Friday, March 6Nigeria's Authoritative Maritime News Magazine
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Author: Asu Beks

NO RIFT BETWEEN SYLVA AND AKPABIO OVER NDDC BOARD.

NO RIFT BETWEEN SYLVA AND AKPABIO OVER NDDC BOARD.

Press Release
The attention of H.E Timipre Sylva, Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources is drawn to a  publication purporting a row with Senator Godswill Akpabio, Honourable Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, over the formation of a substantive Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). The story also imagines that Sylva is attempting to truncate the chances of certain individuals from being Managing Director of the region's apex interventionist body. The story is false and nothing more than a string of poorly thought-out and poorly crafted lies that should be totally disregarded and discarded. Sylva has maintained excellent relations with Senator Akpabio through the years. The duo consider themselves brothers and comrades in the quest of building a more prosperous Niger D...
The Rise and Fall of Hadiza Bala Usman

The Rise and Fall of Hadiza Bala Usman

Port News, Press Release
“Reputations rise and fall almost as regularly as the tides.” - Peter Benchley Having watched Hadiza Bala Usman’s rise in the corridors of power, from her sudden emergence as lead advocate in the Bring Back Our Girls campaign, to her appointment as Chief of Staff to the Kaduna State Governor and finally as first female Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), it is easy to see that benevolent spirits have been hard at work cracking her palm nuts. Born in 1976 to a Fulani ruling class family, Hadiza grew up on the campus of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where her father worked. She received a bachelor's degree in business administration in 2000 from the same university and later bagged a master’s degree in development studies from the University of Leeds in 200...
Apapa Gridlock: NPA , Lagos Govt Collaborate to bring Relief to Port Access Roads

Apapa Gridlock: NPA , Lagos Govt Collaborate to bring Relief to Port Access Roads

News Feature, Press Release
Determined to put an end to the intractable traffic by in gridlock on the access roads leading to the country's two busiest ports in Apapa, the management of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) led by its Acting Managing Director, Mr. Muhammed Bello-Koko on Saturday met with the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu to adopt stronger measures to curb corrupt practices and alleged extortion of truck drivers by traffic and security operatives along the Lagos Ports corridor. The NPA boss alongside the Executive Director Marine and Operations, other management staff, including Port Managers of Lagos Ports Complex and Tin Can Island Port Complex, Managing Directors of Apapa Bulk Terminal and Dangote Port Operations among other stakeholders, held a meeting with Mr. Governor and ...
*NCDMB MOVES TO MITIGATE START-UP COSTS FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURERS WITH OIL AND GAS PARK SCHEME*

*NCDMB MOVES TO MITIGATE START-UP COSTS FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURERS WITH OIL AND GAS PARK SCHEME*

News Feature
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has assured that the creation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Park Scheme will help mitigate exorbitant start-up costs for local manufactures in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas sector, in setting up manufacturing plants. This assurance was given by the Executive Secretary of the NCDMB, Engr Simbi Wabote who was represented by Mr Abdulmalik Halilu, General Manager, Research, Statistics and Development, NCDMB, on Friday while he led other African oil players on a tour of the Project Site in Emeyal-1, Ogbia, Bayelsa State. The ES who led the delegation on the heels of Thursday’s African Local Content Roundtable held in Yenagoa, harped that in implementing local content, the supply chained must be considered, while government on its part, m...
President Buhari Launches Deep Blue Project in Lagos. • Simulation Exercises   Ongoing

President Buhari Launches Deep Blue Project in Lagos. • Simulation Exercises Ongoing

Maritime, Port News
President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR will on Thursday June 10, 2021 in Lagos perform the official launch of the assets under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure also known as the Deep Blue Project. Preparatory to the launch, the Maritime Security Unit (MSU) of the Deep Blue Project comprising personnel from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police and Department of State Services are conducting simulation exercises for the event on the land, air and sea assets of the Project to confirm their readiness for full deployment. It is worthy of note that the various military formations in the region are aware of the exercise. While this exercise is ongoing, members of the public especially those living in coastal communities are ad...
Gov Douye Diri to Bayelsans: Dont Send Goodwill Messages on my Birthday

