Connect with us

Business

A’Ibom Govt Gets Kudos Over Deep Sea Port

Published

on

The Federal government has commended the commitment and preparedness of Akwa Ibom State government towards the development of the Ibom Deep Seaport project.
Director General of Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), Mr. Chidi Izuwah gave the commendation during the weekend when he led other stakeholders including , Nigeria Ports Authority, (NPA), Federal Ministry of Transportation, and Ministerial Project Development Steering Committee (MPDSC) to inspect the project site in Mbo Local Government Area.
Izuwah said, “We are proud to be on this visit to verify that all the preparations to move this project forward are going very well. I cannot describe the joy I have in my heart to be here today to see that something we started sometime ago is beginning to take shape in terms of physical reality.
“I congratulate the governor for his commitment towards this project. This sea port is crucial to Nigeria’s economic survival. It is designed to serve all parts of Nigeria. It is also crucial to the development of the South South region.
“The Federal government wants to see Infrastructure development in every part of the country, so this is a sign of that. So we (stakeholders) are here today to ensure that this particular infrastructure that will create, jobs, wealth, and develop our people is done. When completed this project will provide 5000 to 10, 000 direct jobs for Nigerians”
Izuwah added that the commitment of the state government towards the construction of the 12-lane Super highway leading to the sea port, further demonstrates its preparedness for the take- off the Sea port project.
In his remarks, Director of Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Pius Oteh said they were convinced that the project was good to take off given what they saw at the project site in terms of state government commitment and determination to get it moving forward.
Oteh who is also a member of the Ministerial Project Development Steering committee (MPDSC) stressed that the sea port project was good to take off once the final business case processes were completed.
“As a supervisory ministry for infrastructure such as this, we are impressed, and we have seen the need to give this project very full support. If you can recall, very recently, the hon. Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi had stated that this sea port is good to go once we get the full business case completed and adopted. “
I am happy to tell you that in the meeting stakeholders held yesterday which included the Federal Ministry of Finance, the ICRC and state government, we took very strong steps in adopting the Full Business Case which will now be presented to the Federal Executive Council by the Minister soon as we complete all the processes.
“It is really a great opportunity to come very close to the project site. I want to say that we are committed, we are supportive, and we are happy with the steps that have been taken so far”
Also speaking, Chairman Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport Actualisation and Development, Mrs. Mfon Usoro said she was impressed with the collaboration of the federal government and the state government so far stressing, “Akwa Ibom people should have no doubt about Federal government support .
“We have shown the Ministerial Project Development Steering committee what Akwa Ibom state has done to show their preparedness towards this project. And I want to thank the governor for pushing this project so far. I am impressed indeed”

Continue Reading

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

Published

on

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
Continue Reading

Business

ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

Published

on

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
Continue Reading

Business

NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement 

Published

on

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
Continue Reading

Trending