By Lucy Ogalue

A maritime lawyer, Dr Emeka Akabogu, has advised judges to better appreciate the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act which conferred jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to determine admiralty claims.

Akabogu, Senior Partner, Akabogu and Associates, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that Admiralty Claims are claims which arise from the carriage of goods by sea and all other aspects relating to maritime.

I will like to advise and encourage all Judges at the high court level and appellate level to better appreciate the significance of foundational maritime laws, particularly the Admiralty Jurisdiction Act.

The law confers jurisdiction on the Federal High Court to determine such matters.

He said such appreciation would enable them to make better decisions that would impact on free flow of goods, quick vessel turnaround, trade facilitation and better business enablement at the ports.

A lot of port congestion and associated constraints arise from people who have rights which have been breached but which cannot be fully ventilated at that point.

Some people have their cargoes stuck at the ports due to breaches of their economic rights, but are constrained in dealing with it due to technical issues in the law and courts bordering on jurisdiction .
Often, the value of the cargo will dissipate over time and they will not even have any encouragement or any desire to go and clear it from the ports anymore, leading to congestion.
According to Akabogu, the Federal High Court is supposed to have jurisdiction for admiralty claims.
He said however, that often when claims arose and were filed in the Federal High Court, they were truncated due to wrong application or appreciation of admiralty jurisdiction issues.
He said sometimes, it was not the Federal High Court that did it, adding that sometimes one might file a successful claim at the Federal High Court but it would go on appeal.
And when it goes on appeal either to the Court of Appeal or to the Supreme Court, the court will come up with the position that the Federal High Court did not have jurisdiction in the first place.
Akabogu said in doing this, the courts suggested that the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court should end when the cargo was discharged from the vessel.
Akabogu explained that this decision always did not favour the consignees as many losses/damages occurred after the cargo was discharged from the vessel and before being delivered to the consignee.
He said such were some of the types of claims that Nigerians needed to have adjudicated upon, to enhance business at the ports.
Now, when you say that the Federal High Court does not have jurisdiction because the cargo has been discharged, then it means that many people who have their cargo lost or damaged within the ports after it has been discharged from the vessel will have their rights extinguished.
He said the same happened to those who had losses occurring in the course of carriage to deliver to the consignee or in their ware houses or similar other things.
Akabogu explained that continuous enlightenment was necessary to resolve such challenge. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Bridget Ikyado

The Pastor-In-Charge of The Summit Bible Church, Andy Osakwe, has called on government at all levels to address insecurity in the country.

Osakwe made the call during the churchs 2022 Mid-year Thanksgiving and Worship Session on Sunday in Abuja.

Our leaders need to take some drastic meaningful actions.

This problem is not something that is beyond the scope of a solution.

I believe that there must be a strong show of force, if we need more advanced weapons for the police and the military, they should do so.

Do whatever you need to do, if they need more training, let them be trained, he said.

He also advised Christians and citizens to pray and be watchful at all times.

We need to be vigilant because there are people who are just wicked and they dont represent the average Nigerian.

That thing of violence should not hinder us or anybody, its not just the church, innocent citizens are harmed by such people, so we are praying for Gods protection.

We are not just praying for ourselves, we are praying for the nation as well, he said.

The pastor also prayed for the successful conduct of general elections in 2023 and urged Nigerians to get their permanent voter cards and vote wisely.

We are praying for the elections, we are praying for Gods will; Gods choice will be the next person to sit in the office of the president and lead us, he said.

On worship which was the purpose of the gathering, the cleric said praise and worship go a long way to turn things around for the best.

When we talk about worship, we talk about the fruit of the lips, we talk about thanksgiving, offering and we talk about the living sacrifice.

That is when you serve God with your body, which is praising God, Osakwe said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Grace Yusuff

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Abuja, July 10,2022(NAN) Sen. Bola Tinubu, All Progressives Congress (APC) 2023 Presidential Candidate has expressed absolute respect for adherents of Christian and Muslim faiths in the country.

Tinubu, in a letter on Sunday while announcing his choice of Sen. Kashim Shettima, a Muslim, as his running mate, said he was not oblivious of the religious and ethnic sensitivities of the country.

He said the he chose Shettima, a former two-term governor of Borno and a serving senator representing Borno Central in the overriding interest of the country.

I am mindful of the energetic discourse concerning the possible religion of my running mate, just and noble people have talked to me about this.

Some have counselled that I should select a Christian to please the christian community, others said I should pick a Muslim to appeal to the Muslim community, clearly, I cannot do both.

Both sides of the debate have impressive reasons and passionate arguments supporting their positions, both arguments are right in their own ways, Tinubu said.

He further assured that if elected the countrys next president with the support of all Nigerians, he would ensure uncommon progress.

