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Jonathan Wants Roads Fixed To Reduce Accidents

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13 years ago

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President Goodluck Jonathan, has directed the Minister of Works to fix bad roads in the country to reduce accidents and ensure safety.

The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku disclosed this last Thursday at a one-day public lecture organised by the FRSC in collaboration with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).

Maku, who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that the country had lost many lives to road accidents.

He said that as part of efforts to reduce pressure on roads and reduce accidents, the Onitsha light Port would soon be inaugurated for use.

Maku attributed most of the road accidents in the country to human factor, and called on motorists and road users to comply with safety regulations and avoid cutting corners.

“Road accidents do not come from God because it is a fatalistic attitude by Nigerians.

“Whenever we crash our vehicles and kill people, in most cases, we say it is the will of God. God is not responsible for accidents and fatalities.

“We are largely responsible because of human errors. Accidents are preventable; most of the crashes we suffer on our roads are preventable,’’ he said.

In a presentation, Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, called for the development of minimum national standards for vehicles in the country to reduce accidents.

Chidoka noted that many vehicles, especially mini-buses being imported into the country were without safety standards.

He, however, said that the FRSC in collaboration with key stakeholders in the transport sector had set up a committee to formulate national safety standards for vehicles being brought into the country.

The corps marshal said that when operational, the committee would set safety standards that must be met by all vehicles coming into the country.

He said that many of the mini-buses brought into the country from some Asian countries were being used for long distance journeys which they were not meant for.

“I have also noticed that the vehicles carry 18 passengers instead of the 15 passengers they were designed for, thereby making them prone to accidents.”

He described the problems associated with the mini-buses as “worrisome’’, saying that they were not meant to be used for mass transit.

Chidoka said the FCT had the highest rate of road accidents in the country followed by Kogi, Oyo, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun, Benue, Ogun and Kano.

He noted that Oyo and Kano had the highest number of deaths from road accidents, and said that the two states occupied the first and second position because of their link with many other states.

The title of the lecture was “Road Safety in Nigeria: The journey So Far.’’

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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1 week ago

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June 27, 2025

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The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has said the management will continue to accompany its port infrastructure  and equipment  modernization drive  with the development of the welfare of its personnel.
Dantsoho made the disclosure recently while responding to the commendation by the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) and the senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations and Government-Owned Companies (SSASGOC) on the  clearing  of the age-long problem of employee stagnation, when the union paid him a courtesy visit at the Authority’s headquarters in Lagos.
A Statement by NPA’s General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, quoted Dantsoho as saying,  “our Port infrastructure and equipment modernization drive will go hand-in-hand with continuous staff welfare improvement”.
The NPA MD disclosed that human capital development constitutes the key strategy for creating and sustaining superior performance under his watch, adding that “talent development constitutes a critical success factor for the actualization of the big hairy audacious goals we have set for ourselves especially in the area of Port competitiveness.
“The only way we can meet and indeed exceed stakeholders’ expectations is to deepen the competencies of our human resources assets and boosting their morale.”
Speaking further, Dantsoho commended the Honourable Minister of Marine & Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, for approving the strategic proposal of the Dantsoho-led Management team that solved the over a decade-long problem of lack of promotion that had fuelled industrial disharmony.
“I must specially appreciate our amiable Minister for graciously approving the multi-pronged stratagem we deployed that cleared all outstanding cases of employee stagnation by conducting examinations in one fell swoop and instituted timelines to forestall a recurrence of such anomaly”, he sad.
Speaking on behalf of the joint maritime labour unions, the President  of Senior Staff Association of Statutory Corporations & Government-Owned Companies (SSASCGOC), Comrade Bodunde stated, “In addition to clearance of the backlog of stagnated promotions, we also wish to express our appreciation for the increase in productivity bonuses, provision of end-of-year welfare packages for staff, and the revision of the Financial Guide to the Condition of Service, which now addresses our members’ concerns about inflationary pressures.”
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

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1 week ago

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June 27, 2025

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National Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Elder Olumide Fakanlu, has been elected Vice President of the Federation of ECOWAS Licensed Customs Brokers Association (FELCBA).
The election took place during the FELCBA Congress, held from Tuesday, June 17th to Thursday, June 19th, 2025, in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Fakanlu’s emergence as Vice President marks a significant achievement for Nigeria within the regional customs brokerage community.
Apart from Fakanlu, Secretary of the Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Austin Nwosu, was also elected, securing the role of Secretary of Relations with Institutions.
The Nigerian delegation played an active role in the congress, with Michael Ebeatu nominated as a member of the electoral officer team, ensuring a fair and transparent election process.
The three-day congress concluded with delegates undertaking a visit to the Sierra Leone Port, offering insights into the host nation’s maritime operations, followed by a recreational trip to the Tokeh Beach.
The newly elected executives are expected to lead FELCBA in its efforts to harmonize customs brokerage practices, promote trade facilitation, and advocate for the interests of licensed customs brokers across the ECOWAS sub-region.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

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1 week ago

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June 27, 2025

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In a bid to enhance more enforcement in the nation’s Port, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to stronger inter-agency collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
The Council said the collaboration is aimed at enhancing stronger enforcement, compliance and improve operational efficiency across Nigeria’s ports.
Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of  NSC, Dr. Pius Akutah, made this known during a visit to the  Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit, which he said, focused on strengthening institutional synergy, comes in the wake of growing responsibilities for the NSC under the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
Akutah emphasized the critical role of security agencies in supporting port operations and ensuring regulatory compliance.
He called for the posting of police officers to assist the Council’s monitoring and enforcement teams at key port locations including Lagos, Warri, Onne, Port Harcourt, and Calabar.
“The posting will complement the activities of our revived task teams and enhance our ability to enforce standards across the maritime logistics chain”, he said.
Earlier, the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Egbetokun, assured the Council of the Force’s readiness to continue supporting the growth of the maritime sector.
The IGP acknowledged that compliance enforcement is essential to the successful implementation of Nigeria’s Blue Economy objectives.
“The NSC and NPF are expected to deepen collaboration in the months ahead, with a shared focus on building a secure, efficient, and competitive port environment”, to the IGP emphasized.
Chinedu Wosu
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