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Engineer Seeks Wrecks Law Review

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14 years ago

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A marine engineer, Mr Olu Akinsoji,  last  Wednesday urged the Federal Government to facilitate the review of wrecks law as contained in the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007.

Akinsoji, a former Government Inspector of Ships (GIS), made the plea in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that the review became imperative in line with the new structure of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) charged with safety matters in Nigerian waters.

According to him, for orderliness and sanity, a ship owner should not be encouraged to abandon a ship after its useful life in such a way that it becomes a wreck.

He said that government should go back to the interim report submitted in 2010 by a Ministerial Technical Committee on Wrecks and consult the professionals.

Akinsoji said that the committee’s recommendations were not followed in terms of removal of wrecks.

He said the committee headed by him had recommended detailed identification of wrecks.

Akinsoji said that wrecks were being removed without detailed identification of those below the water level and those above and not marked for easy visibility.

The marine engineer said that the committee’s recommendations had made provisions for salvage and suggested a safe haven for distressed ships.

Akinsoji said the committee also recommended that there should be identification of appropriate places for piling up wrecks.

“There was also a suggestion on the implementation of a plan for wrecks prevention in Nigerian waters,” the former Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said.

He advised the government to go back to the drawing board and have a full identification of wrecks.

“There should be identification of those that are serious and dangerous wrecks in the way of navigation, particularly those not marked,’’  Akinsoji  said.

He said there were wrecks which were potentially, either dangerous to navigation, decayed or had become hazardous, toxic and could be dangerous to the villages around the channels.

Akinsoji said that there were also some wrecks that should removed because they were either not pleasant to the environment or could serve as hide-outs to miscreants.

“The wrecks law is supposed to deal with such matters,” he said, adding, “we have wreck superintendent according to the law as well as receiver of wrecks’’.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Transport, Mr Idris Umar had on Tuesday said at a news conference in Abuja that NIMASA would remove 52 wrecks.

NPA said it had removed 24 critical wrecks in Lagos channels, but the Lagos State Government still complained about 32 others abandoned in Lagos channels.

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Maritime

Weak Shipping Line Regulation Undermines Customs Reforms —-Says SEREC

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) says poor regulation of shipping lines could undermine the credibility of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reforms.
Head of Research SEREC, Dr Eugene Nweke  made this Known to Newsmen in Abuja
Nweke said that customs efficiency was linked to the performance of the Nigeria’s maritime and trade ecosystem.
Hr described the NCS as central to the success of the National Single Window (NSW) risk-based clearance and trade facilitation reforms.
“However, Customs efficiency gains are systematically eroded when upstream shipping practices introduce artificial delays, speculative charges, remote cargo release approvals and opaque cost structures”.
“In effect, weak regulation of shipping line conduct externalises inefficiencies into the Customs clearance process, inflates transaction costs, distorts compliance behavior and undermines the credibility of customs-led trade reforms,”
Nweke said that SEREC had submitted a white paper to the government advocating that shipping line governance, port economic regulation, and customs trade administration should be treated as inseparable policy domains.
SEREC said Nigeria’s Port challenges were not only infrastructure-driven but governance-related, warning that weak regulation, missing oversight reports and unchecked discretion in systems like the NSW could undermine reform efforts.
SEREC recommended reforms for Nigeria’s shipping sector, including public release of committee findings, statutory refund timelines with penalties, banning speculative demurrage billing, mandatory local cargo release and alignment of shipping practices with the NSW among others.
Nweke said that the aim of the white paper was to draw attention to sharp practices and regulatory weaknesses that had evolved beyond operational inconveniences into macroeconomic and governance risks.
“For NCS trade reforms to deliver their full impact in 2026 and beyond, shipping practices must align with the same principles guiding Customs modernisation: transparency, predictability, automation, accountability and local control.
Nweke said that by 2026, stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry hope to transition from opaque and arbitrary port operations to a transparent, rules-based system managed through digital technology.
He stressed that the shift should align with ongoing reforms and international best practices, facilitated by the government through providing enabling environment and enforcing regulations
“These include predictable costs, enforceable service standards, transparent billing, time-bound cargo release, and institutional accountability particularly as Nigeria advances the National Single Window (NSW), port economic regulation, and revenue optimisation objectives.
“The expectation is not the creation of new laws, but disciplined enforcement of existing instruments, public disclosure of regulatory outcomes, and insulation of regulators from political and commercial capture,” Nweke said.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Tinubu Approve Take Off Of Olokola Deep Seaport In Ogun State

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate take-off of the Olokola Deep Seaport project in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area
The approval brings  to an end years of delay surrounding the multi billion dollar Port.
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun made this Known to Journalists during an interactive session
 Governor Abiodun said the Seaport would help decongest Lagos ports, while oil drilling at Tongeji Island would boost economic activities and inclusion in coastal communities.
“The Olokola deep seaport project, which has been on the drawing board for several years, has been revived following a series of meetings with the President”.
“I want to sincerely thank Mr President because this is solely his initiative. In the last two weeks alone, we have held several meetings on Olokola, and he has clearly expressed his desire to see the port become a reality,” he said.
The Governor said the seaport would be known as the Blue Marine Economic Zone, would leverage the coastal road as an alternative logistics corridor and further ease pressure on the Lagos ports.
He commended the Nigerian Navy for establishing a Forward Operations Base at Tongeji Island, saying the move would enhance security and prevent infiltration from neighbouring Benin Republic.
The Governor said that the state government was working to provide basic amenities for residents of the island to improve living conditions and support emerging economic activities.
Abiodun thanked the Navy for its contribution to security in the state, attributing the relative peace in Ogun to collaboration among security agencies.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Gov Eno Vows To Actualise Ibom Deep Seaport Project 

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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 Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno says his administration is  commitment to deliver the Ibom Deep Seaport project as a critical infrastructure to boost the state’s economy and transform the region.
The Governor said this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the Interaf Group Consortium at the Government House, Uyo.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Enobong Uwah, Eno emphasized on the project’s significance.
“The project is a necessity for the people of the state as my administration is fully committed to putting the necessary requirements in place to get it on course,” Eno said.
The Governor urged the consortium to work closely with the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, AKICORP, and the government’s representatives to ensure its timely execution.
He commended the organisation for its interest in ensuring the actualisation of the project
The Governor thanked the former Petroleum Minister, Mr Don Etiebet, for being a part of the team, and for working toward the actualisation of the facility.
Earlier,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Interaf Group Consortium, Mr Ezinwa Ibekwe commended the government for the confidence reposed in the company.
Ibekwe assured the government of the consortium’s readiness to deliver on its mandate, promising a collaborative approach to ensure the project’s success.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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