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Protest Mars Firm’s Operations At Onne Port

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10 years ago

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Customs Area Comptroller Oyo/Osun Area Command, Mr Temitope Ogunkua showing newsmen some bags of rice seized from smugglers in Ibadan, recently

Customs Area Comptroller Oyo/Osun Area Command, Mr Temitope Ogunkua showing newsmen some bags of rice seized from smugglers in Ibadan, recently

Protesting members of
the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Seamen Branch, at the Federal Ocean Terminal (FOT), Onne Seaport, have embarked on a peaceful protest over an alleged sack of about 200 workers who are members of the union.
The protest paralysed activities of a maritime firm, Sea Truck Company. Irate workers blocked the gate of the company with vehicles to prevent staff and other customers from entering or exiting the premises of the company.
The Tide gathered that about three vehicles were used to block the gate of the company, thereby preventing vehicles from coming in or going out of the premises.
It was also gathered that as the protesting workers blocked the gate of the company, some security personnel attached to the company had forced some union executive to order their members to remove the vehicles or risk being shot, but to no avail as the protesting workers ignored all Police threats.
Our correspondent learnt that the protest was a directive from the President General of the Union, Comrade Tony Nted and other national officers over the sack of 200 maritime workers of the company without due process or dialogue with union executives.
The Tide correspondent further learnt that the union was compelled to take the action because war/sea truck management refused to honour invitation by the union executives to negotiate before any action.
Commenting on the protest, the State Chairman of MWUN, Comrade Jonah Jumbo said they had written to the management of the company twice for a dialogue when the latter sacked the first and second  batches of the workers totalling 130, while they also ignored a dialogue when sacking the third batch of 70 workers without due process.
Jumbo said the directive was from their national body to carry out the protest against  Sea Truck at Onne, stressing that it is a national exercise as similar actions took place simultaneously at the Lagos and Warri officers of the company over the same reasons.
He condemned the approach by the company for refusing to negotiate with the union before any action, adding that they were not against redundancy if things were not going well with the company, but to dialogue on a way forward.
“The company can look at other ways of cutting cost instead of arbitrary sacking Nigerian workers, while they left the expatriates”, he posited.

 

Collins Barasimeye

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Maritime

Weak Shipping Line Regulation Undermines Customs Reforms —-Says SEREC

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1 week ago

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January 28, 2026

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The Sea Empowerment and Research Centre (SEREC) says poor regulation of shipping lines could undermine the credibility of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) reforms.
Head of Research SEREC, Dr Eugene Nweke  made this Known to Newsmen in Abuja
Nweke said that customs efficiency was linked to the performance of the Nigeria’s maritime and trade ecosystem.
Hr described the NCS as central to the success of the National Single Window (NSW) risk-based clearance and trade facilitation reforms.
“However, Customs efficiency gains are systematically eroded when upstream shipping practices introduce artificial delays, speculative charges, remote cargo release approvals and opaque cost structures”.
“In effect, weak regulation of shipping line conduct externalises inefficiencies into the Customs clearance process, inflates transaction costs, distorts compliance behavior and undermines the credibility of customs-led trade reforms,”
Nweke said that SEREC had submitted a white paper to the government advocating that shipping line governance, port economic regulation, and customs trade administration should be treated as inseparable policy domains.
SEREC said Nigeria’s Port challenges were not only infrastructure-driven but governance-related, warning that weak regulation, missing oversight reports and unchecked discretion in systems like the NSW could undermine reform efforts.
SEREC recommended reforms for Nigeria’s shipping sector, including public release of committee findings, statutory refund timelines with penalties, banning speculative demurrage billing, mandatory local cargo release and alignment of shipping practices with the NSW among others.
Nweke said that the aim of the white paper was to draw attention to sharp practices and regulatory weaknesses that had evolved beyond operational inconveniences into macroeconomic and governance risks.
“For NCS trade reforms to deliver their full impact in 2026 and beyond, shipping practices must align with the same principles guiding Customs modernisation: transparency, predictability, automation, accountability and local control.
Nweke said that by 2026, stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime industry hope to transition from opaque and arbitrary port operations to a transparent, rules-based system managed through digital technology.
He stressed that the shift should align with ongoing reforms and international best practices, facilitated by the government through providing enabling environment and enforcing regulations
“These include predictable costs, enforceable service standards, transparent billing, time-bound cargo release, and institutional accountability particularly as Nigeria advances the National Single Window (NSW), port economic regulation, and revenue optimisation objectives.
“The expectation is not the creation of new laws, but disciplined enforcement of existing instruments, public disclosure of regulatory outcomes, and insulation of regulators from political and commercial capture,” Nweke said.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Maritime

Tinubu Approve Take Off Of Olokola Deep Seaport In Ogun State

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1 week ago

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January 28, 2026

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Nigeria President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate take-off of the Olokola Deep Seaport project in Ogun Waterside Local Government Area
The approval brings  to an end years of delay surrounding the multi billion dollar Port.
Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun made this Known to Journalists during an interactive session
 Governor Abiodun said the Seaport would help decongest Lagos ports, while oil drilling at Tongeji Island would boost economic activities and inclusion in coastal communities.
“The Olokola deep seaport project, which has been on the drawing board for several years, has been revived following a series of meetings with the President”.
“I want to sincerely thank Mr President because this is solely his initiative. In the last two weeks alone, we have held several meetings on Olokola, and he has clearly expressed his desire to see the port become a reality,” he said.
The Governor said the seaport would be known as the Blue Marine Economic Zone, would leverage the coastal road as an alternative logistics corridor and further ease pressure on the Lagos ports.
He commended the Nigerian Navy for establishing a Forward Operations Base at Tongeji Island, saying the move would enhance security and prevent infiltration from neighbouring Benin Republic.
The Governor said that the state government was working to provide basic amenities for residents of the island to improve living conditions and support emerging economic activities.
Abiodun thanked the Navy for its contribution to security in the state, attributing the relative peace in Ogun to collaboration among security agencies.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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Maritime

Gov Eno Vows To Actualise Ibom Deep Seaport Project 

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2 weeks ago

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January 28, 2026

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 Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno says his administration is  commitment to deliver the Ibom Deep Seaport project as a critical infrastructure to boost the state’s economy and transform the region.
The Governor said this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the state government and the Interaf Group Consortium at the Government House, Uyo.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Enobong Uwah, Eno emphasized on the project’s significance.
“The project is a necessity for the people of the state as my administration is fully committed to putting the necessary requirements in place to get it on course,” Eno said.
The Governor urged the consortium to work closely with the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation, AKICORP, and the government’s representatives to ensure its timely execution.
He commended the organisation for its interest in ensuring the actualisation of the project
The Governor thanked the former Petroleum Minister, Mr Don Etiebet, for being a part of the team, and for working toward the actualisation of the facility.
Earlier,Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Interaf Group Consortium, Mr Ezinwa Ibekwe commended the government for the confidence reposed in the company.
Ibekwe assured the government of the consortium’s readiness to deliver on its mandate, promising a collaborative approach to ensure the project’s success.
By: CHINEDU WOSU
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