Business

NRC Commences Petroleum, Agric Produce Haulage

Published

14 years ago

November 9, 2011

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) is to commence haulage of petroleum products and agricultural produce across the country, the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar, has said.

The minister said this in Ilorin on Tuesday at the twin- flag off of Ilorin-Lagos weekly passenger train service and the launch of Ewekoro-Ilorin weekly cement haulage.

Our correspondent reports that the flag-off recorded the haulage of 600 metric tones of Lafarge cement from Ewekoro, Ogun State to Ilorin.

The minister, who was represented by Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, Director of Transport, Planning and Coordination in the ministry, said the government’s initiative was designed to enhance the economic development of the country.

“The haulage activity of the NRC is to cover every aspect of our economy. The Lafarge/ WAPCO cement company only partnered with the corporation.

“We are going to embark on the movement of petroleum products and agricultural produce among others,” he said.

Mr Adeseyi Sijuade, Managing Director, NRC, disclosed that the corporation had ordered for 20 pressurised tank waggons to be used for the movement of petroleum products in the country.

Sijuade also said that the corporation would soon complete the rehabilitation and provision of special waggons for the movement of agricultural produce on weekly basis in the country.

He said that the NRC had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), with the Osun government to move farm produce from the state to Lagos.

Sijuade noted that the Ilorin-Lagos weekly passenger train launched on Friday conveyed 3,000 passengers from Lagos to Ilorin for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration.

He also said that the weekly cement haulage would also help to reduce the price of the product in Ilorin and its environs.

Governor Abdlfattah Ahmed of Kwara, represented by Alhaji Abubakar Kanike, Commissioner for Works and Transport, commended the initiative of the NRC.

He said that the NRC was alive to its responsibility and assured it of government’s support to ensure its success, noting that the haulage would complement the state’s investment in the air freight operation.

“Kwara is the real gate way state; a bridge between the North and the South. We are also investing in international cargo which is for air freight that will be disembarking in Ilorin.

“The two will be an added value to Kwara as it will make the state a hub for economic activities in the North Central and Nigeria in general,” he added.

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Business

ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Business

NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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