Maritime

Maritime Stakeholder Hails Court Ruling On NSC

Published

11 years ago

February 13, 2015

A Port Harcourt based
stakeholder in the Maritime Industry, Nze Bob Onyeama Theodore has described the recent Federal High Court ruling on the eligibility of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) to operate as the economic regulator of port activities in the country as a landmark judgment and best thing that had happened to the industry.
In an exclusive interview with our correspondent in his office in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Theodore said the council which had been operating since 1978 had been labeled a toothless bull-dog because there was no legal backing to effectively carry out its recent assignment by the Federal Government.
The maritime guru noted that with the court ruling, NSC is expected to carry out its duties legitimately to protect the interest of all stakeholders in the Port industry.
According to him, the council with the powers vested on it, could now regulate the commercial activities of all operators in the port, stressing that their activities will also include check and balance to the terminal operators, shipping companies, importers, exporters, clearing agents, freight forwarders and other service providers as well as the port concessionaires.
He expressed optimism that with the judgment, NSC will have powers over the activities of the shipping lines commended the Federal Government for their foresight.
Theodore, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Goldlink Maritime Services Ltd further said most illegal payments, fees and activities would stop forthwith, as the whole system would adopt international best practices.
“It is a great relief to the shippers, the importers and exporters as there will be no more shipping agency charges within the Nigerian maritime sector,” he opined, pointing out that all those cargoes that were diverted to other neighbouring West African countries due to these illegal charges would gradually find their ways to the Nigeria seaports, and it is going to boost the economy of the country.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos recently upheld the status of the NSC as the the economic regulator of the nation’s seaports.
The presiding judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba also ordered that terminal operators like the Seaports Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) and Association of Shipping Line Agencies (ASLA) to revert to the various 2009 charges as directed by the NSC.
They were also directed to refund excessive revenue made from 2009 to date to the Cargo Defence Fund (CDF) as well as account for all monies collected by these shipping companies from 2009 to date as one charge or the other.
The stakeholder however advised the Nigeria Shippers Council not to over step their boundaries or go beyond their limit but ensure that they carry out their roles according to specifications and guidelines, praying God to give them the wisdom, courage and protection to stand the storm.

Collins Barasimeye

Maritime

Customs Kaduna Command Generates ?5b Revenue In Oct

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kaduna Area Command, has achieved a new revenue milestone, generating ?5.16 billion in October 2025

The Area Command said the feat was the highest monthly revenue ever recorded.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Ridwan Yusuf, revealed this in a Statement made available to Journalists

The figure, Yusuf said, represent 96 per cent increase above the monthly target and a 196 per cent target performance.

Yusuf said that the command collected ?39.79 billion between January and October 2025, compared with ?24.06 billion generated during the same period in 2024 reflecting a substantial year,on year growth.

the Area Controller, Comptroller Saad Hassan, attributed the record performance to the dedication and professionalism of officers and stakeholders, in line with the modernisation agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi.

He identified improved stakeholders’ engagement, digitalisation of excise operations, and enhanced officers’ motivation as key factors driving the Command’s success.

“The Command’s performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our current operational strategies and our unwavering commitment to national economic stability,” Hassan said.

He assured that the command would continue to sustain the momentum by facilitating legitimate trade and improving revenue collection mechanisms.

The Command also reaffirmed its resolve to uphold professionalism and integrity in line with the service’s overall mission of trade facilitation and economic growth.

By; Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Shipper’s Council Advocates Sensitization Of Staff On NSITF Scheme

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for proper Sensitization of staff on the proposed insurance scheme by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NSC, Akutah Pius, made the call while playing host to a courtesy visit by NSITF officials to his office, in Lagos.

Represented by Director of Human Resources Management, Alhaji Mustapha Zubairu, Akutah emphasized the Nigeria Shipper’s Council commitment to prioritizing staff insurance and health, citing existing policies with positive impacts on employees’ lives.

He requested NSITF to strengthen its legal framework to enable the NSC to fully benefit from the scheme.

Earlier, the Team Head, NSITF’ Adegbite Oludotun said that the organization provides compensation for insured government employees in case of injury, disability, or death during active service.

While commending the NSC for registering with the scheme, Oludotun assured adequate compensation for employee claims and safety.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Navy Rescues Six Male, Five Female Passengers From Drowning In Rivers

Published

2 weeks ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Nigerian Navy Service NNS has rescued six male and five female passengers from a sinking speedboat along Bonny waterways in Rivers state

This is contained in a Statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu, and made available to newsmen, in Abuja.

Adams-Aliu said the rescue operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, along the Bonny River.

According to the statement, the boat, which departed Nembe Waterside Jetty in Port Harcourt for Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island, developed engine failure midstream and began taking in water near the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State.

He said the swift response of the Naval patrol team under heavy rainfall prevented a major tragedy as all 11 passengers comprising six males and five females, were safely evacuated and taken to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Jetty for medical checks.

“The rescued victims were later handed over to the Marine Police for onward reunification with their families,”

The Naval spokesman said the Navy, in another Operation last wednesday, intensified crackdown on crude oil theft with the deactivation of multiple illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.

He said personnel of FOB Escravos dismantled two sites at Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER patrol team uncovered and deactivated another site with cooking ovens, reservoirs, sacks, jerrycans, and dugout pits filled with stolen crude and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil around Bakana and Isaka areas of Rivers.

“Also, personnel of FOB Bonny dismantled a refining site at Eyamba Community in Bonny Local Government Area, while NNS DELTA patrol team deactivated another at Opumani Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta,”

Adams-Aliu said the operations reflect the Navy’s renewed commitment under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to ensure maritime safety, protect national assets, and promote lawful economic activities.

The statement reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy would sustain the momentum in its fight against crude oil theft and all forms of illegality within the nation’s maritime domain.

By: Chinedu Wosu