President Tinubu Pleads With EU To Address Poverty, Insecurity In Nigeria

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June 7, 2023

Bola Ahmed Tinubu At Arewa Joint Committee Forum

By Ayodele Oni

President Bola Tinubu is extending his administration’s consultation to international agencies and bodies.

The President has just called on the European Union, (EU) to assist Nigeria and Africa in strengthening security and economic development to alleviate poverty in the Continent.

A statement on Wednesday by the director, Information at the villa, Abiodun Oladunjoye, stated that the President spoke during a telephone conversation with the President of the European Council, Mr. Charles Michel.

The European Council is the EU institution that defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union.

According to President Tinubu, Nigeria and the whole of Africa would require the help and partnership of her friends and development partners like the EU to address the excruciating poverty in the continent.

While requesting the EU to look at specific areas of security challenge like the Lake Chad and coastal areas, the Nigerian leader promised to remain in contact with the European Union and other member states.

He said poverty and insecurity were priority areas for his administration and he would do all that is required to address them.

The Council president used the opportunity of the telephone conversation to once again congratulate President Tinubu over his election.

He pledged the commitment of the Council towards a stronger cooperation and partnership with Nigeria based on mutual respect and common interests.

He maintained that Nigeria is important to the EU and the International Community.

Mr Michel urged the Nigerian leader to continue to work with the EU in all relevant areas.

Senate President: 67 Senators Plot Akpabio’s Fall

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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June 7, 2023

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The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, has a good reason to worry following the revelation that some senators across party lines are planning to thwart its plan to ensure that Godswill Akpabio becomes the next Senate President.

No fewer than 67 senators are believed to be supporting a former Governor of Zamfara state, Abdulaziz Yari for the top job.

To emerge as Senate President, a contestant only requires two-thirds of the 109 senators.

Yari’s support base, according to Abdul Ningi, a former deputy majority leader cuts across party lines.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his party had endorsed Akpabio to take over from incumbent Ahmad Lawan, as the Chairman of the National Assembly for the incoming 10^th Senate.

But as it seems, the ruling party cannot count on the support of majority senators, including from its own fold to vote for Akpabio on June 13 when the new NASS leadership is expected to emerge.

According to Ningi, senators who are angry that the ruling party is trying to impose on them, have now lined behind Yari who has vowed to contest against Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom state next week.

Speaking on the capacity of Yari to emerge the Senate President, Ningi said “Our latest count, we had 67 as of yesterday (Tuesday) night, and more are coming by the grace of God.

“I’m not a member of the APC, I don’t know how the working committee of the APC works, but over 20 years we have seen consistent friction where people are imposed on the national assembly beginning with Enwerem and Chuba.

“Allow the senators, in my opinion, to choose whoever they want. The PDP had also made similar mistakes and I thought the APC should not have followed suit. Just as the party chooses its chairman, allow the senators to also choose their leader.

“Yes, Yari can lead the senate, and that is why we are following him, that is why we are backing him. We have also been leaders in the senate. We were not only in the senate, but we held principal positions.

“You need experienced hands like us to be able to guide you to achieve what is required. If we make a mistake in choosing our leader, we have every right to remove him,” Ningi said.

Meanwhile, those watching what is happening in the NASS insist that the ruling APC is doing all to ensure that more senators vote for the former Akwa Ibom governor.

Osun Moves To Dump Oyetola’s Legacies; Assembly To Revisit Laws Passed By Predecessor

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Ayodele Oni

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June 7, 2023

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By Ayodele Oni

With the full take over of Osun State Executive and Legislature, by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), all is set to review and upturn some of the actions and policies of the immediate past Government of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Already, immediately he won at the Supreme Court, Governor Ademola Adeleke embarked on review of some of these policies with the change of the name ‘State of Osun’, to Osun State.

He was, however, immediately reminded by the immediate past House of Assembly that the name was backed by law and could not be altered by mere executive pronouncement.

With the inauguration of the State House of Assembly on Tuesday, some of the laws perceived not to be in tandem with the policy direction of the State Government stand expunged from the statute.

The new Speaker of the Eight Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has said the legislature would collate and review all the bills passed into law and assented to by the immediate past parliament and executive administration in the state.

In his inaugural address, Speaker Egbedun pointed out that there were some obnoxious laws that were made after the July 16 governorship election in the state.

