Author: Saint Augustine

In keeping with the desire of the Governor Willie Obiano administration to create a decent environment for the people, the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA) is partnering with the Awka Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) to give Anambra State a world-class city focused on Dubai Model City concept. Stakeholders converged over the weekend for the 2015 NIA State Chapter Annual Conference organized by NIA and ACTDA at the Emmaus House, Awka with the theme: “Developing An Effective Urban Master Plan for Awka Capital Territory.” Speaking after declaring the one-day seminar open, Governor Obiano stated that as a friend of the…

…Says operations fall short of international best practices The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Tincan Island Chapter has explained the rationale behind its recent threat to withdraw its services from the Tincan Island Container Terminals (TICT) in Lagos. The Secretary of ANLCA Tincan Island Chapter, Evang. Chuks Kanikwu in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos explained that the TICT lacked the facilities to properly function and meet up with the rising demands of the teeming customers of the terminal. Kanikwu disclosed that as a result of inadequate facilities to carry out their operations effectively, TICT had resorted…

The National President, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero has restated the illegality of the Practitioners’ Operating Fees as proposed by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) saying that the Act establishing the CRFFN did not recognize it. In a letter he addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and copied the President, Commander-in-Chief, Muhammadu Buhari and four others, Amiwero disclosed that practicing fees of any type within the ports by any association or union was cancelled through the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Memo…

The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Ado Bayero has urged stakeholders in the Nation’s Maritime Industry to collectively strive to reposition its maritime potentials as a formidable alternative to oil and gas in term of revenue generation. He therefore implored stakeholders in the industry to utilize the full potentials of the industry so as to maximize its benefits; in order to stimulate the nation’s economic grows. Alhaji Ado Bayero made the call while delivering his goodwill message at the just concluded 5th edition of the Nigeria Maritime Expo (NIMAREX 2015). He noted that countries like Egypt…

The heated controversy generated by the recent implementation of a voluntary laptop acquisition scheme for primary school teachers in Anambra State has finally been dispelled by the state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kate Omenugha who revealed that the revolutionary policy was actually an initiative of the National Council on Education that was hatched in 2012. Addressing journalists in Awka on recently, Prof. Omenugha wondered why there was so much hoopla over a policy that her Ministry was merely implementing to give Anambra children the chance to compete with their peers from across the globe in an ever dynamic computer age.…

…Calls for election within 3 months The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase has ordered that the collection of the Practitioners’ Operating Fees by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) be suspended pending the election and constitution of the Governing Council members for the Council. In a well attended meeting between the Inspector-General of Police and the leadership of the various freight forwarding associations operating under the CRFFN at Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police represented by Assistant inspector-General of Police, AIG Adeniji also ordered that election into the council be conducted within the next three…

Following the intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari in the indebtedness of some state governments to their workers, a financial expert, Mr. Johnson Chukwu has called for an institutional perspective towards forestalling the re-ocurrence of the trend in future. It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved a comprehensive three-pronged relief package to the distressed states to enable them meet their obligations to their workers. Speaking in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos, Chukwu stated that the institutional perspective would amount to the President sending an amendment to the Fiscal Responsibility Act such that it would impose…

…Directs CBN to package over ₦250B special intervention fund for states In his resolve to end the lingering crisis of unpaid workers’ salaries in the country, especially in several beleaguered states, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved a comprehensive three-pronged relief package. These are: * The sharing of about $2.1B in fresh allocation between the states and the federal government. The money will come from recent LNG proceeds to the federation account. * A Central Bank of Nigeria-packaged special intervention fund that will offer financing to the states, ranging from between N250B to N300B. This would be a soft loan…

The Wife of the Governor of Anambra State, Chief (Mrs.) Ebelechukwu Obiano has commended the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Foundation for supporting the Girl Child Education Campaign of her pet project, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFÉ), with a donation of books. A delegation led by the Regional Bank Head of UBA, Mr. Jerry Azih yesterday presented 20 copies of Things Fall Apart by the late Anambra State born literary icon, Professor, Chinua Achebe, and 208 copies of The Girl Who Can and Other Stories by Ghanaian Author, Ama Atta Aidoo, at her office in Government House Awka. Expressing appreciation…

Continued from last edition… Mr. Ganiyu Sekoni Balogun is the Managing Director, Tarzan Marine Enterprises Nigeria Limited as well as the President, Association of Tourism, Boat Operators and Water Transport of Nigeria (ATBOWATN). In this interview with newsmen in Lagos, he talks about the incapacitation of the Marine Police to effectively Police the nation’s waterways, the roles of the regulating government agencies as well as the expectations of the Boat Operators from the Buhari’s administration as it affects their operation and many more. Our correspondent was there and filed in this piece. Excerpts; Has there been any improvement in the…