Maritime

Okrika Boat Mishap Claims 6 year-old

Published

14 years ago

December 30, 2011

Indiscriminate Parking of

barges Tug-boats and wreckages on the Marine Base-Okrika waterways has been identified as the cause of the recent Abuloma Jetty boat mishap in which a six-year old boy, Master Tamunosiki Alamina Koko lost his life.

The Tide maritime correspondent gathered that the incident occurred at about 10.O’clock in the morning when there was a low tide.

It was learnt that the driver of the speed boat (names withheld) with abou 12-passengers on board was coming from Okrika to Port Harcourt, but had to branch off at Abuloma to drop some of the passengers.

Our correspondent was told that the entrence to the Abuloma Jetty for passengers to disembark was blocked by two barges making it impossible for the driver to berth.

But the driver, in a bid to manoeuvre in between the two badges could not control the speed boat as the pressure of the water pushed the boat into one of barges , making the passengers to shift move to the other side, thereby causing the boat to sink.

Our correspondent also learnt that more lives would have been lost but for the help of the lives vest and guide intervention of some good Samaritans who rescued them.

The Tide gathered that the deceased was in company of his mother and his immediate senior sister Emmanuella on their way to Port Harcourt to attend a church programme before the sad incident occurred.

One of the survivors in the ill feted boat Miss Tamunosiki Achese, a student of University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), who later narrated her ordeal to our correspondent however thanked God for her survival and advised that speed boat drivers should be conscious and careful with the lives of their passengers.

Following the incident, it was further noted that the two barges in question have been seized and handed over to the Army personnel at the Okrika Jetty.

Meanwhile, the chairman, Okrika speed Boat Owners Association, Chief Opeya Sunday Okari has lamented the danger posed by the barges and wreaks, saying efforts have been intensified through series of letters and contacts even through sir Alaye Eremie, former commissioner for Empowerment Gener5ation and a former lawmaker, Hon James Fuayefika, but all to no avail. He appealed to the Government and other authorities, Nigeria Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA) to come to their aid by clearing the waterways for safety and to avent futher mishaps.

Chief Okari said the association had taken the matter to the Marine police, Inland waterways and currently to Rivers Stat Sanitation Authority, and that although some Uniform men and a Port Harcourt family in Abuloma that claimed to be the owners of the Jetty area are making things difficult, but expressed confidence that the issue would be lookd into by the authorities for the lives and property of its citizenry.

He said despite the high cost of petrol in the state, his organisation still collects N200 per drop from Port Harcourt to Okrika and also provided life Jackets free for passengers. Unlike other areas, and appealed to Government to provide vest to boat drivers at subsidized prices while also appealing to the Okrika local government council, Hon. Tamuno Williams to fulfil his promise of making available some life Jackets to the union.

The chairman however condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Collns Barasimeye

Maritime

MWUN REAFFIRMS NON-PARTISAN STANCE AHEAD OF 2027 ELECTION

Published

22 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has reaffirmed strong positions towards maintaining non partisan stance ahead of the 2027 general elections .

The President General of MWUN, Comrade Francis Bunu disclosed this while welcoming executives from the Transporters for Tinubu 2027 Political Support Group at its headquarters on 119 Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos,

The union boss underscored MWUN role as a neutral player in national development.

According to a statement signed by Comrade John Kennedy Ikemefuna, Head of Media for MWUN, the union’s President-General, hosted the visitors who outlined their initiative.

Comrade Bunu expressed gratitude for the recognition, affirming the union’s support for any efforts promoting progress, unity, and development in Nigeria.

He emphasized, however, that MWUN remains strictly non-partisan, committed solely to good governance and strategic initiatives that elevate the nation regardless of political affiliation.

This engagement highlights MWUN’s frontline position in labor and transport while reinforcing its impartial dedication to the country’s advancement.

The group aims to foster collaboration among government, transport operators, private entities, and grassroots stakeholders to boost national mobility, economic growth, and sectoral reforms.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

ASU BEKS APPEALS TO GOVT FOR TANTITA TO MANAGE NIMASA’S ABANDONED N50BN FLOATING DOCKYARD

Published

22 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

The Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Limited and Convener of the Maritime Industry Merit Awards (MIMA), Elder Asu Beks, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to concession the abandoned floating dockyard owned by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), describing the asset as a “national embarrassment” after more than a decade of neglect.

