Headlines

“Where is Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola?”

-maritime industry on auto-pilot as Minister’s whereabouts unknown

–maritime stakeholders express concerns over continued absence of minister at major public events

FUNSO OLOJO

Maritime stakeholders in the industry have expressed concerns and worries over the continued absence of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola, at major high-stakes functions in the sector.

The concerned industry operators, who seemed to be expressing genuine agitation over the whereabouts of the minister, observed that Oyetola has consistently absented himself in the last few weeks from some critical government and corporate functions that signpost the core functions of his ministry.

According to them, such events were attended by the representatives of the Minister.

They make copious references to the international workshop on Deep Seabed activities held on Wednesday, 18th- Thursday 19th, 2024 in Abuja where the minister, due to the importance of the meeting, was supposed to welcome participants but was represented by Oloruntola Olufemi, the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

Similarly, the stakeholders pointed to the two-day 4th Annual Symposium and workshop organized by the African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative (AFMESI) held in Lagos on September 24th- 25th, 2024 where he was also represented.

More poignant among the events in which the inexplicable absence of the minister raised the adrenaline of the stakeholders was the ongoing 79th United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) 2024 at New York, United States of America.

The concerned stakeholders expressed alarm over his absence at the global event where they believed he should have used the platform to sell the programmes of the ministry to the global world.

According to them, that was one absence too many.

Similarly, the World Maritime Day held in Lagos on Thursday, September, 26th, 2024 which the Minister was supposed to have declared open, was done on his behalf by Mr Olufemi, the Permanent Secretary.

” We would have understood the absence of the Minister at the World Maritime Day if he had attended the UNGA 2024″ an agitated stakeholder observed.

” Even if he had attended the global event in New York, he would still have had time to fly back to attend the World Maritime Day where he was supposed to address the participants who are the key industry stakeholders on the achievements of his ministry, his policy thrust and projection.

“After all, I learned that NIMASA DG who addressed the Atlantic Cooperation submit which the Minister should have ordinarily addressed if he had gone, had time to fly back to attend the World Maritime Day” an obviously unhappy stakeholder interjected.

Checks by our reporter revealed that the Minister had busy schedules during the weeks in July and August 2024 when he was actively involved in maritime activities to the delight of stakeholders.

However, the observant stakeholders claimed that they started to notice the gradual withdrawal of the minister from public functions at the beginning of September 2024 till the end of the month when his representatives held forth for him at all events.

“From the beginning of September up till the moment am talking with you, we haven’t seen the minister at the crucial public functions which raise our concerns” another industry operator volunteered.

A perusal of the minister’s X official page and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, which normally give detailed coverage of his official activities, showed that the minister’s last public outing was on August 27th, 2024, when he attended the 2024 International Business Conference and Expo organized by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On August 24th, Oyetola attended the signing of the Agreement on Minimum Conditions of Service for Labour in Nigeria’s Shipping industry.

On July 13th, the minister attended Chief Olusegun Osoba’s 85th birthday and book launch.

On July 11th, he was at his Alma Mater, the University of Lagos, as the Keynote speaker during the institution’s Employment Clinic Education to Empowerment Transition Programme (EETP) career event tagged ” Blue Career Insights”

The Minister was also at the 17th Seminar for Judges organized by the Nigerian Shippers’Council on July 9th-July 11th, 2024 in Abuja.

On July 4th, Oyetola personally commissioned NPA’s High Tech Marine Crafts in Lagos.

On July 3rd, he hosted the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, in his Office in Abuja.

The minister’s above itinerary clearly showed that he was a busy man who was always engaged in industry activities.

It was against the background of this realization that there are now heightened concerns about his less public appearance in recent times.

More worrisome, according to the concerned stakeholders, was the absence of the minister at the 79th edition of UNGA in New York.

He was at the 2023 edition of the global conference where he accompanied President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He also addressed the 2023 Atlantic Cooperation submit chaired by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.

His engagement with Dr Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank and Governor Rahman of Kwara state was generously captured on his X page.

As was the usual practice of the minister, his attendance at the 78th UNGA in 2023 was flamboyant and captured on his official X page, including the official X page of the ministry.

Even, his Special Assistant on Media, Ismail Omipidan, made a public spectacle of the minister’s departure to 2023 UNGA on his Facebook account page with copious pictures.

The absence of such a flamboyant display of the activities at the 79th UNGA in New York on the Minister’s X page raises the suspicion of discerning stakeholders that the minister did not attend the all-important 2024 UNGA which heightens their anxiety over the whereabout of the the former Osun state governor.

The suspicion and anxiety of industry operators were hinged on the fact that it was the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime and Administration Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Mobereola, who addressed the 2024 Atlantic Cooperation submit held on the sideline of the 79th UNGA.

The same summit which was addressed by Oyetola last year.

The Atlantic Cooperation submit, a ministerial gathering, was curiously addressed by Mobereola, the head of an agency under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

“If he(Oyetola) was there, Mobereola wouldn’t have been the one to address that important submit” an operator said.

