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  • Customs moves to reduce trade facilitation time by 50%

    Customs moves to reduce trade facilitation time by 50%

    The Nigeria Customs Service has moved to reduce the time it takes to import and export goods (trade facilitation) by 50 per cent.
    Customs Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
    According to him, the NCS is now required to schedule and coordinate the Mandatory Joint Examinations and sign-off Form to ensure that there is only one point of contact between importers and officials.
    The statement explained that as a key stakeholder, and in the Federal Government’s quest to make businesses work, the NCS joined other MDAs in making commitments towards delivering reforms that would progressively make it easier for businesses in Nigeria to start and thrive.
    Attah said that: “Our commitments at the NCS are focused on “Trade  Across Borders,” where a target was set to reduce import and export time by up to 50 percent, and ensure that import procedures adhere to international standards.
    “One of the most crucial functions of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is the promotion and facilitation of trade and competitiveness. We will be the first to admit that the reality at the Nigerian ports is challenging and can be improved upon.”
    In its bid to improve the facilitation, NCS said that the minimum cargo placement notice time for the examination required by Terminal Operators has been reduced from twenty-four hours to a maximum of twelve hours.
    This, said Attah, means that after the NCS agrees with all parties on a suitable time for physical examination, Terminal Operators now only require a twelve-hour notice to place the cargo for examination.
    The statement noted that whereas export processes average between two and three weeks in Nigeria, compared to only four days in Kenya.
    According to Attah, Nigeria requires up to fourteen documents for imports, compared to just five in Rwanda.
    Factors like these, said the spokesman, are responsible for the country’s lowly rank of 14th out of 15 ECOWAS economies and 182nd out of 190 economies worldwide in the ‘Trade Across Borders’ indicator on the most recent World Bank “Doing Business” Rankings.
    The statement noted that Nigeria’s desire to restore growth through economic diversification, as enunciated in the recently released Economic Growth and Recovery Plan (EGRP) of the Federal Government requires a holistic reformist approach.
    It added that reforming procedures is required to stimulate important sectors of the Nigerian economy like agriculture and manufacturing, which contribute 23.1 and 13.3 percent respectively to its Gross Domestic Product.
    The statement reads in part: “
    On February 21, 2017, the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hammed Ali (Rtd.), was among several heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) who gathered at the Conference Room of His Excellency, the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) for the launch of the 60-Day National Action Plan on Ease of Doing Business by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).
    “A major first step was taken to achieve the target when the Department of Home Finance of the Federal Ministry of Finance revised Nigeria’s Import and Export Guidelines following a directive from the Honourable Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, to streamline current procedures.
    “The Guidelines addresses some of the issues causing inefficiency and delays at the ports. Several of the newly inserted clauses in the Guidelines relate directly to the operations of the NCS. I will attempt to explain the stipulations and implications of the revised Guidelines in this piece as it pertains to the NCS.
    “Before this intervention, the burden was on importers to reach out to all relevant agencies and the Terminal Operator to schedule a suitable time for the joint examination of cargo. We have however decided to take this tedious process off the backs of the importers and coordinate same.
    “Under the revised Guidelines, Shipping Lines are required to electronically transmit advanced manifest of their cargoes to the NCS and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as soon as the vessel departs the last port of call – this is to ensure there is enough time for risk assessment, profiling and optimised placement of cargo.
    “NCS Officers will then circulate the cargo manifests to other examination agencies and the Terminal Operators as soon as same are received from the Shipping Lines. Shipping Lines which fail to transmit the advanced cargo manifest may be denied berthing rights.
    “The above guideline is critical because one major reason for delays at the ports is the less than optimal cargo placement and offloading processes. Most times, Terminal Operators are unaware of the contents of a container and are thus unable to determine if same requires physical examination or not. With prior knowledge of contents, Terminal Operators can ensure that containers which do not need physical examination and would consequently require less time to offload are placed ahead of those that will require examination in order to prevent delays and pileup of cargo.
    “Another reason for the delays at the ports during the import process is the haphazard manner in which goods are packed in containers. Different types of goods are just dumped in the container and imported into Nigeria, slowing the pace of physical examination and making it impossible for modern equipment to be used to examine containers.
    “To solve that problem, Shipping Lines are now required to ensure that imports into Nigeria are well arranged in pallets. Shipping Lines which fail to ‘palletise’ cargo will be sanctioned and  and maybe asked to take back onboard the non-palletised cargo.
    “Even beyond the 60-Day Plan, which came to a close on April 21, 2017, the NCS is already collaborating with other stakeholders to further reform the import and export processes.  Our efforts are strengthened by the complete support of the Federal Government, through the PEBEC, chaired by His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; the Federal Ministry of Finance; and other stakeholders.
    “Reduction of documents required for the import and export process will continue to engage the attention of relevant authorities  in recognition of the fact that Nigeria presently requires more documents than most of its peers.
    “Finally, the on going move by  FG towards the establishment and launch of a National Single Window (NSW) will contribute to the attainment of seamless interface by all stakeholders in the import and export chains. It will achieve an electronic, one-stop shop portal for Nigeria’s cargo clearance procedures.
    “The strong steering committee co-chaired by the Comptroller General of the NCS, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) and the Managing Director of the NPA, Hadiza Bala Usman demonstrates government’s desire to entrench more business friendly environment for importers, exporters and investors wishing to do manufacturing business in Nigeria.
    “We intend to show Nigerian exporters and importers through our actions that the NCS is not just a ‘tax-collecting’ agency, but a progressive partner determined to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for exporters and importers to trade and carry out their legitimate  business operations through the Nigerian ports.”
  • OMPALAN seeks end to governors’ immunity clause

