Maritime Workers To Shut Ports Over Unpaid Salaries --Union

• MD, NPA; Alhaji Habib Abdulahi and • PG, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria; Comrade Tony Nted Emmanuel

•It’s Because Of TSA, We’ll Pay Next Week ---   NPA

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) yesterday threatened to shut down all the nation’s seaports on Friday, if the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) failed to pay six months outstanding salary arrears to its members.
The President-General of the union, Comrade Tony Nted Emmanuel, gave the threat in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Nted said the workers, including tally clerks and on-board security men were aggrieved over the unpaid salaries.

AS WORK RESUMES TODAY: Truck Owners Say Can’t Guarantee Free Flow Of Traffic On Roads Leading To Lagos Ports, Until…

General Manager; Western Ports of the Nigerian Ports Authority ; Chief Michael Ajayi  ( M) with the Permanent Secretary Lagos State Ministry of Transport; Mr Sewedu Oluseyi Whenu; the General Manager Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA); Mr Bashir Braimah; and leaders of the  various truckers associations and other government officials after a  recent meeting  to further  find lasting solution to the face-off between the truckers and Lagos state government, at the conference room of NPA Western Ports.

Lagosians who ply the two major access roads into Lagos port and who have had to contend with debilitating traffic as result of the call-off of the strike earlier embarked upon by truck drivers may enjoy no respite, even as work resumes today.
This is because the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) has said that unless the Lagos State Government provides the necessary infrastructures such as holding bays for trucks, the traffic gridlock will continue to be a problem on the state highways and the ports access roads.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that motorists had a herculean task approaching Lagos ports last week when truck drivers took over the Apapa end of the Apapa –Oshodi expressway and the Ikorodu road for days, in what their associations described as being caught in the rush to beat the 9pm to 6 am deadline given them by the Lagos state government.

US Embassy Warns Of Likely Boko Haram Attack On Lagos Ports

•        Customs circulates  suspects picture, restricts movement into command

Following a security alert issued by the United States Embassy that members of the dreaded Boko Haram terrorist sect are planning an attack on the port, there has been an unusual increase in the level of security checks at all access to the ports.

‎This is even as the PTML Terminals has banned clearing agents and freight forwarders from seating idle within its terminal.

Ijaw Youths Fault NIMASA Probe Panel On Employment, Promotions

Say agency is on ethnic cleansing agenda

Ijaw youths from Niger Delta continued their attacks on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency. This time, the youths faulted the setting up of a probe panel by the to review all employments and promotions under Goodluck Jonathan administration.
They condemned recent decision to probe only the tenure of the immediate past Director General of NIMASA, Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi as the Director-General of the agency was suspicious.
The youths, under the aegis of the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, said the suspicion of the Niger Delta people was that the motive of the probe is to sack or unjustly demote employees of NIMASA who are of Niger Delta origin.

Unpaid Debts: AMCON Detains Oil Rig In Lagos

• Ship owners say abandoned rig accrues us$120,000 loss per day
 
Fresh indications have emerged that an oil rig; Oritsejolomi which has been abandoned for about two years on Nigerian waters at Marina Jetty may be losing about US$120,000 per day for sitting  idle.
Investigations by Shipping ?Position Daily revealed that the Nigeria-owned rig was impounded by the Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) as a result of debts owed a particular first generation bank (names withheld) by its owners.
Even though he could not give the exact amount accruable to the Nigeria Ports Authourity (NPA) daily, General Manager Public Affairs of NPA; Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu told our correspondent that the oil rig which has become a familiar sight in Marina,  pays some money to the agency every day it sits in the  waters.

