Business

Shippers, APM Partner To Reduce Cost At Ports

Published

11 years ago

June 24, 2015

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has said that it would collaborate with the APM Terminals, Apapa to reduce operational cost at Nigerian ports.
The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Hassan Bello stated this on Monday during a tour of the APM Terminals in Apapa.
Bello said that it was the desire of the council for Nigeria to become the preferred destination of cargoes.
He commended the management of the terminal for the “huge investments” it had made in the terminal, saying that that the Federal Government would safeguard the investments of concessionaires.
“I need to remind you that one of the cardinal reasons the ports were reformed for operations was cost.
“Costs must come down relative to operational climate with the services that are being rendered at the ports.
“We are working for you in many ways. We are trying to see that things are not arbitrarily done.
“The government agencies would not increase their tariffs, especially for you to operate. If it is going to happen, then it must be done scientifically.
“And what is a little bit worrying is sometimes the impunity – people just fixing prices for themselves without recourse to the authority. This would not do for good business operations.
“Here we are; Nigerian Shippers’ Council; very, very important partner to you. We are not regulators, we are moderators. We want to moderate every aspect of maritime activities.
“So as to get the efficiency that is needed and we have always tell people that we are in competition with some ports here.
“We need to improve our ports because the destination of cargo is at the feet of the consignee and consignee always goes to a place where everything is favourable to him.
“We want Nigeria as a whole to be the preferred destination for cargo.”
The executive secretary said that it was important for the council to be responsive to the problems of the terminal operators.
He lauded the company for the rail transport project being introduced to help in the delivery of cargo to the Northern parts of the country.
Responding, Mr Femi Ransome-Kuti, the Deputy Managing Director of APM Terminals, said that the management of the company had been able to resolve 70 per cent of its problems, including cargo handling.
Also speaking, Mr Sunil Bansal, the Chief Financial Officer of APM Terminals, said that the management of the company would work closely with NSC, being the regulator.
“We are definitely committed to Nigeria; we are here to stay. You are aware we are not only talking about the port here; we are taking about the Badagry port – much larger dominant.
“Of course, a lot of discussions are still ongoing. That is the commitment we have till date.
“Once we start our presentation, you will see we have invested like 350 million dollars over the last nine years in the terminal and more is still ongoing.
“When we started the terminal nine years back, the dream was to make the terminal a world class and today we are happy to say that this terminal is equivalent to any other terminal in Europe.
In terms of infrastructure, in terms of system, in terms of processes, we are absolutely equivalent.
“This is the only terminal in Lagos, which is connected with the rail to the hinterland.
“We have two lanes inside, two trains can come simultaneously and if Nigeria Railway Corporation can support in terms of providing train, we can connect to the other parts of the country very, very easily making the entire system very efficient.
“People do not have to come to Lagos to clear their cargo; it can be cleared at their doorstep.”

Business

Boat Mishap Kills Pastor, Wife And Church Members In Brass Water

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

A boat accident in Bayelsa state has killed a serving Pastor, Wife and other church members along Brass waterways

The sad incident happened at Odioama in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State when the Pastor, wife and members of his church were in a programme.

?Tide confirmed that the lifeless body of the Pastor’s wife has been found and deposited in a mortuary while the remains of her husband ,the Pastor is yet to be recovered

as search party are still ongoing.

Although the real cause of the boat Mishap is not yet known as at the time of this report, our Correspondent gathered that the identities of the Pastor, wife and church members were not disclosed to the public.

The mishap, Tide gathered occurred on Friday morning when the church members were on a boat transit

The Bayelsa State government and the state police command are yet to issue official statement’s on the sad accident

By: CHINEDU WOSU

Business

Rivers Workers Seek Scrapping Of Contributory Pension Scheme

Published

10 hours ago

May 18, 2026

The Tide

The Rivers State Council of Nigeria Civil Service Union has called on the State Government to urgently scrap the contributory pension scheme, describing it as unfavourable to long-serving civil servants in the state.

Chairman of the union, Chukwuka Osuma, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, recently.

Osuma said the current pension structure has continued to worsen post-retirement hardship for workers.

