One Page Africa

CGC, Abdullahi Dikko

The Tin-Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said on Monday in Lagos that it collected N22.3 billion revenue in November.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Chris Osunkwo, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the amount was less than the N27.1 billion collected in October.

Osunkwo attributed the decrease to the forces of demand and supply.

He said: “In October we made approximately N27.1 billion, whereas in November we had N22.3 billion.

“A lot of factors are responsible for the difference, particularly the forces of demand and supply.

“When you try to find out from the traders, they tell you that trading activities are at their lowest ebb because they observed that the people’s purchasing power dropped and as such, their warehouses are still filled up.

“You will have to sell and realise money to be able to come and clear or you import fresh ones.

“The level of compliance is gradually improving because we just celebrated the first anniversary of PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report)

“PAAR just clocked one on December 1 and among the things PAAR is here to achieve is to make the trading public become more compliant.

“If you are honest, you give appropriate and accurate information without trying to cut corners, definitely, you will have everything going for you.”

Osunkwo commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, for “taking the service to the next level”.

Osunkwo said the comptroller-general worked tirelessly to make the service the pride of the nation.

NAN reports that a breakdown of the revenue showed that in November, the command raked in N18.1 billion into the Federation Account and N4.1 billion into the Non-Federation Account.

NAN also reports that Import Duty fetched N13.2 billion; Fees, N52.2 million; Common External Tariffs, N785 million; while N4 billion was collected as five per cent Value Added Tax.

The command also collected N930.8 million on seven per cent Surcharge; one per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme fetched N974.8 million; while it recorded N573.3.2 million on ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme.

Other revenues were: sugar (N78.6 million); rice (N813.1 million); brown rice (N150,277); wheat flour (N451,343); wheat grain (N474.6 million) ; and iron (N2.5 million).

L-R; Engr. Philipson Falade, representing the Managing Director of NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, receiving an award on behalf of the Authority from Alh. Umar Dansuleka of the Kano Chamber of Commerce, at the Kano Trade Fair

Gov Rabiu Kwankwanso of Kano State has commended the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for its continuous participation in the Kano International Trade Fair over the years.

The governor described the NPA’s action as a laudable effort contributing toward the socio-economic development of the state.

Kwankwanzo gave the commendation in Kano on the occasion of the NPA’s special day at the just-concluded 35^thedition of the Kano International Trade Fair, which held from Nov. 22 to Dec. 4, 2014.

The governor appreciated the NPA for also sponsoring and partnering with the Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture, (KACCIMA), organizers of the fair, to ensure the success of the annual event.

Represented by Alhaji Mohammed Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture, Kwankwanso noted that the theme for this year’s fair ‘Promoting Agriculture and other non-oil business sector for sustainable development’ demonstrated the state’s desire to explore other revenue sources, encourage and support the people of Kano, majority of who he said were farmers.

He solicited for the support of the NPA in this regard in order to position agriculture as an alternative source of revenue for the state and Federal Government in view of the present dwindling revenue from oil as a result of falling prices of Oil in the world market.

Also speaking, the President of the Chamber, Alhaji Umar Dansuleka thanked the NPA for its support and called for a sustainable mutual economic relationship between NPA and the Chamber.

Dansuleka disclosed that in a bid to encourage Kano businessmen and women who may want to do business with NPA but discouraged by distance, the chamber had provided an office for such transactions and urged the Authority to ensure that the office becomes operational soonest.

He also enjoined the Authority to assist the chamber to ensure the full utilization of the Inland Container Depot in Kano for ease of cargo transportation from Lagos to Kano.

Responding, the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, expressed condolences to the government and people of Kano on the recent bomb blast which claimed many lives.

Abdullahi who was represented by the Assistant General Manager, Seaview Properties Ltd, a subsidiary of NPA, Engineer. PhillipsonFalade, said Inland Container Depot, also known as Dry Port was paramount to NPA’s operations.

He noted, however, that dry ports needed efficient rail network to function, adding that the NPA was quite concerned about a functional dry port as it would help decongest the port and its access roads.

