Author: Saint Augustine

Saint Augustine is a seasoned freelance journalist and the chief editor of Primetime Reporters.

…Calls for more collaboration amongst agencies of govt. The Director General Of thy Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has commended the professionalism of the officers and men of the Nigerian Army in combating insurgency even in the face of unwarranted criticisms. Akpobolokemi said this when the commander, 9 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General David Lubo paid a familiarization visit to the Agency. While commending the detachment of Nigerian Army personnel posted to the Agency’s Maritime Guard Command, Mr. Akpobolokemi assured the Brigade Commander of NIMASA’s continuous cooperation especially in the area of…

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The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has indicated its intention to publish the names of sub-standard products in the media as a means of further protecting the consumers from buying such products in the market. Speaking at a World Press Conference to mark this years’ World Day for Standards with the theme,” Made in Nigeria for the World”, held in Lagos last week, the Director-General of SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu disclosed that this was the agency’s new plan hoping that the move would bring about change in the country. According to him,” from 2015, we will publish the names of…

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…says information not correct The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has denied the alleged plans to sack ten of its General Managers describing the information as false. Speaking in interview with Primetime Reporters at the Weekend, the Assistant General Manager Public Affairs of NPA, Mr. Musa Iliya however said that even if there were people like that, they must have attained the mandatory thirty-five years in service or sixty years of age, whichever comes first. Iliya also said that in the case of a General Manager, he or she must exit the position at the attainment of eight years in that…

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Irrespective of the many petitions which have been written by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on the activities of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), the agency has vowed that it would continue to arrest containers suspected to be carrying sub-standards products along the city highways. NAGAFF had earlier contended that the agency had no powers to arrest containers duly released and exited out of the Customs Controlled ports and borders stations calling on the government to call SON to order as it (NAGAFF) said that the practice if continued unabated posed danger to international business.…

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Against the backdrop of the expectation of the passage of the National Transport bill by the National Assembly which among other things seek the establishment of the National Transport Commission, the Shippers’ Association of Lagos State (SALS) has said that the proposed Commission would be incomplete without a national carrier. Speaking in Lagos recently, the President of SALS, Rev. Jonathan Nicol stated that the pride of the Commission would be when the nation procures fleet of vessels that would fly the Nigerian Flag. Nicol said that while underscoring the need for a fleet of Nigerian flagged ocean going vessels, it…

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President Goodluck Jonathan has reappointed the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi as the Director-General of NIMASA. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, in a statement on Wednesday said that the appointment takes effect from the 20th day of December, 2014. It will be recalled that Akpobolokemi was first appointed to head the apex Maritime Safety and Security agency on the 20th day of December, 2010. With this development, Akpobolokemi will continue to steer the ship of NIMASA for the next four thereby affording him the…

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…As Ports Gist marks 3rd Year Anniversary The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has called on the Nigeria Customs Service to hasten the ongoing full integration/automation process so as to link up the critical stakeholders in the industry on the platform. Speaking at the 3rd Year Anniversary of Ports Gist and Events on MITV and a one day Workshop on appraisal of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) in the last ten months in Lagos on Wednesday, the National President of NAGAFF, Chief Eugene Nweke also called on the Shipping Companies and Terminal Operators to do the same…

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The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has congratulated Capt. Dada Niyi Labinjo on his recent election as the new President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents last Friday. In a congratulatory message to Capt. Labinjo signed by the National Secretary of the association, Dr. Emmanuel Ogu Oparah and made available to Primetime Reporters, ANLCA described the election as a deserved reward for Labinjo whom he said had nurtured and pioneered NISA to an enviable position. While reminding him of the cordial relationship it had enjoy with his immediate predecessor Chief Isaac Jolapamo, the association however expressed…

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Following the successful election that ushered in a new executive for the Nigerian Ship Owners Association (NISA) last Friday in Lagos, some stakeholders have commended the elections describing it as another feat the maritime industry had recorded in recent times. Recall that NISA last Friday in Lagos had their elections, the first in ten years which saw the incumbent Secretary-General of the Association, Capt. Dada Olaniyi Labinjo and twelve others elected to steer the ship of the association in the coming years. Speaking in an interview with Primetime Reporters, a member of NISA, Mr. Akin Olaniyo described the election as…

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The Commissioner of Police Western Ports Police Command, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro Harrison has bemoaned the poor state of infrastructure in the Western Ports Police Command and in the entire police formations nationwide. Harrison who was speaking on the backdrop of the present state of the Police Transit Camp in Lagos State decried the state of the station which supposed to be the pride of every Policeman working under the Command even as she described the place as a sorry sight. According to her,” for the transit camp, it is actually a sorry sight, I agree with you. There is no…

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