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World Bank Commends RSG’s Investment On Entertainment…Wants Stop To Piracy

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16 years ago

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As the ION International Film festival comes to an end in Port Harcourt, most of the participants have given kudos to the Rivers State government for the successful hosting of the world event which lasted from December 9th to December 12, 2009.

One of the commendations is from Ismail Radman, World Bank Senior Economist, Finance and Private Sector Development in Africa who lauded the state Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his immense contributions towards the development of the entertainment industry in the state and Nigeria as a whole.

The world bank executive who spoke with The Tide during the event said “it was good to be in Port Harcourt to witness the global event for the first time in Africa.

“I sincerely appreciate the warm welcome, the peaceful environment, security and hospitality of the state.

He stressed that the movie industry in Nigeria is expanding and providing job opportunities to many. He noted that the event is a rare opportunity for practitioners in the industry to partner with other movie industries in the world especially Hollywood of America and Bollywood of India which are rated first and second movie industries in the world respectively.

The World Bank economist however, urged the federal government to come, out with policies that would curb piracy which he said is a major problem in the industry. He also called for effective distribution network as a way of eliminating piracy and move the industry forward as well as more private sector participation in the movie industry.

According to him Hollywood and Bollywood are where they are today because of the huge investments from the private sector. He said Nollywood should be able to learn from the experience of these industries to improve on its standards equipment and other facilities.

Addressing the guests during the closing ceremony held at the Polo Club on Saturday, the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi lauded the organisers of the event for a job well done. He noted that Nigerian movie makers had a lot to learn from the event as it affords them the opportunity to partner with other professionals in the movie industry across the world.

He assured of government’s commitment towards the development of the entertainment industry in the state and tasked them to improve on their standards that could stand the test of time.

At the end of the event some movies that were nominated for the event got awards. They include; You Didn’t See Anything in Kingshasha, a documentary by Ngangura Mwoese from Congo; “Examination Malpractice”, a youth project by Emoedumba Joshua from Nigeria, “Micheal Jackson Shinning” by Trevor Parham of the USA got award under the music video category, ‘Renouncing Angelica’ by Temi Ojo of USA also won award under the short film category as well “From A Whisper” by Wanuri Kanya of Kenya which got award under the Narrative feature category.

 

Jacob Obinna

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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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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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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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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2 weeks ago

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June 27, 2025

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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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