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Boat Operators Tasks Delta Govt On Jetties

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11 years ago

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Private boat operators in Delta State have appealed to the State Government to help them rebuild the 13 jetties along waterways in the state to enhance their operations.
A spokesman of the Operators, Mr. Biukeme Yakubu, made the call in an interview with newsmen after taking delivery of some life vests donated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri South Local Government Area of the State recently.
Yakubu said if rebuilt, it would enable operators to generate more funds and income into the Federal Government’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), stressing that the deplorable condition of the jetties as well as inadequate facilities had been a major impediment to the private boat operators.
He disclosed that NIMASA had earlier promised to give the jetties a face-lift, but was yet to fulfill the promise, adding that “maritime transportation in Delta State requires urgent attention of government”.
The spokesman, however, thanked NIMASA for the presentation of the safety jackets to the private boat operators, which according to him, would go a long way in ensuring safety of passengers despite the few number.
“The safety jackets are so few to be shared among the more than 1,000 operators plying the creeks. Most things we do here are through self-efforts”, Yakubu said.
Meanwhile, NIMASA has threatened to shut-down seaports that are not complying with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code.
Director General of the agency, Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi who made the threat at a one-day seminar organised by the Shippers’ Assocation in Lagos recently in collaboration with Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said although many of Nigeria’s major ports had complied with the ISPS code, others yet to comply.
Akpobolokemi, who was represented by a Director, Ibrahim Jibril however expressed dismay over the lack of access roads to the Ports.
According to him, “this forum should take a close look at the Ports’s access roads because the roads have done lots of damage”, saying, “I believe that with the efforts of the NPA and the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) on the Inter-model plan, a lot will be achieved”.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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4 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.

Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.

The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.

Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.

“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.

“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”

Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.

In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.

Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.

Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.

 

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NIS Ends Decentralised Passport Production After 62 Years

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4 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, made the disclosure during an inspection of the Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja, last Thursday.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
According to him, the centralised production system aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for improved service delivery.
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FG To Roll Out Digital Public Infrastructure, Data Exchange, Next Year 

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4 days ago

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September 22, 2025

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The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to roll out Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platforms across key sectors of the economy, starting in early 2026.
Director of E-Government and Digital Economy at NITDA, Dr. Salisu Kaka, made the disclosure in Abuja during a stakeholder review session of the DPI and NGDX drafts at the Digital Public Infrastructure Live Event.
The forum, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange and e-Government Transformation,” brought together regulators, state governments, and private sector stakeholders to harmonise inputs for building inclusive, secure, and interoperable systems for governance and service delivery.
According to Kaka, Nigeria already has several foundational elements in place, including national identity systems and digital payment platforms.
What remains is the establishment of the data exchange framework, which he said would be finalised by the end of 2025.
“Before the end of this year and by next year we will be fully ready with the foundational element, and we start dropping the use cases across sectors,” Kaka explained.
He stressed that the federal government recognises the autonomy of states urging them to align with national standards.
“If the states can model and reflect what happens at the national level, then we can have a 360-degree view of the whole data exchange across the country and drive all-of-government processes,” he added.
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