Maritime
Stakeholders Want Fewer Agencies At Ports
Some stakeholders in the maritime sector have called for the
reduction in the number of government agencies at the seaports and a review of
some obsolete maritime polices.
The stakeholders who disclosed this to newsmen in Lagos
recently said that duplication of duties by government agencies at seaports
were some of the issues in the maritime sector.
Our correspondent recalls that the Federal Government, on October, 2011, ordered the withdrawal of services of eight agencies at the seaports and reduced the number from 14 to six.
Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Finance and
Coordinating Minister for the Economy, gave the order during an inspection of
the Lagos ports by the National Economic Team.
The minister said that ports’ operations must be streamlined
to enhance efficiency and reduce costs as obtained in developed economies.
President of the Institute of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria,
Mr Zebulon Ikokide, told newsmen that the bane of the maritime sector was too
many supervisory agencies at the ports.
“There are too many agencies in the Nigerian maritime
sector. Even though the number has been reduced, those left are still hindering
the progress of the sector.
“If you go to the ports, you will find the NPA, Nigeria Customs
Service, NAFDAC and NIMASA,’’ Ikokide said.
President of National Association of Government Approved
Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Mr Eugene Nweke,
urged players in the maritime sector to initiate bills to move the
industry forward.
“We want to see a situation where bills are passed and
signed into laws devoid of vested interests.
“The Ports and Harbour Bill should be facilitated and made
to work and the National Transport Commission Bill should also see the light of
the day.
“The nation cannot boast of being a maritime nation when it
does not have its own shipping fleet,” he said.
Mr Olu Akinsoji, a marine engineer, told newsmen that one of
the good steps taken by government was the draft legislation on unlawful acts
against ships.
Akinsoji said that the nation would be able to address the
issues of piracy and armed robbery in Nigerian waters if the legislation was
passed through the National Assembly and appropriate actions taken.
“The current procedure adopted by NIMASA against armed
robbery and piracy is a fire-brigade approach.
“How do you arrest and prosecute offenders, when you don’t
have the legislation in place in line with international standard’’ Akinsoji
asked.
Dr Boniface Aniebonam, Founder of National Association of
Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), advised the Federal Government
to re-establish the Nigerian National Shipping Line.
He said that the nation was losing a lot of revenue to
foreign shipping lines.
Aniebonam said that some of the laws governing the port
industry like the Customs and Excise Management Act should be reviewed.
“We have not made efforts to join the global trend in
logistics management. This means that the multi-modal transport system is not
operational in Nigeria.
“ The ports must be linked with the rails where cargoes can
move from conventional ports to the terminals,’’ he said.
Aniebonam said that government had not achieved the
objectives of the ports concession programme.
“With the concession policy, the cost of doing business in
the ports should have dropped by 30 per cent in the first year.
“The concession policy of government is supposed to reduce
the cost of doing business in our ports, but what do we have today.
“The cost of doing business at the ports is higher and this
has not created opportunities for competition with the neighbouring ports,’’ he
said.
Another issue which the stakeholders, especially freight
forwarders, are worried about is the introduction of transaction fees by the
Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
CRFFN has imposed transaction fees of N1, 000 on 20 foot
container and N2, 000 on 40 foot container a move President of ANLCA, Mr
Olayiwola Shittu, is opposed to.
Maritime
Illegal Migration: NIS, NIWA Move To Strengthen Partnership
Following the spate of illegal migration into the country by migrants, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have concluded plans to strengthen their partnership to curb illegal migration through the Lagos State waterways.
The plan to deepen partnership was discussed when the new Comptroller of Immigration Service in charge of Lagos Seaports and Marine Command, CIS Joseph Dada, visited the NIWA, Lagos Area Manager, Mrs Sarat Braimah in Lagos.
Speaking at the visit, Dada said the service would fare better in achieving its mandate with a strategic partnership with the waterways regulator.
“We have some challenges on the waterways, even though we do patrols. Collaborating with NIWA will guarantee stronger waterway operations.
“We are not saying people shouldn’t migrate or ‘japa’ from Nigeria. Migration is part of life and people have a right to seek greener pastures.
“However, they must do it the right way. They have to get their passports, visas and travel through the appropriate channels”, he said.
Dada lamented that several Nigerian ladies are victims of human trafficking for prostitution usually disguised as job offers for care workers abroad.
Also Speaking, Managing Director, NIWA, Mrs Sarat Braimah, welcomed the idea of strategic collaboration with the NIS, stressing that both agencies are working for the common good of Nigeria and its citizens.
“We expect this collaboration to prohibit illegal migration. Migration is part of life and as you observed earlier, it fosters tourism, culture and development.
“Nonetheless, we will assist the NIS in achieving their objective, which is that people shouldn’t migrate illegally.
“A lot of passengers board ferries from Marina jetty to Badagry and Port Novo. We don’t know their final destination or verify their identity; but we’re open to NIS partnership to carry out migration checks”, she said.
She noted that NIWA could train immigration officials on how to go onboard vessels safely, and also provide boats, lifejackets, among other equipment, when the Immigration make such requests.
Maritime
NPA To Generate N629bn Revenue In 2024 -MD
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says the authority will generate N629.89 billion in 2024.
NPA is also seeking for N200 billion loan from Afrexim Bank for ports development.
Managing Director, NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, stated this while defending the 2024 budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours in Abuja.
He said the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) was also listed as one of the financial institutions from which to source the loan.
Koko said the total projected expenditure was N464.32 billion, while the operating expenses were projected at N212.03 billion and the capital expenditure stood at N252.29 billion.
“Part of the main trust of the 2024 budget is the urgent need to rehabilitate, reconstruct and moderate the dilapidated port infrastructure facilities”, he stated.
The Managing Director said defects in the facilities were hampering efficiency and productivity in the ports, saying that the defects include the quay walls and the replacement of old gravity walls.
According to him, another is need for rehabilitation of Escravos breakwaters.
“This is aimed at improving port efficiency and increasing cargo traffic through investment funding from the financiers, UKEF and Afrexim”, he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Nnolin Nnaji, said the agency is very dear to the country, hence the need for the committee to visit some of the facilities outside Lagos.
“We need to see those things you are telling us. The House of Representatives is very serious about budget defence, while they do screening on the other side, budget defence is here”, he said.
He commended the Managing Director for the budget presentation, saying that he believed in the subsequent budget
“We accept this budget, and we will move further with it”, he assured.
The lawmaker also said the drainage channels were full of wreckages and expressed concern over lack of information on wreckage removal.
Nnaji noted that as long as the NPA avoided the wreckage, it will keep occurring because of the abandoned ships facilities.
Maritime
COWA Distributes Food Items To Members In Abuja
In a bid to cushion the hardship and hunger faced by ordinary Nigerians, the Customs Officer’s’ Wives Association (COWA) has distributed food items to its members in Karu Customs Barracks, Abuja.
National President, COWA, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, who flagged off the exercise, said the distribution of the food items was part of COWA’s plans to ease life for its members.
“This is not the first time COWA is conducting this initiative of distributing food items to the members and non-members of the association, and we decided to distribute these items considering the season of Ramadan.
“Everything we are doing now is for you. Please register so we can make provision for all of you. This will help us keep proper data of everyone and we will continue doing this subsequently to alleviate the situation”, Adeniyi said.
She further said food items were also being distributed to COWA members across all Customs formations in the country.
Some of the food items distributed include rice, spaghetti, noodles and cooking oil.
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