Headlines

IWD: Opeifa congratulates women in rail for their commitment to railway sector

Funso OLOJO

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation(NRC), Dr Kayode Opeifa, has congratulated Women in the Rail (WIR) on the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day.

Opeifa, who saluted the women for their industry, zeal and passion for the nation’s critical transportation sector, said his administration will continue to celebrate their contributions to the railway development in the country.

“We celebrate the women who have chosen a career in this critical sector, in whatever capacity, either as janitors, administrative staff or engineers for their contributions, and passion for the growth of the industry.

“On the occasion of this international Women’s Day, we celebrate all women in Nigeria, particularly in the railway system for their commitment to continue to see to the development of the industry.”

Opeifa reiterated the commitment of the corporation to the welfare of the teeming workers, especially the women, even as he said everything possible would be done to continue to advance their cause.

The Managing Director asked them to continue to dedicate themselves to their various assignments and to work towards the growth and development of the railway industry in the country.

He pledged the commitment of the corporation to continue to advance the cause of women and work towards their overall development.

Headlines

Adeyanju lauds Nigerian women for their doggedness in maritime industry at International Women Day

Funso OLOJO

The President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, has joined others leaders in the maritime industry to celebrate women as the world marks International women day.

In his message to women, especially those who hold their own in the male- dominated maritime industry, Adeyanju, who is also the Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and the Vice President Global, International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) ,

was full praises for Nigerian Women, whom he said have taken the bull by the horn and make indelible marks in all facets of human endeavors, especially in the areas where their male counterparts have dominated over the years.

“Nigerian women have come up strongly in putting their professional expertise positively, especially in the Maritime sector, where women are already in the forefront of its administrative and operational arms of the industry.

“Today, in the country’s Maritime industry, we now see Women Seafarers running operations in various categories of vessels, sea going ships, oil & gas tankers, barges and tug – boats, as well as operating high – tech cranes at the port’s terminals within the nation seaports; competing effectively with their male folks” the union leader observed.

The NLC chief stated that the maritime Sector in Nigeria has effectively broken the jinx of male dominance in all areas of operations both in the administration of the ports management, and as captains of industries within the sector.

He said the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria under his leadership had been able to break the barriers of gender inequality by bringing to bear the fortunes of gender equality in the sector and give women greater opportunities to participate in all areas of operations in the nation’s seaports, oil&gas platforms and jetties, where women and men are competing favourably without fear of harassment and molestations.

Adeyanju also noted that the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) had boosted the morales of women in the sector by encouraging their full participation in all areas in the transport sector, such as Air, Land, Rail, and Water transport, where women have also taken the lead.

“The country also have Women in Shipping (WIS), International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) Women’s Wing, where women have been given the basic platforms for both operations and leadership roles in the country like their other female counterparts across the globe” he declared.

The union leader eulogized every woman in the country as they celebrate the IWD 2025, saying they have all excelled in politics, soldiering, trade/business, administrative leadership, teaching, and in all fronts of human endeavors both in the country and universally.

He admonished them not to relent in their various areas of designations, where they have proved their mettles ,so that other women coming behind will build on their legacies.

Headlines

Nigeria seeks intervention of Denmark to end war risk insurance surcharge on Nigeria- bound cargo

– as NIMASA reaffirms commitment to capacity building for Nigerian maritime journalists.

Funso OLOJO

The Nigerian government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reiterated its call for the end to the war risk insurance surcharge slammed on Nigeria- bound cargo by international shipping cartel.

War risk insurance in Nigeria’s maritime industry protects against losses from events like piracy, armed robbery, and terrorism.

The Nigerian government has called for the removal of war risk insurance premiums on Nigerian-bound vessels.

The surcharge was instituted by the international shipping companies during the hay days of heightened piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and militancy in the Niger Delta region of the country.

However, several years down the line, the Niger Delta restiveness had completely stopped while the piracy in the Gulf of Guinea had substantially been scaled down through the efforts of Nigerian government.

However, despite these changes and the global campaign of Nigeria to end the surcharge, the international shipping companies have refused to stop it.

However, the Director – General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, renewed the clamour of the country for the removal of the surcharge when he was playing host to the delegation from the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the agency’s headquarters on Thursday, March 6th, 2025.

