Author: Saint Augustine

By Onyedika Okonkwo As the race for the Anambra Central Senatorial Seat gathers momentum, Chief Victor Umeh, the APGA candidate walks around with an indulgent smile on his face. And why not? Unlike other candidates who are engaged in a titanic race against the wind, Chief Umeh is running a great race with all the elements in his favour. And here are the reasons – Of all the candidates locked in this battle of the woodpeckers, Victor Umeh seems to be the one with an iron head. Umeh is the only one among the titans who hasn’t lost a battle yet;…

It was a triumphant entry of a bold and courageous warrior as over fifty thousand residents gathered at the Civic Centre in Agulu to endorse Chief (Sir) Victor Umeh as their candidate of choice for the Anambra Central Senatorial election. People from the four wards and the twenty-two villages that make up Agulu trouped out en masse to Agulu Civic Centre to receive Umeh. Various speakers at the event echoed that if not for Chief Victor Umeh’s support for their son, former Gov. Peter Obi, Agulu people would not be boasting today of producing a governor of Anambra State. They…

Stakeholders in the maritime industry has expressed divergent views over the inability of the Nigeria Customs Service to meet up with the revenue target set for it by the Federal Government in 2014. It will be recalled that the Federal Government in 2014 set for the Nigeria Customs Service a revenue target of N1.2 trillion out of which the Service was able to rake in over nine Hundred Billion Naira by the end of 2014. Speaking on the matter, the former Public Relations Officer, Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers and Exporters Coalition (SNIFFIEC), Mr. David Pius was unable to meet…

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has condemned calls in some quarters that the Federal Government should increase the revenue target it normally set for the Nigeria Customs Service this year so as to make up for shortfalls from the oil market describing it as the greatest mistake the government would make. The National Secretary of NAGAFF, Hon. Increase Uche who disclosed this in an interview with Primetime Reporters in Lagos stated that setting target for the Nigeria Customs by the Federal Government at the beginning of every year had not been the best for the industry.…

As the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) targets to win both the State and National Assembly seats in the forthcoming general elections billed for next month, the governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano has flagged off the Anambra South Senatorial District Campaign of the party and intensified massive grassroots mobilization and sensitization of the electorate to get their voter’s cards in order to be eligible to vote candidates of their choice. Flagging off the campaign of the party at Ekwulobia, Tuesday, the Governor said that APGA had entrenched the culture of good governance in the State and urged the people to vote for…

The Lagos State chapter of the New Nigeria Peoples’ Party (NNPP) has said that it will flag-off its gubernatorial campaign on Friday January 23, 2014 at the Party’s Headquarters Annex, 2A Maybin Street GRA Apapa, Lagos at 10 O’clock in the morning. According to a statement issued by the Director of Media of the Party, Mr. Dipo Olayoku, the campaign will be flagged-off by the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Boniface O. Aniebonam, members of the Board of Trustees, the National Working Committee and Executive Officers at National, State, Local Government and Ward levels. The occasion will also witness…

Mr. Basil Agboarumi is the General Manager, Corporate Communications of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL). In this interview with newsmen in Lagos, he bares his mind on the activities of the aviation industry in the last one year, their challenges, his expectation from the industry this year and many more. Our correspondent was at the parley. Excerpts: What is your assessment of the industry in the last one year? I am still looking at some reports and we are observing that 2014 seemed to be a beautiful year for aviation globally. Actually, we had some major calamities that…

The Commissioner of Police, Western Ports Police Command, CP Hilda Ibifuro Harrison has underscored the need for improved collaboration and intelligence sharing among all the agencies of government for a well secured port environment. Harrison who wade this assertion at a one day Stakeholders’ meeting and Training of the Police Officers of the command on attitudinal change in Lagos on Tuesday noted that all hands must be on deck to ensure that all persons who did not have genuine business around the ports area were not allowed to stay in the ports. She stated that the police must continue to…

The Western Police Command has been advised to seek ways to reach out to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) with respect to equipping the Marine Police to effectively discharge its responsibility of securing lives and properties along the nation’s waterways. A representative of ENL Consortium, Apapa Lagos, Mr. Rapheal Oyinloye gave this advice at one day stakeholders’ meeting and training on attitudinal change held in Lagos on Tuesday. “I am aware that the Marine Police are handicapped of equipment. About last year or early last year, NPA (Nigerian Ports Authority )took delivery of two boats which we…

By James Eze On a balmy evening in late October last year, I ran into the former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke as he was stepping out of the Governor’s Lodge in Amawbia, Anambra State. He had just rounded off a meeting with his friend, Governor Willie Obiano and was heading to his car. A brief exchange ensued. I had been a huge fan for so long and it was a gift to finally meet him, I said. A sunny smile lit up his face as he said, “I have just told your principal what he must know.…