Business
Royal Father Berates Shell Over Neglect In Etcheland
L-R: Regional Director, Dangote, Chux Mogbolu, Chief Marketing Officer, Mr. Oare Ojeikere, a beneficiary, Chidiuto Augustine, Rivers State Zonal Coordinator, Prince Chinonye Ikegwuruka and Head, Sales, Dangote Cement, Mr. Ken Ihedioha, during a mega million promo organised by the company in Port Harcourt on Monday.
A traditional ruler in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, has expressed disappointment over what he described as disregard and disrespect by the Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell, to the host communities in Etche land.
The Onye Ishi Agwuru Ulakwo/Umuselem clan, HRH Eze ken Nwala, made the disclosure Thursday at the commissioning of projects and programmes by Etche Two Cluster Community Development Initiative held at the Ultra Modern ICT Centre, Odagwa 11.
Nwala said the absence of Shell petroleum development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) at the event was a clear proof of the high level of disdain the oil company has for the people of the area.
Nwala said, “I am disappointed that SPDC is absent. It shows the level of disregard the company has for its host communities. Not even sending a representative”.
The royal father alleged that Shell has severally promised his people good roads, markets, schools and other necessarily infrastructure, but regretted that the oil giant was yet to fulfil its promises to the people.
He said, in Ogoni, Kalabari land and other communities in the Niger Delta, there are crisis in communities where Shell operates and urged the company not to take the peaceful disposition of Etche people for granted.
Nwala also noted that Umuechem Community was massacred years back and that recently, a son of Okoroagu community also in Etche was killed because of agitation and demand for fairness and justice from the company and advised |SPDC to be fair to his people.
He lamented the poor road network in Shell host communities in Etcheland and appealed to the authorities of the company to show proof of responsible corporate organisation.
“Any day I come to Odagwa, I feel like crying because of the poverty in the area and the absence of social amenities insipite of the millions of dollars being extracted from the land by Shell”, he said.
He however commended the GMoU initiative for putting in place the ICT centre and urged the people to make good use of the facility.
The traditional ruler also advised youths who benefitted from the training programme sponsored by the GMoU initiative to take advantage of the skills acquired to better their lives.
He particularly reiterated the need for youths of the area to remain peaceful and shun social vices for a sustainable development of the area.
Chris Oluoh
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
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