Author: Saint Augustine

Barely two days before the Nigerian Shipowners’ Association (NISA) elections scheduled for Friday takes place, the Society of Nigerian Mariners (SNM), has called on the members of NISA to return one of her own,s Engr. Greg Ogbeifun as the President of the association. In a press release signed by the Society’s Chairman, Capt. Cosmas Niagwan and made available to Primetime Reporters, the group stated that its decision was informed by the fact that Engr. Ogbeifun was a familiar person in the maritime industry both locally and internationally as well as both in the Public and private sector. The group also…

Temisan Omatseye is the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and a Presidential Candidate in the forthcoming Nigerian Ship owners Association (NISA) election. In this interview with our Correspondent, he bares his mind on his administration as NIMASA DG and his agenda for NISA if elected President. Excerpt; I understand you are gunning for the presidency of NISA, what informed the decision to run for the office sir? Well, yes I decided to run for that office, the informing of my decision is that I have always been a member of when it was ISAN,…

By Joe Sanni As the National President of the largest umbrella organization of licensed Customs Agents in Nigeria, and the best Customs Brokers’ Association in Africa- Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) – Prince Olayiwola Fariudeen Shittu, clocks 64 years old today, it is very essential for the Maritime Industry practitioners/operators and Nigerians in general to know what stands this quintessential leader out on governance issues. How he manages to generate and implement great ideas at the speed of brainwaves or supersonics, is still a mystery to many of us working with him. How also he manages to remain…

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), last week called on the boat operators in Lagos state to comply with safety regulations so as to prevent accidents on waterways. The Lagos Area Manager of NIWA, Mr. Muazu Sambo who made the call at a stakeholders meeting in Lagos stated that the call became necessary following incessant boat mishaps on the waterways in recent times. Sambo also stressed the importance of a standard lifejackets which every boat operator according to him must have on board. According to him, “NIWA is not happy with the mishap happening on waterways that is why we…

The Managing Director, Ossy Gold Agencies Limited, Mr. Osita Machie has called on the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to enshrine the Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) value in the import tariff of the Nigeria Customs Service. Machie who was speaking to Primetime Reporters on the challenges faced by the importers and their agents in a bid to clear their consignments at the ports stated that that was the only way that the seeming corruption permeating through the fabrics of the Nigeria Customs Service could be stopped. He lamented that a situation where people were charged different CIF values…

The new Commissioner of Police, Western Ports Police Command Apapa, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro Harrison has assured of her readiness to build on the gains recorded so far in the Western ports by her predecessors so as to ensure a safe and secure port environment in the country. Harrison who made this pledge when she paid a courtesy visit to the National Secretariat of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) last week however stated that the task before her was not an easy one saying that she would require the stakeholders to work with her and her command…

The Igbo Christian Traders and Gospel Ministers Association of Lagos on Wednesday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to end speculations by declaring his intention to seek re-election in 2015. Addressing Newsmen in Lagos, the Chairman of the association, Evangelist Emmanuel Ezeanui said that his members would embark on an indefinite fast across the Federation if the President failed to declare his intention in the shortest possible time. According to him, “We shall also call for a match to Ask Rock from all over the federation to compel the President to run”. He explained that the association was a non partisan…

The President, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Dr. Frank Ukor has explained his position on the recent feud between the Standards Organization of Nigeria and some freight forwarding associations in the maritime sector. It will be recalled that Ukor who championed the campaign against the incessant arrest of containers on the City Highways of Lagos was recently seen in a press conference organized by the Maritime Advocacy and Action Group (MAAG) in support of the act he vehemently opposed. Speaking to Primetime Reporters on his action, Dr. Ukor disclosed that his decision to recant his earlier position…

Following the unfolding events at the nation’s largest terminal AP Moller Terminal (APMT) Apapa, the stakeholders have disagreed on the efficiency or otherwise of the terminal’s management in delivering timely services to Nigerians. Speaking in an interview with Primetime Reporters recently, the Managing Director of Stephens Global Services Limited, Comrade Stephen Ibe accused the management of the terminal of adopting some tactical delays in the booking and positioning of containers for examination at the terminal thereby making Nigerians to incur demurrages for them and the shipping companies. Comrade described the situation where one would have about six or more containers…

…accuses them of conspiracy The Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Dr. Fred Ajuzie has accused the terminal operators and the shipping companies of conspiring to keep their secrets to themselves away from Nigerians and the government. Ajuzie who was speaking in an interview with Primetime Reporters in his office in Lagos stated that this was evident in the way and manner they run their businesses at the nation’s ports which according to him were anti people. He described the situation where the shipping companies have refused to provide a holding bay where their empty…