NIGERIA MARITIME THIS WEEK, A RECAP OF MAJOR STORIES

Abiodun OBA

MONDAY AUGUST 19
On Monday, the editorial opinion of nigeriamaritime360 focussed attention on the Return of Wharf Rats to Lagos Ports

According to the media house, one of the dark spots of pre-concession era of the Nigerian Ports was the activities of ‘Wharf rats’

‘Wharf rats’ is a notorious sobriquet used for the bunch of interlopers who gain access into the ports to pilfer and vandalise cargo, especially vehicles.

Before the 2006 port concession programme, their activities had assumed a dizzying height that there was hardly a day an incident of pilfering was not recorded.

However, the 2006 concession programme, which ceded the control of terminal operations to private business interests, seemed to have restored sanity to the ports.

The medium lamented however that unfortunately, 13 years down the line, the sanity and sanctity of the terminals have now been invaded as the notorious Wharf rats may have staged a comeback and therefore called on NPA to place strict access control on the common user areas at the ports while the terminal operators should review and tighten their respective access control mechanism into their facilities to make the resurgence of the activities of Wharf Rats at the ports a flash in the pan.

TUESDAY AUGUST 20

At last, NJIC signs new collective bargaining agreement for Nigerian Seafarers

The National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) on Tuesday signed the much awaited conditions of service and Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for Nigerian seafarers after eight years since the last one was reviewed.

Members of the National Joint Industrial Council NJIC chaired by Alhaji Gambo Ahmed 6th from left, at the signing of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement CBA. for seafarers in Lagos yesterday photo by Dapo Olawuni

The event took place at the corporate headquarters of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Apapa Lagos.

The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside on the occasion said the newly signed condition of service is a minimum standard in line with international standards and regulations.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 21

Buhari swears in Ministers

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday swore in new ministers to assist him in actualising his dream of taking the nation to the next level.

Ogun Govt inaugurates unified truck drivers association

Ogun state government through its transport union committee on Wednesday inaugurated a unified union for truck drivers in the state which will serve as a new platform for trucks and trailers drivers’ association at MTR hall, Abeokuta.

All associations within the trucks and drivers’ union have collapsed to become one and to be in charge of sales of tickets to generate revenue for the state government.

The new union is being formed to promote unity among the truck drivers, abolish the multiple ticketing and sale the unified revenue tickets for their union to generate more revenues for the state government.

The associations that collapsed are: Trucks Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN), New Era, UTQEN, First Nigeria Tippers Association and Trailers Drivers Association.

The new union interim executive is headed by Hon. Biodun Ajayi alongside each representative from the collapsed Unions which are Alh. Isiaka Ajetunmobi represents TOAN, Alh. Lateef Raheem represents New Era, Chief Babatunde Ajayi represents UTQEN, Chief Nureni Ogunshola represents First Nigeria Tipper while Alh. Quadri Alabede represents Trailer Driver’s Association.

The chairman of the state transport union committee, Barr. Sunday Adeniyi while swearing in the new executive admonished them to work in unison and look inward and outward in a legitimate way to generate more revenue for the state government.

THURSDAY AUGUST 22

MT Sea Voyager: Navy seeks integration into NPA’s Command, Communication System

The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been called upon to integrate the Nigerian Navy into its Command, Control and Communication Centre in order to assist the Navy in carrying out adequate protection of waterways and coordinate rescue for vessels in distress.

The Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji made the appeal in Lagos when the NPA Lagos Port Manager, Mrs Bola Olotu and her management team paid a courtesy call on the naval boss.

The appeal is coming on the heels of a recent fire incident onboard a tanker vessel; MT Sea Voyager that caught fire while it was off Nigerian waters.

Daji stressed the need for synergy among all regulatory agencies in the maritime sector, as well as a direct means of communication between them.

He noted that his integration request which he made during his courtesy visit to the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman on his resumption at the base was yet to be implemented.

He however commended the NPA management for their continued support towards the operations of the Nigerian Navy.

Drawing analogy from the recent fire incident on MT Sea Voyager, he narrated that “On 14th of August, there was a fire incident onboard a vessel, MT Sea Voyager, NPA promptly responded in the morning when the incident first happened; I saw it live on our maritime domain monitoring system. However, later in the evening at 1700hrs when the fires reignited, it was very difficult to reach both NPA and NIMASA”

“There should be a direct means of communication between all the agencies, it is necessary more than ever before. If we had not had a vessel on patrol that night, it would have been practically impossible for us to see one of these ships from Navy Town to reach the ship and carry out the rescue”

Speaking earlier, Mrs Bola Olotu, NPA Lagos Port Manager appreciated the efforts of the Nigerian Navy in decongesting the Apapa gridlock adding that the NPA needs the support of the Navy in terms of ideas and suggestions that would help in moving the Lagos ports forward.

“We thank you for your supports in the past and we solicit for more, especially for vessels coming into our ports, we want to ensure that they are safe” she said.

FRIDAY AUGUST 23

FG to establish Rail factory in Ogun

Abiodun OBA

The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday said that the Federal Government would establish a factory in Kajola, Ogun, to produce materials for the rail project.

Amaechi, who disclosed this on Friday while inspecting Lagos -Ibadan rail line construction also declared that the ground-breaking of the Transport University, Daura, would take place in September.

“We have agreed with contractors handling the university and the rail line to have the ground-breaking between September and October for the two projects.

He said the federal government was expecting contractors handling key road projects to hasten work to eliminate gridlocks, especially in Apapa area, Lagos.

He said the completion of the rail project would reduce gridlocks in Apapa and other parts of Lagos.

The minister said the factory to be built at Kajola would produce wagons and coaches and later locomotives, adding this would reduce import of the equipment from China.

“So, as part of the benefits, the company will build a factory in Kajola.

On the slow pace of the rail project, the minister linked it to insufficient funds and the absence of a cabinet to approve the payment.

Recall that the 157 kilometre Lagos-Ibadan rail project was awarded in 2017 to the Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) at the cost of 1.6 billion Dollars with a three-year completion agreement.

As at May, the laying of the rail track had covered 123 kilometres.