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Dredge Ikot Abasi, Mbo Rivers, To Decongest Lagos, Ipman Tells Govt

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  • As FAAN say Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport is ready

The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has called on the Government to dredge the Ikot Abasi and Mbo Rivers to enable oil marketers bring in sufficient petroleum products to depots in the state, instead of bridging from Lagos.

The Chairman of IPMAN, Akwa Ibom chapter, Mr Ubong Nyong made the call in Eket on Sunday, stressing that presently, vessels cannot freight petroleum products to the depots in other states, because the rivers are not dredged.

“The problem we have in the state is that we don’t have functional depots, we depend largely on depots in Calabar for supply of petroleum products.

“We are pleading with government to open the waterways so that marketers can bring in products to the state to avoid unnecessary scarcity,’’ Nyong said.

According to him, the quantity of products the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) supplies the state is inadequate.

He also highlighted that the state needed about 44 trucks of petrol to meet its daily requirement, adding that every marketer was entitled to lift 10 trucks of petrol, five trucks of kerosene and five trucks of gas monthly.

“But marketers in Akwa Ibom lift only two trucks of petrol in six months. We end up going to private depots to source for products,” he said.

He grieved that petrol was still sold above N145 per litre in the state because the marketers buy the product above the official price from private depots in Calabar.

“We buy petrol at N139 per litre instead of N133.28 which is approved ex-depot price,’’ he said, urging the Akwa Ibom State Government to interface with the NNPC in the interim, so that they could get sufficient quantity of petroleum products for the state to bring down the price.

In the meantime, the runway of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja may be ready today, April 17, two days ahead of the deadline, the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) indicated on Sunday.

Engr. Saleh Dunoma who gave the indication in a statement signed by the media consultant to the Minister of State for Aviation, Mr Ariyo Akinfenwa, on Sunday in Lagos, pointing out that the asphalt work was 100 per cent completed, while the markings have reached almost 70 per cent done.

“We will be ready by April 17; but we are leaving the remaining two days for Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

“We have written to them and they will come by today (Sunday) to do the preliminary inspection.

“They have to certify the airport that what we have done is in accordance with their standards.

“They have to certify the airport that what we have done is in accordance with their standards.

”If there is any observation as a result of the inspection, we will now make sure we carry out corrections,” the FAAN boss said after inspecting the progress of work at the airport.

He maintained that with the work done, the April 19 deadline for the reopening of the airport is no longer in doubt.

“All the critical items of work are 100 per cent except may be two items; which of course are the markings and the cleaning.

“Asphalt work is 100 per cent, markings have reached almost 70 per cent and the airfield lighting system has reached 80 per cent, ” Dunoma added.

According to him, the authority also used the opportunity provided by the closure of the airport to address other Airport Excellence in Safety (APEX) related items.

He said :”We are now levelling all the airfield lightings’ locations, all the installations and flash with the ground surface.

”In case of any skidding, there will not be concrete projection above the ground surface.”

The FAAN boss further explained that the newly constructed runway does not need calibration because the previous Navigational Aids were not tampered with.

“The runway does not need calibration. All we need to check is to make sure there is 100 per cent illumination.

“Calibration is done periodically. When the time come for calibration, the appropriate authority will calibrate the Instrument Landing System (ILS),”he said .

Dunoma also noted that the terminal building was also ready for  flight operations.

The Abuja airport was shut on March 8 for six weeks to enable Julius Berger  rebuild  the 3.6 kilometre runway.

The runway, which was constructed in 1982 was meant to last for 20 years, but had been in use for 35 years without major repairs and  maintenance.

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NAMTOP: LASTMA Urges Maritime Truck Drivers To Tackle Breakdowns

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More Trouble for Sanwo-Olu: Election Tribunal orders substituted service over Petition

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has urged the Nexus Association of Maritime Truck Operators (NAMTOP) to acquire private tow trucks to tackle breakdowns swiftly.

The General Manager, LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, said this when NAMTOP officials paid the agency’s management a courtesy visit on Tuesday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki said the aim was to foster synergy and cooperation between the two agencies.

The LASTMA GM, represented by the Director of Logistics and Engineering, Mr Jubril Oshodi, assured the association of a harmonious relationship.

“This will enable the association to liaise with all zonal heads to ensure swift evacuation of trucks whenever breakdowns occur,” he said.

The LASTMA boss said his tenure would centre on repositioning and reorganising the agency for professional service delivery to the motoring public with empathy.

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Oyetola Inaugurates 4.8km Road, Mooring Boats At Onne

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…Says the road symbolizes the Ministry’s commitment to make the port more viable

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola on Tuesday, inaugurated a 4.8km road “D” project and six mooring boats at the Onne Port Complex, Port Harcourt, stressing that the road, constructed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), was a demonstration of the ministry’s commitment to make the port more viable.

He said that the project was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to maximize opportunities within the maritime sector.

”This is part of the measures we are taking to enhance the ease of doing business in Onne Port

”The ministry is committed to leverage Nigeria’s maritime resources under the directives of the president,” he said.

The minister said that the mooring boats would enhance boat safety and general security within the maritime space.

Oyetola said that the Federal Government was committed towards deepening the efficiencies and full capacity utilisation of the ports in the eastern axis.

‘We are now poised more than ever to give the NPA all the support to address factors responsible for the under-utilisation of these national assets,” he said.

The minister stated that by providing port infrastructure, investor confidence would be deepened for more patronage of the eastern ports.

”I was delighted to learn that the Onne and Calabar Port complexes have met the requirements of the International Organisation for Standardisation and are now certified.

Bello-Koko Lauds MWUN for Ensuring NPA Staff's Salary Increase

The NPA Managing Director, Muhammed Bello-Koko

”This shows they we are doing something right but we cannot rest on this determination until all other ports are certified.

”I have been briefed on the growth in numbers especially for exports emanating from Onne Port Complex, and I am impressed.

”I am poised to provide the facilitation and advocacy required to grow the vessel traffic to this important nucleus of growth,” he said.

Oyetola stated that more economic growth would be achieved if more investments were done in port infrastructure.

The minister commended the management of NPA for being prudent with the application of resources that financed the project.

Oyetola reiterated his commitment to grant prompt approvals to initiatives that would enable continuous improvement in the performance of the ports.

In his speech, the Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed BelIo-Koko, thanked the minister for his support to the authority.

He said that the road and mooring-boat projects could only be completed because of the support from the ministry.

Bello-Koko said that the completion of the Road “D” project which linked Berths 9, 10, 11 and 12 at Federal Ocean Terminal would help to grow new business opportunities and increase revenue for the nation.

”This road stretches over a total of 4.8km, covering two container terminals. It will cater for no fewer than 1,000 trucks daily.

”This is a testimony that as an authority, we are repositioning for growth, competitiveness and, future-readiness.

”The road has a 250mm thickness concrete reinforcement provided for a median and side drain with high mast tower Lighting of dual carriageway.

”We are aware that a good road infrastructure requires sound marine craft and equipment, so we added six modern mooring boats to enhance habour operations efficiency,” he said.

Bello-Koko solicited the ministry’s support for concrete fencing of the stretch of land in the port to guard against any unauthorised access.

”This will also enhance the security of the investments that will spring up with the opening of this road.

The managing director commended the concessionaires for their huge investments, describing it as indicative of their confidence in the system.

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Environmental Stewardship: Maritime Experts Appraise Industry, Deep Blue Project

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…As OAF Boss, Olaitan Williams harps on the need to further protect the Planet 

She has a vision: refocusing the youths, particularly the Nigerian girl into the nation’s maritime industry. Her modus operandi is simple: encouraging, motivating and redirecting every pupil and student’s interest towards productive pursuits in marine terrain.

She is probably today, Nigeria’s most consistent and committed promoter of youths’ education in the marine and blue economy.

The Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Ambassadors Foundation OAF, Mrs. Violet Olaitan Williams does not need much introduction in terms of her relevance and mindset for creating the desired conditions for mental and attitudinal development of the Nigerian child, particularly in Lagos State.

Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa

Several times, she has ‘dragged’ students of several secondary schools in Lagos, for a day-out at Sea. 

OAF, redirecting students’ interest into the maritime terrain, at an early age…

During such periods, the lucky beneficiaries were sufficiently exposed, to jobs in the marine and blue economy sector; as well as the vital courses to pursue, in order to realise such dreams.

Only recently, she selflessly embarked on a costly documentary to meaningfully draw attention to EHINGBETI, the nucleus of the Lagos relevance as Nigeria’s most celebrated litoral state, stressing the need to regenerate Nigeria, from the symbolic lessons of its origin.

Though finally depleted and sapped at the end of the costly project, Olaitan Williams remained undaunted in her commitment to the promotion of a cause she truly believed in.

It is like, having lived her childhood days beside the shores of Lagos, she had prudently identified areas she is convinced, early and right exposures of the youths, could transform many of them, tomorrow, into job creators.

Only last week, the OAF Boss again assembled some experts to a ‘Blue Talents Career Talk’ in Lagos, to educate, impact and, enlighten students of several secondary schools, on the importance of the Ocean, the Marine and the Blue economy; the current Government’s efforts at harnessing it’s economic endowment, as well as the need to more properly, protect it.

Students learn better, by seeing it as it is…

Speaking at the occasion, a top naval officer, Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa stressed the need for maritime industry Stakeholders to commend the Federal Government for initiating the Integrated National Security and Waterways Infrastructure, otherwise known as ‘the Deep Blue Project’. 

Lieutenant Commodore A.A Makinwa of the Nigerian Navy who made the call at the Blue Talents Career Talk in Lagos said the Deep Blue Project is such that accommodates almost every maritime security architecture such as NIMASA, NPA, DSS and, even the Marine Police. 

The Ocean Ambassadors Foundation CEO, Violet Olaitan Williams

According to him, “it is whole of the nation’s business and not just limited to the Nigeria Army, Navy or Airforce alone”. 

He mentioned different security agencies, identified their relevance in the security and safety web; and lauded them for the safety of the communities.

In his remark, the Guest Speaker, Engr. Jamiu Badmos while admonishing maritime security personnel not to rest on their oars also said: “You play a lot of roles in the saving of lives of the people and that is why security and safety have links.

“In security, you protect the vessel from any external aggression and the people inside the vessel but in safety, you look more on the people inside the vessel and how to protect them” Badmos stressed. 

Earlier in her speech, Violet Olaitan Williams while welcoming participants at the well-attended event, stated that “by embracing a culture of Safety, Responsibility and Environmental stewardship, you can also ensure a brighter future for the planet and all who call it home!”. 

ALSO READ: BLUE Economy: Synergise With FME, Create Future for Girl Child, Informed Delegates urge Oyetola

The topic for this year’s Blue Talents Career Talk organized by Ocean Ambassadors Foundation was “An Overview of Safety and Security in the Maritime and Blue Economy” with a special focus on goals 3, 8, 14; and 16 of the Sustainable Development Goals.

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