Author: Saint Augustine

Against the backdrop of media reports suggesting that the President was shopping for a replacement for the present Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has warned those behind such media campaign to desist from such act as it is only the President that has the power to remover the Comptroller General from office. The warning was contained in a press release issued by the founder of the association, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam , a copy of which was obtained by Primetime Reporters at the weekend. Aniebonam in the release titled,”…

The Nigeria Shipowners Association (NISA) last Friday called for an all inclusive maritime reform that will bring about the long awaited change in the sector that is believed to be the second highest revenue earner for the federal government. NISA also wants the federal government to work towards the total removal of the waiver clause in the cabotage regime to further empower the indigenous shipowners to take their rightful place in the maritime sector. The chairman of NISA, Chief Issac Jolapomo who made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting on,”Policy Guidelines for Granting of Ministerial Waivers on Cabotage”, held at…

The volume of shares traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday rose by 3.45 per cent as investors staked N5.92 billion on 354.886 million shares in 5,091 deals. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was in contrast to the 343.049 million shares worth N4.37 billion traded in 5,546 deals on Tuesday. The All-Share Index, due to price losses, depreciated by 174.79 points or 0.43 per cent to close at 40,278.82 against 40,453.61 recorded on Tuesday. Similarly, the market capitalisation, which opened at N12.967 trillion, declined by N56 billion or 0.43 per cent to close at N12.911 trillion.…

Nigerian leading Industrialist Aliko Dangote says Nigeria will stop sugar importation by 2018 as President Goodluck Jonathan launches Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) in Abuja. Dangote spoke on Tuesday at the launch of the NIRP and the National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP), described the launch as giant stride because  stakeholders were carried along in their conception. He said that with the enabling environment, right policies and political will of the Jonathan’s administration, the sugar sub-sector would witness the same turnaround as in cement. Specifically, he said with the backward integration policy introduced in the sub-sector, Nigeria would cease to be…

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday dropped four ministers to enable them to pursue their respective political and economic interests, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, said. Maku made the disclosure when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan. The minister said that those affected include Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, Minister of Niger Delta, Mr Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Police Affairs, Retired Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade and Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima Ngama. Maku added that the President had also announced further changes…

A frontline Maritime practitioner, Mr. Tony Anakebe has called for the adoption of one stop shop mechanism in the cargo clearance in the Nigerian Maritime industry. Mr. Anakebe who made this known while speaking in an exclusive chat with Primetime Reporters in Lagos said that unless the measure is adopted, the dream of having a forty-eight hour clearing process in the country would be a mirage. “But I have been one of those canvassing for one stop shop in the Nigerian ports where all the government agencies involved in cargo clearance would assemble at a spot to play their expected…

A four-man delegation from the World Bank led by Antoine Costewas last week hosted at the National Secretariat of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in Lagos. The team which had been moving round several countries to collate the challenges hampering international trade, transport and logistics were at the ANLCA Secretariat where they met with the relevant players in the private and public sector as well as held talk on the constraints in the ports and border statins as regard facilitating trade across international borders. Delivering his welcome speech, the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu told…

The Senate President, Sen. David Mark, on Wednesday in Abuja, overruled the attempt by some APC senators to defer the screening of ministerial nominees which commenced on Wednesday. Six ministerial nominees were screened on Wednesday out of the 12 names forwarded to the Senate by President  Goodluck Jonathan for confirmation. The nominees are Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), Hon. Mohammed Wakil (Borno), and  Amb. Aminu Wali (Kano). Others are; Mrs Akon Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom), Mrs Lawrencia Mallam (Kaduna) and Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd). Earlier, Sen. Femi Ojudu (APC-Ekiti) urged the Senate to defer screening, saying that Senators needed time to study the records…

PDP says APC is a sinking part trying to destroy Nigeria’s democracy. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed as false alarm, the statement by the All Progressives Congress, APC, that federal lawmakers were being bribed millions of dollars to defect to the ruling party. The APC issued a statement on Tuesday claiming that the PDP had rolled out an enticement package that promised $2 million (N328 million) to each Senator who returns to the PDP; $1 million (N164 million) to a member of the House of Representatives, and $10 million (N1.64 billion) to a “leader” who abandons the APC for…

The Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) has been urged to urgently check the standards of life jackets and other marine safety wares being imported or manufactured in Nigeria for use by water transport workers and passengers. This charge was given recently by the Director General of the Nigeria Chamber of Shipping (NCS) Mrs. Ify Anazonwu Akerele in Lagos when she received a group of maritime journalists at the chamber’s head office. Akerele said SON’s intervention in checking these protective wares has become imperative as operators and passengers on-board commercial boats are likely unaware of the danger they are exposed to…