    OMPALAN seeks end to governors’ immunity clause

    Oil and Solid Mineral Producing Area Landlords’ Association of Nigeria (OMPALAN) has asked the National Assembly to expunge the immunity clause protecting state governors from prosecution from the nation’s constitution.
    Members of the association in a meeting at Abuja, expressed their support for the Senate over its move to grant full autonomy to elected Local Government Councils.
    Those that attended the meeting were the Chairman, BoT, Bishop Udo Azogu, National Chairman & Chief Executive, Prof Eyo Etim Nyong, Leader (former Minister for Police Affairs), Dr. Ibrahim Lame, Dr. Abdul Jhalil Tafawa Balewa: Chairman, Environmental Committee, Chief (Barr) Sam Ezediaro, Principal Secretary, Sir Eustace Eke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Delta State, HRM Obi Nzemeke, Chairman, Advisory Board, Rivers State, HRM Eze Amuda Ginikanwa, National Publicity Secretary, Prof Katuka Yaki, Secretary, Environmental Committee, Prince Tony Ebietomiye, National Liaison Officer, Alhaji S. I. Sule, National Treasurer, Dr. Adindu Ndukwe, Chairman, National Youth Affairs Committee, Hon. Ngokanya Benjamin, and the National Youth Affairs Committee, Kabiru Aliyu: Secretary.
    The chairman, Bishop Udo Azogu urged the National Assembly to enact laws to deal squarely with Governors who sack elected Local Government Councils in order to appropriate their funds.
    According to him, ” It’s only in Nigeria that individuals can be allowed to breach the law the way our Governors are doing and go scot free. When Governors breach the law they have their way but, when jobless youths in oil producing areas agitate for a better living condition they are branded criminals and treated as armed robbers. This must stop.
    “Immunity does not translate to lawlessness. The immunity clause is not helping matters in Nigeria as it’s being used the wrong way to shortchange the system by lawless and unpatriotic individuals who exploit the nation’s weak institutions to clinch to power.
    “To really stop corruption and enthrone the rule of law in Nigeria the immunity clause must be expunged from the constitution.”
    He explained that if the nation is sincere with strengthening corporate governance, the country,  must run a Federal system in which both the Federal and State Governments shall not control more than 40% of the national budget while Local Government Councils which are the closest to the masses should control the bulk of the budget in addition to granting autonomy status to the Police and anti-graft agencies.
    Continuing, he insisted that:  “Things can never go right when our Local Government Councils are relegated to the background by greedy politicians who have no regard for the rule of law.
    “There must be clear separation of powers between the three arms of Government notably the executive, the legislature and the judiciary with no arm assuming dominance over the other.
    “It is also the position of OMPALAN that the ongoing war against graft should cut across all strata of the society and must not be used to pursue a vendetta. Where ever there is a crime, be it in the Presidency or within the precinct of the anti-graft agencies due investigation must be carried out and justice must be seen to be done.”

  • Two die in Abuja auto crash

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has confirmed the death of two persons in an accident in Abuja on Saturday.

    Mr Sunday Oghenekaro, the FRSC Sector Commander in FCT, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the incident occurred on the Gwarimpa bypass at 7 a.m., involving two Toyota Camry cars.

