Headlines

Shippers council wades into APMT, Labour crisis

APMT entrance barricaded by protesting dockworkers

— as activities in the terminal grounded

Eyewitness reporter

The Nigerian Shippers Council, the regulators of the terminal and shipping operators in the maritime industry, have finally intervened in the ongoing crisis between the AP Moller Terminal (APMT) and the protesting Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria( MWUN) over labour dispute.

Our reporter gathered that the officials of the economic regulator are still in a meeting with the striking workers at the time of writing this report with a view to dousing the tension.

Yesterday, the angry workers at the APMT, under the aegis of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, barricaded the entrance of the mega terminal over the agitation for a wage increase.

The protesting dockworkers had last week given the terminal operators a seven- day ultimatum to accede to their demands for better treatment of workers and wage increase.

But the workers carried out their threat Wednesday when the Danish company failed to meet their demands.

As at this morning, the APMT entrance gate was blocked with vehicles as maritime workers vowed that it is a fight to finish with the concessionaires.

One of their major grievances is that the union had sat with APMT seven times even as government agencies like Nigeria Shippers council and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) have severally intervened but the management of the terminal remained adamant.

The bone of contention, according to Tajudeen Ohize, President Dockworkers branch of MWUN, who led other officials and members of the union to block customers and workers from entering the facility, is the fact that APMT insisted on increasing workers’ salaries by 17 percent instead of the 30 percent increase the workers are asking for.

Ohize claimed that the union has not negotiated any salary increase for the past three years because of the state of the economy.

He lamented why APMT would not want to emulate the good deeds of other terminals that have increased the salaries of their workers.

The dockworkers took over control of the exit and entry points of the terminal as early as 7 am, before the arrival of the key staff.

President of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju confirmed the action saying, “The agitation is connected to the refusal of the APM Terminals, Apapa management to review the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) of the workers, which ought to be reviewed every year.“It is an internal agreement between the workers and the terminal operators, but the terminal operators have refused to review the condition of service of the workers this year and that is why everywhere inside APM Terminals is currently under lock and key,” he explained.

However, the Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that the strike action did not affect the customs officers working in the terminal.

According to Usman Abubakar, the Public Relations Officer of the command, the DC in charge of the terminal was in his office when the strike action commenced yesterday, contrary to speculation that he was denied access.

He said apart from the examination bay that was locked, the Customs office in the terminal is full of activities as customs officers were not barred from entering the terminal.

“The DC and his men are at their duty post as I am talking to you now( Wednesday morning).

”He was not locked out as it was erroneously speculated.

”It is only the examination bay that was locked while the customs office is opened and functioning” the Apapa Command image maker declared.

The notice letter of the warning strike dated July 18th, 2022 was signed by the Deputy Secretary General of MWUN, Comrade Oniha Erazua, stating that the warning strike will run for three days.

Economy

Buhari, Jonathan, Obasanjo, Babangida, Abdusalami, Osinbajo, Atiku, others to spend N13.8billon from N27.5 trillion 2024 budget

Tinubu presentation of 2024 budget to the National Assembly

The Eyewitness Reporter

The Federal government has earmarked the sum of N13.8 billion in the 2024 budget as the cost of upkeep of
former presidents, vice presidents, heads of state, Chiefs of General Staff, retired heads of service, permanent secretaries, and retired heads of government agencies and parastatals.

The beneficiaries include former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, ex-vice-presidents Atiku Abubakar, Namadi Sambo and Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

Also expected to benefit from the windfall are ex-military Heads of State, General Yakubu Gowon and General Abdusalami Abubakar, as well as a former dictator and self-styled military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, and a former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd.).

Also, N1tn was provisioned for the public service wage adjustment for government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (including arrears of promotion and salary increases, and payment of severance benefits and minimum wage-related adjustments).

A breakdown shows that the entitlements of former presidents/heads of state and vice presidents/chief of general staff will cost N2.3bn. At the same time, N10.5bn is proposed as benefits for retired heads of service, permanent secretaries and professors.

The payment of severance benefits to retired heads of government agencies and parastatals is proposed to cost N1bn.

Other allocations include N65bn for the Presidential Amnesty Programme for the reintegration of transformed ex-militants; N1bn for the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Energy; and N108bn for unnamed special projects.

The government is also proposing the sum of N40bn to offset electricity debts owed to power distribution companies by all MDAs.

President Bola Tinubu unveiled the N27.5 trillion budget estimates for the 2024 fiscal year.
The budget was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly on Wednesday, where it is currently undergoing scrutiny and deliberation for final approval.

In his presentation, he declared, “The 2024 Appropriation has been themed the Budget of Renewed Hope.

The proposed budget seeks to achieve job-rich economic growth, macro-economic stability, a better investment environment, enhanced human capital development, as well as poverty reduction and greater access to social security.

