Connect with us

Maritime

Tinubu, Others To Honour Global Transport Roundtable 

Published

on

The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, amongst other prominent stakeholders in the Transport sector are set to grace Global Transport Policy Annual Roundtable and bilingual magazine public launch slated for this Wednesday.
They will assemble with other five ministers, including intellectuals , maritime and aviation Giants to brainstorm on a workable solution for the industry.
The Chairman/Chief consultant, Global Transport Policy, Dr. Oluwasegun Musa, disclosed this in Lagos while giving an update on the company’s preparedness for the event at Marriot Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
Musa told reporters that the trends and developments in recent times have shown the need for urgent conversation to foster economic growth in the Nigerian transport industry.
Addressing journalists, he said the theme, “Transport Infrastructure and Strategic Policy Intervention: Building Blocks For Economic Growth”, captures the desires of stakeholders in the industry.
“It is a call to action across the spectrum of industry players, including the government, industry technocrats, relevant unions, royal fathers, the academia, diplomats, the press, and every other player critical to the advancement of the industry through dialogue and essential conversation to drive the industry forward.
“As you already know, trends and developments in recent times have shown the need for this urgent conversation to foster economic growth in the transport industry.
“With panel sessions of esteemed stakeholders and critical dialogues around topical issues that spotlight grey areas for strategic inputs for policy interventions, GTP Annual Roundtable is keen on unveiling the critical components of the transport industry as prime enablers for rapid growth.
“Our call has been well received. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is expected to attend. The Lagos State Governor will serve as the Chief Host of the event”.
According to him, keynote addresses will be delivered by, including the Ministers of Transport, Aviation & Aerospace Development; Marine & Blue Economy; Industry, Trade & Investment; and Foreign Affairs.
“The Keynote presentation will be delivered by Dr. Alban Igwe, a seasoned global transport specialist who will be shaping the conversation around the theme for holistic engagement.
“The first Panel session will have critical agencies of government such as Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) engage in a roundtable discourse, titled, “Transport And Regional Integration: Assessing the Potential of Transport Infrastructure Development for National Integratio.
“International diplomats from embassies of France, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States will be delivering justice to the second panel session titled, “Intermodal Transport in the 21st Century: Trends, Development, and Policies in Developed Nations”.
Musa continued that “the discourse would also be tackling possibilities for states to engender comprehensive transport growth for economic impact through strategic collaborations to reinforce national advancement.
“It would also serve as the official launch of Global Transport Policy Magazine. It is a bilingual magazine produced quarterly with authoritative trend spotting and compelling cross-cutting analysis”.
Global Transport Policy is aimed at helping local and international governments shape workable policies and perspectives for better outcomes.
This compendium catalogs global trends, events, innovations, challenges, and solutions for holistic analysis and stakeholder engagement with broad industry insight and cutting-edge research.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Continue Reading

Maritime

Marine Police AIG Tasks Members On Prudence, Neatness, Punctuality 

Published

on

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Maritime Command, AIG Yusuf Garba, has charged the officers and men of the command to wake up from their slumber and embrace the IGP’s directive on zero tolerance for corruption.
AIG Garba emphasised that the feat could be achieved through collaboration with sister agencies and members of the public.
A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Okoi Arikpo, stated that the police boss also charged the officers on the importance of being prudent and proactive in the line of duty.
He also charged officers and men to be neat while on duty, reminding them of the need to always be punctual on duty as absenteeism from duty resulting in any lapses will not be taken lightly.
“He reminded the officers of the resuming, 30 minutes before the actual time of resumption as it is in the Police Act and regulations.
Recall that the AIG, who recently took charge of the command, has always harped on the integrity of the force.

