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FG Floats N2bn Credit For Agric Equipment-Hiring Operators

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10 years ago

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FNARD) says it has facilitated access to N2billion credit facility for 80 agricultural equipment-hiring centre operators to be deployed to 29 states.
Agric Minister Dr Akinwumi Adesina, made this known in Abuja yesterday at an interactive session with agricultural equipment-hiring centres bid winners across the country.
Adesina said food import bill had declined from N 1.1 trillion ($ 6.9 billion) in 2009 to N 684.7 billion ($4.35 billion) by December 2013 and continued to decline in 2014.
The minister attributed the development to the successful implementation of Agriculture Transformation Agenda of the present administration.
He said government had boosted food production by an additional 21 million tons of food within the past three years.
The minister said in spite of the devaluation of the naira and the massive decline in price of crude oil, food prices had been relatively stable due to increased domestic food production.
According to him, Nigeria must rapidly mechanise its agricultural sector, taking hoes and cutlasses out of the farms and replacing them with tractors.
“Today, gathered here are the successful bid winners for the 80 agricultural equipment-hiring centres to be deployed to the 29 states as a first phase of the programme.
“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has facilitated access of each of these service operators to a credit facility of N26 million each, without any of you visiting a bank.
“This is to demonstrate the seriousness with which we take this programme; each of the agricultural equipment enterprise centres will cost an average of N35 million,’’ he said.
Adesina said each of the operators would only need to provide 20 per cent of the cost as equity.
According to him, the balance will be spread over 48 months with seven per cent interest and two years moratorium.
He advised the operators to provide quality and affordable mechanisation services to farmers across the country.
Adesina said President Goodluck Jonathan had approved the provision of N50 billion agricultural mechanisation funds to establish 1,200 agricultural equipment-hiring enterprises in the next three years.
He explained that it would support the mechanisation of an additional four million hectares of land and other farming operations.
Under the programme, 6,000 units of Tractors and Power Tillers, 13,000 units of various harvest and post-harvest equipment would be deployed across the country between now and next year, Adesina said.
The minister said government had package a programme for NYSC members to practice agriculture as a business, saying that mechanisation would attract youths to the sector.
Also speaking, acting Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr Babatunde Sadiku, thanked the minister for entrusting the bank with funds.
He said the bank was in a position to work hard to deliver on the task for the best of Nigeria’s agriculture sector.

The New Bonny Women’s Hall constructed and commissioned as constituency project by Hon Aye A. Pepple Photo: Egberi A. Sampson.

The New Bonny Women’s Hall constructed and commissioned as constituency project by Hon Aye A. Pepple Photo: Egberi A. Sampson.

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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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