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Koinyan Heads Bayelsa Agric Dev Board

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13 years ago

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Bayelsa State Government has constituted a new Agricultural Development Board with Retired Air Vice Marshal Larry Koinyan as chairman

Other members of the 12-man Board includes Izonebi Rodger Obubo as the Group Managing Director while, Reverend Otokolo Willie Dan, Dr Aziba Alaguo Seibofa, Professor Ebi Ngodigha, Mr Gilbert Adeh, Dr Ebinimi Joe Ansa, Chief Ekpein Appah, Chris Alagoa, Dr Edward Spiff, Professor Steve Azaiki and President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Abiye Kuroyemieama are to serve as members.

Inaugurating the board at the Executive Council Chambers of Government House, Yenagoa, Governor Seriake Dickson said the company was incorporated by his administration not just to guarantee food sufficiency after the flood but to devise ways of creating value added chain in massive food production for local consumption and export.

To this end, Governor Dickson charged members of the board to develop a blueprint within the shortest possible time on how the state could be involved in food production particularly in crops such as cassava, plantain, banana and fisheries as well as establish large storage facilities that would be second to none in the world.

Describing agriculture as dear to government in its restoration agenda, the Governor noted that if the Agricultural Firm succeeds, Government would have made tremendous impact in stimulating the local economy and create job opportunities for the people.

He remarked that Government had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a foreign technical partner for the cultivation and processing of cassava for local consumption and principally for export.

Bayelsa, according to the Governor is endowed with vast arable land to drive revolutionary agriculture in the state and expressed optimism that in the next one year, the Peremabiri Rice Farm will be resuscitated.

“We are actually an agrarian people as much as we are fishermen, we also have vast expanse of land that can support massive investment in agriculture” Governor Dickson remarked.

Expressing his administration’s desire to establish an equivalent of the Songhai Farms in the state, Governor Dickson noted that the Agricultural Company would have subsidiaries and a warehouse established in each local government area of the state.

He pointed out that the company was also expected to secure certification from international bodies for the state’s produce which would be bought off from local farmers.

Responding, Group Chairman of the board, Rtd AVM Larry Koinyan assured Governor Dickson of their determination to work towards actualising the vision of government in the Agricultural sector.

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NPA Assures On Staff Welfare 

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1 week 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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1 week 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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1 week 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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