Thursday, November 5Nigeria's Authoritative Maritime News Magazine
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PAP: We Will Not Succumb To Blackmail By Fraudsters – Otuaro  •••Says BVN Govt Policy Against Bank Fraud Must Be Upheld

PAP: We Will Not Succumb To Blackmail By Fraudsters – Otuaro •••Says BVN Govt Policy Against Bank Fraud Must Be Upheld

News Feature, Press Release
The Presidential Amnesty Programme has condemned in strong terms the blackmail and campaign of calumny against the Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro, by some misguided elements from the Niger Delta. The Office said the PAP under Dr Otuaro will not succumb to blackmail sponsored by fraudsters who do not mean well for the region. The Office stressed that those writing against the decision to adhere to the government’s policy on Bank Verification Number, which links all bank accounts belonging to individuals, need to have a rethink. The Office said that the funds approved for the running of the programme would be deployed efficiently in the pursuit of lasting peace and security in the Niger Delta. The PAP urged the public to dismiss the false and misleading allegations being p...
Bayelsa Begins Large-Scale Fish Production At Revamped Aquaculture Village  Facility Will Boost Food Security, Create Jobs – Gov Diri

Bayelsa Begins Large-Scale Fish Production At Revamped Aquaculture Village Facility Will Boost Food Security, Create Jobs – Gov Diri

Business, News Feature
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, on Tuesday, flagged off the maiden fish harvest at the Bayelsa Aquaculture Village in Yenegwe, describing the revived facility as a major step towards diversifying the state’s economy, creating jobs and strengthening food security. Governor Diri said the revival of the aquaculture facility demonstrated his administration’s commitment to transforming Bayelsa’s natural resources into productive enterprises that would benefit the people. He said the facility established by the immediate past administration in the state remained moribund for years due to a stalled concession arrangement until it was repositioned under his Assured Prosperity administration. The Bayelsa governor noted that although oil and gas play a significant role in the...
Unvarnished Truths from Yenagoa: My Morning with Heineken Lokpobiri  ​By Thomas Peretu

Unvarnished Truths from Yenagoa: My Morning with Heineken Lokpobiri ​By Thomas Peretu

News Feature
​It was quite refreshing, if not enthralling, to encounter a high-profile public official who speaks gracefully with absolute candour and openness rather than being guided by safe, scripted talking points. This is a rare experience in Nigeria's public life. Too often, media interactions with senior government figures dissolve into predictable exchanges—defensive answers, subterfuge, rehearsed generalities, and an eager rush to escape uncomfortable questions. ​On October 2nd, I found myself sitting among a select group of media professionals in Yenagoa for a breakfast parlay with Senator Heineken Lokpobiri (PhD), Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil). The atmosphere was convivial and friendly, suitable for a heart-to-heart conversation. The event was curated, as it were, by one...
‘How did you transfer N750bn to people without phones?’  — Atiku tackles APC chairman

‘How did you transfer N750bn to people without phones?’ — Atiku tackles APC chairman

News Feature, Politics
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has challenged the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Nentawe Yilwatda, to explain how the Federal Government transferred money to more than 10 million Nigerians who, according to the APC chairman, do not have mobile phones Recall Vanguard reported that Yilwatda last week while speaking with journalists after a three-day retreat of the APC National Executive Council in Maiduguri, Borno State, had said the beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s N75,000 conditional cash transfer programme were largely poor and vulnerable Nigerians without phones, television sets or access to social media. “Mind you, these people who are poor and vulnerable don’t have telephones to make call...
Abacha’s Creation Of Bayelsa Freed Ijaw People From Oppression, Says Gov Diri *State Honours Late Head Of State, Jonathan, Ex-MILADS, Boro, Dickson, Others *Former President Dedicates Award To Alamieyeseigha

Abacha’s Creation Of Bayelsa Freed Ijaw People From Oppression, Says Gov Diri *State Honours Late Head Of State, Jonathan, Ex-MILADS, Boro, Dickson, Others *Former President Dedicates Award To Alamieyeseigha

