FG urged to shelve plan to scrap maritime university

A former Sole Administrator, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron, Akwa Ibom, Mr Olu Akinsoji has urged the Federal Government to shelve any plan to scrap the Maritime University, Okerenkoko in Delta.

Akinsoji, a former Government Inspector of Ships (GIS), made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as maritime activities closed on Friday.

The marine engineer said at a time when stakeholders were clamouring for more institutions in the maritime sector to build human capacity, scrapping the university would not augur well for the industry.

According to him, the university was conceived by the last administration and was duly approved by the National Assembly after proper scrutiny.

President Muhammadu Buhari

“What that means is that the senators that approved the university thought it was good for the nation and good for the maritime sector.

“Whatever due process issues the Federal Government might have with the establishment of the university, it is those issues that government should address and not throwing the baby away with the bath water,’’ Akinsoji told NAN.

He also said that it was time for the upgrade of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria to a university.

According to Akinsoji, who is the Chairman, Society of Nigerian Mariners (SNM), doing that will strengthen the capacity of the institution to produce highly-skilled manpower for the maritime sector.

In the week under review, a maritime expert, Mr John Egesi, urged the Federal Government not to contemplate floating a new national shipping line for now.

Egesi, a former Director-General of the defunct National Maritime Authority (NMA), made the plea in an interview NAN.

He said what the government should focus on was to develop the nation into an export-based economy, adding that having a shipping line without cargoes to export, made no economic sense.

`You do not just have a shipping line for the sake of it. You have a shipping line out of the need to export your cargoes to other countries.

“Where are the cargoes to export? How many things do we produce in Nigeria?

“Where are the manufacturing industries? A new shipping line should not be the idea for now. The focus should be boosting our exports. “ Egesi said.

Also, in the week under review, the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) intercepted 150 million worth of cannabis and arrested a suspect.

NAN reports that the illicit drug was handed to the Lagos Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Alhaji Sule Aliyu.

NAN reports that the handover was done by the Controller of the Customs Command, Mr Umar Yusuf in the presence the Zonal Coordinator of Customs, an Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Eporwei Edike.

According to Yusuf, the seizure was made on Feb. 9 at Badagry and a 25-year-old suspect known as Bala Mamudu, of Awuse village, Ojo, Lagos, was arrested.

Also in the week, the Oyo/Osun Area Command of Customs said it generated N14.59 billion in 2015 and prepared to build on its revenue generation and anti-smuggling activities.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Tope Ogunkua, made the disclosure at the command’s headquarters in Ibadan when he received the zonal coordinator.

Ogunkua, who assumed duty on Jan.11, 2016, said that what was generated in 2015 fell short of the revenue target of N21.83 billion set for the command.

The controller attributed the shortfall in revenue to election period, exchange rate and 41 items restricted from foreign exchange transaction by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2015.

NAN reports that the command generated N932.86 million in January 2016.

“We made giant strides in the area of duty payment on second-hand vehicles as a result of aggressive enlightenment campaign

organised by the management of the service, ‘’ NAN quotes Ogunkua as saying.

Responding, Edike urged officers of the command not to give excuse in 2016, adding that they should go back to their drawing board and re-strategise.

The zonal coordinator said that although the officers had challenges in 2015, they should not relent and should generate all monies due for government.

In the week under review, the Onigbeti of Igbeti, Oyo State, Oba Emmanuel Oyebisi, pledged a sustainable collaboration between the people of Igbeti and the NCS on anti-smuggling and revenue drive.

Oyebisi made the pledge when the zonal coordinator visited the palace in Igbeti.

The traditional ruler said that he had been engaging his people in continuous admonition of the Customs Service.

“I served with the Nigeria Police for 35years; I retired as a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and I am also spending 13 years on the throne.

“I was called three years after my retirement to be the traditional ruler of Igbeti.

“I usually advised customs officers based on my experience in terms of national security and I can proudly say that it is assisting them in their operations, ‘’ Oyebisi said.

Edike praised the traditional ruler for collaborating with Customs, saying that the traditional ruler had been contributing positively to customs activities in the area.

He appreciated the traditional ruler for advising officers on the implication and importance of national security.

Edike said his visit to Igbeti border station was meant to encourage the customs officers to be more committed to their duties.

He urged the officers to note that the little revenue collected from their end would go a long way in assisting the government to fulfill its statutory obligations.

The coordinator was also in Iseyin and Saki stations.

Also during the week, the Ondo/Ekiti Command of the NCS generated N15.13 million in January 2016, up from N12.86 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2015.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Filibus Machu, stated this in Akure when the zonal coordinator visited the command.

Machu said that the command generated N193.12 million in 2015

“Our command generates revenue from duties paid on intercepted vehicles,’’ he said.

“I have observed since Jan.14 when I resumed in this command that all the officers are respectful.

“The officers also obey the laws of the land which had contributed to increase in revenue,’’ Machu said.

Also during the week, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said it would ensure a safe marine environment by tackling the menace of marine litter in the nation’s territorial waters.

The Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Haruna Jauro said this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos by the Head, Public Relations Unit, Hajia Lami Tumaka.

Jauro sent the message to a Stakeholders’ Forum on Marine Litters Management organised by the United Nations Environmental Programme Global Partnership Action (UNEP-GPA) and NIMASA in Lagos.

The acting director-general, who was represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services at NIMASA, Mrs Juliana Gunwa, said that marine litter had become a menace which must be tackled with all seriousness.

The President of Waste Management Society of Nigeria (WAMASON), Prof. Olaide Osinbajo, observed that the major source of marine litter remained the land-based source.

Osinbajo said, though, shipping also contributed its own quota.

He advised the management of NIMASA to collaborate with other federal and state agencies in order to effectively deal with the scourge.

During the week, the General Manager, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Western Ports, Chief Michael Ajayi, said that owner of any truck loitering along the ports’ access roads without an authority to load would be fined.

Ajayi told NAN that owners of such trucks would pay a fine of N20,000.

He said that information gathered indicated that some trucks drivers parked along the ports’ access roads, hunting for customers.

“The moment we tow your truck loitering along port access road to our bay, you have to pay a fine of N20, 000, before it can be released. That is the cost of towing.

“NPA has been engaging in continuous dialogue with the Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners, Chief Remi Ogungbemi, on how to stop the problem of gridlock along the port area,’’ he told NAN.

According to him, the challenges of lighting and security truncated government’s effort in allowing movement of container-laden trucks at night.

Ajayi urged government to assist in providing maximum security for truck drivers to move at night.

He urged the minister of works and housing to fast track the completion of the truck holding bay along Apapa/Tin-Can Expressway.

Ajayi said that if the holding bay was completed and available, it would remove at least, a minimum of 300 trucks off the congested roads leading to the ports. (NAN)