Maritime

Boat Mishaps: NIWA To Train Boat Captains, Skippers

Published

4 years ago

June 21, 2021

Following incessant incidents of boat mishaps on the nation’s waterways, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) says it will soon commence training of boat captains and skippers to reduce the spate of water accidents.
The Authority said the training capacity for boat captains and skippers became imperative to reduce boat accidents especially on Lagos waterways.
General Manager, Marine Operations, NIWA, Engr Joseph Ororo disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting between the agency and boat operators.
Ororo said the training would be made compulsory for boat operators, as participants would be certified by the agency as captains at the end of the tutelage.
According to him, NIWA with the collaborative support from accredited institutions, will design a curriculum for training of the skippers.
He explained that the training would be categorised into three phases, including practical, theoretical and methodologies.
Ororo added that the training would be extended to executive boat operators because of the poor academic background of many skippers and boat captains.
He said: “This training of our boat operators is long overdue. We have started it in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states but Lagos is the centre of excellence”.
Also speaking, the Area Manager of NIWA in Lagos State, Engr. Sarat Lara Braimah, explained that the training would concentrate on how to licence boat operators, adding that the certification would last for three years.
“Our boat captains will be formerly licensed by NIWA. We want them to be known in their operations. We want to hold them accountable in whatever they do on the waterways.
“We want a proper formal education for our captains because they are not properly educated”, he said.
Braimah said that the training programme would be devoid of language barrier as different dialects would be employed to get across to all operators.
The manager urged stakeholders to cooperate with NIWA to end incessant boat mishaps on Lagos waterways, blaming carelessness on the part of the captains for the recent accidents in the state.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Customs Kaduna Command Generates ?5b Revenue In Oct

Published

15 hours ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kaduna Area Command, has achieved a new revenue milestone, generating ?5.16 billion in October 2025

The Area Command said the feat was the highest monthly revenue ever recorded.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Ridwan Yusuf, revealed this in a Statement made available to Journalists

The figure, Yusuf said, represent 96 per cent increase above the monthly target and a 196 per cent target performance.

Yusuf said that the command collected ?39.79 billion between January and October 2025, compared with ?24.06 billion generated during the same period in 2024 reflecting a substantial year,on year growth.

the Area Controller, Comptroller Saad Hassan, attributed the record performance to the dedication and professionalism of officers and stakeholders, in line with the modernisation agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi.

He identified improved stakeholders’ engagement, digitalisation of excise operations, and enhanced officers’ motivation as key factors driving the Command’s success.

“The Command’s performance demonstrates the effectiveness of our current operational strategies and our unwavering commitment to national economic stability,” Hassan said.

He assured that the command would continue to sustain the momentum by facilitating legitimate trade and improving revenue collection mechanisms.

The Command also reaffirmed its resolve to uphold professionalism and integrity in line with the service’s overall mission of trade facilitation and economic growth.

By; Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Shipper’s Council Advocates Sensitization Of Staff On NSITF Scheme

Published

15 hours ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has called for proper Sensitization of staff on the proposed insurance scheme by the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF).

Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, NSC, Akutah Pius, made the call while playing host to a courtesy visit by NSITF officials to his office, in Lagos.

Represented by Director of Human Resources Management, Alhaji Mustapha Zubairu, Akutah emphasized the Nigeria Shipper’s Council commitment to prioritizing staff insurance and health, citing existing policies with positive impacts on employees’ lives.

He requested NSITF to strengthen its legal framework to enable the NSC to fully benefit from the scheme.

Earlier, the Team Head, NSITF’ Adegbite Oludotun said that the organization provides compensation for insured government employees in case of injury, disability, or death during active service.

While commending the NSC for registering with the scheme, Oludotun assured adequate compensation for employee claims and safety.

By: Chinedu Wosu

Maritime

Navy Rescues Six Male, Five Female Passengers From Drowning In Rivers

Published

15 hours ago

November 10, 2025

The Tide

The Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB) of Nigerian Navy Service NNS has rescued six male and five female passengers from a sinking speedboat along Bonny waterways in Rivers state

This is contained in a Statement by the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Ayiwuyor Adams-Aliu, and made available to newsmen, in Abuja.

Adams-Aliu said the rescue operation was carried out by personnel of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base (FOB), Bonny, along the Bonny River.

According to the statement, the boat, which departed Nembe Waterside Jetty in Port Harcourt for Coal Beach Jetty in Bonny Island, developed engine failure midstream and began taking in water near the Federal Ocean Terminal, Onne, Rivers State.

He said the swift response of the Naval patrol team under heavy rainfall prevented a major tragedy as all 11 passengers comprising six males and five females, were safely evacuated and taken to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Jetty for medical checks.

“The rescued victims were later handed over to the Marine Police for onward reunification with their families,”

The Naval spokesman said the Navy, in another Operation last wednesday, intensified crackdown on crude oil theft with the deactivation of multiple illegal refining sites in the Niger Delta.

He said personnel of FOB Escravos dismantled two sites at Obodo Omadino Community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

“Similarly, the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER patrol team uncovered and deactivated another site with cooking ovens, reservoirs, sacks, jerrycans, and dugout pits filled with stolen crude and illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil around Bakana and Isaka areas of Rivers.

“Also, personnel of FOB Bonny dismantled a refining site at Eyamba Community in Bonny Local Government Area, while NNS DELTA patrol team deactivated another at Opumani Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta,”

Adams-Aliu said the operations reflect the Navy’s renewed commitment under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Idi Abbas, to ensure maritime safety, protect national assets, and promote lawful economic activities.

The statement reaffirmed that the Nigerian Navy would sustain the momentum in its fight against crude oil theft and all forms of illegality within the nation’s maritime domain.

By: Chinedu Wosu