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Upgrade Maritime Institutes To Stop Capital Flight – Expert

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11 years ago

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A maritime expert, Capt. Fola Ojutalayo, has called for the upgrade of maritime training institutions in the country to reduce capital flight occasioned by training of cadets abroad.
Ojutalayo, who is also a Senior Lecturer at the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Lagos, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Monday.
He said if well equipped, indigenous maritime training institutions could provide the required training for maritime personnel, the development would lift the sector to greater heights.
“Why is it that we cannot develop our institutions here in Nigeria; upgrade them to the level where we can sponsor these people.
“Let them go to these institutions, get their training and right there in the industry they go and practice?
“Why should we send them abroad? What is it they are doing there that we cannot do here? So, is still the same problem of human capacity development and systems problem.
“You can imagine all those trainings they are sponsoring them for are being paid for; they are not for free. That is capital flight.
“If they use the money, pump them judiciously with all commitments into the maritime institutions in Nigeria, we will experience a face lift in the sector.
“You have the Maritime Academy of Nigeria in Oron; you have the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology; both of them are Federal Government institutions. Why can’t we upgrade them?”
Ojutalayo described the training of seafarers by NIMASA in several countries abroad as “misplaced prioirity”, saying that the ships in the country might not have the capacity to absorb them.
“The issue of training, like what NIMASA is doing now. The people they are training basically now are young seafarers, who are newly coming into the industry.
“Although it is a laudable feat by them, I still have some reservation concerning that. The reason is because it is like a misplaced priority.
“You are training young seafarers to go and work on ships; you are training them in thousands; I don’t think they are less than 2,000 that NIMASA has sent out for now.
“By the time they finish in the next two, three, four years, where are they going to be working?
“What is the size, the capacity of ships that we have in Nigeria that will accommodate these people?”
Ojutalayo urged the government not to allow persons that had acquired professional skills in seamanship to roam the streets without jobs to prevent the growth of piracy.

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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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