- As Nigeria HARVESTS DEATHS! •6 top doctors die in auto crash •Fulani herdsmen massacre scores in Enugu •Cultists slaughter 13 in Kogi
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi yesterday further pushed forward his pledge to move the Nigerian Maritime industry upwards, as he sets up two strong committees, with mandates to brainstorm and assist in laying foundations for the establishment of the national carrier and the overhauling of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
In addressing the problems of industry non-performance, the Minister assembled in Lagos. the cream of the nation’s brains, experience and ingenuity within the Nigerian Maritime industry, and pleaded with them, to assist the Government to deliver on its campaign promises.
The experts and stakeholders, which included the pioneer Chairman, Indigenous Ship-owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Chief Isaac Jolapamo, former Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron Rector, Engr. Olu Akinsoji; Arrowhead of Ship-owners Association of Nigeria, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun; Lloyds Ambassador, Engr. Emmanuel Ilori; the Secretary General, Abuja MoU, and former NIMASA Director General, Mfon Usoro; and Shipping Forum Boss, Chief Margaret Orakwusi- Onyema etc., actually assembled, at Amaechi’s instance, following Thursday’s Maritime Summit of the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) at Sheraton Hotels , during which the Minister emphasized that since he was not a maritime expert, he would ensure he harmonises the strength of the industry operators, to restore the country’s lost glory, following the collapse of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL).
The first committee whose duty would be to guide the authorities on how to create the national carrier, it was learnt also has the job of midwifing vibrant ships that would fly the nation’s flags, in addition to providing oasis of refuge for Nigerian cadets, whether studying at home or abroad.
The second committee was saddled with the onerous task of making the NIMASA as agency work; by providing strong teeth where it lacks it, making sure the agency conscientiously works within the ambit of its enabling Act; in addition to ensuring that the Cabotage law is allowed to function in tandem with the nation’s economic interest.
Subsequently, fundamental issues which included those bordering on freights, carriage of goods on Cost, Insurance and Freight, as against the current Free on Board regime were all discussed also; including drawing his attention to how Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia amongst others have made their shipping policies fuel the growth of their countries economy.
When the Maritime First spoke with two of the attendees, only the Lloyds ambassador, Emmanuel Ilori consented that his name be mentioned, as the second spoke on conditions of anonymity.
“It was a good meeting. It went beyond mere robbing of minds”, indicated Emmanuel Ilori, pointing out that from all indications, the Minister has shown genuine commitment, to deliver, aside from seeing the complexity of the industry.
Speaking further, Ilori highlighted that confronted by the Minister’s strong favour, vigor and infectious commitment to harness the stakeholders’ strength to lift up the industry, all agitations have totally disappeared, with several persons now ready to go the extra miles, to ensure that Nigerian maritime industry finally gets it right, this time around. The second respondent who spoke in the same vein however added a caveat.
‘’Yesterday’s meeting was essentially, a building-the-cake meeting, indicated the respondent, pleading that his name be not mentioned, while stressing that Amaechi was also made to realize yesterday, the need to put certain ingredients on ground, rather than relying on old women’s tales as he had earlier been wrongly fed.
Amaechi knows he must deliver. He knows Buhari would not take any excuses; and that summarizes his current vigour for working closely with core stakeholders, he stated, stressing his fears, that the story may soon change, by the time the powerful foreign shipping operators identify his weaknesses and cash in on it.
You see, he came with some misconceptions. But, luckily the attendees succeeded in enlightening him, dispassionately, concluded the respondent, adding that the experts would still have to meet and brainstorm severally before reaching a point where they may authoritatively counsel the Government.
In the meantime, it was a bloody day in parts of the country yesterday. Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, lost six leaders of its Ekiti State chapter to a deadly road crash.
In Enugu State, Fulani herdsmen unleashed mayhem on Ukpabi community, killing scores of people, while cultists also massacred 13 people in Kogi State. The accident, which claimed the lives of the NMA members and their driver, involved a 13-passenger bus belonging to the state branch of NMA a few kilometres to Kaduna. The deceased were heading to Sokoto State for NMA’s National Officers Committee meeting, according to a statement signed by its President and Secretary-General, Kayode Obembe and Adewunmi Alayaki. The statement gave the names of the deceased as Dr. Alex Akinyele of the Federal Teaching Hospital, FETHI, Ido Ekiti, who is also secretary of NMA Ekiti State, Dr. Tunde Aladesanmi, General Surgeon, FETHI, Ido Ekiti; Dr. O.J. Taiwo, Anatomic Pathologist, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Ado-Ekiti; Dr. Ogunseye J.B of the National Association of General and Government Medical and Dental Practitioners, NAGGMDP, and also National Secretary, Hospital Management Board, HMB, Ekiti. Others were Dr. Olajide O, Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, EKSUTH President; Dr. Atolani Adeniyi, secretary NAGGMDP, Ekiti State and the driver of the bus in which they were travelling, Mr. Ajibola. “Other members of the delegates who survived the accident are in stable condition and are receiving medical attention under the auspices of the chairman of the Kaduna State NMA and his team.
