The Nation Newspaper

Category: Maritime

  • Wharf rats return

    Thirteen years after port concession, the old order appears to be on the horizon with the return of ‘wharf rats’ to the Lagos ports. MUYIWA LUCAS writes

    Last July, members of the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were in happy mood. The Command had intercepted an ambulance loaded with 10 cartons of 225mg Tramadol drugs at the Apapa Port, Lagos, which its Customs Area Controller, Muhammed Abba-Kura, said were worth N59.8 million.

    Besides that the vehicle allegedly belonged to a service provider at the port, more worrisome about the incident was the modus operandi in which the drugs were stolen. “Investigation shows that the Tramadol drugs were pilfered from an undeclared container. Physical examination reveals that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the stolen drugs stands at N59.4 million,” Abba-Kura said, adding that the container was neither declared nor positioned for examination; its original seal was broken.

    For stakeholders in the industry, this incident was a confirmation of the return of pilfering of containers and other goods at the port.

    Before the 2006 ports concession, incidents like breaking of containers and other goods by thieves known as “Wharf rats” occurred daily. This was why then, automobiles hardly leave the ports with their music system like CD players, tapes, jack and spare tyres.

    Experts say pilfering and vandalism thrived due to the loose access control mechanism put in place by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the government agency in charge of port terminals.

    The situation was so bad that litigation became prevalent between the affected managers of the ports and some importers who threatened court action, if the authorities failed to unmask the perpetrators.

    But following the concession programme, it became the responsibility of some private terminals’ operators to ensure security at the ports.

    This came in several forms like the robust security measures deployed by concessionaires to checkmate indiscriminate access into their terminals through strict access control mechanisms. This measure, in particular, gave port users and importers, rest of mind, ensuring their goods remained intact within the port premises.

    Recently, wharf rats reportedly invaded three terminals almost simultaneously, causing huge loses to importers. A clearing agent, who pleaded for anonymity, explained that containers of vehicles were pilfered at Tin Can port terminal.

    Stakeholders were worried about the development. They argued that, perhaps, there was a need for operators to seek the assistance of other security personnel like the Port Police and NPA security to arrest  the situation.

    For instance, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has  called on the NPA, NCS and port concessionaires to address the trend. The union, however, debunk claims that dockworkers were conniving  with some unscrupulous people to vandalise cargoes at the terminals.

    Its President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, maintained that labour workers at the terminals were well paid and could not be involved in any form of criminal activities at the seaport. Besides, he disclosed that the union had warned dockworkers to desist from physical examination of containers at the seaport, and therefore cannot compromise the union’s integrity.

    Adeyanju called on government agencies at the seaports to investigate the incidents, saying it has sent  negative signals to the international maritime community.

    According to him, there is need for licensed customs agents to manage information sharing  process, saying that pilfering of containers at the terminals can be traced to insiders of the customs, terminals operators and officials of NPA.

    The MWUN leader lamented that dockworkers at the ports had been discharging their duties deligently for over a decade without any cargo vandalism but added that the trend resurface recently.

    He asked: “Dockworkers have been working for years at the ports and nobody has recorded cases of cargo vandalism, so how come the sudden change? We will not accept any accusation from any quarters that dockworkers are part of the people damaging or vandalising containers at the seaports because we are responsible and committed to workers’welfare packages. The clearing agents, canteen boys, Ikelebes all have ideas about information on consignment but the dockworkers have no idea about the vessel, the manifest and what she discharges.’’

    He called on the labour workers to desist from any practice that would tarnish the image of the union, noting: “Anyone who get himself involved in illegal business will cease to be part of the union.”

    Speaking on how to secure containers at the ports, Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Customs License Agents (ANCLA), Tin Can, Chapter, Segun Oduntan, said terminal operators security mechanism was porous.

    According to him, there are standards they are expected to maintain, but they have fallen out of it. There is a standard requirement before you are authorised to manage a terminal because you are the one in charge of people’s goods.

    He added: “Pilfering has happened to me before and since then, what I do is to bring a camera to record all the transactions and make sure that once you start the clearing process, you are the one that will finish it. If somebody starts a job, for instance, if somebody did an examination and he’s not the one taking delivery, by the time the container is tampered with, how will you know?

    “Because after examination, if you use padlock belonging to a particular company to lock my container, I will have the key and by the time I’m taking delivery, I’m supposed to be the one to pass out the container from the gate, I will look at the padlock and if it is not the one I have the key; then, I will raise the alarm before the container leaves the terminal. In that way, the terminal owner can be liable. But once a container has passed out and you discover anything, they will tell you that it is not from the terminal.”

    He continued: “This is the precaution I have to take; it happened to me before and the advice I give to people is that when they do their examination, they should ensure that their boys are the one that start the job and the ones that finish it and make sure they check before your cargo exits the port.”

    Meanwhile, the National President of the National Council of Managing Director Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, said the terminal operators were supposed to secure cargoes and not the NPA, having taken over the security of the cargo. He said the cargoes were not under NPA anymore.

