Breaking News – Page 9 – Shipping World News Magazine

Dec12019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Border Closure Responsible for Our Loss at IMO Council Elections – Dakuku

As widespread condemnation greet Nigeria's loss at the IMO COUNCIL elections yesterday in London, Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has blamed the closure of Nigeria's land border coupled with an unprecedented international conspiracy as the reason Nigeria lost to Kenya in the crucial IMO elections. Dakuku who spoke exclusively with Shipping World on Sunday said " our African brothers mobilized against us for reasons best known to them. Benin Republic told us bluntly 'If you want our vote, go reopen your land borders ". Dakuku was surprised that despite the fatherly role Nigeria has played on the continent, some countries didn't like our rising profile and insisted on working against us. He said this was no...

Nov112019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Obeisance to Customs, the new power house

Breaking News, News Feature, Opinion, Travel

By Owei Lakemfa A MAN who identified himself as a traditional ruler, strolled with a swag through Immigration at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. He then walked towards Customs and was stopped. An officer pointed out he was carrying a pack that suggested he bought a pair of shoes abroad. He confirmed he did. He was asked to produce the shoes. He pointed at his feet: those were what he was wearing. The Customs said it was an item he has to pay duty on. The man explained he bought the shoe on his journey and had been using it abroad. He was handed a hefty amount and given the option to either pay or forfeit his shoes. He paid under protest. It seemed strange that the Customs now calculate what a Nigerian is wearing and decides to impose duty. That means a lady p...

Nov112019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

HAMEED ALI: A MONUMENTAL FAILURE AS CUSTOM CG___ Taiwo Mustapha.

Breaking News, News Feature, Opinion

ALHAJI TAIWO MUSTAPHA is the CEO /Executive Chairman of the Pyramid Quicka, a leading freight forwarding company based in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Taiwo who sits atop a very thriving conglomerate with Interests in Oil and Gas as well as Agriculture is a consummate businessman and Chairs the elite Board of Trustees of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents. Taiwo spoke with the doyen Maritime Journalism, Asu Beks, in his Trans Amadi Corporate Head office recently. The interview centred on the performance of Hameed Ali’s tenure as Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, the closure of Nigeria's borders and his expectations in the maritime sector in 2020. Excerpts HIS ASSESSMENT OF HAMEED ALI’s 4 YEARS IN OFFICE. The hope of every Nigerian Civil Servant,...

Oct212019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Citing Security, NPA Cancels $133.28M SAA Fees

Breaking News, Business, Maritime, Port News

Insists Navy, NIMASA, statutorily required to secure country’s waters Shipping companies hail move Concerned by threat to national security and the cost of doing business at the country’s seaport, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has notified the Nigerian Navy of its decision to dismantle the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA), operated on behalf of the Navy by a private company, OMSL Limited. NPA insisted that the security of the country’s waterways was the statutory responsibility of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Marine Police, and Nigerian Navy, which must all ensure a safe and secure Nigeria territorial waters. The move by NPA has been hailed by stakeholders in the maritime sector, who claimed the initiative was timely to stave off a financial burde...

Oct132019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Mr Victor ONUZURUIKE: A Maritime Living LEGEND

Breaking News, Maritime, Profile

By Asu Becks Mr Victor ONUZURUIKE who is the Director Audit at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency is a Chartered Accountant. He holds an Msc in contemporary accounting from the Leeds Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom. He also holds an MBA in Maritime Management Technology and an Msc in Transport Studies. Nicknamed "Mr Chairman" by staff of NIMASA due to his open door policy and the fatherly role he plays at the Agency, Mr Onuzuirike is also a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation , Associate Member Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Nigeria and Member Institute of Administrative Accounting, London among other globally recognized bodies. He started is working career as an Executive Officer at the Nigerian Legal Aide Council ...

Oct32019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Hameed Ali to Importers: Pay Correct Duty and Get Your Seized Vehicles Back

Breaking News, Business, Port News

Succour might have come the way of vehicle owners to get back their seized vehicles courtesy the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd). Some of the seized vehicles The new relief is contained in a Circular No HQ/005, 2019 titled ” Detention and Seizure of Vehicles” sighted by our Correspondent yesterday. The circular which was signed by AOB Fatade, an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs on behalf of the CG and copied to all DCGs, ACGs, Area Comptrollers and Unit heads reads. “The Comptroller General of Customs has directed that henceforth, all vehicles detained or subject to detention should be allowed to pay the correct and complete customs duty with 25% penalty levy.” The statement however gave an exception to alread...

Oct32019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

NPA commissions ultra-modern sports complex…as NIPOSA Games kick-off in Lagos

Breaking News, Port News, Sports

By Sylvanus Ekpo The Nigerian Ports Authority Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman yesterday commissioned the remodeled NPA Sports Club at Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos. Other facilities commissioned include the Lawn Tennis and Basketball Courts and Long Jump Pit. The Managing Director noted that the facilities were in a "total state of dilapidation and dereliction" before the intervention of her Management to salvage the situation. She said sports was a key factor in workers productivity, hence the need to give the sports complex a facelift. "The rehabilitation and upgrading of the facility is a further testimony to our avowed belief in Corporate Society Responsibility to our host communities", and called on users of the facility to keep the high standard in a sustainable mann...

Sep302019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Gen. Jonathan India Garba: Maritime Living LEGEND of the Week

Breaking News, Maritime, Profile

Major Gen Jonathan India Garba trained as a combatant, transportant, strategist, administrator, instructor, tactician and mind moulder. He could have been a teacher but destiny faithfully steered his path into the military, where he expended his entire productive youth serving out various assignments in the Nigerian Army, nationwide. Born on 14th August 1949 at Tsar, Benue State, the young Garba enlisted at the Nigerian Defence Academy soon after his Grade 11 Teachers Certificate. Upon the mandatory completion of his training at NDA, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1972, following which he began the journey of his military career, traversing units, departments, formations, commands and brigades; and rising seamlessly through the ranks, as a focused, disciplined, dedicated, loy...

Sep302019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

With Sufficient Maritime Security, Nigerian Economy Will Blossom – Amaechi, Dakuku

Breaking News, Maritime, Press Release

• 10 Students Win NIMASA Educational Grants • 10 Maritime Women Leaders Honoured The Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the new maritime security infrastructure being built by the Federal Government, the Deep Sea Project, would be a major economic trigger for the country. Amaechi stated this in Lagos, while speaking with the media during the World Maritime Day celebrations, with the theme, “Empowering Women in the Maritime Community”, in an occasion which 10 women were also honoured for their pioneering contributions to the maritime sector. Ten students, who excelled in an essay competition organised by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as part of the activities in commemoration of the Day were awarded t...

Sep302019 by Asu BeksNo Comments

Bakassi Deep Seaport: Gov Ayade gets FG Nod

Breaking News, Maritime, Port News

The federal government has approved the request by Cross River State for the formal recognition of Bakassi Deep Seaport, which is under construction. Making the disclosure at the weekend while answering questions from journalists at the State House, Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, said the official approval of the port by the federal government had given the state the recipe to launch the port on a commercial scale. He listed the composition of the port to include an evacuation corridor and a six-lane highway linking the port with the north. Ayade, who spoke with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff, Malam Abba Kyari, also said the highway which is almost completed was conceived to bring the northern closer to the Atlantic Ocean. According to him, investors wi...