    According to him, three persons, comprising of two males and a female, were victims of the accident.

    He said that a male and the only female died on the spot, while the other male was critically injured.

    “The cause of the accident was speed, because if you look at the impact, one of the vehicles almost torn into shreds.

    “Our rescue team arrived in the scene about 10 minutes after the accident and was able to evacuate the bodies to Kubwa General Hospital.

    “The injured victim was, however, taken to the Federal Medical Centre in Jabi District,’’ he said.

    An eyewitness had earlier told NAN that one of the dead was a police officer with the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, but the FRSC sector commander could not immediately confirm that.

    Oghenekaro listed the items recovered at the scene to include one AK-47 rifle, mobile phones and an undisclosed amount of cash.

  • FG to provide 200,000 jobs for artists

    FG to provide 200,000 jobs for artists

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says over 200,000 jobs will be created with the N300 million credit facility provided by the Bank of Industry (BOI), for artists.

    The minister made the disclosure at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between BOI and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) in Abuja on Friday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports the MoU was presented to the minister by Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, the Director-General of NCAC.
    “I have been reliably informed that top on the list of the benefits that will accrue from this landmark MoU is creation of over 200,000 jobs for the sector.

    “This is epochal and in line with one of the cardinal programmes of this administration, which is job creation and empowerment’’, he said.
    The minister explained the MoU would act as a catalyst for the development of the country’s craft industries, create a financing window and assist NCAC members in capacity building.

    Mohammed also said the MoU would encourage producers of cultural products and services to work toward attaining standard of modern practices in packaging of nation’s cultural products.
    He said that the memorandum would also enable artists to compete favourably at the global markets and earn them a decent living.

    Mohammed urged all states to take advantage of the loan for the development of the creative sector in their domains.
    He said the details of how to access the fund would form a major part of discussions at the forthcoming meeting of Chief Executives of Culture in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, from May 9 to May 12.

    The minister congratulated Runsewe for achieving the feat and putting the event together, few days after he assumed office.

    He also appreciated the Acting Managing Director of BoI, Mr Waheed Olagunju, for his support and partnership.
    The minister described the MoU as `a right step in a right direction and one of the biggest achievements the sector had recorded in recent time.’

    He said the Ministry had signed MoU with local and international partners, including the Tony Elumelu Foundation and the British Council, to develop the capacity of creative artists.
    Earlier, Runsewe said it was the first time in the history of the country that the industry was given a single digit approach to loans.

    He disclosed that two other similar MoUs were in the offing for the development of the sector
    Runsewe commended the minister for changing the nation’s narrative under his leadership and for his passion for the development of the culture and creative sector.

     

  • Panda, CSEAN ready to offer solutions on new generation cyber threats

    Panda, CSEAN ready to offer solutions on new generation cyber threats

    Panda Security in partnership with the Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) has disclosed plans to offer solutions to emerging cyber threats in the country.

    Regional Manager of Panda Security, Jeremy Matthews, on Friday said African organisations and governments are no longer immune to efforts of today’s cyber-criminals.

    Speaking ahead of the Cyber Secure Nigeria 2017 conference, scheduled to hold from May 16 -18, he stated that the meeting was designed to prepare participants on ways to defend their networks and operations against the growing sophistication of cyber-attacks. The event is themed “Building Resilient Cyber Defence”.

    “We are proud to announce our participation in this event, it is a great initiative by CSEAN that sheds light on the cyber-security environment and what organisations can do to combat the advanced threats we see today,” Mathews stated.

    In a joint statement issued with the CSEAN President, Remi Afon in Abuja, business leaders and IT professionals need to ensure they are making informed decisions about their cyber-security.

    According to him, the drive for profitable attacks by cyber-criminals saw the number and severity of attacks increasing rapidly each quarter for the last few years.

    “In the light of these changes, it is imperative that industry stakeholders collaborate and share their knowledge of products and best practices,” he stated.

    He assured that Panda will provide insights into its new generation technology relating to EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) and SIEM (Security Incident and Event Management).

    The statement reads: “This changes the model from traditional AV of the past to one based on prevention, detection and response technology. A paradigm that Panda Security has implemented through their Adaptive Defence 360 (AD360) solution.

    “Adaptive Defense 360 is the first offering to combine EPP (Endpoint Protection) and EDR capabilities into a single solution. By leveraging EDR technology, AD360 accurately classified all running programs, only allowing legitimate programs to run. Closing the cycle of adaptive malware protection, by including automated prevention, detection, forensics and remediation into a holistic solution.”