    He said: “All the cargoes are under terminal operators, who are in charge of the containers and make sure they are properly placed and secured. That is their responsibility, not NPA’s. NPA’s responsibility is to secure the traffic coming in and going out of the ports. But when you talk about cargoes, it is the terminal operators’duty and if there is any fault, the terminal operators are to be held responsible because that cargo is still in their custody. They are holding that cargo in trust for the importers who come in to clear them.”

    According to him, if the cargo is being moved from the terminal to off dock terminal, it is the responsibility of that off dock terminal operator to secure it.

    Said he: “When it comes to cargo responsibility, stealing and the rest;  It is all about terminal operators and  not the NPA’s responsibility to take care of cargoes within their ports. NPA has removed its hands from cargo operations.”

  • APM Terminals, LAWMA clean up Apapa 

    Residents and commuters in Apapa can heave a sigh of relief as APM Terminals, Apapa, in partnership with the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), has embarked on a cleanup to clear the refuse dumps littering the Apapa-Wharf Road and its environs.

    Port Complex, Apapa Manager, Mrs. Fumilayo Olotu; Controller, Apapa Area Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Muhammed Abba-Kura; Apapa Local Government Chairman, Mr. Adele Owolabi and APM Terminals workers participated in the event.

    Speaking after the flagged off of the exercise on Wharf Road, APM Terminals Managing Director Mr. Martin Jacob said the cleanup initiative was part of the company’s  ‘Go Green’ campaign on environmental degradation and encouraging sustainable waste disposal practices.

    Jacob expressed the company’s commitment to a cleaner port environment. He charged port users to stop the indiscriminate dumping of refuse on the port access road.

    “We can complain about what is happening but nothing will change, if people don’t change their attitude. So, we need to forget the past and focus on what to do to make a difference and achieve a sustainable clean port environment. We, as a corporate organisation, will help as much as we can to make sure that happens,” Jacob said.

    Mrs. Olotu, who described the refuse as an eyesore, said all hands must be on deck to clear them.

    She said: “Apapa used to be a place of pride in those days; so activities around the port community should not make us lose the heritage we had in the past. We have discussed the need to partner with the local government to maintain the cleanness of our environment. We must engage the truckers and in their own language so that they have a buy-in and key into the project so that the heaps of refuse do not return.”

    Owolabi applauded APM Terminals for coming up with the initiative.

    He said the refuse on the port access roads had become a major challenge for the council. He appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate APM Terminals.

    He said: “We appreciate the gesture by APM Terminals and we encourage everyone around to do same thing. It is a right step in the right direction giving back to the community by evacuating the refuse. It should be sustainable and in sustaining it, there should be sensitisation and advocacy campaign to these truck drivers and motor boys against throwing wastes on the road.

    “We need the collaboration of every corporate organisation within Apapa. By the time we come together and everybody contributes their own quota, we will make a uniform force for the community.”

    LAWMA Executive Director, Ibrahim Ojuboni, while calling for the sustainability of the exercise, lauded APM Terminals for the initiative, urging other corporate organisations to emulate such gesture.

  • Wharf rats return

    Thirteen years after port concession, the old order appears to be on the horizon with the return of ‘wharf rats’ to the Lagos ports. MUYIWA LUCAS writes

    Last July, members of the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) were in happy mood. The Command had intercepted an ambulance loaded with 10 cartons of 225mg Tramadol drugs at the Apapa Port, Lagos, which its Customs Area Controller, Muhammed Abba-Kura, said were worth N59.8 million.

    Besides that the vehicle allegedly belonged to a service provider at the port, more worrisome about the incident was the modus operandi in which the drugs were stolen. “Investigation shows that the Tramadol drugs were pilfered from an undeclared container. Physical examination reveals that 211 cartons of the drugs were missing from the container. The Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the stolen drugs stands at N59.4 million,” Abba-Kura said, adding that the container was neither declared nor positioned for examination; its original seal was broken.

    For stakeholders in the industry, this incident was a confirmation of the return of pilfering of containers and other goods at the port.

    Before the 2006 ports concession, incidents like breaking of containers and other goods by thieves known as “Wharf rats” occurred daily. This was why then, automobiles hardly leave the ports with their music system like CD players, tapes, jack and spare tyres.

    Experts say pilfering and vandalism thrived due to the loose access control mechanism put in place by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the government agency in charge of port terminals.

    The situation was so bad that litigation became prevalent between the affected managers of the ports and some importers who threatened court action, if the authorities failed to unmask the perpetrators.

    But following the concession programme, it became the responsibility of some private terminals’ operators to ensure security at the ports.

    This came in several forms like the robust security measures deployed by concessionaires to checkmate indiscriminate access into their terminals through strict access control mechanisms. This measure, in particular, gave port users and importers, rest of mind, ensuring their goods remained intact within the port premises.