Mr Umaru Bukkuyam, the Zamfara State Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, lauded the NPA for promoting economic activities in the Northern part of Nigeria, and invited the Authority to Zamfara State Trade Fair which he said would hold soon.

Commander, Maritime Guard Command, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Commodore Ebony Aneke being decorated with his new rank by the Chief of Logistics, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas and Representative of DG, NIMASA Mr. Uche Nwokorie at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja recently.

Commander, Maritime Guard Command, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Commodore Ebony Aneke, flanked by the Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Austin Oyagha and Representative of DG, NIMASA Mr. Uche Nwokorie after his decoration with his new rank at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja recently.

Peak season-induced congestion at the United States ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach is having a knock-on effect on the New Zealand supply chain, with containerships arriving in out-of-window “bunches” at the Port of Auckland.

It is understood some importers are struggling to access sufficient storage yard capacity to manage the gluts created in inbound cargo flow, with some trucking firms even said to be advising customers they cannot accommodate further volume.

Ports of Auckland head of communications Matt Ball said the issue is particularly problematic over weekends, when the freight community traditionally does not operate to full capacity.

“If more cargo was uplifted over the weekends – when there is spare capacity at the port – it would help ease congestion at the start of the week,” he said.

“Trucking companies have been impacted at this import peak time with a set number of trucks to handle the high volumes and this together with a well-known driver shortage places the whole supply chain under pressure.”

While acknowledging the transport industry was under pressure from higher volumes and driver shortages, National Road Carriers ports committee chairman Chris Carr is also calling on the port company to provide further vehicle booking system (VBS) slots.

“We do not accept that there are sufficient VBS slots over the weekends, as we know that VBS slots are reduced to allow ship exchanges rather than road exchanges,” said Mr Carr.

“Ports of Auckland has always said publicly that this does not happen, but we know that it does. As the cargo volumes grow, Ports of Auckland needs to provide additional VBS slots to meet the demand. It is that simple.”

Iain MacIntyre

Baird Maritime

Mr Fred Akokhia, the Deputy National President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Wednesday urged terminal operators to develop manpower and infrastructure to improve on their services.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the terminal operators had not kept to their pledge to turn around the ports when the concession was carried out in 2006.

He attributed some delays being experienced in port operations to limited manpower to handle the volume of work at the ports.

``When they took over in 2006, a delegation went from NAGAFF to see their managing director then at the port. He even was so proud to show us; he showed us all the dilapidated structures, equipment and everything.

``He said this is the yard of all that we inherited from NPA; that within a period of three months they are going to revolutionise.

``Let us ask now how they have complied with that.

``Till today, they don’t have enough equipment for lifting of containers to position for people.

``They have not trained enough people. When they are talking of infrastructure development in the port, they don’t have enough.

``At times, one driver, he is only the one that will be on duty. They might have about three cranes but if you don’t have one driver on each, how do they work?

``So, you find one driver working.

``But if they have three, it will be quicker. That area of development should be looked into. ``How are they improving in that critical area of their operation? ‘’ Akokhia asked.

He said that some of the challenges at the port continued because stakeholders were not widely consulted before the port concession were done.

Akokhia said it was also erroneous to have left the concessionaires to begin operations without a defined regulator to monitor their activities from the onset.

Capt. Saib Olopoenia

Capt. Saib Olopoenia, the President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has said that the non-implementation of the laws against wreck abandonment had left many wrecks in Nigerian waters.

Olopoenia, in an interview, said that the ongoing wreck removal project would take some years due to the high number of wrecks and the cost implication.

“The reason why most of these wrecks remain there is that, normally when a ship grounds, is relative that either the owners are forced to remove them because of the provisions of the law.

``But over the years, because of the fact that we did not implement some of these provisions of the law, vessels have been abandoned for many years. They have become dangers to the navigation, dangers to the environment.

``When the government now decides to wake up to start cleaning them, there are so many of them that it will take years to actually remove them; and of course, is expensive too to remove the wrecks,” he said.

Olopoenia said that people could get some value from wrecks if removed on time, rather than allowing them to rot in the water for years.

