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Four National Committees On Agriculture Submit Reports

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The four National Committees on the revitalisation of the agricultural sector recently constituted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have submitted their reports.
The committees are: Operationalisation of the Federal Government, Storage and Agro Processing Facilities, Resuscitation of Cotton, Textile and Garments.
The remaining two are that of the Revitalisation of Agricultural Extension Services and Strategic Action Plan for the Development of Grazing Reserves and Stock Routes Nationwide.
The Tide source reports that the committees that were given two weeks as deadline made far reaching actionable recommendations.
While the committee on the resuscitation of Cotton, Textile and Garment proposed an injection of N37.20 billion between 2016 and 2019, that of the Grazing Reserves recommended the establishment of National Livestock Development Authority.
On its part, the committee on Revitalisation of Agricultural Extension Services called for the establishment of National Policy on Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services.
The committee held that the body must include a sustainable, knowledge-based, market-oriented and ICT-driven value chain extension system.
The committee on the Operationalisation of the Federal Government Storage and Agro-Processing facilities proposed that the ongoing concession of silos must be fast-tracked and done within six months.
It further held that the process must include immediate leasing and concessioning of the other structures to include agro-process centres, farmer markets and agro-industrial estate.
Speaking, Mr Sonny Echono, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, said “I can assure you that within seven days, all of those recommendations and interventions would be before the President.“
“We are indeed poised to kick-start and sustain the current effort and to also galvanise resources to ensure that we are able to produce food for our people.
“The ministry has been working tirelessly on the re-establishment of Marketing Corporation to cover the gaps created with the scrapping of the various marketing boards.
“We have completed four of the private-sector-driven stakeholder manning boards. They include that of cotton, cocoa, root/tuber and grains.
“So we are working hard at it and we believe that by the time these Marketing Corporations become operational they would fill the necessary gaps highlighted in some of these reports,“ Echono added.
According to him, the ministry will use the platforms to link producers and farmers with the market.
He said this was critical to sustaining the production circle in the agricultural sector.
“In our efforts to ensure expanded dry season cultivation across the country this year to make up for some of the losses incurred to inclement weather, 60 agricultural equipment hiring enterprises are to be created.
“This would give further impetus to our mechanisation efforts to increase other land cultivation across the country,“ the permanent secretary said.

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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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