The Nation Newspaper

Tag: urged

  • NIMASA urged to build shipyard

    How can the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) boost the nation’s capacity in the maritime trade?

    It is by championing the development of an ultra-modern shipyard, say some maritime lawyers and stakeholders in the industry.

    Speaking with The Nation, a maritime lawyer and university teacher, Mr Dipo Alaka, said there is a need for NIMASA to build a shipyard to create jobs and arrest capital flight. He noted that millions of dollars are  spent to procure vessels abroad.

    According to him, cadets graduating from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom State, can do their practicals in the shipyard.

    NIMASA, he emphasised, should put in more efforts to acquire ship building and repair capability to boost the economy.

    To make the shipyard viable, he said NIMASA must ensure that the private sector is involved in its management. “Now that NIMASA has acquired its dry docking facility, the agency needs to promote ship yard facilities.

    “The acquisition of dry docking by NIMASA will not only create employment opportunities, but also arrest capital flight as many vessels calling at the ports will have a facility for dry docking instead of going elsewhere to do it.

    “Nigeria should learn some lessons from the ugly experience, so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

    “In October 2013, the former  Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, after a meeting of the Federal Executive Council, announced that the Council had approved N58.6 billion for the construction of shipbuilding facilities in Delta State.

    “Barely seven months later, the ground-breaking ceremony for the shipyard was performed by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Up till today, nothing has been heard concerning the plans and the process leading to the execution of the project,”Alaka said.

    He went on: “NIMASA needs to tell us how much manpower has been trained to handle the shipyard? Is the project conceived as the answer to the ship building and repair needs of the country or as a dockyard for the training of cadets?

    “Where was the place of the private sector in a venture the Federal Government sunk a whopping N58.6 billion?

    “These are some of the questions that must be asked in order not to see billions of Naira going down the drain while Nigeria continues to go around as far as shipbuilding capability was concerned.

    “NIMASA needs to facilitate the development of modern shipyards in Nigeria and operate them with the use of labour and local content as much as feasible. Most importantly, we need to know I’d the ship yard agreement had provision for marine engineering technology transfer programme from the builders,” Alaka said.

    NIMASA, another maritime lawyer, Mr Solomon Ibidapo, said, must be ready to provide ship repair services before graduating to ship building and the agency should provide incentives for any company that desired to invest in shipyards.

    A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT) who does not want to be named said NIMASA was desirous of developing a shipyard and assist in the construction of ocean-going vessels in future.

    “This would, ultimately, lead to the establishment of a train – the- trainer programme for more employees to be trained in Nigeria. NIMASA was expected to facilitate government incentives to ensure the success of the project, encourage the building and maintenance of vessels to be done in Nigeria, and provide a stable and transparent regulatory regime to guarantee the sustainable success of the project on a long-term,” the FMoT official said.

    The vision behind the shipyard and dockyard project, the official said: “Is to have a world-class building and repair facility that will be commercially viable to transform the nation’s economy. The project is being developed in two phases. Phase one is the ship building facility to handle smaller vessels and maintain ships plying the nation’s inland waterways while the second phase is planned for a facility that will handle ocean-going vessels and offshore installations which will serve the oil and gas industry.”

    “The ship and dockyard facility is a response to a major infrastruc-tural capacity gap that has negatively affected the sector’s performance. An important pillar of our cabotage regime is the possession of indigenous capacity to build and maintain vessels for the cabotage trade. Having an in-country capacity for shipbuilding and maintenance is very crucial for the attainment of the cabotage policy objectives. It is in pursuit of this critical requirement that we conceived the shipyard/dockyard facility.

    “Another important reason for undertaking the project is that the ship and dockyard facility will support the training of graduates by providing opportunity for the practical training of naval architects, marine, communication and control engineers.

    “In the past, ship repair facilities available in our ports could only render limited services and consequently, most of the repairs on  vessels were carried out outside, thus resulting in substantial drain on the country’s foreign exchange reserves and that is why the call on NIMASA to promote ship yard facilities is acceptable and genuine,” the official added,” the official said.

  • Govts urged to resuscitate Orile-Iganmu park for fuel tankers

    The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources Downstream, Joseph Iranola Akinlaja, has urged government at all levels as well as stakeholders in the oil and gas sector to urgently invest, resuscitate and develop the abandoned Orile parking space for petroleum tankers to reduce traffic gridlock in Apapa, Orile and Mile 2 corridor of Lagos State.

    The Federal lawmaker from Ondo State called for social service at this year’s edition of Lagos State Petroleum Marketers Safety Conference   (LSPMSC) at Federal Palace Hotel on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    Akinlaja said lack of standard parking space in and around Orile-Iganmu, Apapa and Abule-Ado axis, where majority of private tank farms are located, caused the gridlock on Lagos roads.

