News
Shippers’ Council Recovers N31.1bn
The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has saved the Federal Government N31.1 billion through the Electronic Regulatory Port Portal (ERPP) between January and June 2024.
The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NSC, Mr Pius Akutah, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali to the Council’s Headquarters in Lagos on Friday.
According to Akutah, the council has saved the economy a lot of money that would otherwise have been repatriated.
ERPP is an activity the NSC carries out for the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to confirm the reasonableness of Charter Party fees
The executive secretary said that the council conducted a quality assurance test between January and June 2024 to confirm the demurrage applications, which he said had yielded significant results.
Akutah said the test revealed that out of total requests of N50.8 billion, N19.6 billion requests were validated as reasonable for payment.
“Consequently, the council achieved a substantial saving of N31.1 billion over the six-month period.
“Notably, this represents a remarkable 400 per cent improvement in savings compared to the preceding year from January to December 2023 where the total savings amounted to N6.7 billion.
“This substantial enhancement is attributed to the innovative automation solutions developed by the Council to streamline the confirmation process,” Akutah said.
He said that the ERPP had demonstrated a significant impact on operational efficiency and cost optimisation.
The NSC boss said that ERPP applications were expected to save approximately 80 per cent of outflows from the Nigerian economy as well as block leakages, over-invoicing and minimise capital flight.
He said that by leveraging technology, the NSC aimed at enhancing transparency, efficiency and accountability in the port sector, ultimately contributing to the growth and development of the Nigerian economy.
Akutah said that NSC developed the innovative digital platform, the Electronic Regulatory Process Portal, to enhance its regulatory functions and promote port efficiency.
He said that the platform served as a channel of accessibility to all council’s regulatory functions in the pursuit of port efficiency.
“The ERPP provides platform for submission, centralisation and e-monitoring of operational KPI of all regulated service providers in Nigeria for the purpose of planning and research.
“Other provisions by the platform are the annual tariff filing by the stakeholders in the port sector; Voyage Management System; Airfreight Cargo Throughput Data Submission by ground handlers.
“Submission of requests for review of tariffs, rates and charges by the Regulated Service Providers. ERPP platform also provides gateway authentication to other council’s applications like CRD portal for confirmation of reasonableness of demurrage, freight rates and charter party payments,” Akutah said.
“NSC undertakes the implementation of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) assignment in line with the revised Foreign Exchange (FOREX) manual of 2018, Memorandum 13, Article 3.3 which stipulates “confirmation of reasonableness” by NSC as a pre-condition for granting approval for requests for foreign exchange for the payment of freight rates, charter party fees and demurrage remittance,” the executive secretary said.
He said the council had developed a web-based multi-functional application to eliminate the work of calculating and confirming the summary sheet of demurrage charges, freight rate and charter party fees submitted by shipping companies, shippers and vessel charterers via their banks.
Akutah said that all requests were submitted, processed and approved on-line.
He commended NAN for providing news contents within and outside the country
Akutah pledged to collaborate with NAN for more awareness and stressed the need for stakeholders to patronise the Inland Dry Ports to reduce costs of doing business in Nigeria.
“We completely align with you when you say that no one knows Nigeria like NAN
“We know the quality of news and programmes that NAN has.
“We believe that a partnership with NAN will further promote our activities,’’ he said.
Speaking earlier, Ali said that NAN was delighted with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Friday between the Council and the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN).
Ali said that the operations of the Inland Dry Ports (IDPs) in Kano and Kaduna were testimonies of what Akutah had achieved in less than one year of his coming into office.
“We in NAN want to partner with NSC because No One Knows Nigeria Like NAN.
“We have offices all over the 36 states, the districts, foreign countries and there are plans to open some foreign offices soon.
“In terms of visibility, we will ensure that Shippers’ Council is unbeatable. You talk to NAN, You talk to all,” the NAN managing director said.
He said that the agency’s Unique Selling Point was to report fairly, objectively and respect the objectivity of the profession.
Ali thanked the NSC management for profusely accepting to receive the NAN management.
The NAN boss stressed the need for the NSC to patronise the NAN Bulk SMS, Photo archives and PR wire service.
The Rivers State Chief judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi has granted pardon to six inmates standing awaiting trial at the Port Harcourt maximum correctional center.
The six lucky inmates granted pardon on Tuesday by the state Chief Judge included Nwekeala Chizoba, Samuel Emmanuel, Aniete Kelvin, Ebube Fubara and Goddey Okpara who were on awaiting trial as murder suspects and have all spent between 10 years to seven years in the custody without a proper information filed against them in the court.
Justice Amadi during a special gaol delivery exercise last Tuesday at the Port Harcourt Maximum Correctional Centre opined that the special gaol delivery was part of activities lined up to commomerate the 2024/2025 legal year in the State and restated the commitment of the state judiciary in decongesting the correctional centre and ensuring that those inmates who are not supposed to be there are removed from the custody.
