Headlines
Disquiet in Shippers’ Council as Ukeyima sacks 30 staff employed by Jime
—–political rivalry between the two gladiators hots up.
Exclusive by Eyewitness Reporter
The new Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Akutah Pius Ukeyima and his predecessor, Emmanuel Jime, have imported their political rivalry from Benue state, their home state, to the Council as Ukeyima has embarked on a mission to obliterate the legacy of his predecessor at the council.
Jime, who was appointed by the Buhari Administration as the Executive Secretary of the council on June 24th, 2021, was unceremoniously sacked two years later in October 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Replacing Jime as the ES was his kinsman from Benue state, Akutah Pius Ukeyima, who was appointed on October 25th, 2023.
The first official assignment the new helmsman embarked upon in the council was the sack of 30 staff employed by his predecessor, Emmanuel Jime.
Our reporter gathered that shortly before he exited office on October 25th, 2023, Jime had hurriedly employed 30 staff, most of whom are from his home state, Benue.
The employed staff were from the initial 45 that were shortlisted.
After screening, 30 were employed in process sources described as bizarre and alien to the laid down civil service employment procedures.
It was further gathered that the successful candidates were given their appointment letters on October 10th, 2023.
13 out of the 30 employed staff have resumed duties at the headquarters while the rest were still awaiting their posting to the out-station offices of the council before the hammer of Ukeyima fell.
Our reporter further learnt that immediately after the incumbent ES resumed duties, he called for the nominal register of the staff from the Human Resources Manager Mrs. Okam Adaku.
She reportedly went with the nominal register and the list of the new recruits which was yet to be harmonized with the Council’s official register.
This raised the curiosity of Akutah Pius Ukeyima who asked why the names of the 30 staff were on another list different from the official staff register.
He immediately ordered the suspension of all 30 new staff until their employment was regularized.
” He asked the HR Manager to issue the 30 fresh staff suspension letters.
“He also asked them to stop coming to the office until December last year when he promised to conduct fresh employment exams for them.
“He even placed the security on standing order not to allow any of the 30 sacked new staff into the Council s premises as whoever flouts the order will face severe consequence.” a source said.
But till the time of writing this report, no such revalidation exercise of the employment of the 30 fresh staff, was yet to be done, thus raising fears that they may have been sacked.
It was further learnt that Ukeyima flayed the manner the employment exercise was carried out which he said was in breach of due process.
He queried the hurried process adopted by his predecessor, alleging nepotism in the process.
He was said to have asked why the employment exercise was not done much earlier before he came and why it had to be delayed till the twilight of the tenure of his predecessor.
However, knowledgeable sources whispered to our reporter that immediately after President Tinubu won the Presidential election and was sworn in, Jime knew his days at the Shippers’ Council were over.
This was because of the role he allegedly played in the electoral bid of the then Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in his effort to outbid Tinubu for the presidential ticket of the All Progressive Congress(APC).
He was said to be among the Chief Executive officers of government agencies under the Ministry of Transportation who provided a war chest for Ameachi to prosecute his political ambition.
When Amechi lost the APC ticket to Tinubu, he was said to have instructed his allies in these agencies, of which Jime was among, to support the Presidential ambition of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“So when Tinubu won the Presidential election, Jime knew he was living on borrowed time as the ES of the council as it was a payback time.
His worst nightmare came when Tinubu appointed George Akume, the former Governor of Benue state, as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF).Jime has had a long-running political battle with Jime.
Jime then reached out to SGF for a truce to save his job but all his entreaties fell on deaf ears.
So when all entreaties by Jime to Akume, the SGF, to resolve their political differences so that he could retain his job failed, only then did he know his time as the NSC boss was over.
“That was when he hurriedly employed these 30 staff, most of whom were his kinsman, in a last ditch effort, an exercise he should have done much earlier in his tenure in other not to raise any suspicion” a source declared.
It was therefore not a surprise to him when he (Jime) was eventually sacked and Ukeyima, a political ally of Akume, was appointed as a replacement.
The three political gladiators, Akume, Jime and Ukeyima, are from Benue State.
While Akume is from Wannune Tarka Council Area of Benue state, Jime is from Mbalagh Council ward of Makurdi LGA of Benue state and Ukeyima is from Mbagwaza Ushongo LGA of Benue state.
All of these LGAs are in the Senatorial Zone of the State.
Unfortunately, the 30 innocent staff were caught in an intricate political web of Benue politics which was brought to the Nigeria Shippers’ Council.
“It was a regrettable matter as those affected were merely used as canon folders and pawns in the political chessboard of Benue politics” an industry observer lamented.
” The most painful of the whole matter is that four out of the 30 staff caught in the political cross-fire of Benue politics were 2018- 2019 batch of the National Youths Service Corps(NYSC) who have since then been working with the council without any remuneration.
“They had worked for five years without a salary and the only compensation for their commitment and hard work has now been truncated by Ukeyima” another source agonised.
It was learnt that the sacked staff were yet to collect the mandatory 28 days allowance meant to fund their relocation as it’s the practice in the civil service before they were axed.
And all of the sacked freshly employed staff were graduates who were placed on the Level 8 cadre of the civil service structure.
