Maritime
Customs Allegedly Abandons Container Inspection Bay
Officers of Nigeria Cus
toms Service (NCS) operating at the Lagos seaport may have abandoned a N640 million ultramodern container inspection facility, which was meant to speed up the clearing process of imported goods.
Consequently, the management of leading global terminal operator, APM Terminals Apapa Limited, which built and handed over the facility to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), in 2010, is now calling on Customs management to compel its officers to utilise the facility now lying idle at the Apapa port, as it would enhance the inspection of goods at the port.
Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Mr. Dallas Hampton, who gave the charge while interacting with journalists in Lagos recently said the facility was specially built by his company three years ago to provide decent and conducive office accommodation to customs officials and also serve as facility for the physical inspection of containers related perations at the terminal.
He, however, lamented that despite the huge investment of $4 million (about N640 million) made by his company in building the facility, Customs had refused to use it, rather preferring to use a makeshift open area thus subjecting importers and their agents to the elements of weather.
Hampton said the multi-million-naira Customs building has 14 container examination bays and 235 square metres net office area all built to British standard and fully equipped with modem electronic gadgets and information technology.
He urged the new Customs Area Controller of the command to utilise the facility to reduce the unnecessary exposure of his men and port users to unfriendly weather conditions.
Hampton also disclosed that due to the unusually high rate of physical examination of containers by NCS operatives, APM Terminals Apapa was constructing a new physical inspection facility, which had necessitated a fresh investment of additional $10 million (about Nl.6 billion).
He said the facility, the first of its kind in the world, would utilise a multi- level racking system operated by yard cranes.
The new revolutionary multi-level racking inspection system is being constructed in China and would be delivered to the terminal before the end of this quarter.
Born out tof the need to cope with the abnormally high rate of physical examination of containers by Customs, the facility is part of Phase 3 of the modemisation and upgrading of APM Terminals Apapa, which includes terminal yard redevelopment and expansion, including new staff amenities and customer service building, acquisition of additional container handling equipment and implementation of new terminal operating systems.
Hampton said that the expansion project will also convert the terminal to full
Rubber- Tyred-Gantry (RTG) operations, and includes purchase of additional container handling equipment, a new customer service building, new employee amenities buildings as well as office for Nigeria Customs, and a new Customs container inspection area.
“The project will also include state of the art terminal control systems including a satellite based container positioning system,” he said.
Hampton also said that his company has more than enough cargo handling equipment. He said APM Terminals operates with more than 1.5 times the amount of equipment required for a facility the same size elsewhere.
He said no terminal operator in the country can match the expertise and volume of investment of APM Terminals in Apapa.
He urged importers to embrace honest declaration as a way of reducing the high rate of physical examination of goods at the port, which he said greatly,
Maritime
Illegal Migration: NIS, NIWA Move To Strengthen Partnership
Following the spate of illegal migration into the country by migrants, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) have concluded plans to strengthen their partnership to curb illegal migration through the Lagos State waterways.
The plan to deepen partnership was discussed when the new Comptroller of Immigration Service in charge of Lagos Seaports and Marine Command, CIS Joseph Dada, visited the NIWA, Lagos Area Manager, Mrs Sarat Braimah in Lagos.
Speaking at the visit, Dada said the service would fare better in achieving its mandate with a strategic partnership with the waterways regulator.
“We have some challenges on the waterways, even though we do patrols. Collaborating with NIWA will guarantee stronger waterway operations.
“We are not saying people shouldn’t migrate or ‘japa’ from Nigeria. Migration is part of life and people have a right to seek greener pastures.
“However, they must do it the right way. They have to get their passports, visas and travel through the appropriate channels”, he said.
Dada lamented that several Nigerian ladies are victims of human trafficking for prostitution usually disguised as job offers for care workers abroad.
Also Speaking, Managing Director, NIWA, Mrs Sarat Braimah, welcomed the idea of strategic collaboration with the NIS, stressing that both agencies are working for the common good of Nigeria and its citizens.