``If they were to be removed earlier, they can sell their steel plates for scrap but if a vessel has been in water for more than 10 years, a lot of wastage would have gone to the steel of the vessel.

``By the time you remove the wreck, it is little or nothing; you cannot recover much. Whereas, if it was recovered as soon as the vessel became a wreck, there would be some value in it,” Olopoenia said.

The master mariner, however, said that the urgency in removing a wreck was determined by the danger it constituted to navigation and to the environment.

The Chairman, Nigerian Ports Consultative Council, Chief Kunle Folarin, has decried dearth of holding bays for trucks due to the existence of commercial and residential structures near the port corridors.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that there was need for three or four truck terminals and holding bays at Apapa and Tin Can Island ports to manage the present cargo flow.

Folarin said that the ports required more holding bays and truck terminals to ease traffic jam caused when the trucks take over the roads.

“Take Apapa Port, not up to even 100 metres from the port, there are commercial buildings, almost even at the gate of the port. The same thing you are talking of holding bay.

“What are the basic elements in a holding bay? Access to the port corridor,that is the first one.

“If you now are talking of specific, 500 metres from Tin Can Port is full of residential houses. Where are you going to put the holding bay?

“Government, through its agencies is building a holding bay across the Tin Can Island port. But a holding bay is an effort. But probably you will need more.

“If you look at the cargo flow and the traffic flow, and the number of trucks that we need to service that cargo flow, you will now know that there is need to be three or four truck terminals and holding bays.”

Nigeria’s former militant leader, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has acquired seven decommissioned Norwegian warships.

Reports by a Norwegian newspaper, Dagbladet, said that the fast-speed Hauk-class guided missile boats had been re-armed with new weaponry.

The report also revealed that Ekpemupolo’s most recent purchase is a KNM Horten, a fast-attack craft now used in fighting piracy in Nigeria’s waterways.

It was learnt that in spite of his alleged history of violence, Tompolo, now controls the Global West Vessel Service, a privately owned contractor for maritime security for the Nigerian Maritime Safety Agency.

Buying arms from Norway requires an export license from Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ships were reportedly sold first to CAS Global, a British security company that has such a license, after which Ekpemupolo reportedly bought the ships from the British company.

Dagblade reported that the seven Norwegian ships are now part of the company’s maritime fleet patrolling under a contract for the Federal Government.

Source: Punch

Shipping stakeholders have called on the federal government to consider quick intervention that will bring about intended efficiency in the ports system by empowering the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), which was appointed the Ports Economic Regulator with enough legal instrument and political will to carry out its assignment without blemish.

The stakeholders who spoke during a book presentation at Rockview Hotel Apapa said the call became necessary because of what they described as moves by some service providers to stifle regulation in the ports system.

Such intervention, according to the stakeholders, would be to urgently consider the opinion of legal experts who have canvassed for more laws for the Council to enable it execute its current roles as a regulator.

A maritime consultant, Chief Denis Ojei said that beyond the present laws empowering the Council as an Economic Regulator, government needs to pass laws that will put the Council in the same level with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) which has been regulating the communications sector for more than a decade now since the deregulation of the sector.

Ojei argued that the Regulator may continue to suffer some challenges in executing its mandate as an umpire in the ports sector except with more legal instrument that will put it in no disputable position to stop illegalities in the ports sector.

Insisting that the shipping industry is filled with some unscrupulous businessmen, he said the knowledge of such background should be enough reason for the government to do the needful in the area of adequate powers for the Council to change the wrath in the ports system.

He commended the Council for the moves already made at correcting the ills in the ports system, adding that the steps taken so far give Nigerian importers the hope that very soon the cost of doing business in Nigerian ports would come down.

He said that when this happens, there would not be any need to smuggle goods into the country through the neighbouring port of Cotonou because of high charges in Lagos ports.

Ojei however added that while more legal instrument is awaited, government should also have the political will to allow the Ports Regulator deal decisively with some of the service providers in the ports system.

