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Pius Akutah orders mass dismissal of contract staff, casual workers at Shippers’ Council

Pius Ukeyima Akutah
— continues to keep 45 sacked freshly recruited staff guessing.
The Eyewitness Reporter
Five months after he ordered the suspension of the last recruitment exercise done by his predecessor, Emmanuel Jime, in which he sent 45 newly employed staff packing, Pius Ukeyima Akutah, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’Council, has struck again.
He has asked for the massive removal of all the contract staff and casual workers in the agency.
Impeccable sources told our roving reporter that the council last week instructed all the workers in these categories to cease coming to work as they were allegedly making the corporate headquarters of the council unnecessarily congested, rowdy and noisy.
According to sources, the message was conveyed through the agency’s Human Resources Manager, Mrs Okam Adaku.
It was reliably gathered that some of these categories of staff have been providing cheap labour for the council for as back as five years ago .
It was also gathered that ex-corpers who carried out their primary assignments at the council at various times but stayed back on the instructions of their departmental heads for stipends were equally affected.
“They were all informed by the HR manager to stop coming to work as their presence was causing a nuisance to the management”
They were warned that if anything got missing after the instruction for them to stay away, they would be held responsible” the source claimed.
Some of these people are the ex-Corpers who served at the council at different times.
” While some just finished their service last year, others had finished as far back as five years ago”.
” They were there at the pleasure of their departmental heads who probably felt they were competent while on service but asked them to stay for monthly stipends until there could be openings in the council or anywhere else.
“It was a gesture done on humanitarian grounds at no cost to the council which incidentally gets cheap labour from them”
These are casual workers” the source bemoaned.
According to the source, there is another category which is contract staff whose status was a bit glorified than the casual ones.
However, Rebecca Adamu, the Acting Public Relations officer of the Council said there are no casual or contract staff at the Shippers Council.
She said the management only asked the Youth Corp members who had finished their service to leave.
”We have no contract staff or casual workers at the Council. The Council only asked those corp members who have finished their service to leave to give room for other intending Corp members” Mrs Adamu briskly informed our reporter.
Incidentally, some of these ex-Corpers were among the 45 staff employed in October 2023 by the immediate past Executive secretary of the council, Emmanuel Jime at the twilight of his administration but whose employment was cancelled by the incumbent ES.
It was exclusively reported by theeyewitnessnews that the first assignment carried out by Pius Akutah when he assumed duty in November was the sack of these staff, some of whom were ex-Corpers who had provided cheap labour for the council in the last five years.
However, Akutah had explained that the recruitment of the 45 staff did not follow due process and was against the civil service extant rules”
He had claimed that he acted based on the petition by the in-house workers’ union when he resumed duties in November.
“All this time, I was not here then, and the union kicked against the recruitment process and said it must be stopped.
” When I came into the office and saw the petition kicking against the recruitment on my table, I actually said we would go on and conclude the recruitment exercise.

“That we will do it in a manner that is in line with the Public Service Rules.

“So, we wrote the affected 45 workers and told them to hold on, that we are suspending the employment process and will review it to ensure it follows due process.”

Even though, he promised to recall the sacked staff, some of whom had resumed duties at the corporate headquarters of the council, to regularise their recruitment ” as soon as possible” about five months later, the sacked staff are still kept in limbo.
“The process to review the employment is on, that’s why I didn’t want to speak about this publicly.

” If you remember, I resumed here on the 1st of November 2023, and since I resumed here, there have been so many activities between Abuja and Lagos.

“We ought to have started the review of that employment in November 2023 when I resumed here, but because of my very busy schedule, we have not been able to begin the review.

