Maritimegistplus

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has projected the movement of no fewer than two million containers through the Nigerian inland waterways annually by 2025. The Managing Director of NIWA, Dr George Moghalu, said this on Wednesday while speaking at a virtual breakfast meeting with the theme ” Barge Operations System: A Sustainable Alternative to Land Transportation of Cargoes" organised by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS). Moghalu, who was represented by the General Manager, Marine,  Mr Joseph Ororo, expressed optimism that vessel fleet which include barges and tugs, would surpass 50,000 in three years. According to Moghalu, the future looks very bright for inland waterway business. ”We look forward that, in the next three years, that is, by year 2025, we aim to achieve two million containers moved through the inland waterways per annum. “We expect 500 daily trips of vessel traffic to and from the ports, eight million metric tons of cargoes conveyed on the inland...

The New Nigeria People’s Party has expressed shock over the massive gas cylinder explosion in Sabon Gari area of Kano State in which nine persons reportedly died and many were injured. The party, called on the Kano State Government to ensure that those dealing with combustible and inflammable materials were not permitted to operate near schools to avoid a recurrence of such tragedy. The party made its position known through a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Agbo Major, in Abuja. The statement reads, “Our heart bleeds over this tragedy that affected a nursery and primary school with traumatised children running for their lives. “The NNPP is deeply saddened over the gas explosion and prays to God Almighty to console, comfort, and strengthen families of the deceased and speedy recovery to the injured". “We urge security agents and relevant government agencies to ensure that those trapped in the debris of the collapsed buildings are rescued and receive adequate m...

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) would soon begin a strict assessment and compliance audit for barge operations in the country.   This, according to the Managing Director,  Mohammed Bello-Koko is to enhance quality and safety standards in their operations,  Briefing newsmen recently in Lagos on his stewardship of eight months in acting capacity and three months as substantive MD as well as his future plans, Bello-Koko frowned at what he described as the recklessness and total lack of standards by some barge operators and informed that the NPA would soon embark on a strict audit of their processes, warning that many of them would not like the outcome. He disclosed that authority has developed a Standards Operating Procedure SOP for the barges just as it did for the trucks under the electronic call up system for truck called ‘eto’, and would ensure that all the barge operators complied with these procedures to ensure safety on the nation’s waters, especially on the c...

  The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has threatened to revoke port concession agreements of five terminal operators over decaying infrastructure . It said all players at the nation’s seaports had been placed under surveillance for action to their obligations captured in the port concession agreement. Addressing newsmen at the weekend in Lagos, the Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, said the affected terminal operators had been granted six months kgrace to fulfil all conditions for renewal. He noted that the introduction of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) Act meant that the renewal of concession agreements for terminal operators was no longer untidily done. The NPA boss said: “At Tin-Can Island Port, we all know what is happening there. The port is practically collapsing. We need to focus our budget on the rehabilitation of those quay walls at the Tin-Can Port. We have taken a holistic review of decaying infrastructure at our ports, and have de...

The Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT), has directed that Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) should resume on May 23. The Deputy Director, Public Relations of the Nigeria Railwayvib Corporation (NRC), Mr Yakub Mahmood, made this known in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday.   The Nigerian Railway Corporation had on March 29 suspended train operations along the Abuja-Kaduna route indefinitely after an attack by bandits on a passenger train along the route. Mahmood said that the corporation wished to inform its valued customers that additional security measures have been put in place at both the train stations and the track to ensure the safety of passengers onboard. He however, said that such measures were not only for the Abuja-Kaduna Train Service (AKTS) but also for all the passenger train services, especially on the standard gauge railway lines. “Consequently, the passengers are hereby enjoined to cooperate with the NRC in order to enjoy improved service delivery, safety...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris, in connection  with an alleged diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80bn. The Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, said this in a statement on Monday. According to the commission, Mr. Idris was arrested after failing to honour an invitation by the agency. The anti-graft agency added that the accountant-general allegedly laundered funds through bogus consultancies. The statement read in part, “Operatives of the EFCC on Monday, May 16, 2022 arrested the serving Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris, in connection with diversion of funds and money laundering activities to the tune of N80bn. “The commission’s verified intelligence showed that the AGF raked off the funds through bogus consultancies and other illegal activities using proxies, family members and close associates. “The funds were laundered through real estate...

Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, former minister of state for education, has apologised to Nigerian students over the protracted strike action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). Addressing the issue, the presidential hopeful of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said all his children attended public universities, and that two of them are also affected by the strike. The ex-minister spoke on Sunday while being interviewed on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme The union recently extended the industrial action by another 12 weeks   citing a lack of readiness by concerned officials to resolve the crisis.

The Hon. Minister of Transportation, Honourable Rotimi Amaechi has hinted that he will resign today 'Monday' in deference to a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) seeking election to quit their various appointments. The Minister gave the hint in Kaduna on Sunday when he visited the State to canvass for the support of All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates from the state for the presidential primary.

  The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko has said that the management under his watch is working round the clock to ensure full automation of Nigeria ports system, which he said remains the backbone of an efficient seaport operation. Speaking with newsmen at the weekend in Lagos, Bello-Koko also disclosed that the authority has commenced a massive rehabilitation of existing port infrastructures across board, and an upgrade of workers’ welfare, which are part of the legacies he plans to bequeath to the country’s port system. According to him, automation remains the fulcrum of any efficient seaport, he noted that there are some levels of automation among shipping lines, terminal operators and other stakeholders, he added that NPA was working towards integrating these automated systems under one Port Community System for operational efficiency of the seaports. “We are currently understudying what has been done in some efficient seaports in the w...

The Managing Director of the  Nigerian Ports Authority, Mohammed Bello-Koko has les his management team to Warri Delta State for a tour of Warri Port. The tour, which is to assess the situation of the port in areas of infrastructure with a view to knowing where improvement is required. During the tour, the team also paid homage to His Royal Majesty, Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 111with a visit to his palace.