Business
Cleric Laments Corruption, Poverty In Nigeria
A prominent clergyman in Port Harcourt and Presiding Bishop of Kingdom Life Gospel Church, Bishop Victor Uzosike, has condemned the twin problems of corruption and insecurity ravaging the African continent, particularly, Nigeria, saying, they have been the cause of poverty and lack of development.
According to him, when insecurity is juxtaposed with endemic corruption, perpetuated in high places, the future of the country and the continent is highly threatened.
Uzosike who bared his mind in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt, decried a situation where expatriates and other foreigners who came to Nigeria to help with vaccines and also attend to the health needs of the people as well as improve the wellbeing of the nation, are kidnapped and killed, saying, the time to prosecute and punish those behind the dastardly act had come.
He said it was also a crime against God and mankind for those entrusted with the people’s future, those who represent them in all the tiers of government, to corner the nation’s resources and covet same for their personal use, saying, those behind such thievery must not go unpunished. “Anybody who thinks he can loot this nation and get away with it should think again. Anybody that has been indicted of corruption should not be let off the hook”, he pleaded, and described stealing in public office as an aberration.
Uzosike noted that the way out of corruption and insecurity, was for all institutions of government, the judiciary, the executive and legislature to be thoroughly reformed, in such a way that laws are churned out and enforced, describing as disturbing a situation where the National Assembly had not enacted laws to tackle headlong the security challenges staring the nation in the face. “This country can only be salvaged if people are accountable and pay for their actions”, he said.
He also decried a situation where politicians and other rich Nigerians establish hotels instead of factories and cottage industries to provide employment to the youths, stressing that the trend had engendered poverty and unemployment, as young people are daily seen hawking groundnuts and other items on the streets.
To this end, the cleric posited that what Nigerians needed badly today was visionary leaders in all facets of life, whom he said would see their political positions and assignments as divine, for which reason he noted, they would project into the future and chart a path for sustainable development of the country.
He said lack of visionary leadership had robbed the country of the opportunity of producing made-in-Nigeria cars through the instrumentality of the Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Plant, lamenting that in spite of the fact that Nigeria was endowed with abundant human resources including good mechanics and engineers, “we are still importing steel and many other things”.
Business
Western Marine Command Intensifies Anti-Smuggling Operations … Intercepts N8.75m Worth PMS
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
Business
Illegal PMS Trading Booms In 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
Business
Customs Board Appoints Five DCGs, Eight ACGs
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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