The Danish team has come to NIMASA to deepen its capacity training initiative with the agency.

Dr Mobereola, who was represented by Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the agency, Chudi Offodile, requested the Danish government and the international community to intervene and prevail on the international shipping cartel to end the surcharge, given the commitment and huge investments made by Nigeria to maritime security and the relative peace in the Gulf of Guinea.

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According to him, Nigeria has invested a huge resources into the maritime security in the country and the region through its Deep Blue Project that has decapitated piracy and armed robbery in the region.

Mobereola declared that the international shipping community owes the country a duty by reciprocating its gesture towards the commitment to security in the region by removing the war risk insurance surcharge.

” Given the commitment of NIMASA and the Federal government to maritime security that ensured almost zero incidents of piracy and armed robbery within the Gulf of Guinea in the last four to five years, there is absolutely no reason for the current war risk insurance premium on Nigeria- bound cargo.

” We expect that the surcharge ought to have gone.

” With the cooperation we seek with the Danish government, we expect that the war risk insurance premium and freight costs and other related issues will have to be addressed by the international community” Mobereola declared.

However, the Head of the Danish delegation, Kristin Skov- Spilling, who is the Special Technical Director of Evaluation, Leaning and Quality in the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, declared that there is little or nothing the government of Denmark could do on the war risk insurance premium because the insurance companies are private entities.

Chudi Offodile expressed disappointment at the response of the Danish delegation team leader, saying such distinction does not make sense.

” When sanctions come from Europe, America or the international community, they come from their governments.

” But when we seek some response from them considering investment we had made and concrete achievements recorded ,they now say insurance companies are private companies.

” That distinction doesn’t make sense. It is clear to the world that we have done our bit and the world must respond” the NIMASA chief insisted.

Meanwhile, NIMASA have reaffirmed its commitment to capacity building for maritime journalists and have sought the collaboration of the Danish government in this regard.

It would be recalled the Danish government sponsored the training of some Nigerian Maritime journalists through Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre( KAIPTC) in Lagos in 2023.

The Danish team was in NIMASA where it interacted with some of the beneficiaries of the training for feedbacks on the 2023 capacity training.

However, Offodile, who was apparently impressed by the feedback he got from the KAIPTC students, pledged that NIMASA will continue to explore ways to train more journalists in maritime security.

He said since the 2023 training, the level of reporting of maritime industry has been elevated as the trainees have brought what they learned on their reportage.

Offodile therefore urged the Danish government to continue with the initiative which he said NIMASA would support and sustain.

The Danish team will also go to other African countries where the Danish government has such capacity building programme.

Freight Monitor

Ozo Chukwurah preaches peace in ANLCA

— praises efforts of Emenike, Farinto, Ipariola, Abdullaziz, Oforbike , Obiora,Okafor in keeping ANLCA together.

— crowns Wale Cole the new ‘governor’ of Tin Can chapter

Funso OLOJO

In what appears to the a new dawn of peace in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), the erswhile Vice- Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association, Prince Ozo Chukwurah, have praised the current sanity in the hitherto polarized freight forwarders union.

Prince Chukwurah, in an exclusive interview with our reporter, eulogized the efforts of certain individuals for their efforts , commitment and sacrifice that have resulted to the present peace in the ANLCA.

Specifically, he singled out the National President of the association, Mr Nwokeji Emenike for his exemplary leadership,acumen and political sagacity in bringing back the ANLCA from the precipice.

The former Chairman of the Western Zone of the association also praised the sacrifices of Kayode Farinto,the former Acting National President of ANLCA, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullaziz, the former Secretary and later Sole Administrator of the Association, Mr Eniola Ipariola (Anyman), John Oforbike and Obiora Elochukwu which he said has helped to heal the wound inflicted by the years of intractable crisis which rocked the ANLCA to its foundation.

He also shared a kind word for Mr Dennis Oka for(Akataka).

” I want to congratulate Emenike Nwokeji, the National President for keeping the ANLCA together.

” He met a disunited and divided association from the BOT to all the members.

” He was able to stand and weathered the storm and restore peace and harmony to the association.

” I salute his courage and leadership qualities.

” My special recognition to some individuals for their roles in making ANLCA great again.

” In our BOT election, some of these people were humiliated, disenfranchised, yet they stayed in the association.

