Business

NEPC, NCAC Urge Creation Of Craft Dev Centres

Published

10 years ago

August 7, 2015

Shareholders voting at the extraordinary general meeting of Stanbic IBTC in Abuja, yesterday.

The Nigerian Export
Promotion Council (NEPC) and the National Council of Arts and Culture, (NCAC) have advocated for the establishment of Craft Development and Skills Acquisition Centres across the country.
This is to attract significant patronage of Nigeria’s Arts and Craft in the international market.
According to a statement obtained by our correspondent from the zonal office of NEPC, in Port Harcourt last Thursday, the Executive Director/CEO of NEPC, Mr Olusegun Awolowo explained that if Nigeria was to create global brands like the Chinese did with their Cuisine and Americans with the film industry, efforts should be geared towards establishing designated Nigerian Heritage Cities.
The occasion was the visit of the Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture, Mrs Dayo Keshi to Awolowo in his office in Abuja.
Awolowo said the establishment of such cities would promote Nigerian products and cuisine in countries where Nigeria boasts of huge population.
“Given the huge population of Nigerians in South Africa, London, Atlanta in Georgia, and Houston in Texas both in the United States the Council intends to promote the creation of Nigerian towns in these cities to facilitate the export of local products and foods by Nigerian entrepreneurs” he added.
Responding, Mrs. Keshi said that to showcase the value of Nigeria’s creative and cultural industry, NCAC was willing to partner with NEPC to promote the potentials of the country beyond the shores of Nigeria.
According to her, stakeholders should look at the possibility of exporting local content particularly in the creative industry.
“We should develop and promote events like the Oshogbo’s Songo, Durbar in Kano or Boat Regatta Festival in any chosen location to attracts tourists,” she said.
She, however, said that for these festivals to attract significant participation by foreigners, it should be streamlined by way of creating fixed event dates in a year as well as the establishment of Special Arts Malls in Lagos, Kano and Abuja to make for proper planning and participation by tourists.
Keshi underlined that the aim of her visit to NEPC also included an expression to invite Awolowo as Guest Speaker at the forthcoming 40th year Anniversary of NCAC as an agency of government responsible for promoting arts and culture in Nigeria.

Business

NPA Assures On Staff Welfare

Published

1 day 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

2 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

2 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