Egbedun, of the ruling PDP stated that the Assembly would review the bills passed and assented to between August and November, 2022, stressing that the obnoxious provisions and clauses may not be in the best interest of the state.

Itemizing some of the legislative agenda, the 38-year-old speaker said the 8th assembly will focus on legislation for workers’welfare.

Other areas of focus according to Egbedun are legislation for infrastructural development, social sector health agenda and age legislation.

The speaker, who called on his fellow contestants to join hands with him in leading a truly new age house, also promised the only opposition member of the house of his due privileges.

“Legislature is what makes a difference between the military and democracy. We are the people’s representatives; this is the hallowed chamber of the people.

“Our job is made easy and our task is lessened because we have an Executive that is overwhelmingly pro-people and we will key into this template that is clearly acceptable and satisfactory to the people of Osun state. I charge us to join hands in the building of a new Osun state.”

He, therefore, directed the Clerk of the House to furnish him with all the affected bills for immediate action.

“I also use this opportunity to announce that our leadership will collate and review all last minute bills passed and assented by the outgoing administration.

“We have reports and records of many bills assented into laws which contain obnoxious provisions and clauses that may not be in the best interest of the state.

“I therefore direct the Clerk of the House to furnish my office with all bills passed and assented to between August and November 2022.”

Nigeria Air: Group Faults House Comm Chair On Aviation, Nnaji Comment, Labels Him Unpatriotic

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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June 7, 2023

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, Vanguard for Good Governance, has faulted the comments attributed to the House of Representatives Committee Chairman on Aviation, Nnolim Nnaji, in which the lawmaker described the setting up of Nigeria Air as fraud.

In a statement made available to the media on Wednesday, 7th April, 2023. The National Leader of the socio-political group, Alhaji Tosin Adeniyi said; “We strongly condemn the show of shame that occurred at the National Assembly on Wednesday, 6th June, 2023. In the name of conducting inquiry into the affairs of Nigeria Air, Hon. Nnolim Nnaji ended up showing his true hands and who his paymasters are. He de-marketed and bad-mouthed Nigeria Air in order to please his Igbo brothers, Allen Onyema (owner of Airpeace Airlines), and Obiora Okonkwo (owner of United Nigeria Airlines), who under the guise of being representatives of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), have only one motive, which is to continue to operate as monopolies while the Nigerian passengers continue to suffer from their high ticket prices and poor services”.

Continuing, Adeniyi said; “We have it on good authority that although Hon. Pharmacist Nnolim Nnaji was elected under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to represent the people of Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency, he has since turned himself into a Labour Party hatchet man in the hope that the election tribunal judgement would favour his closet Labour Presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and he would be rewarded with the position of Aviation Minister or another post”.

“We are not fooled by the antics of Hon. Nnolim Nnaji and his co-travelers and alarmists. Their plans to destabilize the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose agenda is also to support the creation of a national national carrier will fail. We wish to let Nigerians know that Hon. Nnolim Nnaji is using his position as the House Committee Chairman on Aviation to feather his own political nests and to cash-out big time from his sponsors. He does not mean well for Nigeria and has always shown unpatriotic tendencies. Nigerians should ask him where he is getting the money which he has been offering to blogs and media houses to help him fly his unpatriotic statement that ‘Nigeria Air is fraud’.

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed should be wary of double agents like Hon. Nnolim Nnaji. If Nigeria Air does not commence flight operations as scheduled by Quarter 3, 2023, as detailed in a widely circulated document titled, ‘Nigeria Air, The Journey So Far’, Nigerians should hold Nnolim and his co-travelers responsible”.

“We are in support of the setting up of Nigeria Air. We have listened to several stakeholders on the benefits of having a national carrier. This was also detailed in the status update document released by Nigeria Air. The immediate past General Secretary of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Olayinka Abioye,has also listed the gains as follows;

“Nigeria stands to gain in terms of cultural heritage, national pride, job opportunities, and foreign direct investments, among others,”.

“It is surprising that Hon. Nnolim Nnaji will speak of Hadi Sirika, immediate past Minister of Aviation, in such unpleasant terms. This was the same Hon. Nnolim Nnaji that was singing the Honourable Minister’s praises while he was in office for his ministry’s efforts in repositioning the aviation sector, the improvements at Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, and at other airports. It was during the tenure of Hadi Sirika that the aviation sector in Nigeria experienced tremendous growth. Need we remind Hon. Nnolim Nnaji of who Hadi Sirika is? A former police aircraft engineer, trained pilot, doctorate degree holder in aviation business, former member of the Federal House of Representatives, former Senator, former Minister of State, and Former Minister of Aviation”.