“The bereaved families have been contacted and arrangements are in motion to convey the bodies back to Ekiti State. “NOC has sent its representatives to Kaduna for on the spot assessment and compliment the effort of the Kaduna team. “While the conference continues, the NOC hereby directs that all doctors should observe one week of mourning from Tuesday 26th to Tuesday 3rd of May, 2016. Every doctor should put on Black band on the left arm over white overall. “NMA is in contact with the bereaved families and burial arrangements will be communicated in due course,” the association said. In Ekiti State, medical practitioners were in sober mood yesterday following the death of the six doctors. Activities were paralysed in the tertiary, secondary and primary healthcare facilities just as the mood of the health personnel became gloomier as the identities of the victims were revealed. Flags were flown at half mast, following declaration of three-day mourning by the state government. While workers in EKSUTH, were seen discussing the sad incident in groups, their counterparts in FETHI barricaded the gates to protest the death of the doctors. FETHI Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr Lawrence Ayodele, described the death as a national disaster.
“It is not about the state, but the whole country because it involves six senior doctors and a driver,” he said. Ayodele, who said it could be usual to see certain behaviour in time of grief, appealed to the workers not to allow emotion to override their thinking. The CMD said families of the deceased had been contacted by both the state government and the NMA over the ugly incident. EKSUTH CMD, Dr Kolawole Ogundipe, said management had sent five ambulances to Kaduna to evacuate the corpses of the deceased. Ogundipe appealed to members to be peaceful, even as he prayed that God would grant NMA, families of the deceased and Ekiti State government fortitude to bear the loss.In Enugu State, Ukpabi community in Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area was a shadow of its former self yesterday following the invasion of the area by Fulani herdsmen. The herdsmen, who sources said were armed with dangerous weapons, stormed the town in their numbers, shooting any person in sight. Although details of the attack were still sketchy, a source disclosed that survivors had fled to neighbouring communities of Nkpologu, Uvuru and Nsukka.
“Nobody is left in our community; those who survived the attack have relocated to neighbouring communities. “They came destroying our buildings, killing and maiming people with their guns and machetes. “As they are killing and injuring people, they are also setting houses and vehicles ablaze; many people have been killed, I do not have the actual number now. “Some of the dead have been deposited at the Bishop Shanahan Hospital mortuary in Nsukka,” the source said. Our correspondent learnt that residents of Nsukka wept uncontrollably when the bodies of the victims were being deposited at the Bishop Shanahan Hospital. A resident, Mr Dennis Ezema, urged the Federal Government to urgently intervene in the activities of the herdsmen before it escalated to a full blown war. “It is unfortunate that people can be mercilessly killed without human feeling. “You can see how these people were killed and sliced like bread; people should respect the sanctity of human life,” he said. Police Public Relations Officer in Enugu State, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the incident, said the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Nwodibo Ekechukwu, had already moved to Uzo-Uwani to ensure that normalcy was returned.
“Yes the police is aware of the attack in Uzo-Uwani and the police commissioner is already there to ensure that the situation was brought under control. “Police is collaborating with sister security agencies like the army, civil defense, the Department of State Service to handle the situation,” he said. Chairman of Uzo-Uwani Local Government, Mr. Cornell Onwubuya, who also confirmed the incident, regretted that in spite of efforts to stop the crisis through dialogue, the suspected herdsmen had continued to attack the people. “Yes, there is serious problem in the local government as suspected herdsmen today attacked Nimbo community. “Information reaching us said many people were killed but I do not know the actual number now,” he said. Tension had started mounting in the town over the weekend, when reports spread that herds National invade the community and displace residents for cattle-grazing. It was gathered that herdsmen at Adani had, weekend, imported 500 others from Nasarawa State to help them invade the community on grounds that some of their cattle were missing. Consequently, Onwubuya, had on Saturday convened an emergency meeting in Enugu. Onwubuya said the meeting was convened to address the allegation that herdsmen planned to import about 500 of their tribesmen to enable them invade some communities in the area. Meanwhile, 13 persons have reportedly been killed by suspected cultists in Adah, Kogi State.
The cultists were said to have gone on rampage following alleged killing of a member, Danjuma Amodu also known as (Murphy) by another rival cult group. Amodu was allegedly shot dead while relaxing in front of his family home at GRA, Idah. It was gathered that reprisal attack by suspected gunmen, who came in a Volkswagen Gulf held the town hostage for hours. The sporadic and indiscriminate shooting led to the killing of 13 persons, while several others sustained injuries.
“The gunmen blocked the road between Ibro junction and Bishop Road junction between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. from where they proceeded to a drinking joint at Igalaogba in search of their possible targets,” a source said. The owner of the joint, Haruna Achema and his wife were reportedly shot, while a customer was killed instantly. Military personnel have, however, been on patrol in the city since the incidence. State Police Commissioner, Yakubu Usman said the suspected cultists shot a 27year old man at Anyigba- Idah road and the corpse was taken to the police station.
He said one of his men sustained bullet wounds during a gun battle with the group. He also said that as the gunmen were running away after a gun duel with his men, they also hit three innocent persons, who were rushed to hospital. The commissioner stated that his men were still on the trail of the suspected cultists, adding that they would be arrested soon.
Additional report from National Mirror