Also, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed through a memo signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF) that a lean size of Nigeria’s delegation should go to 2024 UNGA to reflect the mood of the nation.

As a result, government officials whose office have direct relevance to the topics of the global event were only allowed to go.

Consequently, the advance party who welcomed Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Federal government Head of Nigeria’s delegation to the global event, was on hand to receive the Vice president when his presidential plane touched down at John F Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, September 22nd, 2024.

The advance party included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar who coordinated the visit, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, Director General of the National International Technology Development Agency(NITDA) , Kashifu Inuwa as well as Nigerian Diplomats and UN officials.

Observers claimed that Oyetola should have been among the delegates due to the Atlantic Cooperation submit which he expected to participate which is relevant to the global event that could have warranted his attendance according to the Presidential order.

The attendance of Dr Tijani, the Minister of Communication and Inuwa, DG, NITDA was hinged on their participation in the SDG Media Zone meeting convened by the UN Department of Global Communications held on the sideline of the global conference.

The same criterion qualifies Oyetola to attend the conference because of the Atlantic Cooperation submit which he was supposed to have addressed.

However, stakeholders said they were worried that the minister was missing at such a critical global event.

However, Mohammed Tahir Zakari, the Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, acknowledged the absence of the minister at recent industry events, including the 79th edition of UNGA.

“Indeed it is true the minister has not been seen at public events in recent times but I am not in a position to tell you where he is.

” All I know is that the minister is hale and hearty. He is ok” the ministry’s official spokesman said.

But in another breath, Zakari claimed that Oyetola was on official assignment outside the country, but not at UNGA.

” He is on an official assignment outside the country. That is all that I can say.

”Anywhere the minister is, he is on official assignment” Zakari claimed.

When he was asked why the minister was not at UNGA and if his purported official assignment outside the country was more important than the global event in New York, Zakari retorted in a menacing voice ”My friend, I cannot answer all these questions you are asking me.

” I am not in a position to tell you more than what I have told you. “

He however acknowledged that the minister had been having quality representations at the public events he was supposed to attend which he believed was normal.

He however expressed gratitude to the stakeholders for their concerns over the whereabouts of the minister.

Beyond the levity the official spokesman of the ministry took the unknown whereabouts of the minister, some angry stakeholders said they are looking forward to the impending cabinet reshuffle by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which will see non-performing ministers lose their job.

” Oyetola has not provided the expected quality leadership in the maritime industry since he assumed office a year ago.

” Can you imagine a minister who is supposed to provide quality leadership and direction to his field lieutenants now on AWOL and remains incommunicado, leaving the industry on autopilot.

”He also refused to avail us of his performance as a minister when he clocked one year in office in August”, the agitated industry operator said.

” If the assessment by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman, on whose recommendations the cabinet reshuffle will be based, is anything to go by, Ministers like Oyetola should be among the causalities” another angry stakeholder blurted out his frustration at what he described as uninspiring leadership of Oyetola in the last one year in office.

It could be recalled that the presidency has confirmed the resolve of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to reshuffle his 47-member cabinet soonest.

According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who made the planned cabinet known, the exercise would be evidence-based.

Besides, the presidency stated that Tinubu would be aided in his decision by public opinion that has been empirically extracted.

Onanuga, who was in the company of Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra, said there was no timeline as to when Tinubu would reshuffle his cabinet which was inaugurated in August 2023.

He disclosed that the president had indicated his plan to reshuffle his cabinet, but said he could not be categorical about when he will do it.

“I don’t have any timeline. The president has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet and he will do it. I don’t know whether he’s going to do it before October 1st, but he will surely do it. So that’s what I will say. He has not given us any timeline he’ll do it, but he will do it. He has expressed his plan he wants to do it.”
Shedding more light on the planned cabinet shake-up, Ogra explained that the President would be guided by an empirical process, making reference to the performance indicator, which is being coordinated by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, Hadiza Bala Usman.

All the pictures are from the Minister’s attendance of 2023 UNGA

Related Topics:featured Where is Oyetola?

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Customs

How NPA’ s ETO call- up system hampers seamless export processes at Lilypond Terminal — Customs

Funso OLOJO

The Customs Area Controller of the Lilypond Export Command, Comptroller Ajibola Odusanya, has attributed the persistent delay in export cargo movement at the command to logistics issues associated with the Nigerian Port Authority’s Eto call-up system, rather than any bottlenecks from the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

Eto call- up system is a structured movement of container- laden trucks into the terminals meant to decongest Port access road and facilitate quick goods clearance at the port.

It was developed by the NPA and driven by a private company.

However, Comptroller Odusanya, speaking at a Roundtable with members of Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN),emphasized that while the command has streamlined the export process, lack of available slots for trucks to enter the ports remains a major challenge.

He noted that despite the command’s efforts, numerous containers remain stranded at Lilypond due to the inability of trucks to secure clearance under the Eto system.

He explained that prior to the implementation of a centralized export processing system, multiple customs units across Apapa, Tin Can, PTML, and Lekki ports handled export documentation.