“Hon. Nnolim Nnaji can not match the character of the man he is trying so unsuccessfully to tarnish his image for selfish political gains, and parochialism. We challenge Hon. Nnolim Nnaji to a public debate to account to his people what he has achieved since he was elected a member of the House of Representatives”.

“The Acting Managing Director of Nigeria Air, Dapo Olumide, stated the facts during his appearance at the House of Representatives hearing on Wednesday, 6th June, 2023, although he was majorly misquoted, and mischievously too, by a section of the media.

“We urge Nigerians not to believe the propaganda and false narrative being pushed out by Hon. Pharm. Nnolim Nnaji and his band of unpatriotic Nigerians. Nigeria Air has published their ‘Nigeria Air, The Journey So Far’ document which chronicles from start to the present all that the people require to know about Nigeria Air. The document is available on Nigeria Air website (www.flynigeriaair.world). It was also published on Page 12 of Daily Trust and page 10 of the Guardian newspaper of Wednesday, 6th June 2023”

CRS: “You Have no Powers to Sack Us”, Auditors-General Tell Gov. Otu

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The Source

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June 7, 2023

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By Stanley Ekpenyong, South-South Bureau Chief

Cross River State Governor, Senator Bassey Otu, appears headed for a collision course with two officials of his immediate predecessor who he sacked early this week.

They are the State Auditor-General, John Odey, and his Local Government counterpart, Mrs Franka Inok.

Both former officials who were appointed by the immediate past governor of the State, Professor Ben Ayade, were sacked on Monday by Governor Otu and asked to retire from the State’s Civil Service.

They have, however, faulted their sack, arguing that the Governor has no constitutional powers to do so.

Odey and Inok made this known on Tuesday in a letter addressed to the Chairman of Cross River State Civil Service Commission, Oko Inaku.

In the letter, they vowed to remain in service until their formal retirement age of sixty years or mandatory thirty-five years from service.

In the letter titled: “Re – Notice to vacate Office”, with reference number CRS/AGLG/81/Vol 11/565 the officials stated thus: “We wish to bring to your notice sections 127 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 42 of the Cross River State Audit Law number 2021 as amended regarding the removal from office of the Auditor General”

Meanwhile, Odey and Inok have both disregarded the Governor’s directives as they still report for duties in their offices.

Akume Sworn-in By Tinubu, Assumes Duty As SGF

By

The Source

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June 7, 2023

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By Gideon Njoku

Newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, has assumed duties.

Akume assumed duties after he was sworn-in on Wednesday, 7th June, 2023, by President Bola Tinubu at a brief ceremony held at the Council Chambers, and witnessed by a number of people, including Akume’s spouse, Regina, who is a member-elect, House of Representatives.

Present at the ceremony were Vice President Kashim Shettima, the Head of Service, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as well as some past and serving Governors.

The office of the SGF is the engine room of the Federal Government. Among other things, the SGF oversees:

Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)
Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission
National Energy Council
National Hajj Commission of Nigeria
National Lottery Trust Fund
National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA)
Nigeria National Merit Award
National Lottery Regulatory Commission
Bureau of Public Enterprises
Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission
National Agency for the Control of Aids
New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD)
National Commission for Refugees
ServiCom
Federal Character Commission
Revenue Mobilization, Allocation & Fiscal Commission
Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI)
Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC)
National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission
National Pension Commission
Border Communities Development Agency.

There are also six (6) Offices in the OSGF (Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government). Each of the Offices is run and managed like a Ministry and they are headed by Permanent Secretary.

The Offices are:

>The Special Duties Office

>The Cabinet Affairs Office

>The Special Services Office

>The Ecological Fund Office

>The General Services Office

>The Political and Economic Affairs Office

Functions of SGF

Administratively, below are the key roles of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF):

1) OSGF handles matters related to the prerogative of mercy.

2) He handles petitions and appeals to the President.

3) He is charged with the responsibility of processing requests for duty tours and medical treatment of government officials abroad.

4) He coordinates, manages National Honours Awards.

5) OSGF is responsible for the supervision of some government agencies as directed by the president e.g New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD).