He accused the service providers of deliberate efforts to stifle regulation in the ports, adding that Nigerian importers were the ones paying for this problem, while the multinational agencies continue to post millions of dollars to their home countries.

Another stakeholder and customs broker, Mr Tunde Ogunlana, also said that beyond equipping the Council with more powers, government should give free hand to the Ports Regulator to deal decisively with the service providers who do not want to obey trade regulations of the federal government.

Ogunlana who also was of the view that the service providers were out to stifle regulation, added that surprisingly, these multinational agencies cannot oppose such regulations in their own countries except in Nigeria where they enjoy certain patronage from some highly placed officials.

He said that government should be aware that what is being collected from Nigerian importers in terms of high illegal charges were not used in developing the country, but repatriated.

Prominent lawyers in the maritime industry, including former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) , Mrs. Mfon Usoro, Mr. Louis Mbanefo (SAN), Mr. Mike Igbokwe (SAN), had early this year called on the federal government to give the regulator enough legal backing in its new responsibility.

Usoro said that for the Council to succeed, it needs to be fully armed with powers of the law to execute its statutory functions.

She called on President Goodluck Jonathan and the Transport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, including the Chairman of the Board of the Council, Gen Halilu Ibrahim (rtd) to pursue the passage of necessary Bills as soon as possible so that the Council can succeed.

Former Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, had also stressed the need for strong legal framework that will empower the Council.

Source: THISDAY

CAC Eporwei Edike

A performance appraisal of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) shows that the scheme has delivered value since it took off on Dec. 1, 2013.

With a record 23.4 per cent increase in revenue from N769 billion in 2013, to N950 billion as at November 2014, the NCS says in spite of the initial teething challenges PAAR has performed well in facilitating trade by ensuring efficiency in clearance procedures.

Comptroller Eporwei Edike, the Controller in charge of the Apapa Area 1 Command of the NCS, disclosed this while speaking recently at the inauguration of the new executives of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos.

According to Edike, a total of 201,320 requests for PAAR were received, out of which 14, 259 were rejected while 188, 424 were finally registered.

He disclosed that 108, 159 PAAR were uplifted, with a total Cost Insurance Freight (CIF) value of N5.6 trillion.

According to Edike, the PAAR is to remove the bottlenecks and clogs in the wheels of trade progress, reduce the time of doing business in Nigerian ports and increase revenue for government.

He identified issues bordering on compliance and occasional failure in technology as some of the challenges facing the PAAR), but added that the newly-installed network mast had taken care of the network failures to a great extent.

“PAAR has had its fair share of teething problems, but its greatest challenge is with compliance since that of technology has been taken care of with the new mast for internet service provision.

“There will be no query with PAAR when you are transparent because the system is robust. But we will query you when there are inconsistencies between your declaration and what we see,” Edike said.

He said the credibility of the PAAR system further received recognition by the World Customs Organisation(WCO)which also encouraged other countries to emulate Nigeria in that regard.

The Comptroller also said that the service had been able to save N36.9billion for the government through collections of the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) levy, which was erstwhile being collected by the service providers.

L-R: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi; Executive Director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, Capt. Ezekiel Bala Agaba and Commander, Maritime Guard Command, NIMASA Commodore Ebony Aneke at the World Press Conference in Lagos today.

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Tuesday said it would fight piracy activities as well as kidnappings within the nation’s maritime domain.

R-L: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi; Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Barr. Calistus Nwabueze Obi and Director, Shipping Development, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh at a World Press Conference by the Agency in Lagos today.

“ We have handed them over to the Navy to help us, and working with them and the Civil Defense for prosecution, and some of the vessels are in our custody.

The Director General of NIMASA, Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi, stated this in his end of year briefing to the press in Lagos.

According to the NIMASA boss, the agency has taken pro-active steps ahead of piracy within the areas and with a promise to continue to frustrate kidnappers in their evil act.

“If I tell you in the last one month plus, the number of attacks we have foiled in Lagos area and the number of pirates in our custody, it will be alarming, none of them succeeded.

“Just take this Lagos area, it will take you the grace of God to go and do an attack because before even the attack, we are going out, we have got information.

