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Expert Urges Security Of Nation’s Coastal Line

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A Maritime expert, Retired Rear Admiral Godswill Ombo, says the security of the nation’s coastal line was paramount in protecting the economy.
Ombo spoke as the lead resource person at the 2017 International Seafarers Day, marked in Lagos recently.
The theme is: “Seafarers Matter’’.
According to World Maritime University, International Day of the Seafarers was designated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), in 2010 as a way to recognize the contribution made by the world’s seafarers.
“Almost everything that we use and need in our daily lives is directly or indirectly affected by sea transport.
“Every June 25, we take a moment to express our thanks to the World’s 1,2 million seafarers for their contributions to the world economy and our economic and social well-being.
“Seafarers are essential to our daily lives, transporting more than 80 per cent of global trade by ships to people and communities all over the world.’’
Ombo said, “The onus is on maritime security agencies to ensure that shippers (importers and exporters)’s wares and personnel on board vessels are protected.
“It will not be out of place if the security agencies team up to form a common front that will secure the waters.
“We need to get our priorities right in terms of cadets on board training; the training of our cadets outside the country poses integrity and national interest question on us.
“We keep complaining of lack of vessels to train the cadets on sea experience while there is a vessel abandoned at the Lagos Marina named `MV Hotten’, which can be used for training,’’ Ombo said.
He urged the seafarers to adhere strictly to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Seafarers’ Code as their watchword.
According to him, such will guarantee them some security on board.
He called on the relevant agencies to do the needful and secure the vessel at the Lagos Marina for cadets sea experience training and save the nation the capital flight on foreign training.
In his remarks, the Director, Merchant Shipping Academy, Capt. Adams Alex, said that, Nigerian seafarers were being maltreated on board, while their foreign counterparts were enjoying international packages.
Alex said that although, there was global recession, Nigerian seafarers were the worst-hit with many out of job, while those that have jobs were being under-paid.
“Contractual agreements with the companies employing seafarers ought to be reviewed to be in tandem with the IMO’s recognition,’’ the seafarer said.
He said that, the situation where seafarers were left at the mercy of the employers should no longer be condoned in order to make the job attractive to the cadets.
Capt. Alfred Oniye, the Vice-Chairman, Zonal Shipping Council, urged the seafarers to conduct themselves well both on board and onshore.

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Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons

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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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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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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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