gkqkZACu9IZhtfjoMTvlrT-PQE/s1600/PG+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlu_9huGspB70H5r7Fbs-y3COQVoTPhK0vbYlIyVMTkaVwXzgTYePMD9pz7GJ7eY5Ae60eaVMp-dF7b6l-ZLuZinW4q_mEFOCX7M75q7ecPcmCf-zt0gkqkZACu9IZhtfjoMTvlrT-PQE/s400/PG+1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">One out of
the ten containers of hard drugs intercepted by the Apapa Command of Nigeria
Customs Service which was displayed in Apapa yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted 576kg of drugs concealed inside 10 containers of food items that were destined for South Africa, but transiting through the APM terminals in Apapa.<br />The customs said the containers were intercepted based on intelligence report received from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). One person has also been apprehended in connection with the seizure.<br />The drugs; Ephedrine and Amphetamine were loaded inside 17 jerry cans and distributed into 10 containers carrying foodstuff including such as gari, beans and cartons of indomie noodles.<br />On examination, one of the containers with number PCIU10548616 was discovered with the harmful drugs.<a name='more'></a>Zonal Coordinator, Zone 'A' of Customs, Compt Charles Edike was at the examination area of the APMT yesterday to inspect the seized drugs as part of his working visit to all commands under his zone.<br />Even though he could not give the street value of the drugs, Edike disclosed that the drugs were detected as a result of synergy between Customs and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).<br />He assured that customs have so far examined three out of the 10 containers properly and out of the three, drugs were found in one. He assured that investigations into the remaining seven containers are on-going.<br />The zonal coordinator attributed the synergy playing out between the Customs and NDLEA to the recent visit of the Customs Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) to all relevant agencies and the call on them to work together. <br />The customs boss also assured that the containers will be handed over to the NDLEA in a manner approved by the board of the customs.<br />"Among the foodstuffs, 17 jerry cans were hidden inside containing white substances, they were concealed, but immediately, with their expertise officers were able to suspect that they were hard drugs"<br />"We will continue with the examination because as of now it is inconclusive, we still have seven containers to examine, by the time we finish, we will know if there were drugs in them"<br />"For us in customs we don't work alone, we work with partner-agencies. The command has in the past handed over containers seized to relevant agencies in the port", he stated.<br />Edike appreciated NDLEA for supplying intelligence on the containers to the customs and for its officials cooperating with customs.<br />"There was an arrest, things like this there must be defendants, somebody drove it to the port, it is not an abandoned container, it belongs to a shipping company, a truck brought it to the port, so there is enough lead to arrest and the defendant is at hand".<br />Also speaking on the seizure, Commander of Apapa Special Area Command of NDLEA; Mrs Titus Awogbuyi Joyce said one person has been arrested in connection with the seizure and investigation is still on-going<br />She said that this is enough lead for the agency to go after the shipping company and the syndicate behind the export.<br />"We have one arrest for now, he will give us further leads into the syndicate, investigation is still on-going"<br />"Our own is to arrest and prosecute, the onus is on the judiciary to apportion punishment as appropriate, so if the judge deems it right to give life imprisonment, so be it", she told journalsits.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/apapa-customs-intercept-576kg-of-hard-drugs-at-apm-terminal-apapa-port-0" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/apapa-customs-intercept-576kg-of-hard-drugs-at-apm-terminal-apapa-port-0</a><br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-33769559080184643682015-11-10T05:29:00.002-08:002015-11-10T05:29:53.756-08:00Customs Set To Replace Obsolete Scanners At Ports <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" /></a><strong>•As Comptroller Edike Steps Out Gwani Steps In Apapa Area Controller</strong><br /> The Nigeria Customs Service have said that it is working assiduously to ensure that the obsolete scanning machines at the Nigerian ports and border stations are replaced and working.<br />Acting Zonal Coordinator Zone A of Customs, Compt Charles Edike stated this in a chat with members of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos yesterday<br />Before his recent promotion as Acting Zonal Coordinator Zone 'A’, Edike had held sway at the Apapa Command of Customs as its controller. He officially handed over yesterday to the most senior Deputy Controller at the command; Gwani Maitizumahs.</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
While handing over the newly acting controller of the command, the out going controller Charles Edike urged the new controller, DC Gwani Maitizumahs to keep the command's flag flying until the Customs boss appoint a substantive area controller. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Edike said it is the Comptroller General of Customs that can appoint a substantive area controller, but added that the oldest promoted deputy controller will hold forth in acting capacity. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I don't have the power to appoint an acting controller, I don't have the power to appoint a controller and it is the CGC that has the power to do that "</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also urged all the deputy controllers never to follow illegal advice, even as he appealed to the acting controller to work with the Assistant and Deputy Controllers as a team. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The new Acting Assistant Comptroller General of the Charles Edike also recalled that he was posted to the command in May 2013 and that he has been asked to move to the zonal headquarters of the service to act as the coordinator.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"I am to hand over the command to the most senior DC which was the instruction given to me"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