    Recently, wharf rats reportedly invaded three terminals almost simultaneously, causing huge loses to importers. A clearing agent, who pleaded for anonymity, explained that containers of vehicles were pilfered at Tin Can port terminal.

    Stakeholders were worried about the development. They argued that, perhaps, there was a need for operators to seek the assistance of other security personnel like the Port Police and NPA security to arrest  the situation.

    For instance, the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has  called on the NPA, NCS and port concessionaires to address the trend. The union, however, debunk claims that dockworkers were conniving  with some unscrupulous people to vandalise cargoes at the terminals.

    Its President-General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, maintained that labour workers at the terminals were well paid and could not be involved in any form of criminal activities at the seaport. Besides, he disclosed that the union had warned dockworkers to desist from physical examination of containers at the seaport, and therefore cannot compromise the union’s integrity.

    Adeyanju called on government agencies at the seaports to investigate the incidents, saying it has sent  negative signals to the international maritime community.

    According to him, there is need for licensed customs agents to manage information sharing  process, saying that pilfering of containers at the terminals can be traced to insiders of the customs, terminals operators and officials of NPA.

    The MWUN leader lamented that dockworkers at the ports had been discharging their duties deligently for over a decade without any cargo vandalism but added that the trend resurface recently.

    He asked: “Dockworkers have been working for years at the ports and nobody has recorded cases of cargo vandalism, so how come the sudden change? We will not accept any accusation from any quarters that dockworkers are part of the people damaging or vandalising containers at the seaports because we are responsible and committed to workers’welfare packages. The clearing agents, canteen boys, Ikelebes all have ideas about information on consignment but the dockworkers have no idea about the vessel, the manifest and what she discharges.’’

    He called on the labour workers to desist from any practice that would tarnish the image of the union, noting: “Anyone who get himself involved in illegal business will cease to be part of the union.”

    Speaking on how to secure containers at the ports, Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Customs License Agents (ANCLA), Tin Can, Chapter, Segun Oduntan, said terminal operators security mechanism was porous.

    According to him, there are standards they are expected to maintain, but they have fallen out of it. There is a standard requirement before you are authorised to manage a terminal because you are the one in charge of people’s goods.

    He added: “Pilfering has happened to me before and since then, what I do is to bring a camera to record all the transactions and make sure that once you start the clearing process, you are the one that will finish it. If somebody starts a job, for instance, if somebody did an examination and he’s not the one taking delivery, by the time the container is tampered with, how will you know?

    “Because after examination, if you use padlock belonging to a particular company to lock my container, I will have the key and by the time I’m taking delivery, I’m supposed to be the one to pass out the container from the gate, I will look at the padlock and if it is not the one I have the key; then, I will raise the alarm before the container leaves the terminal. In that way, the terminal owner can be liable. But once a container has passed out and you discover anything, they will tell you that it is not from the terminal.”

    He continued: “This is the precaution I have to take; it happened to me before and the advice I give to people is that when they do their examination, they should ensure that their boys are the one that start the job and the ones that finish it and make sure they check before your cargo exits the port.”

    Meanwhile, the National President of the National Council of Managing Director Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, said the terminal operators are supposed to be securing cargoes and not the NPA having taken over the security of the cargo. He said the cargo is not under NPA anymore.

    “All the cargoes are under terminal operators, who are in charge of the containers and make sure they are properly placed and secured. That is their responsibility, not NPA’s. NPA’s responsibility is to secure the traffic coming in and going out of the ports. But when you talk about cargoes, it is the terminal operators’duty and if there is any fault, the terminal operators are to be held responsible because that cargo is still in their custody. They are holding that cargo in trust for the importers who come in to clear them.”

    According to him, if the cargo is being moved from the terminal to off dock terminal, it is the responsibility of that off dock terminal operator to secure it.

    Said he: “When it comes to cargo responsibility, stealing and the rest;  It is all about terminal operators and  not the NPA’s responsibility to take care of cargoes within their ports. NPA has removed its hands from cargo operations.”

  • Customs officers urged on dedication to duty

    The Comptroller of Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) Customs Command, Mrs. Morenike Oladunni, has described her team as a ‘’model of Customs dream for improved modernisation, pursuing facilitation of legitimate trade and keeping to government’s Ease of Doing Business policy’’.

    Mrs. Oladunni stated this at the close of work get-together in honour of a retired Assistant Comptroller, Mrs Juliet Akabogu, in the Command.

    “A combination of punctuality, commitment to duty and non-compromise on rules has made this command the fastest in clearing in Nigeria.

    ‘’After the lodgement of Single Goods Declaration (SGD) forms, no consignment with genuine declaration suffers delay as they get exited from the port within 48 hours,” she said, adding that her team must continue to ensure that no one breaks the chain of optimum productivity in Customs operations.

    Read Also: Kano/Jigawa customs impounds donkey skin, contraband worth N150.4m

    She charged officers and men to  keep to the rules and directives of the Service’s Controller-General.

    Mrs Oladunni described Mrs Akabogu as a loyal and diligent officer of the service.

    She wished her success in her future endeavours.

