Author: Saint Augustine

…steps up patrol for Yuletide The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that it collected a total of N973,540,612.78 in the month of October 2014. The amount according to the a statement signed by the Command’s Spokesman, Earnest Olottah was the highest monthly revenue collected so far in the year 2014. The command also made 24 seizures with duty paid value of N32,019,613 comprising of rice, frozen poultry products and other general goods. Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Comptroller Willy Egbudin described the revenue collection feat as a product of increased compliance by stakeholders…

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has set up a Five-Man Fact Finding Committee to look into the activities of two of its Chapters. The affected Chapters are Tincan Island and PTML. Inaugurating the Five-Man Fact Finding Committee at the NAGAFF Headquarters, the National President, Dr. Eugene Nweke said the move by the Headquarters was another effort of the management to reposition the association for optimal performances and to be strategically alive to cope with the dynamics of the maritime industry. Emphatically Dr. Nweke noted that the move was not to witch-hunt anybody but an administrative effort…

…Sets agenda for him As the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi prepares to commence his second tenure in office, the Merchant Navy Officers and Senior Staff of Water Transport has lauded his re-appointment describing it as a well deserved appointment. The National President of the Association, Engr. Matthew Alalade who made this known in a chat with Primetime Reporters in Lagos recently said his scorecard in the last four years as the helmsman of the agency has earned him that recognition. Alalade disclosed that during his first tenure in office…

Barely 24 hours after the Management of the Lagos Ports Complex of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) re-opened the Apapa Port for business, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has said that the strike embarked upon by its members in conjunction with other freight forwarding associations in Apapa would continue. Freight Forwarders operating in Apapa Port had on Monday, the 10th day of November, 2014 withdrew their services from the AP Moller Terminal (APMT) and ENL Shipping Agency citing high handedness on the part of the operators as the one of the reasons for their action. Recall that…

The former Chairman of the Nigerian Ship owners Association (NISA), Chief Isaac Jolapamo has called on the warring factions in the just concluded election of the association to sheathe their sword and embrace peace in the overall interest of the association. Jolapamo who was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected executive of the association in Lagos reminded members of NISA that there was need for the infighting currently going on amongst members of the association. According to him,” we should all join hands together to win our common war. There is no point for us in fighting…

The last may not be heard of the legal battles engaged by the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) on one side and the Association of Shipping Line Agencies (ASLA) on the other hand against the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) which doubles as the economic regulator of the Nigerian ports as STOAN has filed a fresh suit against the Council. Recall that Primetime Reporters reported last weeks that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) was to open its defense against the duo last Monday in case filed separately by STOAN and ASLA against NSC. It would also be recalled that…

…As National leadership of Freight forwarding associations meet to assess situation After about ten days of dramatic withdrawal of Services from the AP Moller Terminal (APMT) and ENL both in Apapa Lagos by the Freight forwarders under the aegis of Apapa Joint Association (JAC), the management of Lagos Port Complex (LPC) of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has cleared the blockade mounted by clearing agents and re-opened the nation’s major seaport for business. JAC which comprised of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria…

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has stated that the Agency is up-to-date in making remittances to the Federation Account and has so far remitted over Nine Billion Seven Hundred Million naira (N9.7b) only, being operating surplus in 2013 alone. He therefore averred that the figures in recent media reports are not in consonance with what has been recorded with the Federal Ministry of Finance. The DG stated that “NIMASA is mindful of the critical role of financial resources in actualising the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and has therefore…

The former Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Tincan Island Chapter, Dr. Kayode Farinto has described the withdrawal of Services by the freight forwarders working at Apapa port from AP Moller Terminal and ENL shipping as long overdue. Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, Dr. Farinto expressed his happiness over the ability of the various associations to come together to protect the interests of the freight forwarders and the entire citizens of Nigeria. He lamented that APMT was in the habit of extorting and exploiting Nigerians as a result of the support it enjoyed…

As the withdrawal of Services embarked upon by the Freight Forwarders operating at Apapa port enters its fifth day, stakeholders are already counting their losses. A cross-section of stakeholders who spoke with newsmen on Thursday on the action said APMT, ENL and freight forwarders had lost between ten and twenty billion Naira within the last four days. However, the former Chairman, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Tincan Island Chapter, Dr. Kayode Farinto stated that the Federal government had not lost anything to the crisis as according to him people were still able to pay their duty irrespective of…