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Commuters Task FG On Road Reconstruction

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Commuters on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway on Sunday decried
the incessant flooding of the road and urged the Federal Government to urgently
repair it.

The commuters in separate interviews with our correspondent
in Lagos said the bad portions of the road often led to accidents.

A commercial motorcyclist, Mallam Babagana Mahamad, said
that the road usually flooded during rainfall, causing gridlock.

“Several vehicles got stuck whenever the road is flooded
leading to traffic congestion,” Mahamad said.

He explained that accidents occur daily between Sanya
Bus-Stop and Tin can Island Port second gate as a result of the bad portions on
the road.

Mr Akedele Adetonju, a commercial tricycle driver said that
the road normally flooded for about five days whenever it rained, making it
impassable.

“Any day it rains, most of us plying the road will close for
business because everything will be at a standstill,” Adetonju said.

He said the situation had been on for over two years and
appealed to government to repair it.

Mrs Mabel Animotu, a business woman, said “last week after
it rained, I was on the same spot for over one hour inside my car due to the
flood.

“Some portions of the road have big potholes, so vehicles
try to dodge the potholes as they drive through the high water level, and the
flood is usually terrible around the second Rainbow Bus Stop area.”

Miss Mitchel Segun, a student, told our correspondent that
it was usually difficult for pedestrians whenever it rained.

Responding, Mr Godwin Eke, Deputy Director, Federal Ministry
of Works, Lagos, who was supervising the reconstruction of a portion of the the
highway, attributed the flooding to various forms of abuse on the road by
residents.

Eke explained that residents often dumped refuse into drains
and build houses over channels.

“We used to have drains at the road median but they are all
blocked, and who is blocking them?, the users in our right-of-way.

“Even the new `U` channel drainage we created were used to
dump tyres and all manner of refuse.

“When we discovered the abuse, we started covering the
drains, yet it is not stopping them. So when drains are blocked and silted,
water cannot go anywhere but come back to the road,” he said.

He explained that the Federal Road Maintenance Agency
(FERMA) was constantly cleaning the drains to check flooding which according to
him, also damage the roads.

Eke said efforts of the Lagos State Government to assist the
ministry to remove illegal occupants on the right-of-way was stalled because
some of the road abusers went to court.

He also said that some trucks carry goods that exceeded the
capacity of the road resulting in severe damage to some portions.

He explained that government had begun reconstruction of
Kilometre 7 portion of the road, while the rehabilitation of Cele area would be
undertaken later.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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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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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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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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