    The lawmaker said this had taken a toll on the health of road users, reduced their lifespan and adversely affected their productivity as well as the economy.

    day, the tankers are back and they will continue to be there.

    “Until stakeholders, like government, depot owners, among others, come together and resuscitate that Orile tanker park, I don’t see any solution playing out. And if the park must be fixed, it must be in the form of a social service and not an avenue to make money.

    “If the fees are too much, the tanker divers might not be able to afford it. For example, if they charge them, may be N500, such a fee will be used to maintain, may be the toilets or to provide security or electricity and other services.

    “Most of the roads to the depots are not accessible to tankers because they are in a bad state. So, any truck going through Apapa Marine Bridge road will be struggling with smaller ones, and this may result in an accident. If our roads are in good condition, many of our trucks would not be damaged.”

  • Wike urged to respect court judgment on 255 workers

    The lawyer to the 255 workers of three Rivers State government-owned tertiary institutions, whose salaries were stopped in February 2016, Damian Okoro, has urged Governor Nyesom Wike, also a lawyer, to respect the judgment of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on the matter.

    Okoro, yesterday in Port Harcourt, said eight of the 255 affected workers from Rivers State University and Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, both in Port Harcourt and Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori-Ogoni had died due to hardship, since the affected staff last received salaries in January 2016, making 31 months at the end of August.

    The lawyer also stated that children of the affected staff could no longer go to school, in view of their parents’ inability to pay the required fees.

    Okoro said: “It has become very difficult for the affected staff to also pay their house rent. The psychological breakdown and emotional torture can just be imagined. Many of the staff have put in over 20 years in the service of Rivers State government.

    “The workers want the Wike’s administration to pay their outstanding salaries to enable them to live normal life, as they have continued to carry out their daily activities in the various schools, since the stoppage of their salaries.”

    Rivers governor, in February 2016, ordered the stoppage of salaries of the 255 workers in the Demonstration Schools of the three tertiary institutions, stating that the state government would no longer pay salaries of the staff, where the students pay some fees.

    The affected workers, in May 2016, filed a suit on the shocking development at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Yenagoa Division, but the case was moved in November 2017 to the Owerri Division of the court.

    In a judgment after over two years, the presiding judge, Justice Salisu Danjidda, said: “The claimants’ (255 workers’) respective employments are valid and subsisting, because they have statutory protection. The first defendant’s (Governor of Rivers State’s) directive stopping the payment of the claimants salaries is unlawful, null and void.

  • Nigerians urged to vote according to conscience

    Nigerians have been advised to vote in God fearing leaders in 2019 by voting according to their conscience.

    The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Rev. Alfred Martins, who addressed reporters during the 2018 Catholic Men Organisation (CMO), Lagos Archdiocese convention, said “Nigerians should use their conscience to vote in the kind of leaders they deserve”.

    The cleric added that “Nigeria is in a dilemma, a state of economic woes and insecurity because Nigerians failed to use their votes to bring in good leaders”.

    The Lagos Catholic Archdiocese will start a monthly prayer session which will hold every last Friday of the month in all Churches under diocese towards the success of the 2019 elections. This is the church’s own way of praying for peace and credible conduct of the polls,” he added.

    The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria, to maintain decorum in the church, have also banned public endorsement of politicians ahead of the election.

    It sent out a circular to all religious and faithful in all Catholic Churches in Nigeria to avoid endorsing any candidate or political party, but to educate members to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and vote according to their conscience.

    President of CMO John Aigbohoade said “the three-day 2018 annual convention was geared at praying together for our family and the country”.

    One thousand and six hundred members were on Sunday inducted by the Archbishop of Lagos, Rev. Alfred Adewale Martins during the induction ceremony Mass hels at St. Gregory’s College, Ikoyi, on Sunday.

  • Govt urged to review budget benchmark

    Experts have sought a review of the 2018 budget benchmark, following the rise in crude oil price in the international market.

    Last week, the product  hit $69 per barrel. The Federal Government’s $22 benchmark has been increased to $47 per barrel by the Senate.

    An economist, Mr. Yinka Ogunjimi, argued that the going rate of the commodity would remain so for a greater part of the year, hence, the need for government to jerk up its benchmark in the budget. Doing so, he argued, would take off a huge burden of deficit from the financing of the budget, and give some breather to the economy to service its debts.

