Maritime This Week: Recap of News and Events

MONDAY DECEMBER 9, 2019

Edited by Abiodun OBA |

This medium started the week with an editorial opinion captioned “Nwabunike Peace Move: Pulling ANLCA From Precipice of Disaster”

Penultimate Monday, the National Executive Council of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), at the prompting of Tony Nwabunike, the President of the Association, recalled all suspended national leaders of the association.

The suspended leaders, who included Chapter Chairmen, Committee members and Zonal Coordinator, all in the Western Zone of the association, were hammered at the NEC meeting of the association in December, 2018 as a fall out of the crisis in the Board of Trustees of the Association.

Since then, the association had not known peace.

National Assembly commends FG over rail projects in Nigeria
– a 3-year project achieved within two

The National Assembly had commended the Federal Government for its revolutionary drive in the railway sector.

This was made known by the Joint Committee on Land Transport made up of the Upper and Lower Chambers of the National Assembly during their oversight inspection of the Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge rail line on Saturday.

The lawmakers assured Nigerians of their total support to the President Muhammadu Buhari led government.

TUESDAY DEC 10

Only Automation Can Stop Corruption at Seaport – Shippers’ Council

The Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) has said that it is working tirelessly to ensure that the port systems are automated to curb corruption.

This was disclosed yesterday after a sensitization rally between the council and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in celebrating international anti-corruption day tagged- “Zero Tolerance for Corruption in the Maritime and Transport Sector,” held in Lagos.

Speaking at the sensitization rally, the Director, Special Duties, Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Samuel Vongtau, said the council is working tirelessly to ensure automation of the port system.

According to him, the Shippers council has been fighting corruption at the seaports with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).

Robbers Attack Maerskline MD, Kill Wife in Lagos

The Managing Director, Maersk Nigeria, Gildas Tohouo, was on Sunday night attacked and the wife killed by suspected armed robbers.

The husband who is a Cameroonian was stabbed in the neck by the assailant why the wife was killed.

It was gathered that some of the domestic workers of Tohouo planned the attack in which the wife of the shipping expert was killed.

Both Tohouo and his wife are foreigners living in Nigeria. While the man is from Cameroon, the late wife was from Bulgaria.

The late woman was said to have been forced to transfer some money to her attackers after which she was forced to drink acid and suffocated with a pillow.

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 11, 2019

Customs impounds sex enhancement drugs worth N914.8 million

The Sokoto Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Tuesday said it intercepted 640 cartons of dangerous and unapproved sex enhancement drugs with the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N914.8 million.

This was contained in the command’s press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the command, Magaji Mailafiya,

He said that the drugs also known as “lady killer or AK47” were arrested following a tip-off along Illela-Kware road on the 24th of November.

The statement further enjoined Nigerians to cooperate with its operatives for the socio-economic growth of the country.

PPPRA in strong partnership with NIMASA to address challenges on waterways

Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), has a strong partnership with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and would continue to work towards addressing the challenges on the waterways.

The General Manager, Gas and Renewable Energy, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency Mr Olasupo Agbaje, stated this at an interactive retreat on understanding the dynamics of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to Agbaje, the focus will be more on challenges affecting petroleum products supply.

“We have a strong relationship with NIMASA, but piracy goes beyond relationship; it is a criminal thing.

“You have them operating on their own will. Once there is any disruption, NIMASA would do what it had to do.

THURSDAY DECEMBER 12, 2019

Dakuku Reads Riot Act to staff on covert corruption

The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside had read the riot Act to members of staff who have formed the habit of delaying proposals, documents, and others within the agency.

He warned those engaging in deliberately delaying stakeholders’ documents for gratification to stop the acts of corruption.

Peterside gave this warning during the week on the occasion of the 2019 World Anti-corruption Day organized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 2019

Container broaching: MWUN blames scourge on failure of NIMASA to issue biometric ID cards … sets to petition FG

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has blamed the vandalization of containers in the port on the failure of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to issue biometric Identity Cards to Dockworkers and seaman branches of the union.

As a result, the union may petition the ministers of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige and his counterpart in Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi over the matter.

The biometric Identity card was last issued in 2014 but is yet to be renewed five years after.

Lack of identity cards has been adduced to the reason dockworkers could not identify those who are registered at the seaports, even as the apex maritime regulatory agency has been accused as the major reason behind the broaching of containers at the terminals.

FG grants visa-free regime to Africans visiting Nigeria from 2020

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said the Federal Government has approved that all Africans could come to Nigeria without Visa from January 2020.

The Comptroller General, NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, disclosed this at the inauguration of the Africa–Frontex Intelligence Community (AFIC) on Wednesday in Abuja.

European border and Coast guard Agency also known as Frontex is an agency of European Union (EU) tasked with border control of the European Schengen Area, in coordination with border and coast guard of Schengen area member states.

“The announcement would be made soon by the President of the Federation.

Cabotage fund disbursement gets FG nod

At last, the federal government has given its nod over the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to indigenous shipping owners.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Transportation, Hon Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi Thursday night on the occasion of the Stakeholders Appreciation Night put up by the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) in Lagos.

The Minister informed stakeholders in the industry that the disbursement process of the fund put at about $200million will begin next Tuesday.

Unions condemn attack on NPA MD, Usman … Mazeli bags honorary award

Both the senior and junior staff unions of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have condemned the recent attacks on the Managing Director of the agency, Hadiza Bala Usman at the National Assembly.

The two unions, NPA branch of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Senior Staff Association of Corporations and Government Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Maritime branch have said they will soon make public their stand on the controversial Secure Anchorage Area (SAA).

The two unions who lauded the current leadership of NPA under Usman added that its decisions should not be linked with politics.

President, NPA branch of MWUN, Comrade Ifeanyi Mazeli who made this known during the week when he was receiving an award for his contributions to the development of the sector and humanitarian affairs.