  • ‘Do not use terrorism to stifle journalists’

    In celebration of the World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) 2017, a civil rights advocate has urged governments not to use terrorism to stifle journalists.

    Dr Courtney Radsch, Director, Committee to Protect Journalists, said this at a panel discussion organised by the U.S. Embassy in Abuja on Wednesday.

    The theme is “Critical Minds for Critical Times: Media’s role in advancing peaceful, just and inclusive societies’’.

    She said that journalists in war torn and terror stricken countries were usually accused of terrorism, a ploy by the government to clamp them down.

    According to her, 259 journalists have been imprisoned in 2016, while 48 killed across the world for doing their jobs.

    She said that corruption, terrorism and political stories were the major issues journalists were killed for, adding that Turkey accounted for one third of journalists that were imprisoned in 2016.

    Radsch said that government response to terrorism across the world was not sufficient, thereby putting journalists in the cross hairs of the fight against terrorism.

    She also said that imprisonment and lack of government support for journalists were major causes of the decline in press freedom.

    On fake news being propagated in some quarters, she said it was untrue as that was an attempt at undermining freedom of the press.

    She said that if fake news was given precedence, it would render original news unauthentic and make people lose confidence in the press.

    She, however, said that to give the industry its pride of place, it had to be made relevant and respected by governments all over the world.

    Co-panelist, Richard Lui of National Broadcasting Company (NBC), America, said that journalists should be more concerned about getting the facts right, rather than breaking the story.

    He says that they should not report what they think to be the truth when in actual fact it is not.

    He also advised that journalists should protect themselves and be prepared for any eventuality in the course of performing their duties.

    World Press Freedom Day was proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in 1993, following a recommendation adopted at the 26th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991.

    It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom.

     

  • Fashola tasks agency to provide electricity in rural communities

    Fashola tasks agency to provide electricity in rural communities

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday, said that the tertiary qualifications obtained by board members of the Rural Electrification Agency were meaningless if millions of Nigerians continue to lack access to electricity.

    Fashola made this known while inaugurating a new board for the REA at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing in Abuja.

    He stated that millions of rural dwellers, as well as some others in urban centres still do not have access to electricity, adding that the responsibility of the newly inaugurated board was to ensure that most of these people get power in the shortest possible time.

    His words: “I think it is important to know why we are here so that we start with the common understanding of what our objective is, you know what is expected of you and understand the necessity to succeed.

    “Very clearly from the citations that we have listened to, Mr. President has picked from Nigeria those who are solely trained in Nigeria, for I heard Ahmadu Bello University, Nekede (polytechnic), as well as those from Doha and the United Kingdom.

    “So clearly, the qualifications that you have are not in doubt, but those qualifications mean nothing if people do not have access to electricity across the country. Your qualifications, experience and achievements mean nothing if this team does not deliver electricity to the people who are in their many millions and are yet to be connected to grid.”

    The minister told the REA board that they should ensure that millions of rural communities get electricity, either by connecting them to the national power grid or by providing them with off-grid power.

    “When I meet with legislators they tell me they have communities that have never been connected to the grid and as I go round the country I’ve seen proof of that. So I know the kind of responsibility that you bear,” Fashola said.

    He, however, promised the team that his ministry would continue to provide the REA with the required support, adding that the budgetary assistance needed to meet the rural electrification needs of Nigerian communities shall be provided.

    “We will breakdown barriers for you, but really and truly it is you who will do much of the work,” the minister said.

    Speaking with journalists after the board was inaugurated, the agency’s Managing Director, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, said by next week the new REA board will identify all the ongoing projects being undertaken by the agency, adding that it will also focus on completing selected new projects.

    Ogunbiyi said, “What we are going to do from next week is to have the whole project team, led by the executive director technical, to go out and identify the status of all these projects and come up with the proper master plan of how we are to tackle existing projects while also focusing on the new projects that were mentioned by the minister, the university projects, hydro projects and small scale solar projects.

    “So we really see ourselves as an access agency to get power to people who don’t have it regardless of where they are whether in the rural or urban centres. And we are going to do it using a whole different variety of renewable energy technology and some off-grid solutions as well.”

  • Customs warns officers on information transmission

    Customs warns officers on information transmission

    The Comptroller- General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali retired on Tuesday warned officers of the service on information transmission.

    He said that “Consequently any non-designated officer that transmits or circulation information that should be properly handled by the PRO will be sanctioned.”