The state chief judge stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to build a society that supports rehabilitation and gives a second chance to anyone or group of people who have fallen short of the expectation of the law and have been punished accordingly.
He stressed that the National Judicial Council(NJC) encourages judges to pay more attention to criminal matters to enable them to decongests the correctional facilities, noting that since his assumption into office, his administration has been able to reduce the number of inmates in Nigerian Correctional Centres and the Port Harcourt Correctional Centre in particular, to less than 2,000 as against the over 4,000 inmates previously in the faculty.
According to him, “as they release the deserving inmates, they affirm their commitment to justice, compassion and rule of law but that they must not forget the fundamental principles of justice delivery system which is truth and fairness, integrity and equality before the law.”
I encourage you all the released inmates to return to your families and become better citizens. You must not engage in action that will return you all back to prison. Let me say that while the judges show empathy to you all, it does not absolved individuals from being held accountable for actions against individuals, corporate organisations and state which the law frowns at, ”he stated
The Chief Judge thereafter stood down the exercise to enable the DPP to intervene to case files following the fact that majority of the persons listed to benefit from the exercise are facing murder charges and adjourned to a date that will come before December.
Earlier in his goodwill message, the outgoing state Comptroller of Nigerian Correctional Centre, Port Harcourt, Felix Lawrence, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Controller General, commended the state judiciary led by Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor Amadi for their continuous effort aimed at ensuring justice and decongesting the facilities.
Other activities lined up for the event included special church service at St Paul’s Cathedral , Anglican Communion, Rebisi Port Harcourt, inspection of guard of honour by the state Chief Judge mounted by officers of the Nigerian police and a special court session held at the ceremonial court hall.
By: AkujobiAmadi
The Director General of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RBoPP), Dr. Ine Briggs, has explained that the Sir Siminalayi Fubara administration plans to enforce transparency in governance through public procurement.
Speaking at a one-day Public Procurement Enlightenment workshop organised in collaboration with the State Local Government Service Commission for newly elected chairmen, vice chairmen, secretaries and leaders of legislative assemblies, Dr. Briggs said it is key for grassroot development.
She stated that the Sir. Fubara administration plans to reduce wastage and at same time infuse efficiency in public expenditure.
The RSoPP DG said the local government political office holders remain key drivers in the new vision hence the workshop is to arm them with knowledge on how to execute projects in tandem with needs of the people.
“ Your role in the prudent management of public resources is, therefore, not just administrative it’s the cornerstone of delivering the dividends of democracy. Every procurement decision you make must reflect a commitment to fairness, transparency and accountability” Dr. Briggs submitted.
One of the key goals of the administration she further reminded the participants was to use their offices to foster economic growth through public procurement.
She warned that the law establishing the agency empowers it to penalise defaulters, but that what is more important is voluntary compliance to the laws.
In addition to that, she said urged the local government council leaders that champion the practice and implementation of public procurement law.
On his part, Acting Chairman of Local Government Service Commission, Pastor GoodLife Ben Iduoku averred that the aim of the workshop is to arm key stakeholders in the local government system to generate new ideas, innovation and strategies in tandem with government policies and programmes.
The workshop dealt on various topics on procurement planning, methods, Understanding Bid Process, including types of Construction Contracts and law.
Some participants were awarded excellence and meritorious awards as part of the programme.
By: Kevin Nengia
The 19th anniversary of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Rivers State Chapter, recently ended in Port Harcourt in grand style, with participants from various schools including proprietors, the academia, civil society groups and top government functionaries charting the way forward for educational improvement.
The 19th NAPPS anniversary christened, ‘Innovation and Adaptation: Transforming Challenges Into Opportunities’ was held at Casoni Hotels, Port Harcourt.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of the association, Dr. Jaja Adafe Sunday expressed gratitude to the members and executives for their untiring efforts towards the achievements of the body.
He sought the intervention of government on the lingering crisis on the economy as it is affecting the running of schools.
He decried high cost of things including fuel and raw materials which has adversely affected the running of schools and payment of teachers.
Dr. Sunday hinted that the current economic situation in the nation is biting hard on the operations of schools, saying inflation, removal of fuel subsidy, fuel scarcity, poor electricity supply, tariffs and lack of government grants are some of the challenges faced by schools, and urged the members to brace up to the challenges, as it is the panacea to building a brighter future.
Guest speakers from the health sector and the academia thrilled the gathering on the essence of basic education which they said is the key to national development.
Former Dean of the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Professor Azuru and the Chief Medical Director of Meridian Hospitals, Dr. Odo Iyke were some notable guest speakers who delivered lectures at the occasion.
Some distinguished proprietors also got special recognitions and awards.
The 19th anniversary cake was cut by the Rivers State NAPPS Chairman with representatives of the state government assisting.