At Last, Truck Drivers Shift Grounds, Agrees To Call Off Strike

•NPA appeals to terminal operators to waive demurrage

After almost two weeks of action, truck operators at Lagos seaports yesterday finally agreed to suspend their strike, go back to work and comply with the directive of the Lagos State Government on restriction of movement of their trucks.
A compromise was eventually reached with the truckers after a closed door stakeholders meeting held at the office of the General Manager Western Port of the Nigerian Ports Authority‎ (NPA); Chief Michael Ajayi.
Briefing press men at the end of the meeting, General Manager Public Affairs of NPA, Capt Iheanacho

EFCC Declares Importers Association Chairman; Okereke Wanted For Operating An Illegal Body

 Importers Association Chairman; Okereke

· Charges him  for running ilegal task force on small arms

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared the director general of the National Task Force to Combat Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunition, and Light Weapons, (NATFORCE) ; Chief  Emmanuel Osita Okereke, wanted for jumping bail.
Okereke, who is also the chairman of Importers Association and  former presidential aspirant under the platform of the Nigerian Liberation Party,  is being prosecuted by the EFCC on a six-count charge of impersonation, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.

TRUCK OWNERS, LASG FACE-OFF: NPA Talks Tough, Says Hauliers Deliberately Sabotaging Nigerian Ports

…As another Batch of 24 ships arrive at Lagos ports
After several failed efforts to get truck drivers who are currently on strike since last week, to go back, the Nigerian Ports Authority says it has realized that the truckers might be deliberately trying to sabotage Nigerian ports.
The NPA had intervened into the strike which began last week Tuesday after the Lagos State Government asked truck drivers to restrict their movements to between 9pm and 7am.
Speaking on our sister platform; Shipping Position Live on Star Fm 101.5 in Lagos yesterday, General Manager, Western Ports of the NPA, Chief Michael Ajayi alleged that the leadership of the truck drivers unions are unconcerned about investors losing their money to the strike action.

OJUELEGBA TRUCK TRAGEDY:

Court Remands Truck Owner In Prison Custody

An Ebute-Metta Chief Magistrates' Court has remanded Adeyanju Kilani, the owner of the articulated vehicle which fell of the bridge on Sept. 2, in prison custody.
The articulated vehicle carrying a 20ft container fell of the bridge and killed three people at Ojuelegba, Lagos.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Folashade Botoku, gave the ordered in Lagos on Tuesday.
Kilani, 50, was arraigned on a two-count charge of permitting his driver, one Wasiu Adeleke to drive without a valid driver's licence, MOT test and Road worthiness certificate.

Heads May Roll At NIMASA

FG Begins Review of Employment Under Former DG, Akpobolokemi  

 

The Federal Government has ordered that the Ministry of Transport should  commence immediate review of employments, placements and promotions embarked upon by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)  during the tenure of the immediate past Director General of the agency; Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi.  Akpobolokemi was appointed DG of NIMASA in 2010.
Confirming the development yesterday,  NIMASA’s deputy director, Public Relations; Hajia Lami Tumaka added

MAN Oron Rector; Joshua Okpo Begins Mop-Up Of Evidences Of Alleged Fraud At Academy

• Summons heads of affected departments
•Orders immediate demolition of illegal structures

Following Shipping Position Daily newspaper’s scoop last Monday about the petition against him, by the Oron Youths Movement (OYM), the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron; Mr Joshua Okpo has commenced frantic moves to wipe-off every trace of his alleged wrongdoings.
Shipping Position Daily confirmed authoritatively that panic, vengeance, and cover-up has set in at the Academy, and that the Rector has already summoned the deputy head of bursary (procurement) with an instruction to destroy all vouchers and memos that were mentioned and attached in the petition which was sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Engagement of Cargo Surveyors: MWUN Dares NPA

Union Says: Tally clerks must remain at ports

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) on Thursday said that it would not accept any decision by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to replace tally clerks with cargo surveyors at the ports.
President of the MWUN, Mr Tony Nted, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Nted said that while the tally clerks checked to ensure appropriate declaration of cargo at the ports to prevent avenues for revenue leakages, the cargo surveyor’s job was mainly to settle discrepancies when they arose.

