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Shell Denies Pending LiabilitiesIn Nembe

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11 years ago

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Part of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology ICT Centre. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

Part of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology ICT Centre. Photo: Chris Monyanaga

The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) says it has no pending oil spill and gas flare liabilities in Nembe community of Bayelsa State.

The SPDC’s spokesman, Mr Joseph Obari, made the clarification in a statement made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, yesterday.

Obari said the claim by the Nembe community that the company had a pending oil spill and gas flare liabilities to it were unfounded.

It could be recalled that the Nembe Oil and Gas Committee alleged that the company has outstanding oil spill and gas flare liabilities to the community.

The committee had also urged investors interested in acquiring Shell’s interests in oil fields in the area to investigate the alleged pending liabilities to the community before acquiring them.

Obari further maintained that SPDC had conducted its businesses in the Nembe oil field according to the best industry practice.

“Our operations in Nembe community are within the limits of the applicable environmental legislation,” he said.

He said there was no record of any liability arising from SPDC Joint Venture oil and gas exploration in Nembe.

He explained that there was abundant evidence of beneficial relationship between SPDC and the people, adding that the oil firm responded promptly to spill incidents during its operations in the area.

“As a standard practice, we clean up all spills emanating from our facilities irrespective of its cause. SPDC has never neglected to clean up and properly remediate any oil spill in Nembe.

“The sites of all oil spills which occurred in Nembe up to 2012 have been 100 per cent remediated and the 2013 spill site is about 80 per cent remediated.

“When the cause of spill is not sabotage, SPDC provides relief materials and pays compensation to affected individuals and communities, where appropriate.

“Gas flaring from the exploration activities of SPDC within Nembe kingdom is well within the legally allowable limits with no negative impact on people and the environment,” he said.

The spokesman said that independently verified studies conducted on the health impact of gas flaring revealed no adverse health implications on communities.

Obari said that SPDC had spent N1.3bn on development projects in Nembe, through the Global Memorandum of Understanding scheme, between 2007 and 2012.

He further said that the company contributed 70 per cent of the cost of the ongoing Ogbia-Nembe Road project, being executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

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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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