    “It will also allow more funding opportunities for major projects in the fiscal year. Although the Federal Government was very con-servative with its bench-mark, jerking the benchmark up to $53 per barrel, I believe, is still within reason range. This is because from all variables, crude oil is not likely to sell below $60 per barrel for  most part of the year,” Ogunjimi further argued.

    A Professor of Financial Economics, Leo Ukpong, also agreed that the $45 per barrel was conservative.

    Ukpong, who is Dean, Faculty of Business Admi-nistration, University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said, was because the commodity is likely to sell at a higher price in  the year, considering the uncertainties in oil producing regions, which he noted include include the political quagmire in places, such as Venezuela and Qatar; economic sanctions on Iran; fightings in Iraq, Libya, and Turkey, which are likely to lead to a drop in global oil supply.

  • Govt. urged to evolve women-friendly policies

    Govt. urged to evolve women-friendly policies

    Self-discipline and forgiveness are the virtues every mother must possess in order to make her marriage a successful one. Again she must learn to be patient with her husband, children and neighbours and she should mediate with wisdom and understanding when the need arises.”

    The Women President, Powerline Bible Church, Ijegun branch, Oby Basil gave these admonitions during the Virtuous Women Conference of the branch entitled “21st Century Mother”. According to her; the 21st Century mother must not be idle but must engage herself in a small business to complement the efforts of the husband.

    Basil said every mother must be a woman of vision, a woman of focus, productive in her marriage for proper upbringing of her children. In all these, she must be completely submissive to her husband.

    In a chat with Southwest Report in Lagos, she said the church had created a platform for entrepreneurship training for the women in the branch every Thursday of the month. She said the women were trained in skills which included soap making, ice cream making and hat making, among others, stressing the need for every mother to be supportive of her husband.

    The training, she said, was aimed at making the women to be productive in their respective families.

    “We empower them financially and materially. We give them items such as clothes and things that will be of benefit to them,” she said.

    She said the church also provided loan facilities where the women could seek soft loans to start small-scale businesses.

    “We give them little loans to empower themselves so that every woman will have something doing, because every woman ought to be productive,” she stated.

    Continuing, she said: “They are being taught to make a difference in whatever they do and not just in their businesses. In politics, they can make a difference; changes can take place by the contributions of the women. We tell them all these to enable them to discover their innate potential.”

    The training, she said, was free for everybody including men within and outside the church irrespective of religious inclinations, adding that the idea was to empower the women to discourage them from being idle.

    On politics, Basil said any woman that has gone through training of any kind could go into politics and bring positive changes to the society, adding that every woman that feeds her family also feeds the nation.

    “Women are the soul of any home. Any country that does not encourage the women to actively participate in politics is bound to fail because a woman knows the heartbeat of the husband; she knows the heartbeat of the children. So, if women participate in politics, they will make a lot of changes,” she said.

    She expressed the concern that women were not well represented in all tiers of governance, lamenting that the government does not give women that support to go into politics.

    She urged government at all levels to evolve serious plans to empower women, adding that a woman can start a business with a loan as little as N50, 000. The Women Leader revealed that the church is committed to training women to make them be self-reliant and economically relevant.

    Pastor (Mrs) Dora Osagie said the 21st Century mother should be a woman of vision, adding that they don’t need to behave like the people of the world.

  • Women urged to take national roles

    President, Junior Chamber, Victoria Island Chapter, Abimbola Owosina, has urged women to take up national roles, saying they have the potentials to make positive change and build a viable society.

    He spoke in Lagos, at Junior Chamber annual event to mark the International Women’s Day celebration.

    Owosina said women globally constitute over half of the world’s population, adding that they contribute in vital ways to societal development.

    “In most societies, women assume some key roles, including, being a mother, producer, home-manager, and community organiser, socio-cultural and political activists. But, Nigeria is now embracing women in decision making positions as against women been historically marginalised and relegated to the background in areas including social, economic and political spheres,” he said.

    He said countries with increased women’s participation in politics and leadership position tend to be more inclusive, egalitarian and democratic.

    A foremost actress, Taiwo Ajai-Lycett, urged women to take the bull by the horn and start demanding for positive change and development with core responsibilities coming from them.

    “Be bold for change, take on responsibilities in all areas you meet yourself, call for help when you need one but never let the circumstance and the economic state of things affect your bold step”, she said.

    Managing Director, Risk Watch Insurance Broker, Morin Desalu, urged women to take ground-breaking action that drives the greatest change for women.

    She said they should accelerate gender parity in order to help women advance and unleash their limitless potential.

    “It is imperative to appeal to all stakeholders, governments at all levels to rise to the global challenge of ensuring the achievement of gender equality and empowerment of all women and girls in line with the objective of sustainable development goals,” she said.

