Business

Stakeholders Hail Sack Of NNPC Board

Published

10 years ago

June 29, 2015

L-R: National President, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Chief Eugene Nweke, representative of the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Victor Gbemudu and Country Director, Deutsche Gesell Schaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Mr Christian Widmann, at the launch of implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff in Lagos, last Tuesday.

The sacking of the board of the Nigeria National petroleum Company (NNPC, last Friday by the Federal Government has been viewed by stakeholders in the oil and gas sector as a welcome development.
The Executive Director, Nedal Oil and Gas Company Limited, Prince Emma Ogba said in an interview on Saturday with The Tide in Port Harcourt that, “what the Federal Government did was the position of well-meaning Nigerians.
NNPC under the watch of the board stinks from all the horrible stories I have been reading in the dailies. The company controls the wealth of the nation but the board never demonstrated either business ingenuity or sense of responsibility what president Muhammadu Buhari did was the right step in the right direction”.
Ogba said the sack order should be followed by probe to know how far they were involved in the many alleged fraud in NNPC.
The National Vice President, Oil and Gas of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. Billy Harry also lauded the sack, saying the board has run the national economy down.
He accused the board of incompetence, stressing that the board had over the years demonstrated that they were not out to serve the country.
Harry advised the Federal Government to consider tested and proven Nigerians who would show love and care to the interest of Nigerians when appointing or constituting new board members of NNPC.
“If the President dissolves the board, it is a very good thing and it should be done with the mindset to put people on board who should serve Nigeria for the benefit of Nigerians”, Harry said.
In his own reaction, a business consultant, Chief Henry Odinta also told The Tide that Buhari’s sack order has renewed in Nigerians the sense of belonging.
“it has always been stories of one fraud allegation or the other and upon this, the former President never wielded the big stick as expected of him.
Nigerians are suffering because of such presidential inactions that had been the case of the nation for past years. I commend Buhari for the action he took”, said Odinta, Managing Director, HOD Consult Nigeria Limited.
It would be recalled that President Buhari, last Friday, commenced a purge of the rot in NNPC by sacking the 10-member board which was headed by the immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The sack order was signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), Mr. Danladi Kifasi.
Members of the board include, current GMD of NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha, Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Fiancée, Mrs. Anastasta Daniel-Nwaobia, NNPC’s Group Executive Director in charge of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Bernald Otti, a former NNPC Group Executive Director in charge of Corporate Services, Dr. Peter Nnadu.
Others are a former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Steven Oronsaye, Current Co-ordinator, Legal Services/Secretary to NNPC, Mr. Ikechukwu Oguine, Prof. Olusegun Okunnu, Dr. Danladi Wadzani and Alhaji Abubakar Bukar.

Chris Oluoh

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Business

ANLCA Chieftain Emerges FELCBA’s VP

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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

Business

NSC, Police Boost Partnership On Port Enforcement

Published

3 days ago

June 27, 2025

The Tide

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