“We expect this collaboration to prohibit illegal migration. Migration is part of life and as you observed earlier, it fosters tourism, culture and development.
“Nonetheless, we will assist the NIS in achieving their objective, which is that people shouldn’t migrate illegally.
“A lot of passengers board ferries from Marina jetty to Badagry and Port Novo. We don’t know their final destination or verify their identity; but we’re open to NIS partnership to carry out migration checks”, she said.
She noted that NIWA could train immigration officials on how to go onboard vessels safely, and also provide boats, lifejackets, among other equipment, when the Immigration make such requests.
Maritime
NPA To Generate N629bn Revenue In 2024 -MD
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says the authority will generate N629.89 billion in 2024.
NPA is also seeking for N200 billion loan from Afrexim Bank for ports development.
Managing Director, NPA, Mr Mohammed Bello-Koko, stated this while defending the 2024 budget before the House of Representatives Committee on Ports and Harbours in Abuja.
He said the United Kingdom Export Finance (UKEF) was also listed as one of the financial institutions from which to source the loan.
Koko said the total projected expenditure was N464.32 billion, while the operating expenses were projected at N212.03 billion and the capital expenditure stood at N252.29 billion.
“Part of the main trust of the 2024 budget is the urgent need to rehabilitate, reconstruct and moderate the dilapidated port infrastructure facilities”, he stated.
The Managing Director said defects in the facilities were hampering efficiency and productivity in the ports, saying that the defects include the quay walls and the replacement of old gravity walls.
According to him, another is need for rehabilitation of Escravos breakwaters.
“This is aimed at improving port efficiency and increasing cargo traffic through investment funding from the financiers, UKEF and Afrexim”, he said.
Earlier, Chairman of the committee, Nnolin Nnaji, said the agency is very dear to the country, hence the need for the committee to visit some of the facilities outside Lagos.
“We need to see those things you are telling us. The House of Representatives is very serious about budget defence, while they do screening on the other side, budget defence is here”, he said.
He commended the Managing Director for the budget presentation, saying that he believed in the subsequent budget
“We accept this budget, and we will move further with it”, he assured.
The lawmaker also said the drainage channels were full of wreckages and expressed concern over lack of information on wreckage removal.
Nnaji noted that as long as the NPA avoided the wreckage, it will keep occurring because of the abandoned ships facilities.
Maritime
COWA Distributes Food Items To Members In Abuja
In a bid to cushion the hardship and hunger faced by ordinary Nigerians, the Customs Officer’s’ Wives Association (COWA) has distributed food items to its members in Karu Customs Barracks, Abuja.
National President, COWA, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, who flagged off the exercise, said the distribution of the food items was part of COWA’s plans to ease life for its members.
“This is not the first time COWA is conducting this initiative of distributing food items to the members and non-members of the association, and we decided to distribute these items considering the season of Ramadan.
“Everything we are doing now is for you. Please register so we can make provision for all of you. This will help us keep proper data of everyone and we will continue doing this subsequently to alleviate the situation”, Adeniyi said.
She further said food items were also being distributed to COWA members across all Customs formations in the country.
Some of the food items distributed include rice, spaghetti, noodles and cooking oil.
-
Politics4 days ago
Impeachment: Edo CJ Raises Panel To Investigate Allegations Against Dep Gov
-
News4 days ago
Federal Lawmakers Kick Against Extension Of Rivers LG Chairmen’s Tenure
-
News2 days ago
Police Prosecute 29,052 Cases, Secure 16,200 Convictions In One Year
-
Politics2 days ago
Senegal: Faye Set To Become Youngest Elected African President As Rival Concedes Defeat
-
Business4 days ago
Nigeria’s Public Debt Hits N97.3trn – DMO
-
News4 days ago
I’ll Dedicate My Birthday To Nation-Building, No Celebrations -Tinubu
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
NDDC, Firm To Train Bayelsa Youths In Acquacultrue
-
Sports2 days ago
…As In-Form Rangers Top League Table