He said this would require innovation and steps never taken, adding that It would also require decisions that are politically difficult and rare.

He advocated the need to jettison the politics of ethnic and religious sentiments and imbibe the core value of competence and service delivery in political offices.

May I say this to all of you, especially those disappointed in my selection based on religious considerations, I will not and cannot ignore the religious concerns and ethnic sensitivities of our people.

Taking them into due consideration is an important part of good and able governance, Tinubu said.

He said that the challenges facing the country require placing competence in governance above religious sentiments.

Religion, ethnicity and region cannot always and fully determine our path.

To forge ahead as a nation towards development and prosperity, we must break free of old binds.

We must recalibrate our political calculations to where competence and fairness matters, more than reducible demographics, Tinubu maintained.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tinubu announced Shettima as his running mate earlier in Daura, Katsina, where paid Sallah homage on President Muhammadu Buhari (NAN)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Bridget Ikyado

The National Commandant, Peace Corps of Nigeria, Prof. Dickson Akoh, has advised security agencies to sustain intelligence gathering and sharing to decimate the security challenges in the country.

Akoh made the call at thanksgiving service to mark the 24th anniversary of the corps, at the Holy Cross Catholic Church, Gwarinpa, Abuja on Sunday.

He also urged the security agencies to be proactive rather than reactive in containing security threats in the country.

The commandant also urged Nigerians to be more security conscious and support security agencies in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He pointed out that the recent attacks and kidnapping of men of God and other Nigerians were disturbing, saying it called for intense intelligence gathering to nip the problem in the bud.

Akoh said the focus of the organisation remained to actualise the Peace Corps Bill.

He said that the corps would add to the search for peace in communities across the country.

NAN reports that members of the the Peace Corps used the opportunity to present thanksgiving offerings in commemoration of the organisations 24th anniversary.

The officiating priest at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Rev. Fr Michael-Maria Nzume, urged Christians to look out for opportunities of helping people in need at all times as directed by the Lord Jesus Christ in the Holy Bible.

Reading from the Book of Luke, Chapter 10: 32-42, the Reverend explained that a true neighbour remained the one that intervened and reached out to those in need.

He stressed that although the good Samaritan was rushing for business, he took time to help the man in need and deposited resources for his upkeep until he returned.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

===============

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Edith Ike-Eboh and Emmanuel Afonne

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) started the new week with an assurance to its investors and stakeholders that the days of complacency were over.

The assurance came following the repositioning of the company to focus on profitability and value addition to its shareholders.

The GMD/CEO of the NNPC, Malam Mele Kyari, gave the assurance at the opening ceremony of the 2022 edition of the Nigerian Oil and Gas (NOG) Conference and Exhibition which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Declaring the conference open, Kyari who was represented by NNPC Chief Financial Officer, Mr Umar Ajiya, called on operators in the nations oil and gas industry to focus more on gas development.

Kyari said emphasis should be on gas-to-power, gas-to-industry and gas-for-export projects and activities.

He explained that with the reality of the global energy transition and Nigerias commitment to use gas as its transition fuel, value now lies in gas development.

The NNPC GMD/CEO also said that the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had also provided ample incentives for investors in the gas sector.

Kyari urged delegates and exhibitors to use the opportunity provided by the conference to network and brainstorm on solutions to the challenges brought about by the global energy transition and the Russian-Ukraine war.

He also urged them to find better ways to maximise the potentials inherent in the nations abundant gas resources.

Meanwhile, the NNPC Ltd. within the week called on its partners and operators in the oil and gas industry to beef up investment in order to close the yawning energy supply gap in the country.

The GMD/CEO of NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari, made the call at the NNPC Spotlight Session of the just concluded 21st Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition which held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Speaking at the conference with theme, Funding the Nigerian Energy Mix for Sustainable Economic Growth, Kyari said there was a huge gap in the Nigerian energy market with 80 per cent of citizens lacking access to clean cooking gas and 48 per cent lacking access to electricity.

That gap is huge and we cannot fill it with the scale of investment we are doing in the renewable.

This is critical for us and we will continue to emphasise that our key role is to be able to bring gas and make it available to everyone.

The fact that energy transition is unfolding to everyone means we must invest in it and we are seeing a great resistance across the globe on funding fossil fuel until the Ukrainian challenge came up.

According to Kyari, NNPC is currently engaging with partners and multilateral institutions that are involved in energy transition to find ways of resetting financing strategies in a manner that will enable energy companies and institutions to collaborate for investment in order to eradicate energy poverty.

On the new role of NNPC as a limited liability company, Kyari said that NNPC had been positioned as the company with the largest capital base in Africa to serve as a reliable partner to all willing investors.

In this regard, NNPC Ltd. offers a lineup of investment opportunities that guarantee positive returns across the energy value chain.