  • Women urged on nation building

    A Catholic cleric, Rev. Fr. Patrick Osuntoyinbo of Regina Mundi Catholic Church, Mushin, Lagos, has urged women to use their God-given talents to build the country.

    Osuntoyinbo, who spoke at a special prayer for the progress and stability of Nigeria, organised by the Southwest Christian women under the auspices of Women Wing of Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), said women are nation builders.

    He said: “Women influence the lives of men. I enjoin them to utilise their God-given abilities to guide their husbands aright. They have roles to play in the development of this country.

    “Women can go extra mile to ensure their aims and objectives are realised by using their ‘soft skills’ to influence their husbands. They should help to build this country.”

    The one-day prayer, held at the Hoarse Methodist Church Cathedral, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, was attended by WOWICAN members from Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states.

    They prayed for President Muhammadu Buhari, governors, lawmakers and other leaders, saying God should forgive “whatever sins we might have committed that are working against the progress of our country.”

    Highlight of the programme was presentation of awards to past executives and foundation members for their steadfastness, love and support for the group since its inception.

    The recipients are Rev. Edith Iloh, Snr. Mother-in-Israel Funmilayo Ogunbiyi, Rev. Funmi Akitoye-Braimoh, Prof. Winifred Fashola and Deaconess Comfort Olaniran.

    The WOWICAN, Lagos State chapter Chairperson, Mrs. Elizabeth Ibironke Onojobi, congratulated the women for their diligence, consistency and focus.

    She hailed the foundation members for their steadfastness and dedication.

  • Amaechi urged to work with professionals

    In his drive to develop a roadmap for the maritime sector, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, has been urged by the National Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) to involve professionals in the sector.

    Its President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said the Minister needed the input of professionals to move the industry forward.

    According to him, the oldest member of the staff at the ministry has less than 10 years knowledge of the maritime sector. He expressed concern over the number of inexperienced workers at the transport ministry, many of whom lacked what it takes to reposition the sector.

    He urged Amaechi to implement the good recommendations from previous committees set up by the last administration

    Shittu charged the minister to set up a committee that will harmonise the recommendations of the past committees and come up with a summary that the ministry can implement.

    He said, “I always believe that when you get to a new place, you need to look back and see what has been done before your arrival, before you start charting a road map.

    “You will agree with me that the transport ministry today has the highest number of committees set up within three years more than committees set up in other ministries, what has happened to reports of those committees?

    “I would expect the minister to look into the private sector and gather egg heads as well as people who have made names in the ministry; set up a committee to look at all the past committee reports and give us a summary without being affected by the usual civil service bureaucracy.”

    “In the whole of the ministry today, the oldest staff is not up to 10 years, what experience are they going to bring forward for us in charting a new course and that is why we as are urging  the minister to involve the professionals in the private sector to move the industry forward,” he said.

     

  • Police urged to wage war against land grabbers

    The Chairman of Myke Olad Properties, Limited, a property consulting firm at Orile, Iganmu in Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government of Lagos State, Chief Michael Oladunjoye, has called on the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, to wade into the activities of Land grabbers who swooped on the 17-134 hectares of land inhabited by the residents of Isamo/Ipara in Ilogbo Egun Awori, Badagry Local Government of the state.

    Chief Oladunjoye, in a statement in Lagos, said the activities of the land grabbers on the residents of the area were capable of causing breach of peace in the area.

    According to him, the large parcel of land with survey plan no LAT/230/75 covered by the judgment of the Lagos State High Court delivered by Hon. Justice I.A Olorunnibe (rtd) in suit no ID/365/84 and a ruling of the Lagos High Court delivered by Hon. Justice O.O. Femi Adeniyi on the 18th of December 2013, adjudging and declaring Pa Ademola Ashipa by virtue of a deed of conveyance dated 27th October, 1975 and registered as no 54 page 54 volume 1530 at Lands Registry Lagos as the rightful owner of the property at Isamo Ipara in Badagry division of the state.

    The property consultant pointed out that Pa Ademola Ashipa appointed his firm, Myke Olad Properties Limited, as the only attorney through a power of attorney duly executed by the parties involved in order to manage the said parcel of land on his behalf.

    He noted that to his dismay, some men swooped upon the residents of the area forcibly demanding from them, documents in respect of their occupation and possession on the said land without his consent as the attorney on the land.

    According to him, “as a law-abiding citizen, I cannot take the laws into my hands to engage in any activity which might likely cause a breach of peace in any part of the state as exemplified by the land grabbers who had been forcing the residents of the area to submit to their whims and caprices, hence I have decided to appeal to the State Commissioner of Police to wade into the matter before it gets out of hand.