Continue Reading

Maritime

Aramalagu Keeps Tempo At Seme Border Command  Nets N743.7m In One Month

Published

on

Customs Area Controller of Seme Border Command, Dr. Ben Aramalagu, has demonstrated his resolve to keep the pace at the foremost  Nigeria’s border, raking in a total of N743.728 million as revenue in February 2025 alone.
Within the three weeks of resumption, Dr. Aramalagu made seizures worth N267.054 million (duty paid value), a feat that shows the command’s resolve to continue to deliver even under a new leadership.
The seizures comprise 444 parcels of cannabis sativa, 181 packs of tramadol, 600 bottles of codeine syrup (100ml), 240 kegs of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS).
Others are 1,809 bags of foreign parboiled rice (50kg each), 17 sacks of used shoes, 56 bales of used clothes, and 203 pieces of used tyres that were attempted to be brought into Nigeria through unapproved routes.
Speaking to newsmen while displaying the seizures, Aramalugu said the command’s emphasis will be on unapproved routes where smugglers attempt to bring in what he described as un-customs goods either to evade duty payment or illegally import things on the Federal Government’s import prohibited list.
Aramalagu said the customs under its current Comptroller General, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, will not relent in meeting the Federal Government’s demand for more revenue in the non-oil sector, including customs duty collection.
He emphasised that the command will not relent in enforcing maximum collection of all revenue due to the Federal Government through duty collection and seizing contraband goods in line with relevant law establishing the customs and its functions.
In his words, “these seizures, which contravene relevant section of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2003 (NCSA 22) reaffirm our commitment to suppressing smuggling within the Seme Border”.

Continue Reading

Maritime

NAFDAC Uncovers $1.4m Fraud Syndicate 

Published

on

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a $1.4 million fraudul syndicate, led by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, who impersonated the agency’s officials to scam foreign companies, using fake regulatory documents.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, while addressing newsmen on Friday, disclosed that Ifendu, 52, from Abia State, was arrested on February 7, 2025, at Ogborn Hills, Aba area of the state, in a case of alleged fraud and obtaining huge funds by false pretence from unsuspecting foreigners across various countries, while posing as a staff of the agency.
She said, “He is a native of Amamba Village, Abiriba in Ohafia LGA, Abia State.
“His level of education is SSCE and deals in clothing materials. The suspect is in our custody and is cooperating with the investigation.
“This case was reported by Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE following their application to register Dry Fish (Seafood).
“Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, Abu Dhabi, UAE, and other companies from various countries fell victim to this fraud.
In a petition from Thani Almaeeni Trading Group, reported to NAFDAC of the possible impersonation of the fraudsters as NAFDAC’s officials, using the NAFDAC’s letterhead and name.
“The fraudsters, headed by Mr. Ikoro Mang Ifendu, have duped the company thousands of dollars and millions of naira.
“These fraudsters or syndicate operate in a three-pronged scheme involving the Buyer, Bank, and Lawyer.
“Initially, the buyer contacts foreign companies to purchase and import goods into Nigeria. Subsequently, they introduce these companies to any of these banks for payment.
“The bank then declares that due to the lack of NAFDAC approval, the foreign companies are unable to export to Nigeria. Afterward, a legal counsel is introduced to the companies, claiming that they can obtain NAFDAC Certificate through this lawyer.
“The lawyer then receives payments in stages and issues fraudulent receipts and counterfeit of NAFDAC certificates to the companies.”
Mrs. Adeyeye said the agency’s investigation revealed that the group operates 15 domiciliary and 5 local accounts in 7 Nigerian banks.
She noted that the account in one of the banks has a Bank Verification Number (BVN) that is being used by the 2 key members of the group, Ikoro Mang Ifendu and Rosemary Obosi.
“The exact number of the Accounts have not been established, because the suspect had deleted some of the Accounts and the alert messages.
“The tentative cumulative inflow from different victims into the Domiciliary Accounts in Nigeria is estimated to be over $950,000USD, while the sum of $450,000USD is the estimated inflow into the accounts held offshore in Cotonou, Benin Republic.
srl, for registration of products with NAFDAC; Tianyan Filter Cloth Co. Ltd, Gonghexin Road, Jingan District, Shanghai, China; Siam Canadian China Ltd., Frozen Onion Spices, Zhanjiang Guangdong, China.”

The DG continued: “After exhausting the link to falsification of NAFDAC regulated products, this case will be transferred to EFCC for further investigation.

“This is to expand the investigation to other areas that are not within the mandate of NAFDAC. The investigation will also invoke POCA on all the assets illegally acquired in the course of the fraudulent activities.”

Adeyeye disclosed that the regulatory body has strengthened the activities of Investigation and Enforcement and Federal Task Force by reconstituting and changing the architecture and increasing the number of Investigating Police Officers of the Police Squad and Mobile Police attached to the Agency.

“The Honourable Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare will soon inaugurate the reconstituted Federal Task Force and by extension the State Task Forces to compliment the activities of the Agency in the States,” she stated.

The NAFDAC boss urged the public not to transact business with any company that parades itself as a consulting firm for registration of products.\

By: Stories by Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

Continue Reading

Trending