Author: Saint Augustine

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said that it has granted a total of seven thousand, nine hundred and twenty- eight (7,928) provisional release of containers trapped during the hand over of the Destination Inspection Scheme by the Service Providers. The Command also said that a total of Seven thousand and eighty-seven (7,087) Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports (PAARs) has been transmitted by the Service since the take over of the Destination Inspection Scheme from the Sevice Providers by the Nigeria Customs Service. The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Charles Edike who made this…

Following the recommendations of the Senator Okunromu Committee that only the political parties with representations in government should send delegation to the National Confab which saw five political parties expected to send their representatives to the confab, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has faulted the action describing it as undemocratic. In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan by the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, the party disclosed that by that singular decision, a large chunk of Nigerians would have been shut out of the dialogue that would have afforded them the opportunity to be heard adding…

Contrary to the media reports that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council has been mandated to re-organize the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), the Registrar of CRFFN, Sir Mike Jukwe has denied any knowledge of such mandate given to anybody or agency by the Minister of Transport. Jukwe who was speaking to Primetime Reporters in a telephone interview stated that there was no such mandate and that if there is any such mandate, it would be incumbent on the officials of CRFFN to let it out and not the other way round. “I don’t know where all…

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has reiterated that alternate dispute resolution is a tool that has the potential to enhance the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector. The NIMASA DG who stated this while playing host to the Maritime Arbitrators Association of Nigeria, (MAAN) in Lagos, decried the pace at which maritime sector disputes were adjudicated in the courts. Mr Akpobolokemi noted that maritime disputes in some instances linger in the courts for decades adding that this was to the detriment of the maritime sector. He also assured stakeholders…

..Mikky Okunola Others Lost out The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in the early hours of friday elected nine members to its Board of Trustees (BOT) for the next six years as Chief Tony Nwabunike scored the highest number of votes at the poll. Others that were elected into the Board included Chief Henry Njoku, Sir Ernest Elochukwu,Prince Taiye Oyeniyi, Chief Peter Obih,Dayo Azeez and Aare Sanni Shittu. Chief Dennis Okafor and Alhaji Mustapha Taiwo also made the list. However, one of the top contenders among the thirteen contestants, Alhaji Mukaila Okunola lost out of the elections. Also…

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…