” People like Kayode Farinto, Eniola Ipariola (Anyman), Mukaila Abdullaziz.

Despite the treatment meted out to them, they still remain in the association,

I salute their sacrifice.

” I must not fail to mention the role of John Oforbike for being strong and steadfast in his love and commitment to ANLCA

” I will also like to recognize an independent mind, a strong but highly underrated individual in the person of Obiora Elochukwu, the present of Chairman of the Association Electorial Commission(ASECO).

” He surprised and exceeded the expectations of everyone in his handling of the chapter elections.

” He should be allowed to conclude the Apapa chapter elections.”

” My greatest and highest recognition goes to Prince Wale Cole, the elected chairman of the Tin Can Island chapter.

” I hereby relinquishes my title” the Governor ” and given it to Prince Wale Cole.

” Henceforth, he is to be known and referred to as the ” Governor” of Tin Can Island chapter of ANLCA.

” He is the new Sheriff in town.

On the conduct of the chapter elections and his expectations, Prince Ozo Chukwura said;

” Am appealing to the Board of Trustees (BOT) and all ANLCA members to allow and support Obiora Elochukwu ( ASECO Chairman) to finish his work.

“Because further crisis in ANLCA will never help anybody. But, most sincerely, I will also congratulate my big brothers, Chief Henry Njoku and Sir Ernest Elochukwu, while appealing to them to put their differences aside , so that ANLCA will rise more than it is now. Congratulations to all those who love ANLCA.”

On why he has decided to congratulate all this people and the conduct of the election having being a leader from the other faction, he said,

” From the time of Kamba, we have been having divided interests, even in your family, but that doesn’t remove you from the family.

“Interest will never die, but human beings will come and go. Some names are no more heard in ANLCA today, but those who are in the association today will fight to make same ANLCA remain one”.

Ozo also spoke on why he decided to hand over his title as ” Governor ” of Tin Can after over 20 years since he left office in 1999 and his expectations from Wale Cole as the new ” Governor” of Tin Can Chapter.

” I won the first election at Tin Can Island Chapter in 1999, people came together and gave me the title the “Governor of Tin Can”.

“I did not give it to myself , they gave it to me as a nickname, they felt then that I have the capacity to govern that big port of Tin Can.

“When Tin Can, Brawal, SCOA, SIFAX , PTML, all of them were under Tin Can”.

Why he decided to hand over the title to Wale Cole, after many Chairmen have come and gone- Ozo Chukwura said:

“They all came in their own different ways and styles. Dr Kayode Farinto came, a highly educated individual in ANLCA.

“Oyinola came with his own style, but this young man , Wale Cole , came like a Tsunami, that nobody could resist.

“Wale Cole came with a Tsunami that nobody could win him in Tin Can.

” That was how Prince Ozo Chukwura came in 1998, won the election with Tsunami, which I relinquished it to Olatunde, who later supported me to win again in 1999.

” It was the way and manner I collected the key to Tin Can that Prince Taiye Oyeniyi was holding and Oye supported me, that is when they gave me the title ” Governor of Tin Can”.

” Now that Wale Cole came with too much strength, he did not collect the key from me , because am no longer in office, he bulldozed his way and won the chapter election at Tin Can, he is now the new “Governor ” of Tin Can Island Chapter of ANLCA.

On his expectations from Wale Cole, haven’t regarded him as his political godson, Ozo declared

” He should always maintain peace and unity in ANLCA, not to see himself as a tin god , but to be humble.

“So long God has given me a second chance to be alive , I will continue to advice him. I have absolute confidence in him.”

Finally, Ozo Chukwura message to stakeholders to support Wale Cole and ANLCA to succeed, he said

” Many things happens in government. The way it is now is not they way it was then. I will advise him to work , more especially collaboration with NAGAFF people and give due respect to all the executives of NAGAFF, while I will beg them to reciprocate.

” Though, no organize competition, but there are individuals interests ” Prince Ozo Chukwurah concluded.

The ANLCA has been embroiled in an intractable crisis for over five years which the present NECOM inherited.

The crises rocked the association to its very foundation and threatened its existence.

But the recent happenings invite association suggest that peace and sanity is gradually creeping into the association being touted as the oldest and largest freight forwarders association in the country.