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NRC To Begin Train Services, Soon

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15 years ago

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Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Adeseyi Sijuwade has said that full operational mass transit train services would return in phases in Kano, Maiduguri, Jos, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Lagos before the end of this year.

He said the selection of concessionaires for private sector involvement has already started to ensure that the set target is realistic.

He noted that the ongoing rail rehabilitation projects include Lagos, Jebba to Kano, while the corporation has carried out the rehabilitation and completion of Warri-Ajaokuta standard rail line, Construction  of Abuja – Kaduna, Lagos-Ibadan standard gauge line, refurbishment of 100 wagons and 70 coaches for sustainability of freight and commuter train services, upgrading of signal and telecommunication facilities and re-equipping of workshops.

He thanked the federal government for its commitment to effective train services to Nigerians by giving approval in its 2009 budget for the procurement of 25 new locomotive engines out of which five have been received by the corporation in February, 2010.

Sijuwade said reconstruction work along with landscaping was on-going on the headquarter buildings of the corporation at Ebute-Metta while operational staff would be given uniform as part of efforts to give the corporation a new and acceptable corporate image, adding that the mechanical/electrical engineering workers from all the districts of the corporation are presently undergoing a two-week training course in Lagos while the locomotive engine drivers have gone to South Africa for training.

“As you are all aware transport and indeed the rail transport is a component part of the present administration’s 7 point agenda and a critical element in the nation’s socio-economic development in its drive for Vision 20-2020. This is to say that the NRC has a high public profile window and we as Railway workers be it the managing director, director, loco driver, ticket checkers or spy police have a duty to remain customer-focused and sensitive to good service delivery. This is one way we can truly speak of  Railway rebirth we can sustain.” While promising to improve on the welfare of the workers of the corporation by first of all looking into matters of allocation of staff quarters, Sijuwade enjoined all the workers of the corporation to conform to the spirit of servi-com, which he said was ‘Government’s campaign instrument for positive behavioural change in our places of work.

 ‘Servicom is about good service delivery in terms of service place, time or charges that will elicit customer’s satisfaction’. Sijuwade said, referring to the corporation as the shopping floor for government business.

“Nigerian public deserves to be served better and we must put ourselves in readiness to ensure they are served right”, he told the workers.

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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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