Author: Saint Augustine

In their bid to further develop and build capacity in the transport , Oil and gas sectors of the Nigerian Economy, the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS) in collaboration with the Niger-Delta University, Amasoma in Bayelsa State, last weekend inaugurated the Post Graduate Diploma programme in Transport, Oil and Gas Technology in Lagos. The Programme which is being run by the Institute of Transport, Oil and Gas Technology of the Niger-Delta University would see sixteen (16) students resume lectures at the NCS Secretariat in Lagos and later be awarded the certificates from the University at the end of their programmes.…

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has petitioned the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dr. Dikko Inde Abdullahi over the alleged restriction of its members from attending the recently concluded training on Modern Customs Clearing Procedure for stakeholder organized by the Apapa Command of the Service in Lagos. In a three paged letter addressed to the Comptroller General, the Secretary General of the association, Hon. Increase Uche described the training as good intentioned but berated the the way and manner that only the agencies whose licenses issued to them by the Nigeria Customs Service were up to…

The President of the Shippers’ Association Lagos State (SALS), Rev. Jonathan Nicol is proposing a New Port Order that would clean up the harsh business terrain and replace it with a well coordinated and regulated method of Maritime administration in Nigeria. Rev. Nicol made this known when the association and some staff of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) paid a courtesy visit to Nigerite Limited, Ikeja, Lagos. According to Nicol, “our visit here is to familiarize with your factory and give you the necessary support in dealing with the perennial cargo clearing bottlenecks”. While giving a brief history on how…

Mr. Chigozie Chikere is the Rector, EMDEE Shipping and Maritime College, Lagos. In this interview with our correspondent, he bares his mind on the recent list of accredited Maritime Training institutions recognized by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) , the Maritime manpower training, Apapa gridlock and so much more. Excerpts; There was a Marine Notice issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) where it released names of the institutions it accredited to run Maritime training in line with Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping (STCW ’95) saying that it would not recognize any…

Two suspects, Alhaji Hakeem Lawal Adebayo and Alhaja Sherifat Lawal, both of Al-Awwal Travels and Tours International Limited in Ilorin, Kwara State, were yesterday remanded in prison by a Magistrate’s Court for allegedly defrauding one Alhaji Sanni Malu and 11 others of the sum of N35million. The police prosecutor, Inspector Wodi, told the court that on 19 /11/ 2013, Alhaji Sanni Malu and 10 others reported at the Area Commander’s Office that the suspects allegedly collected N35 million from them with a promise to facilitate their trips to Saudi Arabia for Hajj. They added that the suspects failed to secure…

In a bid to make the nation’s waterways efficient and navigable, President Goodluck Jonathan has announced his administration approval of the dredging of River Benue at an estimated N25bn. The President disclosed this Tuesday at the First International Conference and Exhibition organized by the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority tagged ‘Modernizing Inland Water infrastructure and Vessels for safe and sustainable inland waterways transportation in Nigeria. The President who was represented by the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar said the dredging would commence in few weeks. The President said, “in order to further consolidate the transformation of the inland waterways sub…

Mr. C.A.T Agubamah is the President General, National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidated (NAFFAC). Recently, he played host to the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFFCB). In this interview with our Correspondent, he bared his mind on the recent Court ruling on the status of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the demand for more funding for the Nigeria Customs Service, the visit of NIFFCB to his office and many more. Excerpt; Recently, there was a court ruling on the status of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN)…

By Monday Japhet Emo I have been on a compulsory leave of absence from serious work, extending it to even mundane and trivial things like consumption of alcohol, no need to prance and prattle about my celibate status. So it was no little shock for me when I crawled out of my enclave to see bedlam. Since I was still basically a recluse, I listened without interest as I heard the name Mr. Patrick Sawyer, Ebola virus, and the phrase viral terrorism. My shock attack turned febrile when I landed at the local wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport and…

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has called for the setting up of a technical committee to harmonize the freight forwarding industry with a view to professionalizing it. The National President of NAGAFF, Dr. Eugene Nweke who made this known during a courtesy visit on him by the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders and Customs Brokers (NIFFCB) in Lagos Wednesday stated that there was the need for a committee comprising of key stakeholders and the institute to chart a way forward for the industry. Nweke noted that there was no better time to reposition the freight forwarding…

Following the inability of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to meet its demands, the leadership of the two Unions has directed their members to embark on nationwide strike on Monday the 18th day of August, 2014. In a statement signed by the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and the Senior Staff of Communications, Transport and Corporations (SSACTAC), (Maritime branch) and made available to Primetime Reporters on Thursday, the two Unions directed their members to stay at home on the said date. According to the notice,” this is to inform employees that Management of the Nigerian Ports Authority has been…