“We are calling everybody back very soon to see how we can go on with the employment exercise.” the Shippers’Council boss had then promised when asked how soon the review exercise would start.
However, five months after he sent the beleaguered staff home with the promise to recall them, they were still waiting with no word from the council.
Adamu Rebecca, the spokesperson of the Council however said the process of revalidation of the recruitment exercise is ongoing.
”The process of regularisation of the exercise is ongoing’, she declared.
Our reporter nevertheless gathered that the Council’s helmsman may have sold a dummy to the affected staff as he had no plan to recall them.
“We haven’t heard anything from the council since November when we were sent home with the promise to recall us to regularise our recruitment exercise” one of the casualties of the recruitment exercise confided in our reporter.
“We heard that the Es had decided to cancel the recruitment exercise and conduct a fresh one” the disconsolate source whispered to our reporter.
With the latest mass chase away of the casual workers and contract staff, stakeholders were wondering if staff dismissal was part of the mandate of the Benue state-born technocrat.
“Since he came, he has not done anything to impact the industry” an angry freight forwarder based in Apapa declared.
“He hasn’t shown any capacity to carry out the mandate of the council of protecting the shippers and calling the shipping companies and terminal operators to order as a commercial regulator”
” If he is not travelling to Abuja or Benue, his home state, he would be ordering for the sack of some hapless staff,” another freight forwarder said derisively.
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  1. Junction

    September 11, 2024 at 12:16 pm

    How do I contact you guys as regards to Nigerian Shippers council recruitment which is not done based on merit and also the gross abuse of corp members human rights going on in NSC?

    Reply

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Headlines

As NRC recovers ₦200m stolen railway assets, Opeifa vows diligent prosecution of suspects

— assures sustained collaboration with security agencies 

 Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa, has reaffirmed the Corporation’s commitment to protecting railway infrastructure through sustained collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies, following the recovery of stolen railway materials valued at about ₦200 million.

Dr. Opeifa gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, at the Command Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan.

The NRC boss, who was accompanied by the Commissioner of Police, Nigeria Railway Police Command, CP Lasisi Titilola, stressed that the Corporation would ensure the diligent prosecution of all suspects arrested for vandalising railway facilities to serve as a strong deterrent against future acts of sabotage.

He praised the Oyo State Police Command and the Nigeria Railway Police Command for their professionalism and swift response, which led to the arrest of three suspected railway vandals and the recovery of railway materials worth approximately ₦200 million.

According to him, the suspects were apprehended during an intelligence-led operation while allegedly transporting vandalised railway materials from Niger State to Lagos.

Describing the operation as a significant breakthrough in the fight against railway vandalism, Dr. Opeifa said it underscored the effectiveness of the growing partnership between the NRC and security agencies in safeguarding critical national infrastructure.

He reiterated the Corporation’s resolve to deepen collaboration with the Police, other security agencies, state governments, host communities and relevant stakeholders to curb vandalism, theft and other criminal activities capable of disrupting railway operations across the country.

The NRC Managing Director also appealed to members of the public to support the campaign against railway vandalism by providing credible and timely information to security agencies.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation remains committed to delivering safe, reliable and sustainable rail transportation while working closely with security agencies and other stakeholders to protect the nation’s railway infrastructure,” Dr. Opeifa said.
In his response, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Olugbenga Ayodeji Abimbola, called on the National Assembly to strengthen existing laws protecting critical national infrastructure by prescribing stiffer penalties for vandals.
He warned criminals to steer clear of Oyo State, assuring that the Command would continue to track, arrest and prosecute anyone involved in the destruction or theft of public assets.
CP Abimbola disclosed that the three suspects, along with the recovered railway materials, would be handed over to the Nigeria Railway Police Command for further investigation and prosecution.

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Headlines

NSC marks 31 years of maritime judicial capacity building with 18th international seminar for Judges

Gloria Odion, Maritime reporter 

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, will commemorate 31 years of judicial capacity development in Nigeria’s maritime sector as it hosts the 18th International Maritime Seminar for Judges from July 22 to 24, 2026, in Abuja.

The biennial seminar, organised in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI), will take place at the Ballroom of the Ladi Kwali Conference Centre, Abuja Continental Hotel, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. daily.

Established in 1995, the International Maritime Seminar for Judges has become Nigeria’s foremost judicial capacity-building programme in maritime law and admiralty practice, providing a platform for strengthening the administration of maritime justice and aligning the country’s legal framework with evolving global standards.