    Meanwhile, the command collected N9,497,704,598, which represents over 93 per cent of total revenue target for 2019.

    NCS said the figure for this year also surpassed the N6,302,228,485 made by the command within same period of last year.

  • Repositioning Maritime Academy for greater efficiency

    The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom State was established in 1979 to train shipboard officers, ratings and shore-based management personnel. After initial high performance, the Academy slumped into decadence. However, the tide is changing, reports MUYIWA LUCAS

    Ismail Aniemu, a maritime stakeholder of over 18 years, expressed surprise when he entered the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom State last week.

    His last visit was six months ago.  Since then, things have changed in the institution.

    Aniemu, the publisher of Journalngonline.com, a publication with bias for maritime industry, said: “I cannot believe what I am seeing. I hope I have not missed my way.”

    Indeed, the story of MAN, Oron elicits much more reaction given its sorry state until three years ago. For instance, in May 2009 the academy was criticised by the Director of Lagos Channel Management. He said the  Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had found that the academy did not meet international standards.

    He listed the challenges to include lack of teaching facilities to handle the number of students, and unavailability of seafaring vessels on which students could complete their mandatory one-year sea term. Students seeking proper training had to attend the Regional Maritime University in Accra, Ghana. Captain Thomas Kemewerighe, a graduate of the academy, said Nigeria does not have people qualified to provide proper training. He said most of the graduates ended up as “okada riders”.

    Same year, the government announced that a project launched by the Federal Ministry of Transport, the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, would send a first batch of 27 students to the Academy of Maritime Education and Training in India to study for a Bachelor in Science and Bachelor in Engineering  in marine-related subjects. Sadly, MAN Oron was not considered for this programme by the Indian institution.

    In August 2009, three human rights groups petitioned President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to investigate alleged cases of corruption and financial malpractices at the academy. They claimed that 43 students had died in avoidable circumstances in the past year.

    Determined to abate this scourge of disappointments and place the institution in the right stead, the government, after a thorough study  by an  Interim Management Committee (IMC) in 2017 of the Academy, came up with recommendations aimed at  restructuring and repositioning of the institution.  Subsequently, Commodore Emmanuel Effedua (retd) was appointed Rector of the institution.

    “The IMC, in its report, said the bane of the Academy, among others, was its poor academic environment, numerous abandoned projects and poor application of resources that they got from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). So, to get what we are looking for, we have to reverse those three identified anomalies. We have been able to complete those projects that have been abandoned. Now, I am correct on the appointment of Commodore Effedua as Rector of this school whose work has shown that his appointment is was done in the best interest of Nigerians,”  Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, said on May 6, this year, when he visited the school.

    Read Also: Maritime Academy: Promoting girl child education

    He added that his decision to visit the institution was motivated by the rapid transformation that the new Management has brought to the 41-year-old institution.

     The changing fortune

    In the 18 months that Effedua has been in control, stakeholders agreed that he had impacted significantly on the institution beyond what successive administrations achieved in the last three decades. For instance, before now, the academy had suffered fallen academic standards with competent lecturers seeking jobs with oil firms and other government agencies.

    Now, efforts are said to be in top gear to increase the academy’s training curriculum in line with the Manilla Convention (Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping, STCW). There was also the issue of bloated cadet’s enrolment that stretched the training manpower and facilities beyond their limits. This led to infrastructural decay with little or no attention paid to maintenance.

    Deplorable hostel facilities with crowded rooms not good for students’ habitation formed part of the inherited challenges begging for intervention. As many as 18 students stayed in rooms meant for four. Today, hostels and better accommodation are ready for students to occupy, following Amaechi’s order for improved hostel habitation of two students per room, starting from 2020.

    Indeed, a great deal of infrastruc-tural improvement, human capital overhaul, improved teaching and learning backed with technological aids and unprecedented degree of discipline now pervades the institution.

    As part of the drive to address infrastructural challenges and provide conducive accommodation for cadets and staff, the academy under this dispensation, has completed and inaugurated several abandoned project. A nautical science building that was abandoned for close to  15 years at foundation level has been completed and ready for use. What looked like a makeshift library being used with outdated literatures has been rebuilt with up to date reading materials in addition to high quality free books given to cadets.

    A modern lecturers briefing room and state-of-the-art lecture theatres fitted with teaching and learning aids have been put in place. Transportation and power system within the academy have also been boosted. The academy acquired one unit of 650KVA generator and two units of 250 KVA generator. These are, in addition to solar lightings, provided to illuminate the academy at night.

    The future is now

    Though his feats were louder than his voice, Effedua, in a chat with reporters, seems not done as he reeled out more milestones to be attained soonest in the four decades old institution.

    At a briefing, Effedua expressed readiness to produce ICT savvy, studious and up to standard graduates to meet industry and international standards. This is why cadets intake was reduced from 1, 800 to 256 for the 2018/19 academic session. Now, cadets are enjoying free mandatory courses with new Onboard Seatime training for National Diploma cadets.

