News

Govt Will Not Seat Back And Watch Ports Collapse – Minister Tell Reps

Published

1 year ago

March 15, 2024

By Gloria Ikibah

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola has said the government will not seat back and watch the ports to completely collapse.

The Minister stated this in view of the political will shown by President Bola Tinubu led administration to develop the nation’s maritime sector.

He also said that government required about 1.1 billion dollars reinvestment in the nation’s port before renewing the concession agreement of the ports.

Oyetola who stated this at an interactive session with the House of Representatives Committee on Privatisation, disclosed that at the moment, the concessioning of the ports was being delayed to allow the government conclude it’s reinvestment plan nd reconstruct the ports to meet to required standard.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Oloruntola Micheal, the Minister said the present agreement between the government and concessionaires was unacceptable as it falls below the required standard

He said: “Under the mordenisation programme of the Port, the Ministry is envisioning a major reinvestment in the port system for it to meet the expected service delivery that is commensurate with the image of Nigeria and the level of international business that Nigeria is with.

“The current situation at the port does not meet the required standard. The investment quatum that is expected to be invested in the port will require a major rethink of the concessioning of the ports.

“As a result of that, the Ministry, in concert with the agency, the NPA in particular has begun a process of reinvestment package for the port. It means that the Ministry must factor into whatever relevant concessions that have to be made into that larger vision or else, we my progress further in error and put that reinvestment plan at risk.

“It must be put on record that what you have as a proposal which has been stalled is yet to be given approval by government and has been considered by the ministry to fall below the expected threshold both in terms of revenue and in terms of investment. The ministry is expectant that it will be able to conclude investment plan and bring on board necessary modalities for the consideration of these concessions”.

Responding to questions, he said “the extension alluded to expired before May 29, 2023 and that was before the coming of this government. The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy which was created by this government has taken steps to review what it met on ground and what we have is not acceptable.

“Anybody who wishes our ports systems better will ask for something different. A major reinvestment is necessary and the Ministry does not want to truncate the plan for that major reinvestment on the alter of commitment to this agreement.

“There is nothing in that agreement that says Nigeria must renew. It is not at my level that the decision will be taken. The decision and process of review will be taken, but the larger interest of government, the people of Nigeria, the port system is over riding.

“We are making earnest steps to finish the arrangements to secure funding for this reinvestment. The terms of those funding will be factored into whatever agreement that we must sign because the lenders will lend to us on terms we must agree to and so, we must do one before the other.

“The operators at the port are still running and paying revenue to government on the basis of the agreement that expired. So, the government is not losing any revenue and the operators have not been displaced. If the interest to do what is right is uppermost, then no status quo should be ruffled.

“The stand of the Ministry is that we must finish the arrangement of major reinvestment in the interest of the port and the better interest of the country. As soon as it possible, that is what we have to do. What we may do is to grant short term extension to cover for the time that is required.

“Our focus is on the larger goal which is the reinvestment. Under the previous agreement, NPA has the responsibility to fix the infrastructure at the port. If you want to do port reinvestment, these are long term investment and cannot be based on short term because of the quantum of resources that are required.

“We are on the same page with our agency. Our larger goal remain sacrosanctand is in the better interest ot even those who may operate the ports. What we prefer are investors and concessionaires who meet the required standard. What is on the table is to consider short term renewal while we make plans to conclude the reinvestment arrangements.

“We are not going to seat back and allow the untold to happen. Mr President has deposited the biggest political will in this sector by creating a dedicated ministry for this sector. We must show results and that is what the ministry and it’s agencies have resolved to do.

“We are not resisting renewing this agreement. We are only saying allow the ministry put in place a reinvestment plan for the port in the better interest of Nigeria, the port system and Nigeria at large.

“The Ministry is saying it should be allowed to do what is right and just. The port require a major reinvestment beyond what we have witnessed in the last decade or more. That is more important than what is being taunted”, the Permanent Secretary added

Managing Director of the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello Koko said the proposal for renewal of the concession agreement for the ports was submitted to the Federal Executive Council in February 2023.

