Lagos – Activities at the Lagos ports for the week ended on Nov. 6 with the Port and Terminal Multiservices Ltd., writing off the demurrage on a drug consignment meant for Internally-Displaced Persons (IDPs).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Arewa Maritime Practitioners Association of Nigeria (AMPA) commended the intervention by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara toward releasing the consignment.
The General Secretary of AMPA, Alhaji Suleiman Zailani, said the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the Nigeria Customs Service also intervened to release the WHO-sponsored medical consignment for IDP camps in the northern part of the country.
The refrigerated drug consignment, which came in five reefer containers, reportedly arrived at the port in February but remained at there due to hitches.
AMPA expressed gratitude as the consignment was released without payment of the demurrage and handed over to the various camps for those who needed them.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
During the week also, Mr Olu Akinsoji, a marine engineer and former Sole Administrator of the Maritime Academy, Oron, urged the Federal Ministry of Transport to develop the academy.
He said the ministry should employ the right professionals to run the institute for it to maintain its industry-based purpose.
Akinsoji expressed disappointment that cadets beg for industrial training placements in parastatals such as the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council where traditionally, they ought to go to for such internship.
In the week under review, retired Rear Admiral, Godwill Ombo, called for the revival of the defunct Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL).
He said that reviving the national carrier was necessary for the growth of the shipping industry and the training of cadets for sea time.
Ombo said the sea time training was important to attain world-class manpower training which, he noted, was critical for jobs on sea-going vessels.
He urged the transport ministry to work toward putting to use the MV HORTEN that could accommodate 135 cadets on training, but left redundant on the Lagos marina.
Also in the week, the NPA said it was collaborating with the Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), in the areas of security, pilot age and safe channels among others.
The Managing Director of the NPA, Malam Habib Abdullahi, while on a facility tour to LADOL, commended the company for its contributions to Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The Managing Director of LADOL, Dr Amy Jadesimi, said that as a wholly Nigerian-owned firm, the company had been providing world class solution in deep off-shore support for maritime, gas projects, agriculture and fabrication.
She said the company would be providing 5,000 direct jobs and 50,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians, thereby helping Nigeria to join the G20 group of nations.
During the week, the Nigeria Customs Service promoted six officers to the position of Deputy Comptrollers-General, while eight others were promoted to Assistant Comptrollers-General.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said the exercise was part of the reforms in the service for better administration and productivity.
Ali, however, warned officers in the service that they were under close watch and would be punished for misconduct.
Also in the week, the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) opposed the Nigerian Shippers’ Council bid to reintroduce the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN).
The Director-General of MAN, Remi Ogunmefun, said in a statement that if reintroduced, the CTN would drive up the cost of cargo clearance at the nation’s ports and have a negative trickle-down effect on businesses.
He expressed dissatisfaction that the shippers’ council, in spite of the reservations expressed by manufacturers, was bent on reintroducing the CTN.
Ogunmefun said the council should rather address concerns raised by manufacturers in fora where all issues could be discussed and solutions found. (NAN)