However, in July 2024, the government directed the full centralization of all export processes under the Lilypond Export Command.

This move, driven by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) and backed by agencies such as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), was aimed at streamlining operations and reducing multiple checkpoints.

Odusanya revealed that between January and December 2024, the command processed exports valued at approximately $1.9 billion, a figure that could have been higher if the consolidation had occurred earlier in the year.

He added that in February 2025 alone, the command facilitated exports worth $225.1 million.

He attributed these successes to inter-agency collaboration, with Customs working alongside the Department of State Services (DSS), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and quarantine services, among others.

Despite the improved export facilitation, Odusanya acknowledged that challenges persist, particularly with the Eto call-up system, which has created logistical constraints.

He explained that export containers often get delayed at Lilypond not due to customs processes but because of congestion at the ports, caused by import containers awaiting clearance.

He pointed out that while Apapa remains the busiest port for exports, the congestion problem is less severe at Tin Can due to the presence of an export processing terminal.

On the issue of the Nigerian Export Proceeds (NXP) form, Odusanya stated that the command has ensured compliance with all regulatory requirements.

He, however, acknowledged exporters’ concerns about the process and assured that Customs is working to facilitate seamless trade while ensuring adherence to financial regulations.

He urged maritime stakeholders, including the media, to continue sensitizing exporters on the ease of processing export goods through Lilypond, emphasizing that the command operates transparently and does not condone extortion.

He reiterated that officers at the entry points are strictly there to verify processed cargo and not to serve as an additional checkpoint.

Odusanya concluded by reaffirming the commitment of the Lilypond Export Command to supporting Nigeria’s growing export sector, ensuring efficiency in cargo movement, and addressing any emerging challenges in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

Economy

Dangote group remits N402.3 billion tax to government coffers in 2024

Gloria Odion

The Pan African Conglomerate, Dangote Industries Limited and its subsidiaries, have disclosed that it paid over N402 billion in taxes in 2024, making it the highest taxpayer in the country.

Dangote’s Chief Branding and Communication Officer, Anthony Chiejina, declared during a meeting with some senior media executives who visited him in his Lagos Office.

He said Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) and its subsidiaries, namely, Dangote Cement, NASCON, Dangote Packaging Limited among others, remitted a total of N402.319billion for the out-gone year as taxes as responsible business enterprises.

Recall that Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had in late 2024 recognised Dangote group and its subsidiary, Bluestar Shipping as the most tax compliant organizations in the country during its Special Day at the 2024 Lagos International Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

The Federal Inland Revenue Service is Nigeria’s agency responsible for assessing, collecting and accounting for tax and other revenues accruing to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Chiejina told his visitors that as a responsible business organisation, DIL and its subsidiaries have never shieded away from its obligations either to the government in the form of tax payment at all levels or to host communities in the form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

According to him, the Group’s corporate strategy has evolved just as its businesses have grown, matured and diversified into new sectors and regions over the last four decades.

He noted that Dangote Group has almost single-handedly taken Nigeria to self-sufficiency in cement and refined petroleum products and is expanding rapidly across Africa.

Dangote Group and its subsidiaries were recognised as number one most compliant in tax payment in the country, just as its subsidiary Dangote Cement, the country’s leading cement manufacturer, at another occasion won three awards at the FMDQ Gold Awards in Lagos as the most active business in the Foreign Exchange market.

Dangote Cement Plc was adjudged as the Largest Commercial Paper Quotation on FMDQ and Single Largest Corporate Debt Issue on FMDQ.

Also, Dangote Industries Ltd also emerged as the “Most active corporate in the foreign exchange market”.

Headlines

NIWA Chairman charges Oyebamiji to phase out wooden boats from Nigeria’s waterways

Funso OLOJO

The newly appointed Chairman of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Hon.Musa Sarkin-Adar, has charged the management team of the Authority led by its Managing Director, Bola Oyebamiji, to phase out wooden boats from Nigeria’s waterways.

Musa Sarkin-Adar, who paid a

familiarization visit to the management team of NIWA in its Abuja liaison office, in a bid to minimize boat mishaps on the waterways.

He believed it would be a lasting legacy for the present leadership of NIWA if accidents could be minimized on the Waterways.

The Chairman’s advice is however in alignment with the NIWA’ s resolve to stamp out wooden and rickety boats on waterways.

However, Musa Sarkin-Adar further encouraged the NIWA team to do more in connecting other states in the water transportation.

He emphasized on the need for the involvement of the private sector in the development of water transportation, as government cannot do it alone.

In his response, Oyebamiji expressed appreciation for the visit and encouraging words of the chairman and pledged the commitment of of NIWA management to make the nation’s waterways safe and secure.

Oyebamiji also commended the efforts of his management team in the development of the Inland Waterways

Transportation sub-sector.

According to him, he is blessed with an experienced and dedicated team which he cannot take the glory alone.

The Chairman’s visit was attended by all the management staff of the Authority.