    Also, under this dispensation, cadets are insured and nautical science students are being enrolled as members of Nautical Institute, United Kingdom while marine engineering students are also members of Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMAREST), UK.

    The enrolment is a further boost to their professional certification. On his watch, the academy went through some major reforms including financial audit, restructuring of departments and directorates, establishment of Directorate of Logistics, creation of course rules for lecturers and introduction of additional short courses.

    Other reforms include checking incidence of fake certificates with printing of new ones carrying security features thereby making them difficult to forge, improved capacity building agenda for staff and outsourcing cadets feeding to more qualified and competent catering outfits to achieve nutrition and hygiene.

    Improved funding

    Effedua added that the academy’s funding has improved in his administration. He described funds released from NIMASA as very commendable under its Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside. In line with subsection 2B under Section 16 of the NIMASA Act, not less than five percent of collections made by agency is to be set aside for the academy as part of its statutory funding.

    According to him, paperwork sometimes delay release of the funds and the academy ends up not getting four-quarter collections  as expected yearly. This process has enabled the academy to January and September 2019, trained over 3000 students from International Oil Companies (IOCs), including Mobil. Such trainings given to IOC’s, has greatly improved MAN’s internally generated revenue (IGR).

    “We need more funding but we are not broke. We have saved money from our IGR with which we want to buy more simulators without any form of external financial support,” he said.

     Blocking leakages

    One early detection for the administration was the composition of its workforce. Eighty per cent of staff were from the host community contrary to Federal Character principle. Although Effedua said there were no intensions to sack them, the administration shall continue to recruit from other parts of the country to achieve some balance in future.

    As part of bringing solutions to chains of its problems, Effedua said: “I met a huge debt profile, which I inherited from a regime that had so much funds and I wondered why they didn’t pay. I have paid over 80 per cent of genuine claims brought  to me. I plugged revenue leakages by avoiding payment of suspected fraudulent claims, which after referring such claims to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), some of those making the claims never showed up again. In the past, funds were not properly channelled for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It ended in private pockets and I came, determined to stop this. We don’t give money to individuals.’’

    CSR

    He explained that the institution has provided computers to the Oron-based Methodist Secondary School. What we did for them is standard and you may not see it in any university around. “This year, we bought 100 Joint Admission and Matriculation Boards(JAMB) forms for indigent students. We are going to buy for 200 students next year. The local hospital requests for 50 litres of diesel from pregnant women coming for delivery,” he further said.

    Challenges

    But much as the CSR is beneficial to the community, yet there are challenges from the community. “A group of trouble makers brought a casket to our gate as part of protests. They also fell big trees to block the access road into the community. In the face of this harassment, we were determined to do our work. Oron people are peaceful and accommodating only a few of them gave us challenge.

    The Rector summed up the feat so far achieved to the cooperation and support of his management team. He described them as wonderful and part of the academy’s success story.

  • ‘Why we introduced war risk charges’

    War risk surcharges on consignments are introduced to tackle attacks on ships, the  Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, Taiwo Afolabi, has said.

    Afolabi spoke at the fourth maritime conference held in his honour at the University of Lagos at the weekend.

    Afolabi, who spoke on the theme: “Innovations and practical reforms  towards sustainable growth in the maritime sector,” noted that insecurity had become worrisome in the sector and that it required strict measures.

    Afolabi, represented by SIFAX’s Group Managing Director, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, said: “For our sector to grow, strict measures must be put in place both onshore and offshore. There have been various instances of piracy, attacks on ships and various terminals by men of the underworld and a host of others which led many shipping lines to introduce war risk surcharges on consignments heading to Nigeria.’’

    He added that it was imperative  for the Federal Government and its agencies to strengthen the coastal areas and maritime  boundaries against crimes.

    He, however, commended the Nigerian Maritime and Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other agencies for the passage of the Anti-piracy Bill, urging them to push for more funding to secure the sector.

    While the industry has witnessed reforms in areas, such as port concession, truck standardisation, CabotageLaw and maritime safety laws, geared towards growing the sector, he said more reforms and strong implementation mechanism were needed.

    On his part, the Executive Director, Maritime and Cabotage Services, NIMASA, Mr Gambo Ahmed, said the agency had acquired 17 fast-intervention vessels and helicopters, which would be inaugurated before the year end, to  fight criminality.

    Nigerian Ports Consulate Council Chairman Otunba Kunle Afolarin explained that the new economic agenda in the maritime sector had raised concerns on port reforms and local participation policies.

    According to him, the agenda also called for direct foreign investment policies, and “the transformation of the ports from a public monopoly into a landlord model organisation with a master plan that will also include green field development”.

    Similarly, the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) Chief Executive Officer, Hassan Bello,  said the Council, throught bills, was  rooting for reforms to boost professionalism in the freight forwarding practice and haulage system.

    He argued that when such bills become laws, the NSC would be able to register fleets that would carry goods from the ports to the hinterland and carriage of goods by land.