He explained that the FEC put the renewal on hold demanding additional information, adding that one of the issues raised by FEC was investment as it relates to existing infrastructure at the ports.

He said: “In view of the fact that there was more work to be done, we gave a six months short extension for the terminal operators to continue to operate and so, government was not losing any revenue and they were still paying what they were paying before to the NPA.

“At that time, a physical survey was conducted on the infrastructure at the port and we realised that all the ports, especially the Apapa and TinCan where these five terminal operators are working were about to collapse.

“We observed then, the iminent collpase of the port locations. We realised that there was need for complete rehabilitation of the ports. The plan is to move into the channel by three meters and that completely changed everything.

“Currently, the estimate is about 1.1 billion dollars and discussions have started and about to be concluded so that we get funding from. Those that have shown interest. The loan will be for 15 years with two to three years maritorium during construction.

“That is why we felt that there is need to evaluate what was discussed about six years ago. At the end, then parameters will change and the conditions will no longer be the same. The ports are working, but not fully because part of it has collapsed, but to ensure continuous operation, we felt there is need for reconstruction and within the next few months, the agreement will be signed and construction will begin.

“Right now the port is collapsing. That is why we are saying it has to be reconstructed. In ENL which is one of the terminals, belt 7 has completely collapsed and not in use. If you go to TinCan, belt 4,8,9 and 10 have partially collapsedcollapsed and these are the places we went to renew. That is why we are saying there is need to critically look at what need to be done.”

But the Acting Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprise, Ignatius Ayewoh believe that the government reinvestment plan should stop the renewal process of the concessioning exercise.

He said: “I want to say that BPE was involved completely in this concessions arrangement abd till date, monitoring has been taking place and some of the status report as per performance will be provided for record purpose.

“An interagency committee was set up to see to the concessions and some of the renewals made. Some are still ongoing, some have expired. The concession agreement hs provision for renewal as well as retenderetender. In terms of performance, we can say that the state of the port is no longer as derogatory as it used to be.

“If you go to the ports, you will see that a lot of mordenisation has taken place and computer is at ion has taken place in most of the terminals. This concession is an advantage to Nigeria in terms of where we were before and it’s is a better place than we met it.

“We are not against reinvestment and Improvement. I heard the Ministry say finds will be required and that is why we are doing the concessioning. If it is concessioned, the private aspect must invest finds and we must give a post acquisition plan which is what we must expend.

“We recognised that some. Of the assets there must have depreciated. But with a renewal, you will be able to give what you want to do. We cannot leave it and begin to do short term and at the end, nothing is done”.

Chairman of the House Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation, Rep Ibrahim Hamisu Chidari, said the Ministry must put measures in place to ensure that government does not lose any revenue as a result of the delay in renewing the condeasion agreement.

The Chairman stated: “After the expiration of the agreement in 2021, the terminal operators were given a six months extension twice and after that, there has been no extension. We don’t want them to continue to operate illegally because there must be no vacuum”.

The Minister however said bthat a six months extension will be given to the terminal operators to operate legally, and that all plans by the government should be concluded within the six months period.

News

Education Minister Urges NASS To Prioritise Takeoff Funding For Already Existing Institutions

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

ADMIN

By Gloria Ikibah

The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has called on the National Assembly to emphasise on funding for the effective take-off of already established institutions rather than creating new ones.

Dr. Alausa stated this at a public hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Polytechnics and Higher Technical Education, while presenting a memorandum on Thursday in Abuja.

The public hearing featured deliberations on three bills:

“A Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Hawul Local Government Area, Borno State (HB.1797) – to provide full-time courses and training in technology, applied sciences, arts, social sciences, humanities, and management.

“A Bill to Amend Section 3(2)(b), the Second Schedule, and Section 31 of the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (HB.1413).

