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FG To Tackle Issues Of e-Payment System

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The Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo, said in Abuja on Monday that government would tackle issues that affected effective and efficient implementation of e-payment system.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Federal Government introduced the e-payment system in January 1, 2009.

Dankwambo gave the assurance at a two-day training workshop on e-payment with the theme “e-Payment System and Public Financing Management Reporting System as Tool for Achieving Transparency in Government’’.

“Generally some of the problems which include delay in payment and customers getting value for services rendered are mainly human challenges.

“We are still battling with the human aspect of e-payment; there are still people who are not yet at home with the e-payment system.

“We will continue to dialogue with this people, we will continue to perfect the e-payment system to make it acceptable.

“We will also continue to train and retrain people and personnel who are working in the cause of implementing e-payment system so that the implementation will be smooth, challenges and the human factor minimised,” he said.

He added that issues of national network where everybody would hook up for the purpose of clearing and processing transaction was still on the platform.

This, he said, when finished by the end of 2010 would help eliminate some of the major challenges and enhance the e-payment system.

He said the main objective of organising the Forum was to broaden knowledge on the tools that could effectively be deployed to achieve transparency in government.

According to him, implementation of e-payment brought elimination of use of cash to facilitate speedy payments for all transaction, fast tracking the implementation of government policies through the elimination of delays in government payment system.

“Enhance transparency and accountability in payment system, achievement of economy and efficiency in government financial transactions among others,’’ he said.

Dankwambo noted that all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the Federal Government had fully adopted the e-payment system.

In his keynote address, Mr Achi Achinuvu, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, said that considerable progress had been made over one year in realising the objectives that formed the basis for adopting e-payment.

“Such objectives include the elimination of unacceptable delays in the payment of contractors, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and staff claims, interaction between contractors and government officials thus eliminating corrupt tendencies.

“It has fast tracked the process of implementation of government activities and removal of unnecessary bottleneck and ensured that audit trails of all payment can easily be traced to relevant accounts of individuals or companies that operate them,’’ he said.

He noted that there was need for accounting personnel in the public sector to brace to the international standard of financial reporting as it would enhance transparency in government.

He added that the Federal Government had planned Integrated Financial management Information System (GIFMIS) as steps to ensure accountability in government

“GIFMIS planned to take off in 2011, involves the computerisation of public financial management process, from budget preparation and execution to accounting and reporting with the help of an integrated system for financial management of line ministries, spending agencies and other public sector operation,’’ he said.

He tasked stakeholders to make meaningful contribution to enable the forum come out with issues that would help government achieve its goal of transparency, probity and accountability.

The Forum was organised Accountant –Generals of Nigeria in collaboration with the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the World Bank.

Participant were Accounting Officers drawn from federal, state and local government areas across the country.

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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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