“Besides the satellite, we have other systems of operations that we can use in getting people.

“If you kidnap, we will go after you. That is why we are saying people should not pay for hostages to be released.

``We have to go after them, and crush them. Everybody must die one day, that is the truth about it. We must fearlessly approach any person that is causing us problems. And we are going to sustain that, `` he said.

Akpobolokemi used the occasion to refute reports on the alleged acquisition of warships and gunboats, adding that such rumours may have been carried by those who have had difficulties in perpetrating their illegal activities.

He said the vessels were only decommissioned vessels bought by NIMASA through a public private partnership arrangement being used by the Nigerian Navy with whom the agency has a working agreement.

“It is the Navy that has fitted their guns on the vessels to aid their policing of the maritime domain,” Akpobolokemi clarified.

He stated that NIMASA’s primary interest was to provide a safe maritime domain, which it had achieved through the Satellite Surveillance Centre and an upgrade of the Global Maritime Distress Safety System(GMDSS) and continuous inter-Agency relations with the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force and the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta.

A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday dismissed the case brought against the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) by some of the terminal operators and shipping companies that were aggrieved over the reduction of shipping charges at the nation’s ports.

The Court, also, while upholding the appointment of the Council as the Economic Regulator ordered the service providers to refund all the charges they had collected from Nigerian importers from November 3 when the notice to stop such charges was issued by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.

The Association of Shipping Lines Agency (ALSA) and the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) had on November 3 gone to court stop the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) from enforcing a notice stopping the service providers from collecting storage charges they had introduced on their own as against the rate approved by the Transport Minister in 2009.

The Council had also ordered an increase in the free storage period at the ports from three days to seven days.

The Ports Regulator had equally directed shipping companies to reduce their shipping line agency charges from N26,500 to N23,850 per TEU and from N48,000 to N40,000 per TEU.

The Preceding judge Mr Ibrahim Buba, said that the President of Nigeria has right under section of the Nigerian constitution for appointing the council as the port regulator.

“Every government has right to protect the welfare and government is there for the welfare and security of its people.

” Court cannot see itself having to contend with government action to prevent leakages of the economy,” Buba said.

This was in response to the argument by the counsel to the terminal operators and shipping companies that the Council does not have right to carry out the decision as contained in the Notice issued to the service providers.

The court also dismissed a case filed by members of the Association of Shipping Lines Agency (ALSA) against the NSC over a directive to the agencies to reduce their shipping line agency charges (SLAC) and refund container deposits.

The judge also said that the shipping line agencies charge that was introduced by the SLAC should be counseled

The court also ordered a refund of the SLAC being collected since 2006 to the Cargo Defence Fund a department under the NSC for the benefit of the shippers.

CGC, Dikko Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has reinstated First Bank of Nigeria Plc as one of the banks collecting Customs duty.

This is contained in a statement a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Wale Adeniyi, and made available to newsmen.

The statement quoted the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Abdullahi, as saying that the bank was reinstated following a debt recovery plan.

“Following a detailed debt recovery plan, the Nigeria Customs Service has unblocked and reinstated First Bank Plc as a Customs duty collecting bank,” the statement read in part.

It disclosed that the bank was suspended from duty collection as a result of the failure of its customers; Messrs Onome Jack Up Service Limited and Oritsetimeyin Jack Up Service Limited to redeem a bond to the tone of N3, 641,563,481.00 secured by the bank.

Satisfied with the recovery plan which involved the intervention of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, CFR, directed the immediate reinstatement of First Bank Plc as Customs duty collecting bank.

He consequently urged Importers/Agents to resume duty payment transactions with the bank.

He assured that the Service will continue to recognize properly entered bonds as a tool for trade facilitation, but warned that any abuse of the process from any individual or organization would not be tolerated.

Full automation and improved human capacity were on Wednesday identified as key areas to be integrated for reforms of the Nigeria’s ports.

This was arrived at during a joint stakeholders’ meeting with a sub-committee on port reforms under the National Economic Management.

Head of the committee, Mr Gabriel Ajuda, said the system would only function effectively with competent people across the sub-sectors of the maritime industry.