    Explaining that most accidents are caused by drivers’ fatigue, the bill, he said would allocate six to eight hours rest to drivers to boost their efficiency.

    The Executive Vice Chairman, ENL Consortium, operator of Terminals C and D, Vicky Haastrup, lamented the loopholes in the Cabotage Law, stating that the government should rejig the law.

  • Towards reducing marine pollutants

    To tackle marine litter and microplastics in the ecosystem, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Partnership Action (GPA), has developed a national action plan. MUYIWA LUCAS reports

    The ports are not suitable for very high capacity vessels because of the shallowness of most of them. Another problem is debris in the waters. About 80 per cent of marine litter is believed to be plastics. The problem is not limited to Nigeria. For instance,  reports and research have shown that, yearly, more than eight million tonnes of plastics end up in the oceans across the world, wreaking havoc on marine wildlife, fisheries and tourism. The damage to ecosystems is put at $13 billion yearly.

    To address the menace, the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Partnership Action (GPA) have partnered on how to sustain the management of marine litters in Nigeria.

    NIMASA/ UNEP-GPA partnership

    The NIMASA / UNEP-GPA draft report: “UNEP-GPA –NIMASA partnership on sustainable management of marine litter in Nigeria’s beaches and waterways: A case study of Lagos,” represents the country’s effort at tackling marine litters and microplastics. It is believed to be an initiative that has continued to attract global attention.

    The UNEP, two years ago, launched a global campaign to eliminate major sources of marine litter by 2022.

    Launched at the Economist World Ocean Summit in Bali, Indonesia, the ‘’#CleanSeas campaign’’ urged governments to pass plastic reduction policies, targeting the industry to minimise plastic packaging and redesign products, calling on consumers to change their throwaway habits before damage.

    Experts said the implementation of the NIMASA/UNEP-GPA initiative is vital to the sustenance of the blue economy.

    ‘Blue economy’ threat

    As NIMASA and the global shipping industry continue to tackle the menace of plastics waste on waters, facts have emerged that about $13 billion are lost to damage caused to the marine ecosystem by plastic pollution. This, according to stakeholders, is threatening the blue economy agenda.

    The Africa Blue Economy Forum (ABEF), for example, revealed that plastic pollution alone costs $13 billion yearly in damages. The forum, in its documents detailing its preparation for its meeting in Tunis, said: “Ninety per cent of ocean plastic waste originates from Asia and Africa, mainly due to mismanagement of waste and can be traced to just 10 rivers, including River Niger.”

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    ABEF further noted that oceans were being recognised as a major driver of the world’s economic development. Conservative estimates for the next 12 years suggest that the ocean economy would add yearly global value of about $3 trillion and contribute some 40 million jobs to the labour market.

    The body also noted that African governments have a major role to play in tackling ocean pollution and plastic waste in particular, noting that Africa is the second largest continent with 26,000 nautical miles of coastlines and maritime zones, totalling 13 million km2.

    ABEF further said linking the issue of ocean pollution with the blue economy development approach could help meet its targets as set out in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs and the Africa Union’s Vision 2063).

    Experts have also warned against dumping of items, such as plastic bottles, bags and cups  into the seas, saying by 2050 there would be more plastics than fish and an estimated 99 per cent of seabirds would have ingested the plastics.

    Besides, the United Nation has estimated that 15 per cent of litter floats on the sea surface, 15 per cent remains in the water and 70 per cent rests on the seabed.

    Also, the experts said 5.25 million plastics, weighing 268,940 tonnes, are floating on the world’s oceans. That’s why it is expedient for shipping firms and crew to comply with rules on ocean plastics reduction.

    For instance, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) said it had received warnings from some scientists on the problem, and its impacts on the environment. This is why the IMO adopted an action plan to enhance regulations, and introduced new measures. The plan stipulates actions to be completed by 2025.

    The hazards

    Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Managing Director Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman agrees that marine litters are hazardous to vessels such as submarines, passenger ferries, fishing trawlers, and can result in loss of lives.

    She explained that the major risks to navigation from marine litter, mostly during poor weather, include furling and entanglement of a vessel’s propeller, which reduces its stability and the ability to manoeuvre; blockage of water inlets by plastic bags; sub-surface debris affecting anchors and equipment deployed from trawlers and research vessels; collisions which can damage a vessel’s propeller shaft seal and hinder recovery procedures.

    “Apart from the normal navigational hazards by pleasure craft and commercial ships, the same risks also apply to military activities which are active in the marine, submarine and inter-littoral zones. Marine litter can disturb the physical environment, affecting the ability to detect certain phenomena many of which are important to the Navy’s defence capability,” she said.

    NIMASA’s initiative

    To meet the IMO’s 2025 target, NIMASA inaugurated Marine Litter Marshals early this year.

    During the inauguration of the first phase of the initiative with 120 marshals in Lagos, its Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, charged Nigerians on the sustainable use of ocean resources, adding that there are many activities dependent on the ocean.