Customs

News Alert: Wale Adeniyi revives CG conference, holds 2023 edition December 13-15 in Lagos.

Wale Adeniyi, CGC

The Eyewitness Reporter

After 11 years of interregnum in the annual Comptroller General of Customs conference, Adewale Adeniyi, the Customs boss, has announced the rescucitation of the annual conference which holds December, this year.

In the social media broadcast, Adeniyi said he was delighted to announce that the 2023 CG Conference will hold from December 13th- 15th, 2023 at the Grand Africa Ballroom of the prestigious Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The theme of this year’s conference, according to the CGC, is “Leveraging Data Analytics for Secure and Efficient Trade Facilitation in Customs Operations”.

The Vice President of Nigeria, Senator Kashim Shettima, is expected as the special guest of honour while the Governor of Lagos state, Mr Babajide Sanwo- Olu and the Minister of Finance and the coordinating minister of Economy, Wale Edun, are also expected to grace the occasion.

Adeniyi stated that this year’s conference will centre around the discussion on implementing new measures to enhance service operations, championing secure and efficient operations across the federation.

“In line with my efforts and that of my management team to modernize the Nigeria Customs service through leveraging technology-driven Customs to shape the future of our operations, I am inviting you to this year’s Comptroller General Conference scheduled for 13tg to 15th December 2023 at the Grand Ballroom, Continental Hotel, Lagos.

” The theme of this year’s conference is Leveraging Data Analytics for Secure and Efficient Trade Facilitation in Customs Service.

” We are embracing innovation, utilizing the power of analytics to ensure the security and efficiency of Customs Operations.

“This significant event will centre around discussion on implementing new measures to enhance the service operations, championing secure and efficient operations across the federation.

“It will serve as a platform for attracting new business stakeholders to our shore.

” Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of this renewed hope experience as we consolidate on the achievements of the past, collaborate with our stakeholders and of course, bring in innovation to drive Customs Operations.

“The conference will be graced by esteemed guests, including the Vice-President, Senator Kashim Shettima as the special guest of honour, the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Finance Minister, Wale Edun” the CGC announced.

The CG conference is a platform for interaction where customs reviews its past operations and project for the future.

The last conference was held in 2012 in Katsina state.

Headlines

Ukraine blocks Russia’s reelection bid at IMO council elections

The Eyewitness Reporter

The world is gradually ostracizing Russia from the comity of nations due to its aggression against Ukraine.

At the council election of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) held Friday, December 1st, 2023, Russia, for the first time since 1958, failed in its reelection bid into category A of the organization

The failure of Russia was masterminded by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who told the IMO General Assembly that Russia had no place in the August gathering.

Ukraine, which was not standing for election, had pushed for Russia to be ousted from the IMO Council.

“Russia has no place in the International Maritime Organization nor its governing bodies because no one in recent decades has caused greater harm to free navigation than Russia,” Zelenskiy told the IMO Assembly in a remote address on Monday.

Russia has been a member of Category A of the IMO and has consistently won reelection into the fold of the committee of countries with the largest maritime interests in the world.

But due to its war with Ukraine, the country has lost that revered place.

The outcome is another blow for Russia after it failed in its bid to return to the UN’s top human rights body in October, in an election seen as a key test of Western efforts to keep Moscow isolated.

Last year, Moscow also failed to win enough votes for re-election to the UN aviation agency’s governing council.

The London-based International Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for regulating the safety and security of international shipping and preventing pollution and comprises 175 member state countries.

Russia has been a member since 1958 and has been consistently re-elected to the IMO Council.

With voting on Friday, 40 countries were elected by secret ballot to the IMO Council, which supervises the work of the body.

They include China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, South Korea, Britain and the United States.

Russia’s IMO delegation told the Assembly earlier on Friday that it deserved its place on the Council.”A balancing and constructive role is what our country contributes, not just to this body, but to the Organization as a whole,” Russia’s delegation said in translated comments.

In October, Russia said the IMO was departing from its impartial role due to “external pressure” which it said was impacting the fair treatment of all member countries.

Meanwhile, the IMO Assembly on December 1st, 2021 elected the members of its Board for the two years 2024-2025.

Category A, which includes the ten nations that have the highest interest in providing international maritime services, have been China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, the Republic of Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

In category B of the IMO Council, which is made up of ten nations that have the greatest interest in international maritime trade, representatives of Australia, Brazil, Canada, United Arab Emirates, France, Germany, India, Holland, Spain and Sweden.

Category C, is made up of 20 nations that have a particular interest in maritime transport or shipping, and whose election to the Board will ensure the representation of all major geographical areas of the world, including Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Philippines, Finland, Jamaica, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Qatar, Singapore and Turkey.

After the thirty-third Assembly of the IMO, which will end next Wednesday, the following day the newly elected Council will meet for its 131st session and elect the President and Vice-President for the next biennium.