“He is the only person who can speak on this issue or whoever he authorises to speak on his behalf” one of his aides pleaded.
Analyses
The invisible toll gates:Why National Single Window is Nigeria’s ultimate economic battleground
Headlines
NANTA Exco embarks on seven-day Ghana retreat, fam trip to deepen regional tourism partnership
Gloria Odion, Reporter
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies (NANTA) has commenced a seven-day executive retreat and familiarisation (fam) trip to Ghana, hosted by Safari World, as part of efforts to strengthen regional tourism partnerships and expand cross-border travel opportunities.
The NANTA delegation was received at Safari World Homes in Accra by the Chairman of the Safari World Group, Mr. Ernest Gyekye, who expressed delight at hosting the Nigerian travel trade leaders.
He assured the delegation of a memorable experience throughout their week-long stay.
Speaking on the significance of the visit, NANTA President, Mr. Yinka Folami, described the retreat and familiarisation tour as a strategic initiative aimed at fostering stronger business relationships and promoting collaborative tourism development across Africa.
“This mission is not a leisure trip,” Folami said. “It is a deliberate step to implement and expand our association’s marketing advocacy for Nigerian brands across borders.”
He noted that Nigeria and Ghana share deep historical, cultural and commercial ties that should be leveraged to drive tourism growth on the continent.
“Nigeria and Ghana share history, culture, trade and people. The future of our tourism cannot be built in silos,” he said.
“This retreat is about moving from policy to practice—creating real products, real partnerships and real movement of travellers between Accra and Lagos.”
As part of the programme, the NANTA executives will engage in strategic business-to-business (B2B) meetings with their Ghanaian counterparts, tour key tourism destinations under the Safari World brand, and participate in cultural exchange activities designed to promote stronger bilateral tourism cooperation.
The itinerary spans Safari World’s three flagship destinations, including Safari Homes in Accra, the Aqua Safari riverfront experience, Safari Island Cruise, Safari Nautica, and Safari Recreation and Sports facilities in Ada, as well as the Safari Valley Eco Resort and Safari Eco Park in Dawu.
Operating under the brand promise, “One World, Three Destinations, Over 20 Unique Experiences,” Safari World is leveraging the visit to strengthen its footprint in the Nigerian travel market while positioning Ghana as a premier destination for leisure tourism, conferences, group travel, family holidays and premium tourism experiences.
A major highlight of the visit will be the Executive Dinner scheduled for July 21 at the Safari Valley Eco Resort, where key stakeholders from Nigeria and Ghana’s tourism industries will deliberate on strategies for deepening travel trade and advancing regional tourism development.
The familiarisation tour is expected to provide NANTA’s leadership with first-hand knowledge of Safari World’s tourism offerings, paving the way for the development of attractive travel packages and stronger business partnerships that will benefit Nigerian travellers and the wider West African tourism industry.
Customs
Ogun Customs spurns claims of Smugglers’ takeover of Idiroko–Sango Ota trading Route
Funso OLOJO, Editor
The Ogun I Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has dismissed as false reports alleging that smugglers had taken over the Idiroko–Sango Ota trading route in Ogun State, describing the claims as a deliberate misrepresentation of a traffic incident.
In a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent of Customs (SC) Chado, the Command clarified that the traffic gridlock on the route resulted from the breakdown of an articulated commercial trailer after it fell into a badly deteriorated section of Atan Road, temporarily obstructing the free flow of traffic.
According to the Command, the vehicles caught in the ensuing congestion were legitimate commercial trucks transporting red palm oil to various local markets and had no connection whatsoever with smuggling activities.
It explained that the large number of heavy-duty trucks trapped in the gridlock may have led some members of the public to wrongly conclude that smugglers had taken over the road.
“The reports that smugglers blocked the road are inaccurate. The disruption resulted from a road accident and poor road conditions. The vehicles involved were lawful commercial vehicles transporting red palm oil for legitimate trade,” Chado stated.
The Command urged journalists, social media users and the general public to verify information before disseminating reports capable of creating unnecessary panic or undermining public confidence in security agencies.
Observers within the border trade sector noted that the allegation does not reflect the prevailing security situation within the Ogun I Area Command, where anti-smuggling operations have been intensified under the leadership of the Acting Customs Area Controller, Comptroller O.O. Afeni.
Since assuming office, Comptroller Afeni has strengthened intelligence-driven surveillance, enhanced collaboration with other security agencies and host communities, and sustained pressure on economic saboteurs operating along the Ogun border corridors.
These measures, according to stakeholders, have resulted in significant seizures of prohibited goods and reinforced the Command’s resolve to safeguard Nigeria’s economy and territorial integrity.
Maritime and border trade stakeholders also cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of undermining the efforts of security personnel or creating a false impression of lawlessness in border communities.
They stressed that while combating smuggling remains an ongoing responsibility, responsible and accurate reporting is equally critical to ensuring that operational achievements are not overshadowed by misinformation.
The Ogun I Area Command reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining its anti-smuggling campaign while facilitating legitimate cross-border trade in line with the statutory mandate of the Nigeria Customs Service.
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