Maritime
‘Those Who Embezzled Transaction Fees Should Be Jailed’—-AREFFN President
LAGOS: The last may not have been heard about the collection of the controversial transaction fees at Nigerian airports, seaports and land borders as the National President of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) Dr. Frank Ukoh has called for proper investigation and possible prosecution of associations who have been collecting practicing fees without accounting for them.
Dr. Ukoh whose petition to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) had last year triggered an investigation by the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) called for possible jail terms for associations that have been collecting practicing fees at the ports without any documentation or accountability.
speaking in Lagos yesterday, Dr. Ukoh who have also been invited by the ICPC alongside other bigwigs in the maritime industry alleged that he has been harassed on countless occasions as a result of his refusal to pay this money at the port simply because his association is not carried along in the sharing process.
Speaking, he said “If you do what is wrong you can go to jail, President Obasanjo went to jail, and if a whole president went to jail then who are you, if you do what is right then nobody will take you to jail, this money you collect from the port is public money, it is community funds, and anybody that embezzles community wealth will be in trouble”
Explaining the reasons for the petition which was written by himself alongside president of other freight associations that have claimed not to be carried along in the scheme of things, the AREFFN president explained that there is need for sanity in the maritime industry.
“My reasoning is that we should call them to give account of these money, by the time they give account of the money a lot of people will not be struggling to get into positions, it will no longer be a case of collecting whatever you like, pocket it and nobody ask you anything, we want to bring sanity into this industry”
He alleged that only two associations in the industry have been collecting the transaction fees over the years and that it is being collected all over the ports in Nigeria.
“They are collecting this money at all the airports, they are collecting at Port Harcourt, my coordinator there just called me that they are collecting money from their members, they write this money along with debit notes that is issued”
“They are collecting at Tincan, the one at Apapa is well organized because they deduct it from source, they are collecting from most of the ports and they pretend as if they are not” he said.
Dr. Ukor also said that if the matter is properly investigated, it will make the perpetrators to be more careful and respect accountability. It will also put a stop to flying of containers from the port because at any point in time people may be called to come and give account of their operation.
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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