Gov Douye Diri to Bayelsans: Dont Send Goodwill Messages on my Birthday

News Feature
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has advised his appointees to join him in prayers for God's wisdom and direction to govern the state instead of spending money on congratulatory messages in the media or on celebration. Governor Diri, who turns 62 on June 4, said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, on Wednesday, that what he needed on his birthday was prayers to remain focused as the task ahead was enormous. He urged all his appointees to be patient and remain committed to delivering on their assignments as the time for celebration would come. Governor Diri explained that he was not against private individuals or corporate organisations congratulating him in the media but that state funds need not be channelled to such gestures. "At...
BLAME TANK FARMS FOR  APAPA  GRIDLOCK__ Shittu

BLAME TANK FARMS FOR APAPA GRIDLOCK__ Shittu

Maritime, Port News
Former President of the Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agents(ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu has linked the perennial gridlock on the Apapa access roads to the presence of too many petroleum products tank farms close to the main roads. Speaking at the inaugural Round Table conference of the League of Maritime Editors, Prince Shittu stated that those who built the tank farms have done a lot of disservice to Nigeria. 'In a country where nobody pays for the consequences of their actions, the people who approved the citing of the tank farms should be prosecuted. The congestion on the Apapa roads is less than 20 years. Before then , there was no traffic jam. Right now, the seaports should be expanding to built up areas by demolishing buildings to expand the ports and government will...
Isah Mustapha reelected Guild President

Isah Mustapha reelected Guild President

Politics, Press Release
A new Executive Committee to pilot the affairs of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, for the next two years has emerged. This is the outcome of the Guild's 2021 Convention held at the Tahir Guest Palace Hotel, Kano on Monday, May 30, 2021. In a keenly contested election, devoid of acrimony and rancour, in which 241 delegates from various parts of the country voted, the incumbent President, Mustapha Isah was returned. Below are the details: 1). President Mustapha Isah - 176 votes; Victoria Ibanga - 54 votes. 2). Deputy President Ali M Ali - Unopposed 3). VP, East Samuel Egbala - 132 votes; Sheddy Ozoene - 88 votes. 4). VP, West Bolaji Adebiyi - 151 votes; Ken Ogbechie - 80 votes. 5). VP, North Habibi Nuhu - Unopposed. 6). General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren -...
WHEN MARITIME EDITORS HOSTED TRAIL BLAZING PRINCE OLAYIWOLA SHITTU

WHEN MARITIME EDITORS HOSTED TRAIL BLAZING PRINCE OLAYIWOLA SHITTU

Maritime
Prince Olayiwola Shittu, immediate past President of the National Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, is a reporters' delight any day. A respected stakeholder in Nigeria's Maritime Industry, Shittu who is reputed as a mobile encyclopedia of the Maritime Industry , led the most successful tenure as President of ANLCA before bowing out honourably on April 14th, 2018. Last week, Shittu stormed the Secretariat of the elite Maritime Editors in Festac where he fielded questions on a wide range of issues . On the electronic call up system for trucks introduced by the Nigerian Ports Authority, Shittu posited that the system was founded on a faulty foundation. Shittu reasoned that there wasn't sufficient consultation between the NPA and stakeholders before its implementation....
Niger state boat mishap: A national tragedy says Atbowaton.

Niger state boat mishap: A national tragedy says Atbowaton.

News Feature, Press Release
The malele, Niger state boat mishap in which about 76 persons died and still counting, has been described as a national tragedy and embrassment by Mr Gani Tarzan Balogun President, Association of Tourist Boat Operators and water Transporters of Nigeria ( atbowaton). Mr Balogun who decried the very poor response and attention to the national tragedy by both federal and state governments, noted that the recent mishap was not the first on that water route, adding no serious attention has been paid to dredge and remove wreck from the malele kebbi Waterways. " I can't understand it, the usual blame game against water transporters and boat operators. The stereotype and the often rush to call boat operators names without due investigation to find out if overloading and sundry operational fa...