Business
Sign Federal Road Bills Into Law, Expert Urges Buhari
Unsettled with series of setbacks suffered in the passage of the Federal Road Bill, and National Road Fund, an expert, Engr. Charles Omordu, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the National Road Fund and Federal Road Bills into law.
Omordu, former Director of Engineering in the Rivers State Mitnistry of Works, in an interaction with The Tide, Monday, narrated how several attempts had been made in the past by the Executive branch of Government to reform the road sector but all to no avail.
This explanation, he said the 8th National Assembly decided, early 2016, “to take the bull by the horns by embarking on a holistic reform of the transportation sector with the participation of all relevant stakeholders, resulting in the bills that emerged from its chambers”.
These bills, he explained, were subsequently reviewed and passed by the current 9th National Assembly, noting that if strategically implemented, the bills will catalyse the diversification and expansion of Nigeria’s economy.
Omordu, who is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), explained that NSE and other stakeholders served on two technical committees, amongst others, “to ensure that the Road Sector Reform Bills, National Road Fund and Federal Road Bills were professionally drafted to stimulate a holistic transportation system, which would have guaranteed the sustainable wellness and economic competitiveness of Nigeria in the sector.
“The technical committee also re-created the road transport mode which would be a formidable force for re-inventing the economy of Nigeria.
“Signing the bills into law, and giving required approvals, will expedite and professionally guide the implementation of the Transport Sector Reform Bills passed by the 9th National Assembly”, he said.
He disclosed that an effective and efficient transportation system is a catalyst for accelerated socio-economic development in any nation.
According to him, there are evidence-based studies that had confirmed that the absence of a sustained, coordinated and inter-modal management of the transportation systems in any nation contributed about 25 to 30 per cent to the cost of production of goods and services in such countries.
“For more than four decades, Nigeria has failed to carry out a holistic reform of the transport sector, in spite of numerous attempts by various governments and stakeholders to champion policies, bills and programmes aimed at the remarking of the sector.
“The damage this unfortunate scenario has inflicted on the socio-economic growth and development of Nigeria has been serious and colossal, and the 9th National Assembly recognised the compelling need to find solutions to the mitigating factors that had stalled the reform of the transport sector and, therefore, embarked upon a robust programme to ensure the passage of the relevant bills.
“Unfortunately, the bills were not assented to by Mr President during the 8th National Assembly. It is, therefore, reassuring that the 9th National Assembly has successfully passed all the Bills, and it’s necessary that Mr President give speed assent to it”, he said.
He also noted that it had become pertinent to put together a taskforce on transport sector reform with membership drawn from all the relevant public and private sector organs, including the states.
By: Corlins Walter
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
PDP Belongs To All Of Us, Oborevwori Assures Protesters
-
Featured3 days ago2026 World Cup, My Immediate Task -Finidi
-
Politics1 day ago
Fubara Has Created Conducive Investment Climate In Rivers -LG Boss
-
News1 day ago
N19.6trn Pension Fund: Labour Opposes FG’s Plans To Undermine Retirement Savings
-
Health4 days ago
RSG Harps On Family Planning As SFH Unveils Injectables For Women
-
Sports3 days ago
‘Nigeria Set For Paris 2024 Olympic Games’
-
Opinion1 day ago
Ethnic Nationalities: Key To True Nationhood?
-
Opinion3 days ago
The Rantings Of Rivers ALGON