“A Bill to Amend the Federal Polytechnics Act, Cap F17, to review the functions of polytechnics (HB.2114)”.

The Minister speaking against the “Bill for an Act to Establish the Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition, Hawul”, emphasised that the Federal Government maintains a policy of equitable distribution of federal institutions across states.

According to Alausa, no state should host more than one federal polytechnic, while every state must have at least one. Currently, all states except Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory are covered under this arrangement.

He asserted that with limited resources, government efforts should be directed at strengthening existing institutions to deliver quality education rather than spreading resources thin by establishing new ones.

Alausa stated, “the Federal Ministry of Education has expanded avenues for establishing private tertiary institutions. States and individuals are encouraged to utilise these channels to support national educational development”.

In view of prevailing funding constraints, he recommended that deliberations on the proposed Federal College of Entrepreneurship and Skills Acquisition in Hawul, Borno State, be suspended.

He also urged the House to ensure that resources are dedicated to improving the quality of education for Nigerian students by consolidating support for already existing institutions.

With regards to the proposed amendments to the Federal Polytechnics Act, the minister raised no objections except for the provision seeking to include representatives of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) on the Governing Council of Polytechnics.

“While both organisations play significant roles, their core functions do not directly align with the responsibilities of a polytechnic’s governing council. NBTE serves as a regulatory body, while MAN advocates for the interests of manufacturers”, he stated.

Earlier, the sponsor of the bill, Rep. Usman Balami (PDP–Borno), defended the proposal, citing insecurity and rising unemployment in Borno as pressing reasons for establishing the institution.

He described the proposed college as a strategic response to the growing number of unemployed youth and a means to equip them with skills necessary for self-reliance and economic empowerment.

“This institution will provide diverse training programmes tailored for today’s dynamic job market. It will bridge the gap between theory and practice, producing graduates ready to meet workforce demands”, Balami said.

According to the Borno lawmaker, the college will foster innovation, encourage entrepreneurship, and stimulate economic growth in the region by nurturing local talent and promoting a culture of self-employment.

Earlier in his remarks, the Committee Chairman, Rep. Fuad Laguda (APC–Lagos), noted a general consensus on the importance of skills acquisition in tackling unemployment.

He encouraged stakeholders to make robust contributions, assuring that the committee would carefully consider all submissions in its report.

“With the passage of these bills, Nigerians will have greater access to knowledge and skills in the arts, sciences, technology, humanities, and vocational and technical education,” Laguda said.

He also commended the leadership of the House for their support and the trust reposed in the committee to drive meaningful legislative outcomes.

News

Reps Resolve To Investigate Technical Glitch In 2025 UTME

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

ADMIN

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the technical fault that resulted in the widespread failure recorded in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

This resolution was sequel to the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Adewale Adebayo, from Osun state on Thursday at plenary.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) had released the results of the 2025 UTME on May 9, with a significant number of candidates posting poor scores.

Reports further revealed that over 78 percent of candidates scored below 200 marks out of the total 400 obtainable.

Following a prompt internal review, JAMB identified a major technical fault behind the results.

The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, at a press conference held on Wednesday in Abuja, stated that 379,997 candidates were affected due to discrepancies linked to server issues.

According to Prof. Oloyede, these was due to faulty software updates by one of the technical service providers handling JAMB’s operations in the Lagos and South-East zones.

He explained that the glitch, which occurred during the first three days of the examination, prevented the proper uploading of candidates’ answers and the error remained undetected before the results were made public.

He announced that the affected candidates will be allowed to retake the examination between May 16 and May 19, 2025.

Presenting the motion on the floor of the House, Rep. Adebayo lamented the hardships faced by many Nigerians, including long travels to exam centres, only to be met with such setbacks.

Contributing to the debate, Rep. Sada Soli from Katsina praised the JAMB Registrar for owning up to the error and offering an apology to the public, and described Oloyede as a man of integrity who has also improved the board’s finances since assuming office.

However, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas stated that whether the registrar deserves commendation is a matter for the investigative committee to determine.

The House also urged the federal government to establish Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in all local government areas across the country.

Lawmakers also urged JAMB to release the results of candidates who are below the age of 16.

The House unanimously adopted the motion through a voice vote.

News

32.9kg cocaine trafficking: 10 Thai sailors, ship convicted, fined $4.3m(Photos)

Published

4 hours ago

May 15, 2025

ADMIN

. Conviction will send strong warning to int’l drug cartel, local collaborators, says Marwa, commends NDLEA officers for diligent investigation and prosecution

After over three years of diligent prosecution by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), a Federal High Court in Lagos presided over by Justice Daniel Osiagor has convicted 10 Thai sailors and their vessel named MV Chayanee Naree for trafficking 32.9 kilograms of cocaine from Brazil into Nigeria through the Apapa seaport, Lagos.

The convicted sailors who are all nationals of Thailand include: Krilerk Tanakhan; Boonlert Hansoongnern; Jakkarin Booncharoen; Thammarong Put-tlek; Worrapat Paopinta; Marut Kantaprom; Werapat Somboonying; Urkit Amsri; Panudet Jaisuk and Amrat Thawom.

They were first arraigned before the court along with nine Nigerian suspects by NDLEA in February 2022 on offences bordering on conspiracy and unlawful transportation of the illicit drug consignment from Brazil to Nigeria. The vessel, the convicted sailors and the nine Nigerians were arrested on 13th October 2021, at the Apapa port in Lagos. The Nigerian suspects are: Samuel Messiah; Ishaya Maisamari; Ilesanmi Ayo Abbey; Osabeye Stephen; Gbenga Ogunfadeke; Kayode Buletiri; Rilwan Omotosho Liasu; Saidi Sule Alani and Jamiu Adewale Yusuf.

They were all subsequently charged to court over the illegal acts which NDLEA prosecutors argued contravened sections 11(a), 11 (b), and 14 (b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and punishable under the same Act.

The convicted sailors had initially made a no-case submission which was dismissed following submissions by the prosecution that a prima facie case had been established against the vessel and its crew members. As a result, the trial judge ordered the convicted Thai sailors and others to open their defence on the charges against them.

Following the court ruling, the convicted sailors opted for a plea bargain agreement with the NDLEA and as a result, Justice Osiagor delivered his ruling at the resumed hearing of the matter on Thursday 15th May 2025.

Among other penalties, the judge convicted the Vessel MV Chayanee Naree for unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine into Nigeria and
ordered to pay a fine of $4 million or its Naira equivalent.

The 2nd – 11th defendants were convicted under section 25 of the NDLEA Act for permitting the use of the vessel for the unlawful transportation of 32.9kg of cocaine, while the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants were ordered to pay N100,000.00 each as punishment for the offence and in addition restitution in the sum of $50,000 USD each or its equivalent in Naira to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 5th – 11th defendants are to pay N100,000.00 each and restitution in the sum of $30,000.00, bringing the total amount payable to Four Million Three Hundred and Sixty Thousand US Dollars ($4,360,000.00).
Justice Osiagor thereafter adjourned the trial of the nine Nigerian suspects to June 25.
While the prosecution was led by the Agency’s Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, DCGN Theresa Asuquo, supported by A. Adebayo and Paul Awogbuyi, the defence team was led by the trio of Messrs Babajide Koku, Femi Atoyebi and Tunde Adejuyigbe, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).
In his reaction, Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) said the court ruling was a strong message to the international drug cartel and their local collaborators that Nigeria will never be a safe hub for illicit drug trafficking. He commended the NDLEA prosecution team and officers of the Apapa Strategic Command involved in the arrest, seizure and investigation of the shipment for their diligence and resilience in following the case to a logical conclusion. He charged them not to relent in pursuing the other part of the case still pending.