“You realise that it is not enough to just put reforms in place, you must be able to match man and machine for us to achieve what we are looking for at the port. “What we are here to do is to look at that role that man plays, with the automation in place.

On the way forward to attain an effective port system, Ajuda called for a reverse penalty system to make people pay and take responsibility for causing delays, which are detrimental to business growth.

He said this cuts across the need for call-up system for trucks in order to avoid congestion and the use of the port access roads as parking lots.

Mrs Dabney Shall-Homa, Director, Commercial Shipping Services of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council(NSC) who acted as a moderator in the committee, said automation of the port system was paramount for a new port order.

Shall-Homa noted that the port system was operating on a half-baked technology that had refused to integrate into a prevailing and more robust platform.

She said that by 2015 when international trade begins to operate on a fully-automated system, countries that failed to key into the single window system would have difficulties in the flow.

“We need flexible technology to drive the system; the infrastructure on which the technology will actually function, and competent people who are the operators of the technology.

“We do not need those who do not understand the industry, but they must understand the input of what they are doing and the relevance of the maritime industry economically to national development,” she said.

Representing the shipping companies, Mr Okorie Obioma, called for a revival of the rail system to attain a new port order.

According to him “If the rail systems become very functional, the pressure on the roads will be reduced and the port access roads will be free of congestion.”

Mr Daniel Odibe, representing logistics service providers, said it was important to revive the call-up system for trucks to avoid indiscriminate parking of trucks along the port corridors.

He said this was one major cause of congestion as the act usually blocked the port corridor access.

Rev. Nicodemus Odolo, representing the Shippers Association of Lagos State, blamed terminal operators for receiving more cargo than they could handle, bearing the machinery they have on ground to work.

“The terminal operators cause delays to position containers for examination because they lack enough equipment for the jobs they take.

“They should consider having an equipment-leasing system where they can have a pool for infrastructure development to boost their service,” he said.

Odolo said agents must consult with shippers before embarking on strike as every action had a way of affecting businesses.

He also faulted some security agencies for allegedly allowing drivers to shunt the queues to get into the ports after collecting money from them.

The committee called on all key stakeholders to play their roles adequately to improve services at the nation’s ports.

L-R: Winner, 8th Ships & Ports Annual National Essay Competition, Ojo Taiye; representative of the Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers' Council, Rebecca Adamu; representative of Controller, Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Deputy Comptroller Umar Garba; Head, Corporate Affairs and Marketing of Sifax Group, Oliver Omajuwa and representative of Managing Director, Dangote Port Operations, Salami Bayo at the prize presentation ceremony of the 8th Ships & Ports Annual National Essay Competition in Apapa, Lagos.

Maritime media firm, Ships & Ports Communication Company on Tuesday announced the winners of the 8^th edition of its annual National Essay Competition.

At the official prize presentation ceremony held at Etal Hotel in Apapa, Lagos, a Delta State-based graduate of Microbiology, Ojo Taiye was announced as the winner of the 2014 essay competition carting away N100,000 cash Best Overall Prize donated by Dangote Port Operation.

Other winners include Kenneth Okpomo who won the Sifax Group Prize for Creativity, and an Owerri-based medical doctor, Anyanwu Munachimno, won the Nigerian Shippers Council Prize for Best Researched Essay.

Okafor Emmanuel, Okoroegbe Fidelis, Bankole Emmanuel, Ilogu Evans and Ngozi Akhimieho all won the Comptroller Charles Edike Prize for Outstanding Essay while Secretary of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria, Barr. Uzamot Boye and former Editor, Ships & Ports Newspaper, Mr. Obiajulu Agu both clinched the special recognition award. Gifts were also presented to some of the participants in a lucky dip.

The theme of this year’s essay competition is “How should government and stakeholders address the Apapa gridlock”.

The best overall prize winner, Taiye who participated in the competition for the first time, said: “I am surprised to have won the Best Overall Essay and this will encourage me to write more.