6) The SFG serves as the frontline advisory institution to the office of the President.

7) The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation monitors and coordinates the implementation of government policies and programmes in line with the programmes of the ruling government.

He ensures harmonization in the policies of the government.

9) The SGF evaluates the performance of the ministers and Permanent Secretary on behalf of the President.

10) He maintains mandate acceptance documents signed by Ministers on an assumption of office.

11) The OSGF serves as the Secretariat of the National Council of State, the Federal Executive Council and other Constitutional Councils which are chaired by the President or the Vice President as the case may be.

12) The Office of the Secretary to the Federal Government provides support services to Administrative Tribunals, Commissions and Panels of Enquiry.

13) He coordinates public safety matters and emergencies such as COVID 19 pandemic.

14) Represent the president when he’s delegated to do so.

15) He liaises with Secretaries to State Governments in a situation when FG’s policies have to be implemented at the state levels.

Akume is the immediate past Minister for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. He was, also, a two-time Governor of Benue State.

During his tenure as Governor, he escaped death by whiskers in the hands of assassins while on his way to Abuja from Makurdi. His bosom friend, Andrew Agom, a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Airways, who sat by him in the car, was not lucky. He died in the attack, felled by bullets from the assassins.

Akume was on Friday, 2nd June 2023, appointed the SGF by President Tinubu.

Removal Of Subsidy: Obaseki Increases Minimum Wage From N30,000 To N40,000

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Akinwale Kasali

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June 7, 2023

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By Akinwale Kasali

To cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal on Civil Servants, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has increased the minimum wage from N30,000 to N40,000.

A statement by the Government, stated that the increment was to cushion the effect of the rising cost of living on the Civil Servants in the State.

Governor Obaseki has also followed the footsteps of his counterpart in Kwara State, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq by permitting the State workers to work from home twice a week and show up in the office three days per week.

The measures were taken as the State ’s immediate response to the stoppage of petrol subsidy payment by the Federal Government, which pushed up food costs and petrol price.

*In the statement personally signed by the Governor, the government said: “If more allocation accrues to our State from the Federal Government in view of the expected savings occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy, the work days will be reviewed.

“The Edo State Government shares the pains of our people and wants to assure everyone that we are standing with them in these very challenging times.

“We want to reassure our people that we will do all within our powers as a sub-national government to reduce the pains and ameliorate the sufferings our people are currently facing due to the current realities.

“As a proactive government, we have since taken the step to increase the minimum wage paid to workers in Edo State from the approved N30, 000 to N40, 000, the highest in the country today.”

On the reduction of the number of work days for civil servants, Obaseki said his government was aware of the hardship the removal of petrol subsidy has caused.

The Governor added that the policy has radically increased the cost of transportation, eating deep into the wages of workers in the state.

“Therefore, the Edo State Government is hereby reducing the number of work days that civil and public servants will have to commute to their workplaces from five days a week to three days a week till further notice. Workers will now work from home two days every week”, the statement reads.

Fidelity Bank Moves Trade, Creative Connect To Texas

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Tosin Olatokunbo

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June 7, 2023

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The Managing Director, Fidelity Bank Plc Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe has disclosed that the commercial bank has successfully supported Nigeria’s export trade through various innovations and interventions such as capacity development for exporters.

The bank’s chief executive’s comment comes after the lender announced plans to host the second edition of the Fidelity International Trade and Creative Connect, FITCC, in Texas, the United States.

The first edition, the bank said was successfully hosted last November in London.

Onyeali-ikpe said “Fidelity Bank is very much invested in supporting export trade and has consistently demonstrated this by the interventions and innovations that we bring to the space.

“Beyond the instrument of financing, some of our key interventions in the space revolve around business management capacity development with initiatives like the Export Management Programme (EMP) which we host in partnership with the Lagos Business School and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and market access development initiatives like FITCC.”

Tagged FITCC Houston, the event would hold on Wednesday, 18^th, and Thursday, 19th October 2023 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, 1001 Avenida de las Americas, Houston, Texas 77010.

To promote Nigeria’s non-oil exports and facilitate integrations to global supply-chain networks, FITCC Houston will host leading businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and regulators operating in the commodity, service, creative, fashion and FinTech sectors in Nigeria and the United States. The participants would explore partnership, co-creation, and foreign direct investment opportunities.

