Author: Saint Augustine

In its renewed determination to explore possible areas of foreign business collaboration, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) has evolved new aggressive strategies designed to attract foreign investors and business collaboration to the nations seaports. Sequels to this, two Ports in United States of America (USA) have indicated strong interest to have business relation and collaboration with the Authority (NPA). The two ports, namely, the Port of Miami and Port of Everglades which were recently visited by some Board and Management members have indicated their willingness to have business relation with the NPA which would facilitate technology transfer as well as…

The Rector, Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS), Rev. Prof. Alex Okwuashi has faulted the recent move by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to reverse the storage charges currently charged by the Terminal Operators to what it used to be as at May 2009 describing the action as unrealistic. It would also be recalled that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) on Wednesday 29th October 2009 published an advertisement announcing the reversal of storage charges at the ports to that, which was in force as at May 1, 2009. NSC also ordered an increase in the free storage period at the port…

The Rector, Certified Institute of Shipping, Prof. Alex Okwuashi has underscored the need for the establishment of maritime bank in Nigeria to give the required support for the infrastructural development in the maritime sector. Prof. Okwuashi who made this known while delivering the 2014 investiture lecture titled,” Development of Transport Infrastructure in Nigeria”, organized at the Certified Institute of Shipping, Magbon, Lagos on Thursday noted that the bank should be created and funded by the government so as to live up to expectations. While acknowledging that a new Maritime Microfinance Bank was in the offing, he however said that the…

…Confers Professorial title on the Rector The Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS) on Thursday announced the reconstitution of its Governing Council and the Academic Board of the investiture. The institute also announced the approval and ratification of the appointment of Rev. Dr. Alex Okwuashi as the Rector of the College as well as a professor of Maritime Administration and International Shipping with effect from October, 2014. Speaking in a welcome address to mark the 2014 annual lecture, investiture, award ceremony and the commissioning of the CIS-JAMB CBT Centre of the institute in Lagos, the President and Chairman of the Institute,…

All is now set for the launching of a new musical video album produced by Rev. Sebastian Ejiofor of the Christ Anglican Church, Ebute Metta, Lagos. The eight tracks album titled,” Ekwela ka ihere mee M” (let me not be ashamed) which is his first musical work will be launched on Sunday 23rd November, 2014 at Christ Anglican Church, 60/64 Glover Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos at 2 pm. The event, which will be under the Distinguished Chairmanship of Sir and Lady Ifeanyi Atuenyi, will also have the Archbishop, Province of Lagos and Bishop Diocese of Lagos Mainland, the Most Rev.…

The Chairman, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Apapa Chapter, Dr. Fred Ajuzie has absolved the National leadership of NAGAFF and of all the associations that took part in the suspended withdrawal of service embarked upon recently by freight forwarders against APMT and ENL . It has been alleged that but for compromise on the part of some of the National Officers of some the protesting association, the strike would have continued to some certain extent. Speaking in an a chat with newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, Dr. Ajuzie said that it was not unusual for people to…

The Chairman, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) Apapa Chapter, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko has said that the Apapa Joint Freight Forwarding Associations which recently embarked on withdrawal of services at the AP Moller Terminal (APMT) and ENL Terminal both in Apapa achieved 70% of their demands. Recall that the freight forwarders under the aegis of Joint Associations Committee (JAC) and which comprised of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFF), the National Council of Managing Directors of…

The maritime community was recently jolted by the news of Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi’s re-appointment as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the second term of four years in office. The news was more surprising for some reasons. The first being that he is the NIMASA helmsman to be so honoured in the history of the agency as those before him rarely complete their tenure in office before they were shown the way out. Secondly, his current tenure of four years still have two more months to its expiration as at the time of…

Following approval granted it by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a new financial institution, the Maritime Microfinance Bank would formally commence operation on Monday 1st December 2014. The Maritime MFB is the first financial institution fully dedicated to servicing the maritime industry in Nigeria. A Director and Promoter of the new bank, Mr. Bolaji Akinola said the Maritime Microfinance Bank has been set up to fill a yawning gap within the financial services industry by offering small loans, or micro-loans, to maritime industry operators and workers who are unable to access conventional loan services. “This is the starting point…

By Chigozie Chikere The National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) launched by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in 2009 with a view to bridging the projected employment gap in the seafaring profession is so far adjudged by its sponsors, promoters and beneficiaries as Nigeria’s most successful outing in her long and chequered history of Seafarer education. According to one report, over 2500 out of the projected 5000 Seafarers have so far been trained at both degree levels and high professional standards in various countries like Romania, The Philippines, United Kingdom, United States of America, India, Egypt, and other…