I have written essays for other bodies but this is the first time I am participating in a port related essay. At the initial stage, I did not want to come because I felt it was just to come and sit down but I said since they have given me the recognition by calling me from Delta to come, I decided to come down to Lagos.

“The policy that the government and stakeholders’ should postulate is to relocate the petroleum tank farms along the port. The truck owners are not only the cause of the problem because there is no parking bay for trucks, the security agencies are also collecting bribe. If you don’t provide those facilities where do you expect the trucks to park?”

Earlier in his welcome address, Chief Executive Officer of Ships & Ports, Mr. Bolaji Akinola lamented the devastating effect the Apapa traffic gridlock is having on the economy and on the health of commuters.

While congratulating all the participants in the 2014 essay competition, Akinola assured that their intellectual contribution would go a long way in addressing the various challenges confronting the maritime sector.

“There has been a lot of complacency and procrastination on the part of the concerned authorities. The economic effect of the gridlock on business activities and the health impact should ginger government to action and I believe that the various recommendations that have been made will serve as a wakeup call to all,” he said.

He said entries for the competition this year were received from 21 states of the federation.

The prize presentation ceremony was attended by the participants and representatives of Dangote Port Operation, Sifax Group, Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service.

Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, former National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Inua Mohammed and Managing Director of Micura Stevedoring Services, Mr. Michael Ubogu, also attended the event.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has commissioned a multipurpose fire service trucks and equipment at the Tin Can Island port.

In a statement, the Managing Director of the NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi, said the Authority remained committed to the safety of life and property, especially in the maritime sector.

The NPA boss noted that the procurement of the equipment was in fulfillment of the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy of the Authority.

He said the fire equipment would in addition to combating fire outbreak in the port and its environs also to assist other agencies in Lagos State.

While commending officers and men of the NPA Fire Service for their efficiency and dedication, Abdullahi congratulated the management of Tin Can Island Port for the project.

In his remarks, the General Manager, Health Safety & Environment, Engr. T. Talabi, said that the equipment were of the highest standards for safety in case fire outbreak in and outside the ports.

He also gave the assurance that the fire service officers had been trained adequately to handle the equipment while promising to maintain and protect the equipment.

The equipment commissioned include six Rapid Response Mini Fire Engines; Ten Fire Water Tankers and Two Bronco Skylift(Hydraulic Platform).

Highlights of the occasion were the demonstration of fire safety rescue operation from a high-rise building, and the cutting of tape to signify the commissioning of the equipment.

Mr Adeyanju Adewale, National President, Dock workers Union, at Apapa port on Wednesday

Mr Francis Bunu, President of the Seafarers Group, during the strike at Apapa port.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has called off the strike action it embarked upon at the nation’s ports on Wednesday.

Mr Adeyanju Adewale, the National President of Dockworkers confirmed on Thursday that the union had suspended the strike after a meeting with management of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA).

He said the union was hopeful of a positive outcome of the meeting as the NPA promised to get back to it at the close of business today.

Mr Hakeem Lawal, Head of Tally Clerks and On-board security workers, at the Apapa port during the strike

Mr Francis Bunu, President of the seafarers group at the ports, also confirmed that the strike had been suspended.

He said the union held a close-door meeting with management of the NPA on Wednesday to discuss the issues that led to the strike.

“We held a meeting with NPA yesterday and we hope for a fruitful outcome.

“We have only suspended the strike pending the outcome of our requests before the NPA,” Bunu said.

Meanwhile, Mr Musa Iliya, an Assistant-General Manager, Public Affairs of the NPA, said that the meeting with the striking union workers was still on.

He said the NPA management had decided to address the issues conclusively, to avoid a re-occurrence of such action.

“The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority held talks with the maritime workers union yesterday and hope to address the issues raised.

“The management wants to ensure that this is handled thoroughly, to avoid this kind of situation again,” Iliya said.

It would be recalled that the dock workers at the nation’s ports embarked on a strike on Wednesday after a 21-day ultimatum it gave to the NPA to address issues affecting its members.

Adewale had disclosed that the strike action resulted from issues concerning the non-payment of salaries of members of the union, and welfare of the NPA staff.

