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PORT REFORMS SUMMIT 2024: Stakeholders Seek Answers to Maritime Sector Challenges

PORT REFORMS SUMMIT 2024: Stakeholders Seek Answers to Maritime Sector Challenges

The maritime industry in Nigeria has witnessed a decline from its glorious past, prompting stakeholders to seek answers to the challenges facing the sector. This was the focus of discussion at the PortNews Summit 2024, where stakeholders gathered to proffer solutions to the anomalies in the industry. In his welcome address, Mr. Wale Oni, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of PortNews Newspaper, highlighted the achievements of the Nigerian maritime industry in the past. He noted that the industry flourished under the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), with the National Shipping Line (NNSL) having about 30 vessels in its fleet. However, Oni lamented…
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  The maritime industry in Nigeria has witnessed a decline from its glorious past, prompting stakeholders to seek answers to the challenges facing the sector. This was the focus of discussion at the PortNews Summit 2024, where stakeholders gathered to proffer solutions to the anomalies in the industry. In his welcome address, Mr. Wale Oni, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of PortNews Newspaper, highlighted the achievements of the Nigerian maritime industry in the past. He noted that the industry flourished under the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), with the National Shipping Line (NNSL) having about 30 vessels in its fleet. However, Oni…
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MWUN Elections: Adeyanju Warns External Agents to Steer Clear

MWUN Elections: Adeyanju Warns External Agents to Steer Clear

As the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) prepares for its upcoming elections, the outgoing President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has issued a stern warning to parastatals, companies, and other external agents to refrain from interfering in the union's democratic process . Adeyanju, who has been at the helm of MWUN since 2017, emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of the electoral process during the Union's National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos. He stressed that the union's electoral process is democratic and stands on a tradition of the delegate process, which is strictly adhered to in accordance…
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Customs Hands Over Officers Involved in Viral Maltreatment Video to Police Unit

Customs Hands Over Officers Involved in Viral Maltreatment Video to Police Unit

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has taken swift action against two of its officers involved in the maltreatment of individuals in a viral video. Superintendent of Customs TA Inemugha and Assistant Superintendent of Customs II GO Aboribo have been identified, arrested, and handed over to the Customs Police Unit for further investigation. According to the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, the behavior of these officers does not reflect the professional practice of the service, which is committed to holding its officers to the highest standard of integrity and professionalism. The NCS has condemned the unethical conduct of…
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Maritime Stakeholders Gear Up for Port  News Reforms Summit

Maritime Stakeholders Gear Up for Port News Reforms Summit

The much-anticipated PortNews Port Reforms Summit is set to take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa, Lagos. The summit has generated significant interest among stakeholders in the maritime industry, with its theme, "Port Reforms and Local Content: Has Nigeria Fared Well?" sparking intense discourse among port users and key maritime stakeholders The summit aims to review the port reforms implemented between 2002 and 2006, which led to the concession of NPA port terminals to local and foreign private investors. Stakeholders from various associations, including the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the…
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Customs Service Launches Investigation into Viral Video of Officers Maltreating Civilians

Customs Service Launches Investigation into Viral Video of Officers Maltreating Civilians

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Area Command has initiated an investigation into a disturbing viral video depicting customs officers maltreating civilians . The video, which has sparked widespread outrage, shows officers attached to the command engaging in unethical conduct. The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Kayode Kolade, has strongly condemned the actions of the officers, emphasizing that their behavior contradicts the values and operational standards of the service. The CAC has directed that the officers involved be withdrawn and interrogated to facilitate decisive disciplinary measures . The NCS has assured the public that the outcome of the investigative panel…
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Customs Seizes ₦81.5m Worth of Smuggled PMS, Sells to Yola Residents at Subsidised Rate

Customs Seizes ₦81.5m Worth of Smuggled PMS, Sells to Yola Residents at Subsidised Rate

In a move aimed at alleviating the impact of subsidy removal in Adamawa State, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has authorised the sale of seized smuggled Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to Yola residents at a subsidised rate. The seized products, intended for illegal export, were confiscated through intelligence and surveillance operations by operatives of Operation Whirlwind in the Adamawa-Taraba region. The total seizure included 1,124 jerrycans, 53 drums, and 21,000 litres transported in two tankers, amounting to 71,965 litres, valued at over ₦81.5 million. Speaking to journalists in Yola, Adamawa State capital, the National Coordinator of Operation Whirlwind, Comptroller…
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AfCFTA: Nigeria’s Path to Intra-African Trade Success Hindered by Information Concealment, Over-Reliance on Road Transport

AfCFTA: Nigeria’s Path to Intra-African Trade Success Hindered by Information Concealment, Over-Reliance on Road Transport

Nigeria's journey to successfully implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is being hindered by several barriers, including concealment of information, over-reliance on road transport, and inefficient logistics management. These challenges were highlighted by Dr. Kayode Farinto, former Acting National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), in a paper titled "AfCFTA: Dismantling Trade Barriers, Navigating Regional Trade. Farinto emphasized the need for accurate information management, stating that concealment of information from the public is not only against the Freedom of Information Act but also hampers the success of AfCFTA. He also stressed the importance of…
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Tin Can Island Port Customs Command Celebrates Historic Milestone with Newly Renovated Office Complex

Tin Can Island Port Customs Command Celebrates Historic Milestone with Newly Renovated Office Complex

The Tin Can Island Port Customs Command has achieved a significant milestone with the commissioning of its newly renovated office complex. The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, dsm, fnipr, psc(+), was on hand to officially open the renovated facility, which marks a major transformation for the Command . The renovation is a significant achievement, considering that the office complex had not undergone any major modernization since its inception in 1977. The transformation is not just about aesthetics; it represents a commitment to service excellence, improved working conditions, and enhanced operational efficiency . The Command has also made…
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7 Suspected Fraudsters Arraigned in Lagos Court Over Alleged Cybercrime

7 Suspected Fraudsters Arraigned in Lagos Court Over Alleged Cybercrime

Seven suspected fraudsters were arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court on Tuesday for alleged cyberspace fraud. The defendants, Bakare Dayo Sherif, Olajire Olaitan, Lawal Toheed Opeyemi, Omiyale Opeyemi, Adeyemi Seyi, Odunlami Lateef, and Wahab Olanrewaju Jimoh, are standing trial on a 3-count charge of alleged impersonation, internet fraud, and obtaining various amounts of United States dollars from a foreigner. The defendants pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to them by the Registrar of the Court. It's worth noting that the defendants are already standing trial over alleged cybercrime before Magistrate M.E Owumi between 2022 and 2024. Magistrate A.…
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