He also advised the command 's officers to see themselves as potential Comptroller General, urging them further to be focus and upright in discharging their duties. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Edike appealed to the officers of the command to assist the new acting controller to achieve success in trade facilitation, adding that an importers or agents that failed to comply with trade facilitation should pay dearly for it. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
The Acting ACG reiterated that any attempt by the officers to delay importers or agents documents may hamper trade facilitation pointing out that the Apapa command is mostly preferred by operators to other ports, which he also described as the hallmark of all commands in Nigeria. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Edike said as a premier port,"Apapa command is preferred to other commands because of our attitude to work"</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
According to him, structure put in place has made the work to go on smoothly either the controller is around urging officer to be transparent in discharging their duties. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
"All that we have taught you all should be dear to heart, please ensure to be diligent and make sure that all the memos we released to you are dear to you”, he added.<br />Speaking with the maritime reporters after the handing over ceremony, he assured that the Customs Comptroller General, Col Ali Hameed is already in consultation with some groups in the bid to replace the obsolete scanners with modern ones.<br />He lamented that customs had inherited deteriorated scanning machines from the service providers and that it was difficult for customs to get the scanners working. Edike said it was only the service providers that can get the old scanners to work again because customs does not have any agreement with the manufacturers.<br />"The CGC is already discussing on acquiring new scanners with some people and I am sure that in a short while all of that will be sorted out"<br />"When the service providers were leaving, they gave us rotten scanners, they were bad, customs does not have any agreement with the manufacturers, it was the service providers that have agreement with them, and so customs was not able meet the manufacturers to come and do the servicing"<br />"In servicing, there is grade 1,2,3, we can do grade one and two, but the highest grade must be done by the manufacturers, but currently efforts are being made to get all the scanners in place"<br />"I must also let you know that the current CGC has done so much to get these scanners back to work".<br />Edike told the journalists that power has been restored back to the various zones of the customs, even as he reiterated that the CGC; Ali will be holding each coordinators of zones responsible for any anomaly at the commands under them.<br />He appealed to clearing agents and importers for supports and maximum compliance in order to avoid their cargoes being delayed at the ports.<br />"Incidentally the CGC has just said that everything that the zone was doing before will be done, he even said that if revenue falls in any command the zonal coordinator will be held responsible"<br />Addressing officers of the Apapa Command during his handing over ceremony, Edike enjoined the officers to act in a way and manner approved by the board of customs.<br />He warned that no officer must hold on to documents unnecessarily to seek gratification, he said that when documents are delayed, it must have genuine reasons.<br />He solicited supports for the new CAC, tasking the officer to continue facilitating trade.<br />"Nobody should hold anybody's papers unnecessarily, only if there is an official reason, otherwise you must let it go, if not, such an officer will be holding down Nigeria and when people pray in the Mosque or Church against the enemy of Nigeria, such officer will be involved"<br />"When there is trade it is better for the country, the economy becomes better and improved, it gives the country a solid economic base, when you deny Nigeria this, when they pray against the enemies of Nigeria you will be affected too"<br />"All we want to do is to encourage trade, expand trade, but we would also not sacrifice government revenue at the altar of trade facilitation, to agents and importers, please give us compliance and we will give you trade facilitation, once you are compliant and anybody aske you otherwise, let us know" he said.<br />He said every officer that worked with integrity could rise to the highest level of the service.<br />``All the turnaround that happened here was with your support. Therefore, hold dearly those things we taught you and work to facilitate trade.<br />``Do your assignment in the manner approved by the Board, which is the only way for you to go up further.<br />``This is a government of change, so, you will remain on board when you change for the better.<br />``You will be pushed off the board if you are discovered to be otherwise as the days of impunity are gone, ‘’ he said.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-set-to-replace-obsolete-scanners-at-ports" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/customs-set-to-replace-obsolete-scanners-at-ports</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-30318296868110161762015-11-05T01:13:00.003-08:002015-11-05T01:13:33.573-08:00NASS Announces Chair Of Maritime Sector Committees <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4eRMP3k_CukQ2bnE3dKnzvl6MEyZq7QD83jTQ1_ki_TWcIKQ2js9Wzp82Fn7xKKVNw3f5YLFPSi_7gFpx5ab8NR61wO4XXPBu_tVhqMeuGAcxr4KwKS0SKwUEMYmUJwvEgwNXFrLLSw/s1600/National.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4eRMP3k_CukQ2bnE3dKnzvl6MEyZq7QD83jTQ1_ki_TWcIKQ2js9Wzp82Fn7xKKVNw3f5YLFPSi_7gFpx5ab8NR61wO4XXPBu_tVhqMeuGAcxr4KwKS0SKwUEMYmUJwvEgwNXFrLLSw/s1600/National.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4eRMP3k_CukQ2bnE3dKnzvl6MEyZq7QD83jTQ1_ki_TWcIKQ2js9Wzp82Fn7xKKVNw3f5YLFPSi_7gFpx5ab8NR61wO4XXPBu_tVhqMeuGAcxr4KwKS0SKwUEMYmUJwvEgwNXFrLLSw/s320/National.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong>...Reps Splits Marine Transport Committee Into Two</strong><br />The long wait on the National Assembly for names of the members of the marine transport committee of both the Senate and the House of Representatives ended yesterday.<br />While the lower chamber had earlier announced chairmen of its various statutory committees, the Senate President also yesterday unfolded the headships of the Upper Chamber’s committee.<br />The Marine Transport Committee of the Senate is headed by former Governor of Zamfara State; Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima. Members of the committees were not immediately announced. <br />