The union also claimed that the NPA had planned to take away the jobs of onboard tally clerks and security and had failed to pay their salaries in the last six months.

Bunu had warned that the Federal Government should look into the matter to avoid a total shutdown of the nation’s ports by the striking dock workers.

He advised government to leverage on the potential of the maritime industry to creating employment and sustaining the nation’s economy.

Mr Hakeem Lawal, head of the Tally Clerks and On-board Security workers, said the issue had dragged on for long and that the action was the only way to make the NPA management listen to the union.

He alleged that the NPA management never kept to its agreement, even as he expressed fears over the possibility of the payment of their salaries.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday that 17 ships laden with petroleum products had arrived at the Lagos ports.

The NPA disclosed this in its daily publication, the ‘Shipping Position’.

It said that 12 of the 17 ships were laden with petrol while the remaining ships arrived at the ports with base oil, kerosene and aviation fuel.

The NPA also said that six other ships sailed into the ports with food items including bulk malt, bulk sugar and rice in bags.

The publication indicated that the NPA was expecting the arrival of 63 ships from Dec. 19, 2014 to Jan. 11, 2014.

According to the breakdown, 24 of the expected ships will sail into the ports with containers while 17 others will arrive with food products including bulk sugar, buckwheat, frozen fish and bulk malt.

General cargos are expected to arrive in 10 ships while only one ship will sail in with vehicles, the NPA said.

The remaining 11 ships are expected to arrive at the ports with petroleum products including base oil, bulk gas, kerosene and diesel, according to the NPA.

The ships are to sail into various terminals at the ports including the fishery wharf and the single buoy mooring.

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Friday announced that it had withdrawn membership of Maritime Advocacy and Action Group (MAAG).
The association, in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos said that it had notified MAAG of the decision.
The statement quotes ANLCA’s National Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Oparah, as saying that the decision to withdraw from MAAG was taken at a well-attended meeting by its national leaders.
It explained that the association withdrew its membership because the MAAG appeared to be losing focus.
The statement added that ANLCA may not reverse the decision ‘’until otherwise directed by the association’s national executive council’’.
NAN reports that ANLCA had on Nov. 27, 2014, after a meeting of its national leaders, gave notice of its intention to withdraw from MAAG.

Mohammed Ndalati, Controller, Seme Command

The new controller of the Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Mohammed Ndalati, on Friday declared zero tolerance for smuggling activities at the border area.

In a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Ernest Olottah, the controller promised to harness all available resources to drive home his anti-smuggling goals and ensure that change was embraced.

“I will harness all available human and materials resources for customs operations while bracing up to the realities of the peculiar nature of Seme Command.

“This is the time of change, we must imbibe change. We must exhibit it and show that we are change agents.

“Manning the border must include behavioral management of persons. The bottom line is that you have conquered the environment,'' the controller said.

He also promised to ensure that all revenue due the government was collected in spite of the challenges around the border area.

“Constraints will not deter the command from delivering on its responsibilities of revenue collection, fight against smuggling and facilitation of legitimate trade,” he said.

Ndalati commended the Comptroller- General of Customs for the various human capacity initiatives, which he noted had brought about a modernised and improved status of the service.

''It is no longer the branded outdated and antiquated Customs and Excise Department we used to know. In other words, professionalism is enhanced and encouraged under the present regime,'' he said.

The controller solicited the support and cooperation of all stakeholders as he advised that importers and agents should keep Abreast of government’s policies relating to import guidelines.

He also urged that importers and agents should comply with the Customs and Excise Management Act (amended).

According to him, all those who comply with the order would have nothing to worry about while dealing with the customs.

He however, vowed to match seizures with suspects as a way of fighting smuggling.

He was confident that the strategy would ensure that perpetrators of smuggling activities are imprisoned when arrested and prosecuted.

The controller used the occasion to advise those considering going into smuggling to desist from attempting to do so.

He urged the officers and men of the command to support him in the course of duty to make the command succeed in managing its affairs.

He said that as much as they were concerned about managing goods transiting the border they should also pay attention to effective control of people.

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