    Peterside noted that marine litter  impacts on ocean life, marine habitats, human health, and navigational safety with potential impacts on socio-economic development of nations.

    According to him, the marshals have been directed to go to the ports, coastlines and littoral communities and enlighten people on the need to maintain cleaner oceans. They were enjoined to keep watch and ensure that the right thing is done so that the ecosystem can be preserved. He warned that the agency would not condone indiscriminate dumping of waste at sea.

    He said the need to rid the waters of waste necessitated the agency’s collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Partnership Action (GPA) in 2015 to carry out a study on the marine litter challenge in Nigeria. The outcome, he said, led to the development of the national action plan on marine litter and its campaign concept.

    Peterside added: “The presence of marine litter in our waters is impacting negatively on NIMASA’s strategic objectives, most notably the drive to make Nigeria a greener, wealthier and fairer, safer and stronger and healthier nation.’’

    Also, stakeholders have said to achieve a sustainable blue economy, there is the need to strengthen pan-African partnerships and encourage more international collaborations.

  • NPA clears air on disengaged workers’ entitlement

    The Assistant General Manager (AGM), Corporate and Strategic Communications, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ibrahim Nasiru, at the weekend, debunked claims by some retirees of the authority over the non-payment of their severance packages.

    Nasiru explained that the May 2008 rationalisation was  based on the Public Service Reform guidelines.

    He recalled that the NPA began the policy implementation on July 1, 2008.

    In a statement, Nasiru explained that those affected by the exercise were not entitled to monetisation and enhanced staff allowances.

    He further said the arrears paid to the affected workers were an error.

    “Agitation from the two house unions for payment of arrears on monetisation based on the January approval date, resulted in the agreement to pay arrears of three months to employees from April to June, 2008, hence the two months’ arrears which was paid to them after their exit,” he said.

    Nasiru listed the entitlement paid to the workers to include: three months’ salary in lieu based on their salaries at the time of disengagement; gratuity, calculated in line with their salary at the date of exi; 10 percent pension and gratuity as provided for in the Pension Act (Decree 102 of 1979).

    Other benefits, he added, were pension contribution remittance to their RSA; accrued pension right remitted to their PFA/RSA. The approved template by the Bureau of Public Service Reform and Federal Ministry of Transport was used for  payment.

    The statement also said to address the matter, a 200 percent of one-year total emolument amounting to N770,386,586.22 was approved to be paid to the 530 people affected by the exercise.

    On October 11, 2013, a joint Communique was reached on the final payment to the 2008 disengaged employees. It was resolved that the issues raised about pension, gratuity and repatriation had been addressed and final figures for payment to the 2008 disengaged employees as agreed to  N753,731,001.24 for the final list of 517 people.

    Nasiru explained that this constitutes the final payment to the disengaged employees.

    Besides, he said a letter of indemnity was signed by the disengaged workers before they were paid.

    “This arrangement was effected in December 2013. There was no distortion of the content of the Joint Communique as alleged, the signing was done openly and transparently. Some of the executives of the group were signatories.

    ‘’It should also be noted that the Pension Reforms Act of 2004 which became fully effective fro July 3, 2007 affected those who left service thereafter. The enrolled with different Pension Fund Administrators where their accrued/contributory pension deductions had been paid and accessed by them. They exited in May 2008, four years after the implementation of the new pension Act, 2004 and one year after the expiration of three years grace period given to those who had three years and below to retirement on the old scheme,” Nasiru explained.

  • SIFAX targets 300% increase in turnover

    SIFAX Group has unveiled a five-year strategic growth plan that will generate a 300 per cent increase in its turnover.

    Its Group Managing Director, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, made this known at the firm’s mid-year report presentation in Lagos.

    He said: “As a proactive company, SIFAX Group is already preparing for the future. We have an ambition of becoming a real mega business with substantial presence globally. Our first major footprints would be in Africa. We are already in some West Coast nations while efforts are on to do more. We have a five-year strategic plan that encapsulates our vision.

    “A key part of the plan is massive investment in equipment and facilities. Across our companies, more harbour cranes, reach stackers, haulage trucks, forklifts, baggage tow tractors, among others have been acquired to match our ambition as a market leader in the sectors we operate.

    “Facilities are also been expanded. For example, we have acquired two new off-dock locations in Lagos to improve cargo evacuation from the port and provide more options for our clients to clear their consignments without stress.”

    Oyinloye further said the new vision of the company necessitated a new management team, which is  driving the business, adding that the management is delivering on the mandate of Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, which is to turn the business into a big global brand.

    Ports & Cargo Handling Services Limited Managing Director John Jenkins noted that the company’s container throughput for the first half of the year was 130,000TEUs while its general cargo volume was over 100,000 tons.

    “We are expecting our throughout for 2019 to be in the region of 280,000 to 290,000 TEUs on the back of an improved port access road. Already, we have crossed the 130,000 TEUs mark for the first half of the year. This figure is 275 TEUs less than what we achieved in 2018,” he noted.