Participating businesses will benefit from curated market access engagements, investment and partnership opportunities, extended brand exposure before a global audience as well as speaking and networking opportunities amongst a long list of benefits in FITCC Housto

Interested businesses and participants are encouraged to register for the conference at www.fidelitybank.ng/fitcc .

Pains As Bolt, Uber Drivers Embark On Strike

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James Orji

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June 7, 2023

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The Amalgamated Union of App-based Transport Workers of Nigeria, AUATWN, comprising drivers of e-hailing companies such as Bolt and Uber, today commenced a nationwide strike.

The drivers said the strike is a result of the recent increase in the price of petrol, contending that the low fare increase by the ride-hailing transport companies is not sustainable at this time.

They said in a statement that the increase by the app-based firms stood between 25 to 30 percent, which was far from the union’s demand for a 200 percent increase, and a 50 percent reduction in commission respectively.

The drivers said they cannot work under these conditions, appealing to the companies to reduce their commissions on the ground that they did not reflect industry benchmark commissions.

The drivers promised not to go back to work until their demands have been met.

According to the statement, “The union’s technical team is versed with the operation and technicality of ride-hailing companies and on our calculations, any app company can breakeven charging below five percent even though the union recommended a flat commission of 10 per cent or 50 per cent off their current commission during our last meeting, as we believe this will help us to cope with maintenance costs, spare parts and various overhead cost and the current fuel increase.

“We can no longer tolerate any act of dictatorial practices by any app company because we are workers and as an organised union, we have written several letters to these companies for a round table discussion where we can look at various areas of concern and dialogue but they have remained adamant with a deliberate intention to avoid responsibility.

“So, as a result of this insensitivity, the union is directing all its members across the nation to shut down their service on all ride-hailing applications from Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in protest against every dictatorial practice and lack of concern for welfare and security of App-Based Transport workers of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, customers of Bolts and Uber have started feeling the impact of the strike. Some of them informed the magazine on Wednesday that the missed their appointments due to the strike.

FG Ratifies 6 Maritime Conventions And Protocols

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James Orji

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June 7, 2023

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The Federal Government has approved the ratification of six maritime conventions and protocols that promote cleaner marine environment, ship-breaking cri teria, global standard for fishing crew and response to oil pollution casualties.

The approved instruments for ratification are Hong Kong International Convention for Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships 2009; International Convention on Standards of Training Certification and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F) 1995; Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties (intervention protocol) 1973 and the Protocol on Limitation of Liabilities for Maritime Claims 1996.

Others are the Protocol to the 1974 Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 2002; and the protocol of 2005 to the 1988 protocol to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA PROT 2005)

The approval, conveyed through the Federal Ministry of Transportation to Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has kick started Nigeria’s preparation to align with the global maritime community in respect to the protocols and conventions.

Director General of NIMASA Bashir Jamoh, while thanking the Federal Government for the approval reassured industry players of the agency’s unflinching effort as designated authority(DA) to draw the gains of the various instruments closer to indigenous investors, professionals and all stakeholders in Nigeria

Jamoh said The Hong Kong Convention is aimed at ensuring that ships, when being recycled after reaching the end of their operational lives, do not pose risk to human health, safety or to the environment.

The DG said STCW-F is a treaty that sets certification and minimum training requirements for crews of seagoing fishing vessels with the goal to promote the safety of life at sea and the protection of the marine environment, taking into account the unique nature of the fishing industry and the fishing working environment.

He added that the International Convention Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Oil Pollution Casualties will see Nigeria taking action on the high seas to prevent, mitigate or eliminate grave and imminent danger to Nigeria’s coastline or related interests from pollution or threat of pollution of the sea by oil spillage.

On the Convention of Limitation of Liability of Maritime Claims, Jamoh said it will provide for an unbreakable system of limiting liability where shipowners and sailors may limit their liability, except if it is proved that an incurred loss resulted from their personal act or omission or commission with the intent to cause loss, or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss would probably happen.

The Athens Convention, according to Jamoh, establishes a regime of liability for damage suffered by passengers carried on a seagoing vessel. It places liability on the carrier for any loss or damage suffered by passengers where it is established to be the carriers fault.

He added that the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA PROT) will result in improved protection of oil platforms and sanction threats against such facilities which are critical to the country’s economic mainstay

He further sought the cooperation of all stakeholders with NIMASA while hoping to engage with them at various stages of implementation in the nearest future.