Maritime
Tanker Drivers Set To Tackle FG Over Deteriorated Apapa Expressway
LAGOS: For what it described as share negligence and insensitivity to the major source of revenue collection into federal purse, petroleum tanker drivers under the aegis of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expressed their readiness to challenge the Federal Government over the deteriorated state of the Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
The tanker drivers who belong to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) arm of NUPENG complained that the sunrise end of the expressway is presently an eye-saw, considering the fact that it is the main location of all tank farms in Lagos as well as the road leading to the nation’s premier ports.
According to them, the road has been in bad shape for years and this has led to huge losses due to tankers falling all the time and spilling their content as a result of the bad portion of the road.
The Assistant National Secretary of the PTD in Lagos, Mr. Tayo Boyeji confirmed to Biztellers that the tanker drivers are already bracing up to challenge the Federal government on the matter.
According to him, the ongoing construction at the Trinity bus stop which has since been abandoned is also causing a lot of traffic along the road because the construction company has already sealed off part of the expressway thereby forcing both tankers and other motorist to resign to a single tiny lane.
Also confirming this development to our correspondent, Public Relations Officer of the PTD unit in Acorn tank farm, Comrade Nrudeen Adewale lamented that even though the road belongs to the federal government, the tanker drivers have been forced over the years to contribute sums of money in collaboration with the depot owners so as to patch the roads for efficient movement of tankers.
“each unit collaborate with their tank farms to contribute this money, after we have collated everything we give it to Ibru because he is the landlord, so he is the one that will arrange for these blocks that will now be used to fill up these death traps” Adewale explained.
He also pointed out that the construction company working along the expressway is supposed to be mandated to carry out the patching of the dilapidated portion of the expressway in the short term, pending when the full construction work will be completed on both lanes.
Our correspondent who visited the Apapa expressway also noticed that on the way to the port, the Sunrise bust stop area is totally in a bad shape while coming out of the port and the tank farms, the Trinity bus stop has been cordoned off with heavy caterpillars belonging the construction company; Borini Prono which for the past three weeks has made the movement in and outside of the port and tank farms area very difficult.
Continuing, Adewale explained that the union had also approached the state government last month for the repair of the roads but that the state government had referred them back to the Federal Government under the Federal Road Management Authority (FERMA).
“Tankers have been falling on the bad portion of that road every other day, the executives of our union have fought the government severally for the repairs, not only for this road but for all the federal roads in the country, and we will continue to fight it” he promised.
The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has deposited three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the global body.
He did so on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which acts as the repository for these conventions.
This move, coming a few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council, is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, of the President’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligns with international maritime standards regarding maritime safety, security, and sustainable marine practices.
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He also called on the IMO to extend technical support to Nigeria.
In his words, “These instruments, duly acceded by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.
“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today.”
On his part, Dominguez, acknowledged with appreciation the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.
“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions. We at the IMO remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he stated.
The instruments Oyetola handed over to Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).
It was gathered that three other Instruments of Accession signed by President Tinubu are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.
Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Single Treasury Account (TSA).
This assertion was made by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.
The clarification became necessary to address “a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account”.
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The statement reads, in part, “The report of a missing money is both misleading and false.
“For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency’s operations.
“The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with its statutory purpose. NIMASA Director General, Dr Mobereola has assured stakeholders of the safety of funds under the CVFF.”
The statement cited the DG thus, “Let us be clear that the CVFF account at the Central Bank of Nigeria is safe, intact, and secure. We at NIMASA will continue to manage it with the utmost responsibility, and there are no irregularities or illegal activities surrounding the funds. I urge the public to disregard this false narrative and to continue trusting the Agency’s ability to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector”.
It was gathered that the CVFF is a fund established under section 42 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity and to provide credit facilities to local maritime operators.
The NIMASA, assured of its commitment “to transparency, accountability, and the advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo appears eager to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.
This is discernible from the frenzy of activities being witnessed in his first few days on the job, including dissolution of boards, constitution of investigative panels, flagging off of infrastructure projects, among others.
In the bid to address the perennial road traffic congestion negatively impacting economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, Gov Okpebholo on Wednesday flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge.
Biztellers reports that the flyover bridge around the popular Ramat Park in the city centre is the first of such in the history of Edo State.
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The Edo State Government made the disclosure in its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday.
It wrote, “Traffic decongestion: Gov Okpebholo flags off first flyover in Edo.
“Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City, the State Capital, as part of immediate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”
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