FACE–OFF WITH LASG: Truck Drivers Abandon Trailers On Apapa-Oshodi Expressway

Many trucks were yesterday abandoned on the Apapa end of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway as the truck owners association ordered withdrawal of services in protest against the Lagos State Government order on restriction on trucks movements.
ShippingPosition Daily correspondent who visited the Tin Can Island Port and the Apapa Port yesterday‎ noticed that the trucks have already taken double lanes from Mile 2 to Tin Can Port and from Funsho Williams Avenue to the Apapa port.
Our correspondent also noticed that some of the drivers have started defecating openly on the expressway as a result of their passing the night in their trucks.

Nigerian Shippers Council to site dry port in Enugu

Enugu, Sept. 8, 2015 (NAN) The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello, says the council has received approval to construct a dry port in Enugu State.
Bello made the announcement in Enugu on Tuesday when he led the management team on a courtesy call on Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
The executive secretary said the depot, which is equivalent to a seaport, when built, with its ancillary services, would impact on the economy of the state.
He said that the council would also build a truck transit park to provide temporary rest locations where truck drivers could conveniently park their vehicles.

Importers, Freight Forwarders Accuse Customs Officers Of Aiding Arms Importation

 ...Wants Shippers Council To Commence CTN Immediately

Importers under the aegis of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN) and freight forwarders under the aegis of Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarders Association (CAFFA) have alleged that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service aid and abet importation of arms and ammunitions, as well as other dangerous items into Nigeria

At a joint press briefing in Lagos yesterday, the importers and freight forwarders after signing a Memorandum Of Understanding (MoU) alleged that eighty percent of customs officers are clearing agents, even as they called on the new Comptroller General of the Customs Service, Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) to investigate and prosecute such officers.

Oron Youths Drag Rector, MAN Oron; Joshua Okpo Before EFCC

•Rector MAN, Oron; Mr Joshua Okpo and EFCC Chairman; Ibrahim Lamorde

• 32-page petition details alleged  Multi-billion Naira serial award of phoney contracts by  Rector

Less than three weeks after his re-appointment was challenged by some interests groups, the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Orion in Akwa Ibom state; Mr Joshua Okpo has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of financial recklessness.
In a petition which was signed by President of the Oron Youth Movement (OYOM); Comrade Joseph Ekong Enam and the Secretary of the Movement, Comrade Victor Mpofor, the youths accused the Academy’s Rector of sundry award of contracts running into Billions of Naira to individual employees of the institution.

NAGAFF Kicks Against Appointment Of Customs CG; Hameed Alli

 Customs CG; Hameed Alli

‎...Says the service needs a professional, not politician   

 

‎The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has kicked against the recent appointment of Col. Hameed Alli (rtd) as the new Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service.
In a six-page press release sent to Shipping Position Daily on Wednesday and signed personally by its founder; Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the association described the appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari as political rather than professional.

FG Begins Probe Of NIMASA, Constitutes Verification Committee For Projects

The Federal Government may have commenced a subtle probe of all projects being undertaken by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Towards this, NIMASA’s supervisory Ministry of Transport has constituted a committee to carry out verification of all projects currently being executed by the agency.
The committee which has two weeks within which to conclude its assignment and report to the ministry is expected to visit the project sites of the Nigeria Maritime University, NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard, NIMASA Science and Technical College and permanent sites of the six Institutes of Maritime Studies in six Nigerian Universities amongst others.

Nigerian Shippers’ Council Flags-off Sensitisation of Freight Forwarders On CTN Thursday

Executive Secretary Nigerian Shippers Council; Mr Hassan Bello

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) is set to hold a sensitization seminar for stakeholders in the freight forwarding sector over the introduction of the International Cargo Tracking Note (ICTN)
A circular about the meeting which was cited by Shipping Position Daily indicated that the meeting is scheduled to take place on 3rd of September 2015 (Thursday) inside the training room of the Council headquarters in Apapa, Lagos
The letter with reference number: REF NSC/CSS/CM/006/VOL.1/362 stated tersely that‎, "We write to invite you to the above meeting scheduled to hold as follows: September 3rd, 2015 at NSC training room second floor by11am‎".