He noted that the contributory pension scheme had failed to provide adequate retirement security for workers who had spent many years in service, especially those approaching retirement age.

According to him, civil servants who had served for more than 20 years were among the worst affected under the scheme, insisting that many retirees could no longer cope with prevailing economic realities.

He also informed that the Union has made moves to showcase their concerns, pleading with Governor Siminalayi Fubara to abolish the pension policy and introduce a more favourable arrangement for affected workers.

“The union was not opposed to pension reforms, the contributory scheme should only apply to newly employed workers or those with fewer years in service”, he said.

Osuma explained that workers who had already spent decades in the civil service ought to remain under a more secure pension structure capable of guaranteeing stability after retirement.

The labour leader further noted that inflation and the rising cost of living had continued to erode the value of retirement savings, thereby increasing the suffering of pensioners across the country.

He also appealed to the state government to consider extending the years of service in the civil service from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

Osuma argued that such adjustment had become necessary in view of present-day economic realities and changing conditions in the workplace.

The unionist also reviewed that similar policies had already been adopted in some sectors and jurisdictions, expressing optimism that the State could also implement the reforms for the benefit of workers.

He however, commended Governor Fubara for approving an N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, noting that the amount was above the national benchmark of N70,000.

Osuma also acknowledged the government’s efforts in the area of workers’ promotions and bonuses, but insisted that pension reforms and extension of years of service remained critical to the long-term welfare and stability of civil servants in Rivers State.

By: King Onunwor

Business

FG Begins South-West Tour To Promote New Cooperative Bank

Published

6 days ago

May 13, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Government has launched the South-West zonal engagement and ministerial advocacy tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria share capital mobilisation, sensitisation and cooperative sector digitalisation.

Reports say the initiative was launched through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

According to reports, the advocacy tour, organised by the ministry’s Federal Department of Cooperatives, began on Monday in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Dr Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Abdullahi described the exercise as a strategic effort to reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity.

“Today represents a defining moment in our collective determination to reposition the cooperative sector as a major driver of inclusive economic growth, financial inclusion, enterprise development, food security and national prosperity,” he said.

The minister noted the modern cooperative movement in Nigeria originated in the South-West following the 1934 Strickland Report, which led to the enactment of the Cooperative Societies Ordinance of 1935.

According to him, the decision to commence the sensitisation and share capital mobilisation tour in the region is symbolic, as it marks a return to the roots of cooperative development in the country.

Abdullahi said the advocacy tour was a direct outcome of resolutions reached at the 8th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Cooperative Affairs held in Abuja in March 2026.

He said the council approved the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme, a comprehensive framework designed to strengthen the cooperative sector and align it with the administration’s goal of building a one-trillion-dollar economy.

“The reform programme focuses on seven strategic pillars, including governance reforms, cooperative financing and the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, digitalisation, capacity building, value chain development, inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities, and strategic partnerships,” he said.

He said the establishment of the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria and the digitalisation of the cooperative sector were the two major transformational initiatives under the programme.

“The Cooperative Bank of Nigeria is aimed at rebuilding a strong cooperative financial system capable of supporting cooperators, farmers, artisans, traders, SMEs, youths, women and persons with disabilities with accessible and affordable financial services,” he said.

Abdullahi emphasised that the proposed bank would be government-enabled but not government-funded.

“Government is not establishing the bank as an owner, nor will it rely on Treasury Single Account funds.

“The role of government through the FMAFS is to provide policy support, stakeholder coordination, regulatory facilitation and an enabling environment under the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to cooperative sector transformation.

She described cooperatives as critical tools for promoting inclusive growth, grassroots productivity, food security, financial inclusion and community wealth creation.

Ambrose-Medebem said Lagos State would continue to support reforms and collaborate with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Renewed Hope Cooperative Reform and Revamp Programme (2025–2030).

“Together, let us build a cooperative ecosystem that is modern, transparent, digitally enabled, financially inclusive and globally competitive.

“Let us build cooperatives that not only mobilise savings, but also mobilise prosperity,” she said.