    A major challenge confronted by Sifax in the first half of the year was the traffic gridlock around the ports.

    Oyinloye praised the government for awarding the contract for the road construction. He however said  a more sustainable solution of linking the ports with a functional rail system would complement the road infrastructure.

  • Exercise Swift Response: No border is closed

    The National Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and spokesman for the joint operations at the borders code named Exercise Swift Response, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, in this encounter with MUYIWA LUCAS, explains efforts to address insecurity at the border.

    You said the objective of the Exercise Swift Response is not  to close the borders, yet goods cannot transit from neighbouring borders into the country. How do you react to this?

    Closure is not the right word to use here. There is, indeed, intensive patrol by the joint security forces of the borders and unapproved routes, which smugglers use. The exercise is also to prevent the proliferation of weapons and check the movements of illegal migrants who come in to the disadvantage of our national security and economy. The exercise is being coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

    How long will it last?

    It will go on for some days. By the time we have got our acts together and the objective of the exercise is achieved, it will be called off. Anyone who lives in Nigeria or follows our affairs will know that, in recent times, there have been cases of insurgency, increase in kidnapping, increase in use and abuse of controlled drugs, smuggling of weapons, which contributes to general insecurity. Every responsible government will put its muscles together to address these issues for  citizens’ benefits and ensure that the safety and economic well-being of the country are preserved

    How many agencies and men are part of the operation?

    The Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigeria Immigration Service, in collaboration with the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN), intelligence agencies and the Nigeria Police pulled their human and material resources together for the exercise. We recorded some success barely one week into the exercise. I can confirm to you that 33 illegal migrants have been arrested, 59 bags of NPK fertiliser intercepted (NPK fertiliser are used to make improvised explosive devices), over 3000 bags of rice, petroleum products and other items have been stopped from coming into the country and seized. It has been largely successful and we will keep ensuring that those whose acts and movements are unlawful around our borders are brought to their knees.

    There are complaints that there was no prior information before the exercise started and that it is affecting perishable goods. If this is true, why?

    We cannot be talking about perishable goods when national security is at stake. We did alert the public. It may not be as long as those traders would have wanted. We issued a statement announcing the commencement of the exercise. Criminals and anyone involved in unlawful activities would have loved to have a long notice and go into hiding before the operation. The idea behind our short notice is to catch them unawares.

    Do you have the manpower and technology to man the illegal routes?

    The fact that managers of national security thought it necessary to pull manpower and resources together for this exercise should tell you about the importance the government attaches to the country’s security and citizens’ well-being. Beyond the patrol, there are efforts to acquire non-intrusive equipment. Every action to achieve improved security is being taken.

    Benin Republic, for example, is reportedly lamenting the ripple effect of the exercise on its economy. What are you doing about this?

    For some reasons, it appears that some people are making too much reference to a particular country. For the avoidance of doubt, this exercise is not targeted at any country. The target is on those who take advantage of our ‘porous’ borders to perpetuate illegal acts. As we speak, the exercise is not only in the Southwest. It is going on in the Southsouth, Northwest and Northcentral geo-political regions of the country. These zones have borders with other countries. It is not solely about Seme or Benin Republic. It is about anything that will negatively affect the security and safety of Nigerians.Any country that transacts business with Nigeria and keeps to the rules should have nothing to worry about.

    How sincere are your men deployed in this operation to keep to the rules?

    I have discovered that the escapist tendency of any critic is to talk about corruption. Who is corrupt? Who is corrupting who and for what reasons? If you are an international trader and you are importing legitimate things through the approved channels and paying appropriate duties to the government, why should you worry? If any law enforcement officer attempts to take you beyond the lawful aspects of trans-border transactions, you have a right to raise the alarm. If for instance, you import 100 units of an item and declares 30, trying not to pay for 70 units, that is an illegality on its own.

    As a Service, I can tell you that Customs, under our Controller-General, Col. Hammed Alli (retd), will never spare any officer found compromising. I am sure you are aware that some officers have been dismissed for compromising their positions or conniving with economic saboteurs against national interest. Some of them might not be directly involved in the act of smuggling but maybe in the course of carrying out examination on import or export cargoes, they did not do due diligence. I think the important message being passed is that the security forces of this country see themselves as one fighting a common cause. Our differences in uniform do not inhibit our togetherness in fighting criminals and criminality. We are working jointly as a team and in the interest of the country.

    What we hope to achieve in the long run from the exercise?

    It is the desire of the Federal Government and Mr. President that we achieve self-sufficiency in food production with local industries adequately protected to grow. Nigeria is blessed with arable land and vast human resources to grow the food we need. This operation supports that drive. We should do less, and if possible, none of food importation into this country. If we continue to rely on foreign rice that we don’t even know how long its been harvested and kept in silos before shipping, what are we saying to rice farmers? Are we saying they should pack and go away? Our local rice are more nutritious. The more we patronise them, the more we support that aspect of our local industry to grow and provide job opportunities for our teeming youth population.