News Feature
Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, on Thursday night paid tribute to former Nigerian Head of State, the late General Sani Abacha, expressing gratitude on behalf of the Ijaw nation for the creation of Bayelsa on October 1, 1996. Governor Diri said Gen. Abacha deserved continuous commendation for the gesture as he freed the Ijaw people from oppression and injustice. The Bayelsa governor spoke at the Dinner and Awards Night of the Bayelsa at 30 anniversary celebrations tagged “Celebrating Legacies” at the Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa. The well-attended grand finale of the four-day celebrations attracted dignitaries from all walks of life, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, his wife, Dame Patience Jonathan, Abach...
Why Bayelsans should stop infighting, support Diri – Asu Beks

Why Bayelsans should stop infighting, support Diri – Asu Beks

Breaking News, Politics
Elder Asu Beks Daniel Kanu  Elder Asu Beks, president, Ijaw Media Forum is a journalist’s journalist. The Niger-Delta activist and publisher of Shipping World has been passionate and involved in the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta region. He has gone through the thick and thin of the struggle told Sunday Sun that there is need for a new narrative in the region.He spoke on the nullification of the election of Bayelsa governor, Douye Diri by an election tribunal, what Bayelsa state needs, assessment of President Mohammadu Buhari’s leadership, 2023, and its strategies by different regions and the need for a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2023, among other issues. Excerpt:  The election tribunal gave a verdict during the week, nullifying the election of your st...
IYC Writes Saraki Over Renaming of Maritime University

IYC Writes Saraki Over Renaming of Maritime University

Maritime, Politics
....WARNS AGAINST MALAMI’S UNHOLY ALLIANCE WITH ITSEKIRIS In furtherance of its determination to fight against what it perceives as an injustice being meted to the Ijaws in the recent attempt to rename the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, the Ijaw Youths Council has written a letter to the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. In the letter signed by its President, Pereotubo Oweilaemi, in retrospection, apprise the Senate President, on the events leading to the current imbroglio over the school’s name. The IYC boss, expressed disappointment in the handling of the matter by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and warned that all the efforts will fail. He further described Malami’s activities as unbecoming of a law officer, who is supposed to be abreast with the ambits of...
Amaechi, Obaseki commend NIMASA DG’s leadership style

Amaechi, Obaseki commend NIMASA DG’s leadership style

Politics
- “He Has Reduced NIMASA Operating Cost By 50%” The Honorable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Honorable Rotimi Amaechi has described the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside as an epitome of good governance and great character, evident in his leadership style. The Minister stated this in Port Harcourt, River State at the weekend during an event, which was put together by friends and associates of Dr. Peterside to mark his birthday. Hon. Amaechi said the fact that the Management of NIMASA has been able to reduce running cost by over 50% in one year, and significantly improve revenue generation and remittance for the Federal Government is mainly due to the reliable and transparent disposition of the current manageme...
NIMASA: A revolving door no godfather can shut

NIMASA: A revolving door no godfather can shut

Business, Misc
By Pius Mordi In its 30-year history since the National Shipping Policy Decree 10 of 1987 set up the National Maritime Authority, over 12 substantive directors general have been appointed to head the agency that in August 2007 became the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). Within the period, about four people had run the agency in acting capacity. Invariably,  at less than 30 months actual time spent in office, it enjoys the unenviable reputation of having the highest turnover of chief executives among all agencies of the federal government. A common feature of the parastatal is that the number of its substantive directors general is directly proportional with the number of ministers of transport appointed over the period. Every new minister of transport always s...
NIMASA Under Peterside: Paradise Lost

NIMASA Under Peterside: Paradise Lost

Opinion
By Ubon Akpan At the Advent of this administration which was sold to Nigerians as a one with a reformist agenda, Dr. Dakuku Peterside was among the very set of political appointees announced by President Mohammadu Buhari. Which invariably means Mr. President had very little doubts and more trust on the capability of the man who flew the All Progressive Congress (APC) flag at the Rivers State gubernatorial elections as a capable hand strong enough to interpret the party’s reformist agenda at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA), a strategic economic arm of the federal government. However, two years down the line, operators and watchers of Nigeria’s maritime industry have been left wondering what has happened to the giant maritime parastatal, which when...