Author: Saint Augustine

Sylvanus Obasi When Chief Isaac Jolapomo, former NISA Chairman guested on my Radio program last November, precisely on 4th Nov 2014, barely two weeks after the keenly contested NISA election which saw Capt Niyi Labinjo emerge president; the first question I threw at him as opener read: “Having founded Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) and been its Chairman for over ten years now, how much relieved do you feel that finally, you ‘ve got a successor?” The question caught him unawares because it wasn’t part of the questionnaires I emailed to him before he came on-air. Expectedly, he first struggled to…

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, said the fiscal operations of the Federal Government in the second half of 2014 resulted in an over-spending of the budget by N365.35 billion or 0.8 per cent of GDP, as against the proportionate projected budget deficit of N482.10 billion for the period and N325.10 billion recorded in the first half of the year. This fact is contained in the Financial Stability report of the CBN released on Thursday but published yesterday on its website. The report said that “the deficit was financed mostly from privatisation proceeds.” According to CBN, “the second half…

The Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) has called for the re-introduction of barges so as to move containers to areas where vessels could not berth. Speaking with newsmen in Lagos on the association’s expectations from the incoming government of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the association, Rev. Jonathan Nicol re-emphasized the importance of barges which he said could be used to evacuate containers from bigger ports that could accommodate vessels to such one that could be inaccessible to such vessels like the Warri ports. Nicol further called for the rebuilding of the Warri ports as well as send…

As Nigerians get set to welcome a new administration come May 29, 2015, the President, Shippers’ Association of Lagos State, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Nicol has warned the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to desist from appointing a politician to man the Ministry of Transport. Nicol who was reacting to insinuations in some quarters that the Ministry of Transport may likely be manned by a former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Nwabueze Ngige or the incumbent Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola stated that appointing a politician to man the sensitive position of Minister of Transport would…

The Shippers’ Association of Lagos State has again called for the separation of the maritime sector from the Ministry of Transport as well as the establishment of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to cater for the need of the industry just like the Aviation and Petroleum industries. The President of the association, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Nicol made this call in an interview with newsmen in Lagos. Nicol contended that if smaller countries like the Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana should have such ministry, there was no reason why a big country like Nigeria handling over four Million containers in a…

The troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a man said to be a supplier of fuel and food to members of the Boko Haram sect at Daban Shata, a suburb of Baga, Borno State. Director of Defence Information, Maj. gen. Chris Olukolade, said the military intelligence had been on the trail of the man until he was picked up in the early hours of Sunday. The Defence spokesman stated that the soldiers also rescued an additional 260 women and children near Chalawa Village in Adamawa State. The troops had rescued 293 women and girls on Tuesday and another 160…

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II, on Saturday commended President Goodluck Jonathan for inaugurating the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project before the general elections. The 16 billion dollars EPZ project is located at Ogidigben, Warri South/West Local Government Area of Delta. The monarch gave the commendation at the 28th anniversary of his coronation as the Olu of Warri in his Palace in Warri South. He said the project would benefit the Delta people and all Nigerians and urged the people to support it. He advised the communities hosting the project to create the enabling business environment for investors and…

Irrespective of the fact that the AP Moller Terminals (APMT) stems containers to the Lillypond terminal in Lagos, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has appealed to importers bringing consignment to Nigeria to ship their cargo directly to the Lillypond terminal for onwards clearance and delivery to the owners’ warehouse. The Chairman of ANLCA Lillypond Chapter, Mr. Olufemi Abiodun Olabanji who made this plea while speaking in an interview with newsmen in Lagos stated that the Lillypond terminal has what he called Two Bill Lading (TBL) which allows the terminal to receive shipment from the port of origin…

…As Labinjo denies existence of factional association Following the inauguration of a new body known as the Ship owners’ Association of Nigeria (SOAN) a fortnight ago, the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officer and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has described the development as unfortunate adding that Nigeria does not need two ship owners’ association now. It will be recalled that a fortnight ago, a group of 22 aggrieved members of Indigenous Shipowners’ Association (NISA) following the outcome of the election that brought the NISA President, Capt. Niyi Labinjo to power broke away and formed a new association. A prominent member of…

Following rumours that the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) have been depleted, the National President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero has said that those who depleted the fund must be made to be accountable for it. Amiwero who was speaking with newsmen in Lagos recently stated that this was necessary as the money was not meant to be depleted rather to empower the indigenous ship owners acquire ocean going vessels that would enable them participate in lifting of both dry and wet cargo. According to him,” the Cabotage money is not meant…