Speaking during a live interview on Arise TV on Tuesday, Asu Beks said the floating dock, valued at about N50 billion, was originally planned to be deployed at Okerenkoko in Delta State to support training activities at the Nigerian Maritime University.

According to him, the asset has remained largely unused since its acquisition in 2016, moving between different facilities including the Naval Dockyard Limited, Continental Shipyard Limited and most recently Snake Island in Lagos without being fully operational.

Beks said the prolonged inactivity of the dockyard represents a huge financial loss to the country, especially as government continues to incur costs in maintaining the facility.

“Why should Nigeria allow an asset worth about N50 billion to waste away for over 10 years?” he asked.

He urged the Federal Government to urgently concession the facility to a credible Nigerian private company capable of restoring it to full operational capacity.

Beks specifically suggested Tantita Security Services Limited as a possible operator, citing the company’s track record in oil pipeline and maritime security operations in the Niger Delta.

“With the operational network and technical capacity of companies like Tantita, this abandoned asset can be transformed into a profitable national facility,” he said.

The maritime stakeholder also criticised past leadership in the sector for failing to address the situation, particularly during the tenure of former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who served for eight years.

According to Beks, the continued neglect of the floating dockyard raises serious questions about asset management in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

He also questioned why successive leadership of NIMASA including former Director-Generals Dakuku Peterside and Bashir Jamoh did not resolve the issue during their time in office.

Beks urged the current Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, to take decisive action and change the narrative by ensuring the asset becomes productive.

He argued that reviving the dockyard would provide significant economic value to the country, particularly by strengthening ship repair capacity and supporting maritime training.

Beks further noted that issues such as the operationalisation of the floating dockyard and economic regulation in the shipping sector remain far more critical to the industry than symbolic achievements.

He stressed that Nigeria must prioritise the effective utilisation of strategic maritime assets to drive economic growth and reduce dependence on foreigners

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Maritime

NPA LICENSE APPROVAL DELAYS IS WORRISOME—ANLCA SCRIBE

Published

22 hours ago

March 16, 2026

The Tide

Clearing agents operating at the nation’s ports have criticized the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) over it’s silence regarding unprocessed operational licenses.

The agents warned that the situation could disrupt cargo clearance activities across the ports if urgent action is not taken.

Speaking during a media briefing, the National Public Relations Officer of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emmanuel Onyeme called out spokesperson of the NPA, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, over alleged failure to respond to calls and messages from stakeholders.

Onyeme said dozens of freight agents who submitted applications for the NPA’s Clearing & Forwarding License operational clearance for PortPASS- an authority to do business with shipping companies have not received any response for more than two weeks

According to Onyeme, the approval from the NPA is a crucial requirement that allows freight agents to gain access to the ports and transact business with shipping companies and terminal operators after securing their licences from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“Without the Clearing & Forwarding License issued by the NPA, freight agents can not access the ports or engage shipping companies and terminal operators for cargo releases . It is a critical operational requirement,” Onyeme said.

He disclosed that the approval process, which was previously handled at NPA offices within the seaports, has recently been centralised at the authority’s headquarters, forcing agents to submit their documents directly to the office of the Managing Director.

However, Onyeme noted that many of the applications have remained unattended to it.

“As we speak, several freight agents have submitted their documents to the Managing Director’s office, and these applications have been lying there for more than two weeks without any form of response,” he said.

He warned that the silence from the authority is already creating anxiety within the freight forwarding community, especially as many shipping companies and terminal operators have indicated that from April 1, 2026, previously issued NPA Licence approvals will no longer be recognised.

Onyeme further expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the NPA’s spokesman, alleging that repeated attempts by stakeholders to reach him have been unsuccessful.

“The situation is worrisome because there is absolutely no feedback. Calls and text messages sent to the NPA spokesperson have not been responded to, leaving Custom Brokers and freight forwarders agents in the dark over the fate of their applications,” he said.

According to him, the delay could prevent many licensed customs agents from accessing the ports or engaging shipping companies, thereby affecting cargo clearance and port-related businesses.

He therefore called on the management of the NPA to urgently intervene and ensure that the pending approvals are processed without further delay.

“Even if the Managing Director is out of the country or unavailable, there should be a system that allows someone else to handle such important operational matters promptly,” Onyeme added.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos