Connect with us

Headlines

Exclusive! Why I turned down request for salary increase for NIMASA staff—Amaechi

Eyewitness reporter
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Ameachi, has explained why he refused to accede to the request of the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for a raise in the salary of the agency’s staff.
It would be recalled that the Director-General of the agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh, at a recent media parley to commemorate his one year in office, disclosed that the management of the NIMASA had approached the Minister of Transportation, as a supervising Minister, for the approval of the new salary template for the staff of NIMASA that seeks to increase their take-home pay.
Jamoh had disclosed that this measure was meant to boost the morale of the staff whom he lauded for their commitment and dedication to duty.
But Ameachi, at a recent two-day retreat for the agencies under his ministry, disclosed that he had rejected the planned increment.
While justifying the reason for his action, which NIMASA staff took with concealed pains, Ameachi said the agency has long become a cash cow for reasons unrelated to its core maritime industry functions.

Jamoh

He said that before his coming as a Minister of Transportation in 2015, NIMASA has completely derailed from its core function of being a maritime industry regulatory agency.
He reminiscenced that NIMASA was then a contract-awarding agency that has been turned into a cash cow for contractors, politicians and seekers of government favours.
Ameachi disclosed that his desire to change the narrative made him stop all such political patronage.
“When we came in 2015, we promised to turn NIMASA from contract-awarding agency to its proper role of a regulatory agency.
“Before, if 10 people approached me for favour, eight will want to go to NIMASA.
” That is why when the management of the agency approached me for a salary increase for its staff, I said no.
” NIMASA has become a cash cow. Some for employment, some for contracts, while for some, it was for political appointments.
“I said no, there has to be a stop to this.
“I said if the agency maintains its regulatory status, nobody will come for contracts or political appointment or employment.
” People wanted to go to NIMASA more than NPA.
“But we have stopped all these and have restored a measure of sanity into the agency. NIMASA  now plays its statutory role of being a regulatory agency than being a cash cow for favour seekers”, the minister declared.
He said the achievement of this feat is one of the legacies of the present administration.
Ameachi also revealed that the administration has delivered on its promise of enhancing security on Nigeria’s waters.
He said this was the aim of the deep blue project whose assets were recently launched by President Mohammadu Buhari and have been adequately deployed to tackle insecurity.
” The reason why vessels could not go to the Eastern ports of Port Harcourt and  Warri was because of the high cost of insurance.
“High cost of insurance is as a result of insecurity.
“If we address the issue of insecurity, the high cost of insurance will come down and this will boost business opportunities in the Eastern ports.
“This was the reason for the launch of the deep blue project and the deployment of its assets to tackle insecurity on our waters.
“We are now monitoring how effective the project is in tackling insecurity and which we believe will also address the issue of war-time surcharge on Nigerian-bound cargoes” the minister stated.
Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Customs

Again, Apapa Customs intercepts, seizes two containers laden with Codeine syrup worth N3.4 billion

Funso OLOJO, Editor 
In what has now become a routine exercise, the Apapa customs command of the Nigeria Customs Service has once again intercepted harmful substance suspected to be Codeine syrup.
The latest seizure was made barely five days after the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,  declared that Apapa Port is no longer a playground for smugglers or criminal syndicates hiding behind legitimate trade documentation
In a swift follow-up operation on Sunday, March 15th,  2026, the Command, in a joint collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), intercepted and seized two containers laden with a total number of 3,398 cartons (339,800 bottles) of Codeine-containing Syrup (CSP Codeine) carefully concealed in household utensils at the Apapa Port.
Cumulatively, the seizures have a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of Three Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety Eight Million, Naira (₦3,398,000,000.00) only.
The details of the seizures arevas follows:  a Container No. MRKU 3816476 found to contain 1,700 cartons (170,000 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 38 cartons of pearl plating insulated casserole/5′ Bullet Insulated Hotspot and  Container No. TGBU 5399178 was found to contain 1,698 cartons (169,800 bottles) of CSP Codeine concealed with 36 cartons of pearl plating casserole.
 Both containers have been converted to seizure in accordance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 as amended.
Speaking on the latest interception, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) Apapa Area Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba, said the seizure serves as a clear demonstration of the Command’s unwavering commitment to the directives and vision of the CGC.
“This fresh seizure, coming just five days after the CGC’s visit and strong warning to criminal elements, is a direct response to his charge on us.
“We are fully aligned with the Service’s intelligence-led enforcement strategy and will continue to make Apapa Port extremely hostile to smugglers and drug traffickers,” he stated.
He commended the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for its seamless collaboration and unwavering support in the successful operation.
Comptroller Oshoba maintained that the Apapa Area Command remains steadfast in its resolve to protect public health, safeguard national security and facilitate only legitimate trade, in line with the CGC’s renewed emphasis on technology-driven operations and zero tolerance for smuggling activities.
Continue Reading

Aviation

FAAN resumes toll collection at Airports, adopts hybrid payment method 

Gloria Odion, Reporter
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) have resumed collection of toll at all its toll plazas located at the airports in the country, including Murtalar Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.
The toll suspension arose from the chaos which the new cashless payment method introduced by FAAN recently generated which resulted in long queues of motorists at these facilities.
This development has raised public outcry which necessitated the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who directed the suspension of the cashless payment system.
However, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has directed the resumption of toll collection at all these plazas.
In a press statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Tunde Moshood, the Minister declared that a hybrid access gate payment should be adopted by FAAN at the toll gates located at the Airports in the country.
“Following the earlier suspension of the full cashless Access Gate payment system as directed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to the traffic gridlock it created, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development met with officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and senior officials of the Ministry.
“After reviewing the initial implementation and the operational challenges observed, the following decisions were reached:
” The Ministry has resolved to engage concessionaires in order to introduce a fully automated or electronic system at all access gates at our airports in order to fully and eventually eliminate cash payments.
” In the meantime, a hybrid payment system that accommodates both cash and card payments will resume at all airport access gates with effect from Friday, March 13, 2026.
” Motorists who already possess FAAN Go Cashless Cards may continue to use them until further notice.
“Other electronic payment options, including POS terminals and other approved digital channels, will also remain available.
“Members of the public and road users are encouraged to obtain and use the FAAN Go Cashless Card as the Authority continues to enhance and fully optimise the cashless payment system.
“This directive restores the previous access  gate payment arrangement whilst the Ministry continues to work on the fully automated or electronic system” the statement concluded.
Continue Reading

Headlines

NPA shines as Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 at Champions newspaper Awards ceremony 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has won another award as the Outstanding Agency of the Year 2025 conferred on the agency by Champions Newspaper at its 2025 Awards ceremony held in Lagos.
Receiving the award on behalf of the Managing Director of the Authority, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemekara, described the award as recognition of Danthoso  vigorous leadership in implementing smart initiatives that align with the NPA’s vision to become the Maritime Logistics Hub for Sustainable Port Services in Africa.
The NPA MD highlighted the invaluable support of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, which he said has been instrumental in achieving these remarkable successes.
According Dantsoho, some of the key remarkable performances of NPA include sustained port efficiencies, which contributed  to Nigeria’s year-on-year trade surplus of ₦7.5 trillion and ₦6.7 trillion in Q2 and Q3 2025 (per NBS and NESG reports), driven mainly by exports via NPA platforms.
He also mentioned the successful execution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s policy for crude and petroleum product sales in Naira, saving billions in FOREX, enhancing energy security, improving trade balance, and creating jobs.
Others include completion of Nigeria’s membership in the International Port Community System Association (IPCSA), paving the way for the National Single Window (NSW) project, technical guidance enabling a significant rise in transhipment cargo at Lekki Deep Seaport, serving landlocked neighbours and recovering cargo lost to competing ports.
Another achievement made under the leadership of Danthoso was his electorial victory as the President of the Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA), with Dr. Dantsoho also leading PAPC, boosting Nigeria’s diplomatic standing and securing re-admission to IMO Category C.
Champions Newspaper conferred the award in appreciation of NPA’s pivotal role as a leading trade facilitation platform driving national economic prosperity through Nigeria’s maritime endowments.
Continue Reading

Trending