October 2017 – Page 5 – Shipping World News Magazine

Oct192017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Erring Banks, Firms Return N140bn over Customs Revenue Fraud, Says Senate Committee

The Chairman, Senate Joint Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff and Marine Transport, Senator Hope Uzodimma Wednesday said that erring banks and firms who were involved in the revenue leakages in the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over the years have returned N140bn. The Senate Committee which raised the allegation of trillions of Naira fraud in customs revenue involving banks and firms in the ports is also investigating the matter. Uzodinma while giving an interim report said the money had been paid to the Central Bank by the erring banks and firms through remittances. He disclosed that the Senate has also granted 8-week extension to the committee. He said, “As a result of this exercise, some collection banks have made additional remittances to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), t...

Oct192017 by Our EditorNo Comments

House Members Want NPA-INTELS Pilotage Monitoring Imbroglio Probed

Business, Politics, Port News

Members of the House of Representatives Wednesday called for a probe of the current face-off between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Intels Nigeria Limited leading to the termination of the Pilotage Monitoring Agreement with the oil and gas giant. A motion for the investigation of the matter was moved by Diri Douye (PDP, Bayelsa) who drew the attention of the House that the matter was of urgent national importance. Douye had told the House that the probe had become necessary since Intels had carried out logistics operatrions in Apapa, Onne and Warri ports for 17 years, adding that it was surprising that its contract on pilotage monitoring agreement could be terminated considering that the contract runs for 25 years. Besides, he argued that the termination could lead to mass sack ...

Oct192017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Transport Minister Frowns at Increase on Port Charges by NPA, Shipping Companies

Business, Port News

The recent decision by the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to increase its port charges may not have gone down well with the Minister of Transport, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi. A source close to the Ministry of Transport told SHIPPING DAY that the Ministry is particularly concerned that the increase has led to a similar increase on port charges by some shipping companies. It was gathered that the Minister was informed by officials that the increase was done by NPA without notifying the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) as the Ports Economic Regulator. Our source said that the Council had drawn the attention of the Ministry to the decision of the NPA, expressing worry that the review had prompted some shipping companies to also raise their tariff. According to the source, the Cou...

Oct182017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Crocodile Smile: IYC Blasts Military over attack on Ijaw Community in Edo State

Law, Politics

- Urges Aladja, Ogbe-Ijoh youths to embrace Peace The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide has condemned the invasion of Ajakurama Community of Egbema Kingdom in Edo State leading to the burning down of 15 homes. The National Spokesman of the IYC Daniel Dasimaka expressed the disappointment of the IYC over what he describes as a systematic assault on Ijaw people in recent times. “For the avoidance of doubt we want the world to know that the IYC is totally against the current wave of unwarranted systematic assault on Ijaw people of recent. Just this year alone not less than five Ijaw communities have been invaded by the military. Not long ago Soldiers invaded and burnt down Ajakpa community, an Ijaw community in Arogbo clan in Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo state. Now it is the ...

Oct182017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Stakeholders raise alarm over NPA’s 2017 Budget

Business, Port News

Discordant tunes have greeted the over N270b budget of the Nigerian Ports Authority approved by the Senate last week. Maritime Stakeholders have raised questions about the justification over the expenditures which they want the NPA management to provide answers to. In the budget approved by the upper house last week, the total receipts for the agency in 2017 was given as about N280b as against an expenditure estimate of N270b . Asked a stakeholder who sought anonymity . ' Is NPA telling telling us they have just a N10b ' change' left for the Federal Coffers after spending all they would realise this year? Why would NASS approve such a budget ? This is unthinkable and we must get to the bottom of this' he argued. Speaking on the NPA budget , Dr Eugene Nweke , said he was not impressed...

Oct182017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Buhari’s silence over Misau-IGP face off worry CSOs

Law, Politics

IG of Police Mr Ibrahim Idris ... Calls for impartial, exhaustive investigations The joint Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have frowned at the failure of the Federal Government to address the serious allegations of grand corruption made by Senator Hamman Isa Misau, representing Bauchi Central Senatorial District against the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission Mr. Mike Okiro, respectively. The CSOs in a press release issued in Lagos yesterday and signed by Okechukwu Nwanguma of NOPRIN Foundation, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri of Spaces for Change and eighteen others recalled that in the past three months, through interviews in the media and on the floor of the Senate, Senator Misau had consistently accused the IGP of grand c...

Oct172017 by Our EditorNo Comments

SIFAX Group Wins West Africa’s Innovative Shipping Award

Business, Politics, Port News

SIFAX Group has won an award at the just concluded 7th edition of the Nigeria Brand Awards. The Group is a multinational corporation with diverse interests in maritime, aviation, haulage and logistics, oil and gas and hospitality, The award is an annual event designed to reward deserving brands that have shown diligence, innovation and excellence in different business areas. SIFAX Group was awarded the ‘Most Innovative and Impactful Shipping and Cargo Company in West Africa’ in recognition of its customer-centric focus, innovation and excellent service delivery in the maritime industry. General Manager, SIFAX Off-Dock Nigeria Limited, Mr. Oliver Omajuwa, who spoke shortly after receiving the award on behalf of the Group, said the award is a validation of the hard work, cre...

Oct172017 by Our EditorNo Comments

More trouble for Intels as FIRS accuses company of tax default

Business, Port News

One week after the Integrated Logistics Services (Intels) made the headlines over the termination of its pilotage agreement with the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), the company is in the news again. This time around, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has accused the organisation co-founded by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Gabriele Volpi, an Italian national, of not paying taxes. On Monday, FIRS officials pasted a non-compliance sticker on the headquarters of the company in Onne, Rivers state. The action led to reports that the company had been sealed but an official of the tax agency told TheCable that such stickers are pasted on companies which have not been complying with tax obligations. “FIRS did not carry out any enforcement on Intels. Our team only p...

Oct172017 by Our EditorNo Comments

‘Law Should Be A Graduate Programme’ – Prof Azinge

Education, Law

His tenure as Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, witnessed monumental innovations and advancements in the institution’s academic curriculum. Retiring from the Institute last year, Professor Epiphany Azinge, SAN, has since delved into private legal practice, while establishing his Foundation, and striving to set up a Private University in the next few years. Married to an academic who is also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Prof Azinge spoke with Onikepo Braithwaite and Jude Igbanoi on several issues, including his views on legal education in Nigeria, and his vision which has crystallised into the Epiphany Azinge Foundation being launched on November 13, 2017 You recently took a radical view on legal education in Nigeria, when you advocated for the abolit...

Oct172017 by Our EditorNo Comments

Nigeria, Ghana sign MOU on piracy and terrorism

Business, Politics, Port News

THE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly combat the menace of piracy and terrorism in the West African waterways. Addressing newsmen in Lagos after the signing ceremony, the Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, explained that the MOU with Ghana is based on five cardinal focus to further strengthen ties between both countries in the West African sub-region. According to Peterside, “The MOU between NIMASA and the GMA will focus on the following areas: Knowledge transfer and sharing; Capacity building initiative; Cabotage enforcement joint study initiative; Comparative research initiative; and Joint efforts to combat piracy and terrorism. “These are t...