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
However, as scooped by Shipping Position Daily recently, the House of Reps has split the marine transport committee into two, namely: Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways, and Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration.<br />The Committee on Ports, Harbours and Waterways is chaired by Patrick Asadu, while the committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has Mohammed Umar Bago as its chairman.<br />Our correspondent confirmed that, the leadership of the House, especially its Speaker; Yakubu Dogara was prevailed upon to increase the number its committees from 84 to 95.<br />One of the beneficiaries of the increase is the House committee on Marine Transport which was created in 1999.<br />By the new arrangement, the Ports, Harbour and Waterways committee will oversee agencies such as: Nigerian Ports Authourity, National Inland Waterways Authourity and Nigerian Shippers’ Council. <br />Similarly, the Maritime, Safety, Education and Administration Committee will superintend the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/nass-announces-chair-of-maritime-sector-committees" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/main-news/nass-announces-chair-of-maritime-sector-committees</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4371715456312280262.post-36420033267799542862015-11-02T01:32:00.000-08:002015-11-02T01:32:10.902-08:00TSUNAMI IN CUSTOMS: “We Were Forced To Resign”- Retired Customs DCG <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjRzdDWIhSqwLt97ELJdnMRzwPhH25-RyTM_iDjfLevWEcrUp0FaN15Z31rAvx2mxsjCug_RbrEouZ_quT6pvuHxT7IoO4ASyosKkcRQJQlLpHFNo3WFuRb6JSHILAoxd3uHxmTEnMHI/s1600/customs-logo.png" /></a>One of the five Deputy Controllers-General of Customs who reportedly voluntarily retired from Service last week, has opened up on the circumstances that led to their controversial exit. He told Shipping Position Daily exclusively that, contrary to the widely- circulated belief that they voluntarily exited from the service, he and his colleagues were ‘forced’ to resign. <br />Speaking on condition of anonymity, the ex-DCG confirmed that he and others had been under intense pressure since Col Hameed Ali (rtd) was appointed as the Comptroller General of Customs by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 27, 2015.</div>
<a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: justify;">
Shipping Position Daily recalls that, in a manner unprecedented in the history of the Nigeria Customs Service, the five DCGs jointly announced their resignation in a terse letter dated October 29, 2015 titled “Voluntary Retirement” and addressed to the Chairman of the Customs Board.<br />The letter was signed by: Atte, A.J, Musa T.A, Mera I.M, Nwosu A.C, and Adewuyi A.A.<br />In the letter which our source (the retired DCG) confirmed as borne out of provocation, the ex-DCGs wrote that: <br />“We the underlisted officers currently on the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General met today, 29 October 2015 and unanimously agreed to voluntarily retire from the service of the Nigerian Customs Service having risen to the privileged rank of Deputy Comptroller-General.<br />Although, no official reason was given for their action, the ex-DCG told one of our correspondents via the telephone that: “With due respect to the CG, it was difficult and humiliating working under him. We knew it would get to this, but we took the best option under the circumstances”.<br />He hinted that their (ex-DCGs) soft landing came after they had been subjected to all manners of humiliation, including being given assignments that were belittling to their ranks as DCGs.<br />The retired DCG said pointedly that, while it may be true that they didn’t like the approach of the Customs CG, it is absolutely untrue that, their resignation was in protest.<br />He added that all the affected senior management officers were scheduled to proceed on their annual leave between November and December, but added that their retirement was both pre-emptive and an ambush. “I confirm to you that our annual leave had been approved by the CG”. <br />It’s public service, we were working with him(CG), even though some of us had our doubts about the long term effect of the development for the Nigeria Customs Service”, he told Shipping Position Daily last Friday.<br />His disclosure coincided with the announcement of the retirement of another set of 28 senior officers, three of whom were of the rank of Assistant Comptroller General.<br />They are all expected to leave this week.<br />The affected ACGs are: Madu Mohammed, Secretary to the Nigeria Customs Board; Victor Gbemudu, Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘A’; and Bello Liman, Assistant Comptroller-General, (Headquarters).<br />The affected Comptrollers currently serve in Customs Headquarters, Zonal Offices and various Area Commands.<br />According to the statement which announced their retirement, the latest action was part of measures to kick-start the repositioning of the Service for improved performance.<a href="http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/tsunami-customs-%E2%80%9Cwe-were-forced-resign%E2%80%9D-retired-customs-dcg" target="_blank">http://shippingposition.com.ng/article/tsunami-customs-%E2%80%9Cwe-were-forced-resign%E2%80%9D-retired-customs-dcg</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05412036819946388108noreply@blogger.com0