Author: Saint Augustine

Mr. Chris Osunkwo is the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tincan Island Ports Command. He granted interview to journalists in Lagos last on the trending issues in the Service and the nation’s economy in general. Our correspondent was at the parley and filed in this piece. Excerpt; What is your take on the recent wind of retirement in the Nigeria Customs Service? What has been happening is not out of place. Every government has its own method, so when the new CGC (Comptroller-General of Customs) was appointed, he made it public that he has a three point…

The two-day pre-inauguration retreat for ministers-designate ended in Abuja on Friday with the participants pledging to confront the challenges of governance and lift the masses out of poverty. Although the sessions held behind closed doors, some of the ministers-designate told journalists the retreat was enriching. The Minister-designate from Kogi, James Ocholli, said, “There is a lot of demands on us as the president told us at the opening session and he is preparing us to meet the challenges that we will face. “I think it will be better for us ministers and the nation that most of us will hit…

The Police in Delta on Friday used teargas to disperse dozens of pro-Biafra agitators who staged a protest rally in Asaba. The protesters said they were in solidarity with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). Some members of the group were arrested for blocking the Asaba-Benin expressway. They chanted songs calling for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu, a member of the Pro –Biafra group. However, a police source said that the arrested members were later released following “an order from above”. Members of the group had poured into the Asaba-Benin expressway, blocking a large portion of the ever-busy road,…

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has advised the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) to appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to relieve him off his duty in the customs as soon as the two aspects of his mandate to restructure and reform the service were reasonably achieved. The former Deputy National President Logistics NAGAFF, Mr. Ugochukwu Nnadi who made this known in a press release he issued recently in Lagos said that NAGAFF was worried that if he dabbled into the revenue function of the service, he may likely defile his respect and integrity…

Notwithstanding assurances from the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) that the re-introduction of the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) will not come with an additional cost to the cost of clearing goods at the ports, some stakeholders are yet to be convinced that the assurance were not a ploy to get them hooked into botched Note. CTN was first introduced in Nigeria on December 9, 2009 by the approval of the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The scheme was under the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) but was administered by a private firm, Transport and Ports Management Systems Ltd (TPMS) Antaser. Before…

The National Association of Government of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has announced the dissolution of its National Executive Committee (NEC). This was contained in a press release issued on Thursday by the Secretary to the NAGAFF’s Board of Trustees (BoT), Mr. Dipo Olayoku and made available to Primetime Reporters. According to Olayoku, the dissolution which was done in consultation with the National President, Dr. Eugene Nweke was aimed at repositioning the management team for improved efficiency and service to members. He further pointed out that the BoT had given approval for the constitution of a new NEC without delay…

In continuation of his Thank You Tour to All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) faithful across the twenty-one Local Government Areas of the state, Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, has restated his commitment to fulfill his promises to the party and to continue his programmes that would lead to the rapid development of the state. The governor made the assertion Wednesday when he visited Anambra West and Anaocha Local Government Areas to keep his promise to the people. Governor Obiano told the crowd at Umueze Anam that he came to thank party members at the Ward level for ensuring victory…

The indiscipline, lack of respect for superior officers, preferential postings and impunity among junior officers in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has become a thing of the past as Col. Hameed Ali took over the reins of the service four months ago, a customs Public Relations Officer says. Our correspondent gathered that senior officers were constrained from giving orders to junior officers who had backing from the service’s head office in Abuja and where it is given, would not be adhered to. A Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) Steve Okonmah, who is the Public Relations Officer of the NCS at…

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi has commended the Management of Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL) for its contributions to the Nigerian Maritime Industry and the Nigerian economy. Mallam Abdullahi who was speaking shortly after inspecting LADOL’s facilities along Badagry channel, Lagos harbours assured the company of the Authority’s support and collaboration in the areas of security, pilotage, and safe channels among others. The Managing Director noted that if there were other companies in Nigeria that had contributed immensely to the nation’s economy like LADOL, Nigeria’s economy would have developed more than it had…

There was pandemonium on Saturday and Sunday near the Trailer Park at Ebubu in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers when thousands of youths, women and children descended on a burrow pit; dug out and took home several tonnes of chicken condemned and buried by men of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). The scavengers came with shovels, pans, basins and buckets to cart their loot home. The Customs had on Friday dug out a canal there and buried thousands of cartons of frozen poultry they seized at the Onne Ports. Witnesses said the chicken were brought in six containers, emptied and…