Lagos – Mr Danladi Ibrahim, Acting Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has said the dredging of the Lower River Benue, awarded at a cost N26 billion, would be completed in two years..
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Ibrahim made the disclosure when he visited the Lagos Area Office of NIWA, as maritime activities closed on Friday.
He said the contract was awarded to Messer Oyins Oil and Gas Ltd.
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“We have awarded the dredging of Lower River Benue to the tune of N26 billion.
“Also, the dredging of the Lower River Niger is completed and quite a number of boats and jetties are under construction.
“We are all aware that we have completed the Onitsha river port and it will be concessioned to the private sector to operate anytime from now.
“Baro is 95 per cent completed; Lokoja is about 50 to 60 per cent as well as Oguta port. We have awarded the construction of Makurdi river port and any moment from now it will take off,” he said.
Ibrahim also said that NIWA would colllaborate with the riverine states to maintain efficient inland waterways services in the country.
He said that to checkmate over-loading and over-speeding, a code of operation would soon be gazetted and enforced to regulate inland waterways traffic.
Also during the week, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said the Federal Government had not lifted the ban on the importation of furniture items into the country.
Mr Victor Gbemudu, the Zonal Co-ordinator and an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Zone `A’, described the report as false, adding that he was quoted out of context.
Gbemudu, however, advised importers, their agents and freight forwarders to refer to the import guidelines, which states that the ban on furniture is still in force.
In the course of the week, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) said it would audit the operations of private terminal operators to attain efficiency.
The Executive Secretary of the NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, made the disclosure during a courtesy visit to Ports and Cargo Handling Services Ltd, the port operations arm of the Sifax Group.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ports and Cargo Handling Services, operating in `Terminal C ’ of the Tin-Can Island port, Lagos, is among the 26 private terminal operators given the concession to run ports in Nigeria.
Bello said the idea of auditing the terminal operators was meant to ascertain their equipment and find out the challenges facing them.
In his response, Mr John Jenkins, the Managing Director, Port and Cargo Handling Services Ltd, commended the council for its good policies.
Jenkins said the council’s policy had given terminal operators the hope to remain in operations in Nigeria in spite of the inability to have constant power supply.
“This year, our dwell time has reduced drastically. We will like the council to partner with the terminal operators.
“We have introduced online billing system to reduce human traffic at the port and fast track cargo clearance,’’ Jenkins said.
NAN reports that the Nigerian ports were handed over in a concession exercise to 26 private terminal operators in 2006.
The General Manager of Five Star Logistics Ltd., Mr Rigo Nazzari, said that inconsistent government’s policies at ports had been having adverse effects on operations of the terminal.
Nazzari stated this while receiving the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan Bello, who also paid a courtesy visit to the terminal at the Roll On/Roll Off (RORO) Port in Lagos.
“The auto policy is affecting our terminal. The auto policy has hindered our operations.
“We are recording low activities in our terminal as a result of the unstable policy, ’’ Nazzari said.
In the week under review, the Nigerian Ship Owners Association (NISA) said it had sealed partnership with ship owners from Greece to bring in 40 vessels.
The NISA President Capt. Niyi Labinjo, disclosed this during a meeting held in Lagos between NISA and ship owners from Greece.
Labinjo said the ships which would be of various classes and tonnage, would eventually belong to the indigenous ship owners within two years.
“We have signed the agreement between us and the Greeks; and Nigeria will acquire the 40 ships in not less than 24 months.
“NISA is providing a platform for younger generation and unborn generation and I wish the ship will be growing from 40 to 60 and to 100.
“A total of 600 vessels are operating in the oil and gas sector; and only 10 per cent belongs to Nigerians as at 2015.
“Nigeria can make between three to seven trillion naira annually through the maritime industry.
“This can also produce 5 million jobs compared to aviation, which is producing N21 billion annually,’’ he said.
On its part, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA Nigeria), is asking the National Assembly to call for a public hearing on the Bill on Piracy and Armed Robbery at Sea
The President of WISTA Nigeria, Nigeria, Mrs Jean Chiazor-Anishere made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“Unfortunately, we do not really have in our rules a law against armed robbery at sea or piracy but interestingly I know that NIMASA (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency) had given some form of contract to the firm of Mike Igbokwe, SAN and Co.
“To come up with a Bill on Piracy Act and I also know as a fact that that assignment has been concluded.
“So it is for the National Assembly to consider it; probably call for public hearing and then pass that Bill into law.
“What we have is a Criminal Law; Criminal Act in the Southern part of Nigeria, Criminal Code in the Northern part of Nigeria.
“The provisions of the Criminal Act or Criminal Code only provides for armed robbery not at sea but armed robbery per say; theft and not piracy.
“So that where the act is committed on land, the Criminal Code will have sufficient punitive measures that will be attached to the offender.
“Where the Armed Robbery Act is an act committed at sea, there is no such provision as to what the penalty or the punishment will be.
“So that is why is important that this Act on Piracy and Armed Robbery which was put together by the firm of Mike Igbokwe and Co. be looked into.
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“Let the National Assembly call for a public hearing on that if they have not done that and I am not sure they have done that and be passed into law.
“Because in that proposition, I believe they have made adequate provisions for the penalty, adequate penalty for piracy and armed robbery at sea, “ Chiazor-Anishere said. (NAN)