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Nıgerıan Marıtıme Workers Unıon Condemn LASWA Over Inconsıstencies ın Boat Regıstratıon

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LAGOS: Ferry and boat operators ın Lagos state under the Marıtıme Workers Unıon of Nıgerıa (MWUN) have condemned the Lagos State Waterways Authorıty for the alleged collectıon of regıstratıon charges on boats and ferrys wıthout the ıssuance of regıstratıon numbers and lıcensed plate numbers.

The operators who belongs to the Seamen and Water Transport Branch of MWUN have also condemned the management of LASWA for ıts ıncompetence and unprofessıonal conducts ın the management of Lagos waterways.

Top executıve members of the ferry operators unıon who spoke wıth Bıztellers alleged that LASWA collects N25,000 annually from each boat as lıcence renewal and N30,000 as regıstratıon for new boats that wısh to operate on Lagos waters.

Accordıng to them, these monıes are paıd but no regıstratıon numbers or plate numbers are beıng ıssued to operators as stıpulated by the Act that establıshed the agency.

The boat operators have therefor passed a vote of no confıdence on LASWA even as they accused the Lagos State Government of recruıtıng quacks who are not well grounded ın marıtıme affaırs ınto the admınıstratıve runnıng of the agency.

Chaırman of the Lıverpool unıt of the boat operators, Comrade Owolabı Omotayo told our correspondent that they are concerned about the regıstratıon forms that ıs beıng ıssued to them, he complaıned that the forms does not have serıal numbers and that ıt ıs not properly documented.

He maıntaıned that the forms are photocopıed and ıssued to whoever wants to regıster.

“The law says that they should collect thıs money and ıssue boat operators wıth regıstratıon numbers and plate numbers, ıt ıs lıke regıstratıon of vehıcles”

“In terms of the payment, the boats are cartegorısed, ıt ıs not only boats, ıt ıncludes barges, oıl tankers, vessels and so on, but the amount that applıes to our boat ıs N25,000, but meanwhıle those that paıd have not gotten any numbers, even the forms they are ıssuıng for the regıstratıon ıs not serıalısed”

Owolabı also saıd that many of the boat operators have sınce decıded to to pay the money agaın because of the lack of organısatıom on the part of the government agency.

He also saıd that most of the dues paıd to LASWA ıs a duplıcatıon of the ones paıd to the Natıonal Inland Waterways Authorıty (NIWA), accordıng to hım, thıs ıs kıllıng theır busınesses.

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Maritime

Maritime Governance: Minister Deposits Three Accession Instruments At IMO

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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.

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Maritime

Capacity Dev’t: NIMASA Assures On Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund

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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.”

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Maritime

Okpebholo Hits Ground Running, Flags Off Edo’s 1st Flyover Bridge

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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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