This year’s edition is expected to bring together senior judicial officers, maritime law experts, policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders from Nigeria and across Africa to deliberate on contemporary legal issues affecting the maritime industry.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, will chair the event, while the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, will serve as the Chief Host.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is the Host of the seminar.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, will attend as the Distinguished Guest of Honour, while the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, will participate as the Special Guest of Honour.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), will grace the occasion as the Guest of Honour.

The seminar is designed to enhance the capacity of judges and legal practitioners in maritime adjudication, promote consistency in judicial decisions and strengthen the legal environment required to facilitate international trade, attract investment and support the sustainable growth of Nigeria’s marine and blue economy.

Participants will examine a wide range of emerging issues in maritime law through presentations by distinguished jurists, renowned maritime lawyers, academics and international experts.

Key discussion areas include the implementation of the Admiralty Jurisdiction (Procedure) Rules, 2023, ship mortgages and judicial sale of ships, maritime cargo claims under the port concession regime, arbitration and hybrid dispute resolution mechanisms, as well as the legal implications of demurrage, detention and storage charges in international shipping.

The seminar will also explore how Nigeria’s maritime dispute resolution system can be better aligned with international best practices to improve investor confidence and enhance the competitiveness of the country’s maritime sector.

In a demonstration of its growing continental relevance, the event is expected to attract Chief Justices from The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia and Sierra Leone, alongside judges from their respective judiciaries.

Also expected are Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Judges of the Federal and State High Courts, legal advisers, in-house counsel, maritime practitioners, academics, regulators and other stakeholders from across the maritime industry.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council said the seminar underscores its enduring commitment to strengthening maritime justice through continuous judicial engagement, knowledge sharing and the development of a robust legal framework capable of supporting efficient dispute resolution, facilitating trade and advancing Nigeria’s marine and blue economy agenda.

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Customs

Customs puts smiles on faces of 4,237 retirees as Adeniyi releases N7.61bn to 9 PFAs for payment

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disbursed N7.61 billion to nine Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) for the payment of retirement benefits to 4,237 retired Customs officers, reaffirming its commitment to the welfare of its former personnel.

Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC), Adewale Adeniyi, disclosed this during a dialogue with retired officers held on Tuesday, July 14th, 2026, where he announced that the funds had already been released to the PFAs for immediate credit to the retirees’ individual Retirement Savings Accounts.

According to the beneficiary breakdown, Premium Pension has the highest number of beneficiaries with 2,268 retirees, followed by Access-ARM Pension Managers with 1,223.

Leadway Pensions will pay 403 retirees, TrustFund Pensions 156, FCMB Pensions 144, Veritas Glanvills Pensions 28, Norrenberger Pensions 11, while Fidelity Pension Managers will pay four retirees, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 4,237.

Addressing the retirees, Adeniyi stressed that the Customs Service remains committed to ensuring the welfare of both serving and retired officers, noting that the institution’s future is closely tied to how it treats those who devoted their careers to its service.

He said the Service must remain financially strong and capable of meeting its obligations, emphasizing that retirees deserve dignity and timely access to their benefits.

The CGC also called for sustained engagement between the Service and its retirees, explaining that the dialogue was convened to address concerns, foster mutual understanding, and dispel misinformation.

“I acknowledge your concerns and suggestions, and it is in view of this that we convened this dialogue to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the Service and its retired personnel,” Adeniyi said.

Also present at the meeting were the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Tijjani Abe, and other members of the Customs Management Team, who assured the retirees that the issues raised would receive due consideration at both the Board and Management levels.

The retired officers commended the Comptroller-General and the Management for creating a platform for direct interaction, describing the engagement as timely and beneficial.

They appealed for the dialogue to become a regular feature to strengthen the bond between the Service and its retired workforce.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of ongoing Federal Government efforts to improve pension administration, following plans to review relevant statutory provisions, including Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), with the aim of enhancing the welfare of pensioners across the public service.

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