Sea robbery: NPA, Navy join forces to tackle activities at illegal jetties, terminals

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is joining forces with the Nigerian Navy to tackle the increasing cases of sea robbery along the country’s waters. Daily Trust reliably learnt that both the NPA and the Navy have decided to beam their searchlight on activities around unlicensed terminals and jetties over allegations bordering on influx of smuggled […]

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is joining forces with the Nigerian Navy to tackle the increasing cases of sea robbery along the country’s waters.

Daily Trust reliably learnt that both the NPA and the Navy have decided to beam their searchlight on activities around unlicensed terminals and jetties over allegations bordering on influx of smuggled items by criminals who use the areas as entry point.

It was believed that criminal gangs may also have been using unlicensed jetties to launch attacks on merchant ships.

Some stakeholders in the maritime industry had raised an alarm on high-level smuggling perpetrated through the various private jetties scattered across the nation’s waterfront, and warned on the security implications of unregulated operations at these facilities.

It was based on this alarm that the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji, recently deployed a team of naval officers to investigate the allegations.

Admiral Daji told Daily Trust that the Command had written to the NPA requesting for the list of approved jetties and container terminals in the Southwestern states.

Private jetties are expected to get their operational licences from either the NPA, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) or the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), depending on the location.

But rather than wait to get the necessary approvals from the relevant government agencies, some individuals have been operating illegally.

The unpatriotic act has created huge revenue leakages as such operators do not pay into any government account.

Some stakeholders have also alleged that some of these private jetties are so big that vessels even berth there illegally without the knowledge of the relevant government agencies.

A former President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Inuwa Mohammed, confirmed this development, urging the federal government to take immediate action to curtail the level of illegalities going on in some of these facilities.

Mohammed expressed worry over the exact number of private jetties in the country, pointing out that as a result of the large and unaccounted number, security agencies are not deployed to all the facilities.

In his words, “The issue of private jetties is a big problem. Most of what they do is that they assist in smuggling because they operate on their own and from their own terminals.

“And they connive with other depots because the Customs will not have eyes everywhere. If Customs cannot control our borders, is it the private jetties that they will now send people to monitor? So this should not be allowed; it should be controlled.”

An NPA source said that management may be considering shutting down unapproved private jetties over illegalities.

 

 

COVID-19: Terminal operators highlight importance of keeping the seaport open

Members of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) have emphasized the need for the nation’s seaports to remain open at all times while the federal and state governments battle to contain the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The STOAN Chairman, Princess Vicky Haastrup, said in a statement issued from her office on Monday, “As we face the global public health crisis birthed by the coronavirus disease, otherwise known as COVID-19, we advise government to ensure that the supply chain is not disrupted and the seaports keep running. Even if other sectors of the economy are shut down to guard against the spread of the virus, the seaports should remain open to ensure that there is no shortage of food, drugs and other essential supply to Nigerians.”

The shipping sector, Princess Haastrup said, was key in contributing to secure the continuity of economic activities, ensuring supply chains to industries, transporting essential goods that include energy and food supplies, and transporting vital medical and protective equipment and supplies.

She said, “It is imperative for the fight against COVID-19, the supply of essentials, as well as for increasing the chance of the economic recovery on the other side of the outbreak, that maritime and connected transport is allowed to continue, and that government works actively to support the sector throughout the period of the crisis.

“The continued functionality of the ports and port ecosystems is imperative for securing movement of goods at scale, for prevention of shortages and thus for maintenance of public order.

“Observations from China during the COVID-19 outbreak showed how a top priority given by national leaders to ensure business continuity in ports can help minimize the impact of precautionary measures on the fluidity of trade and port operations.

“Central actions were supplemented by local initiative from local logistics and the shipping industry. While much of the Chinese society was in lockdown during the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, Chinese ports continued operations with minimum disruptions. This was not least due to the top-down instruction by the Chinese government to stay open and prioritize business continuity in all provinces across the country.

“The Chinese experience is reflected in the European Union’s response to COVID-19. The EU guidelines for border management measures to protect health and ensure the availability of goods and essential services issued on March 16, 2020, advised countries to ensure that their control measures did not undermine the continuity of economic activity and should preserve the operation of supply chains.”

Haastrup said continued supply of essential goods was important to enable the country get through the COVID-19 crisis as well as ensure “economic continuity”.

She added, “The examples from China and the EU showed that the functionality of ports and transport systems must be a priority in the effort to manage COVID-19 outbreak.”

The STOAN Chairman assured that to guard against the virus’ transmission through the ports, terminal operators are working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to ensure that ships arriving the country report crew list and their health status before being allowed to berth.

She also said that port workers and users were being continually enlightened on their roles and safety measures, while adequate personal protective equipment had been provided for workers.

 

 

…..as stakeholders urge FG to relocate tank-farms from seaports

Stakeholders in the maritime sector at the weekend urged the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, to push for the relocation of all tank farms away from the nation’s seaports.

Besides, the stakeholders also want the NIMASA DG to tackle the frequent cases of pirate attacks on merchant vessels on the nation’s territorial waters.

Speaking during a maritime industry reception organised in his honour by the stakeholders at Eko Hotel, the former President, Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Aminu Umar, urged Jamoh to address insecurity in Nigeria’s maritime domain and build indigenous capacity.

“One of the issues that have been on the front burner for shipping is piracy. We cannot discuss enough the damage that piracy is doing to us presently in all the sectors of the maritime industry. We will love the DG and his management to put this as their top priority and promote and protect the interest of indigenous shipowners,” he said.

The industry operators took turns to applaud the appointment of Jamoh, expressing hope that his appointment, given his years and wealth of experience, would attract more development to the industry.

Speaking at the event, a former Minister of Interior and Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas Limited, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho, said Jamoh’s appointment was an answer to the prayers of the industry stakeholders who had yearned for an insider to properly position the agency to achieve its mandate.

Iheanacho urged Jamoh to focus more on the regulatory mandate of the agency instead of revenue generation, while ensuring that the guidelines set up for the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) were fair and equitable to assist indigenous operators.

The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess (Dr) Vicky Hasstrup, sought the intervention of the NIMASA boss for the relocation of tank farms from the port area.

Hasstrup said the concentration of tank farms within the port environment posed a dangerous threat to the port businesses.

She said, “We are sitting on a keg of gunpowder. It is only in Nigeria that I see tank farms sitting in the middle of a city. We have almost 63 tank farms sitting right in Apapa. Can you imagine if just one of the tank farms blows up? We need the tank farms to be relocated. Please help us inform the appropriate authorities to relocate the tank farms far away from the port area.”

The  Chairman, Shipowners Forum, Barrister (Mrs) Magret Onyema-Orakwusi, urged the NIMASA boss to revive the moribund Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) to enable Nigeria showcase the potentials of the maritime industry to investors.

In his response, Jamoh said the task ahead in repositioning the agency was not an easy one and called on stakeholders to collaborate and support his administration.