Business

Govt, Port Operators Lose N40bn To Strike In Apapa

Published

11 years ago

December 3, 2014

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) yesterday said the Federal Government and port operators lost about N40 billion to the 11-day strike which crippled Apapa Port last month.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos by the Public Relations Officer of the association, Mr Simeon Nwonu.
The statement described the strike as “needless’’, adding that there was no reason for it.
It expressed concern over the long ship waiting time experienced at the port during the strike.
“For avoidance of doubt, it is on record that the alleged complaint against APMT operations (the concessionaire of the Apapa Container Terminal) is not peculiar to Apapa Port.
“The issue of arbitrary charges is a matter which affects almost all terminal operators in Nigerian ports.
“This matter at present is being handled by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the commercial regulator.
“We are aware that a case is pending at the High Court between the terminal operators and Nigerian Shippers’ Council with regards to arbitrary charges,’’ the statement said.
“APMT is a world-class terminal operator and an investor in Nigeria that requires the support and protection of our country.
“If the agency of government which had the schedule to administer our ports had performed well, it is obvious that our ports may not have been concessioned,’’ NAGAFF said.
The statement said that a good example was that of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which had retrieved its statutory function from the service providers after several years, with the help of the freight forwarders of Nigeria.
“We do hope that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) will take advantage, using its oversight functions to ensure that our ports are friendly and competitive.
“The essence and primary objective of port concession is to bring about efficiency, competitiveness and reduction of costs.
“It is most unfortunate that human element problems, including but not limited to corruption; non-compliance with import regulations, disregard for rule of law and inadequate cargo handling equipment are the bane of our port operations.
“The Nigerian seaports like any other all over the world is a transit area for goods and persons,’’ the statement said.
It said: “what we see today is that ports are being used as warehouses and thereby distorting the entire system in ports administration and management.’’
NAGAFF said that Section 31 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) was clear as to the dwell time of cargo in the ports which should not exceed 30 days.
The statement said: “thereafter such goods would be moved out of the port for further action, including but not limited to processes leading to auction.
“The point herein is to ask why uncleared cargo lists are not being prepared and such cargo transferred to the designated outer terminals.
“Progressive port charges for unlawful stay of cargo in our ports become necessary as a deterrent to the defaulters.
“It is also a fact that the cargo scanners are not optimal in their performance, due to frequent breakdown,’’ the association said.
The statement condemned the administration of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) regime and maintenance of the scanners by the customs service with a ‘meagre’ sum of 7 per cent of the total duty collected.
It said that the service had to attend to the general welfare of officers and men, salary, capital projects and other logistics required to ensure an efficient customs operations.
“We advocate that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council be allowed to conclude the on-going court processes with the terminal operators to resolve the issue of arbitrary charges and other incidentals,’’ it said.
The statement directed all members of NAGAFF to exercise restraint in any matter leading to the closure of the port and explore all amicable avenues with the authority.

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

4 days ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

1 week ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.