MARITIME THIS WEEK: Recap of News, Events

MONDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2020

Abiodun OBA

ANLCA, House of Commotion

On November 25, 2019, Tony Iju Nwabunike, the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), took a bold step to resolve the protracted succession war in the Henry Njoku-led Board of Trustees (BOT) which plunged the association into a needless crisis.

To douse the raging inferno that threatened to consume the association, Nwabunike prevailed on members of the National Executive Committee (NECOM), to recall some Executive members, chapter executives and committee members who were sacked at the NEC meeting of the association on December 17, 2018 in Abuja.

That singular courageous move by Nwabunike, widely hailed by members who were already battle weary, pulled ANLCA from the precipice and restored sanity to the association after over a year of drunken dancing steps.

It also gave Nwabunike the respite from the confrontation by the warring BOT and restored the needed peace that had so long eluded the association.

But no sooner had Nwabunike begun to savour the hard – earned peace that he wanted to use to launch the association into greater height than another crisis broke out.

This fresh crisis, which has blown off the fragile peace in the association, is hybrid and complicated.

We fear that it may deal a deadlier blow to the fragility of the group.

POF will upgrade status of Nigerian Freight agents — NAFFAC boss.

President General of NAFFAC, Prince Adeyinka Bakare

A member of the Governing Council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), and President General of the National Association of Freight Forwarders and Air Consolidators (NAFFAC), Dr. Bakare Adeyinka has said that payment of the controversial Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) will help to upgrade the standard of Nigerian Freight Forwarders.

Adeyinka who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos at the weekend said the fee would enable the Council to carry out international training for the freight agents.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 18, 2020

Portharcourt – Maiduguri railway, Transport ministry seeks rehabilitation approval

The Ministry of Transportation is seeking President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the rehabilitation of the Portharcourt – Maiduguri narrow gauge.

Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, told newsmen in Abuja that while waiting to get the loan to construct the standard gauge, it would be easier to commence rehabilitation of the narrow-gauge lines.

The President had earlier given approval for the construction of the standard gauge, the seaport in Bonny and Portharcourt industrial park.

Amaechi said: “If we start pursuing the money to construct Portharcourt-Maiduguri now in case of loan, we may not get the loan easily.

“So why not give us permission to do two things at the same time. While looking for the money for the standard gauge, allow us to rehabilitate the narrow gauge.

One shot, two vehicles destroyed as smugglers attack Ogun Customs

The Ogun 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said suspected smugglers on Monday afternoon attacked its officers and men on operation

This is contained in a press statement made available to the public by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Abdullahi Maiwada.

The statement said that the officers and men of the command with support of Nigerian Army personnel on a tip off busted a hide-out where smugglers stockpiled smuggled rice and other prohibited items.

It stated further that while the operatives with the help of some youth in the community were trying to evacuate the stockpiled rice, the criminals shot at the officers.

Court orders arrest of former Customs boss, Dikko

A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Inde Dikko over his continued failure to attend court proceedings.

Dikko is to answer to a charge of fraud brought against him and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, while ordering Dikko’s arrest today, noted that his lawyer, Solomon Akuma (SAN) who, on the last adjourned date, undertook to ensure that his client attends court today, only turned around to present a medical report, claiming Dikko was critically ill and on admission in London.

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2020

ANLCA calls for probe of past dredging contracts of Calabar port

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Tuesday called for probe of all past and present contractors handling the failed dredging of Calabar port in Cross River state.

The National President of the association, Tony Iju Nwabunike made the call in Lagos during interactive session with journalists.

He maintained that the two seaports in Lagos have been overstretched hence the need to revamp the eastern ports and put them to optimum use.

Speaking further, he described Calabar seaport as critical to the nation’s economy, with routes linking Ebonyi, Benue states respectively, down to all the northern states of the country.

NIMASA Unveils High-Tech Registration Certificate for Online Ship Registration

In a bid to having a world-class Ship Registry and enhance the Ease of Doing Business in the maritime sector, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has concluded plans to set up an automated ship registration process through online and electronic procedure.

The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, stated this recently in Lagos at an interactive session with shipowners.

The forum discussed how to improve the quality of the Nigerian Ship Register, with stakeholders promising to support the initiative. They specifically pledged to fund the ship registration automation process.

Dakuku told the stakeholders that the Agency had acquired software licence for the automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry, which is rated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as the second largest in Africa, by tonnage, after Liberia, and 46th in the world.

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 20

Hard Times Await Sea-Robbers as FG Set to Enforce Anti-Piracy Law

Hard times await criminals operating on the Nigerian territorial waters as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) fine-tuned the implementation of the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019 to fight maritime crimes to stand still on the nation’s territorial waters.

This was even as the two government agencies decried the high rate of piracy, armed robbery at nation’s sea and other maritime crimes on Nigerian waters.

Speaking at the 9th Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges with the theme: “Supressing Of Piracy And Other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act 2019: Keys To Accelerating and Secure Shipping,” the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside said with the world’s waters accounting over 80 per cent of transportation requirements in the global trading supply chain network across established international routes and trade lanes, the threats of piracy, armed robbery at sea and other maritime crimes have been an issue of global concern.

POF Collection, Nwabunike Reiterates Support

The National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike had reiterated the group support for Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) collection by the Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).

He made this known during a chat in Lagos and said the reason for the support was as a result of the incentives they would get in return for investments made in terms of members payment of POF.

Nwabunike also explained that aside percentages, other reasons are that their members would be trained, as well as insurance and welfare of members are assured.

He also noted that in time past, it wasn’t so because there was never a return on investment on every payment made in the line of duties as it’s obtainable with the present POF collection.

Nwabunike pointed out that they will go against it if any money is not receipted.

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 21

By year 2050, plastics in oceans will outweigh fish – NIMASA DG

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside yesterday, said a report by the World Economic Forum projects that by the year 2050, plastics in the oceans will outweigh fish if not mitigated.

Peterside who stated this at the launch of the maritime action plan on marine litter and plastic management in Nigeria, cautioned against indiscriminate dumping of plastics saying marine litter and plastic pollution are threat to economic activities and safe navigation.

Dakuku lamented that Nigeria is among top 20 nations that contribute 83 percent of total volume of land-based plastic waste that ends up in the oceans/seas.

According to him, the United Nations Environment Programme -Global Programme Action (UNEP-GPA)/ NIMASA report ) has estimated that over 200,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste from land-based sources in Nigeria, is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean each year.

Comptroller Peters takes over at Western Marine Command; seeks information sharing.

As Comptroller Olugboyega Peters took over the mantle of leadership of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, he has called for information sharing to be able to carry out his new assignment successfully.

Comptroller Peter while taking over from the outgoing CAC, Comptroller Boyiliya Binga on Thursday at the command, affirmed the readiness of the command to block all avenues that would enhance improved customs operations at the sea ports and land borders.

He affirmed to consult the outgoing controller whenever the need arises in addressing issues bothering on smuggling at sea.