    He spoke while declaring the workshop on crisis communication which the service organised for its PROs and customs correspondents in Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    According to Ali, messages from the NCS must always be correct and professionally communicated to the public.

    He noted that the ability of any organisation to deliver on its mandates depends largely on how it is understood.

    Ali said PR can, therefore, be a tool for entrenching higher integrity among operatives and compliance from stakeholders.

    The Customs boss revealed that NCS is among the few organisations in Nigeria that have already complied with Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) requirements that only members of the Institute are appointed as PROs.

    He recalled that in 2012, virtually all NCS PROs were inducted as Associate Members of NIPR.

    Ali vowed that NCS under his watch will continue to encourage professionalism by providing support for such training and retraining of PR officers in addition to other core Customs courses.

    NIPR president, Dr Rotimi Oladele decorated Ali as an ordinary fellow of the institute.

    According to him, Ali will always win in a crisis situation because he means well for the country.

    He advised the NCS to learn to extinguish crises.

  • ‘Communities in FCT still reject twins’

    A non-governmental organisation, Divine Inheritage Home, Kiyi, Kuje, Abuja, says it has received increased cases of rejected twins and triplets in the community in recent times.

    The management of the home has therefore pleaded with Nigerians to show concern for such babies, noting that they ought not to attach myths to their births.

    Dr Chinwe Steven, the founder of the home, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) when Latiwa Development Foundation, also a non-governmental organisation, inaugurated girls’ empowerment programme in Kuje on Monday.

    According to her, some communities in Nigeria still engage in viewing twins and triplets as mysterious babies, believing that they are evils and gods that should be put away from communities.

    She, however, commended the efforts of missionaries who she said had checked this belief drastically in Nigerian communities.

    The children we have here are not complete orphans, some have one parent and others both parents, we are saving twins in Bassa Komo community in Abuja where they believe twins are not human beings.

    “They believe they are evil and gods; and immediately their mothers give birth to them, they stop breastfeeding them, resulting in the deaths of some of them.

    “They believe by the deaths of such babies, including the albinos, they will have good harvest in their farms.

    “But the home is trying to orient the people in the communities, especially their mothers that the children are gifts from God and not gods.

    She called on Nigerians to support the home in the areas of their healthcare, education and empowerment to make them useful in the society.

    She said that the National Orientation Agency should also create awareness and enlighten those in Bassa Komo, Gbagyi Yama and Ganagana communities of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    Earlier, Latty Allara, the Founder of Latiwa Development Foundation, said that they were embarking on training of the children in various fields to make them useful.

    She said that the foundation was focusing on improving the lives of orphans, physically challenges and the less fortunate in the society, providing access to education, healthcare and rehabilitation, among others.

    Allara said as part of the foundation’s contribution to the society, it would build accommodation for the nannies in Divine Inheritage Home, renovate the building and train the children in fashion design.

  • FCT police command warn IPOB against planned protest in Abuja

    FCT police command warn IPOB against planned protest in Abuja

    The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, Mr Musa Kimo has warned the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against its planned protest in Abuja.

    Kimo gave the warning in a statement issued by the command’s Spokesman, ASP Usen Omorodion in Abuja on Sunday.

    He said as a professional organisation, the command would not fold its arms and watch criminal elements hide under the guise of such protest to cause breakdown of law and order.

    Kimo advised residents to go about their lawful duties without fear and molestation.

    In a related development, the FCT spokesman the command arrested a member of an armed robbery syndicate at Robochi, Abuja on April 26.

    He said Usman Alhaji Mai-moto, 24, a principal suspect was arrested with a stolen motorcycle by police operatives on routine patrol.

    The spokesman said the suspect confessed to have participated in the snatching of several motorcycles at gunpoint.

    Omorodion said the suspect had given the police useful information that led to the arrest of one of his cohorts, Wisdom Peter, 18, who was arrested while trying to sell a stolen motorcycle.

    He said the two stolen motorcycles had been recovered from the suspects.

    “Frantic effort is being made to arrest their cohort said to be in possession of the firearm used by the syndicate for its robbery operations.’’

    Omorodion said the command had also arrested three suspects who specialised in house breaking.

    The suspects are : Mansur Aminu, 24, Emmanuel Aboki and Dauda Isa.

    Items recovered from them include, two clippers, 11 SIM cards and one generating set.

    He said the suspects would be transferred to the Command Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for discreet investigation and prosecution.