On July 19, 2022, Mr President will unveil the new NNPC Ltd. to the world. I am inviting you to that epoch-making event in the history of our company, he said.

Also speaking at the conference, Chairman of Board of Directors, NNPC Ltd., Sen. Margery Chuba-Okadigbo said that the mandate of the new NNPC was clearly spelt out in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.

According to her, the PIA is a testament to the Federal Governments commitment to put in place the right environment for the advancement and development of oil and gas industry.

NNPC limited is a commercially oriented and profit driven company which creates opportunities for improved indigenous participation.

The new entity presents opportunities for enhanced revenue and returns on investment.

She stated that the effective implementation of the PIA would stimulate sustainable social impact through the creation of quality jobs for the teeming youth and consequently change the social perception of the industry.

In the meantime, the Group General Manager of the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr Bala Wunti, disclosed that Nigeria needed about 800 billion dollar-worth of investments to meet the crude oil production target of four million barrels per day.

Wunti made the disclosure in Abuja during a panel session at the just concluded 21st Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition with the theme, Funding the Nigerian Energy Mix for Sustainable Economic Growth.

He said the money must be channeled into exploration and production, midstream conversion capability and requisite downstream infrastructure.

Speaking on the theme, Energy Transition: Making Nigeria the Preferred Africa Energy Investment Hub, the NAPIMS boss said Nigeria had abundant crude oil and natural gas resources which can only translate to value for the country if properly harnessed and produced for the benefit of the people.

He said that the time had come for the country to look inwards and develop its huge oil and gas potentials by restructuring the industry to attract the much-needed investments across the oil and gas value chain that would create wealth and prosperity for the people.

He called for stronger partnership and collaboration among stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, particularly in the area of finance, project execution, and technology development.

Giving a breakdown of the investments required, Wunti said that the country needed about 400 billion dollars in the upstream and midstream segments of the value chain, while another 250 billion dollars investment would be required in the downstream sector across the country in order to ensure energy sufficiency.

International oil companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria including Shell, Chevron, TotalEnergies, and ExxonMobil in the week under review expressed their frustration over the escalating oil losses in the Niger Delta due to the activities of oil thieves.

Speaking at the industry leaders panel session at the 2022 edition of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, the CEOs said the unrelenting menace of crude oil theft had led to a decline of the nations daily oil production from 1.8million barrels per day in the last three years to just a little over one million barrel per day.

Firing the first salvo on the topic: The Future of Nigerias Energy Sector in the PIA Era, the Chairman of Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mr Osagie Okunbor, warned that the new marginal field licensees that would operate Oil Mining Leases (OMLs) 53 and 57 may experience difficulties evacuating their crude oil.

Okunbor said that two of the most important oil pipelines in the country were currently shut down with hundreds of thousands of barrels a day shut-in.

In three to five years, we were brought down from 1.8 million barrels. So it is an existential issue for us.

We need to address it; if we do not address it, we cannot do all the new oil development issues, and that will continue to occur.

But what is really going to move the needle for us in terms of bridging this gap of hundreds of thousands of barrels a day is solving the evacuation problem.

He tasked stakeholders and participants at the conference to put heads together to seek ways to deal with the challenge.

Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited and Chairman of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS), Mr Rick Kennedy, said while the industry stakeholders collaborate to fine-tune the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) in a manner that offers encouragement to all players, it was also imperative for the oil theft challenge to be addressed by all parties.

On his part, the Executive Director at ExxonMobil Nigeria, Mr Oladotun Isiaka, who represented the Managing Director, Mr Richard Laing, also said stakeholders should work together to tackle the oil theft challenge as it was impacting negatively on investments in the upstream sector.

The Managing Director of TotalEnergies E

By Salisu Sani-Idris

UFUK Dialogue and Near Foundation, NGOs in collaboration with the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC), on Sunday distributed cow meat to 400 families of fallen heroes and the less privileged in Abuja.

UFUK Dialogue is a Turkey-based NGO that is promoting dialogues on cultural co-existence, while Near Foundation is an NGO based in Switzerland, responsible for funding ecosystem development.

The President of UFUK Dialogue, Mr Emrah Ilgen, while delivering his address at the National Defence College, said the organisation thought it wise to extend assistance to the families of fallen heroes during the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

Ilgen said that the organisations slaughtered a total of 1,600 cows and shared the meat to the families of fallen heroes across 26 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

We intend to reach out to almost 27,000 families of fallen heroes across the country with a view to making them happy.

He assured that the organisation would continue to support programmes aimed at enhancing the living condition of the less privileged in the country.

Earlier, the President of the alumni association, retired Air Commodore, Darlington Abdullahi, said the objective of the gesture was to put smile on the faces of the families of fallen heroes.

We have our soldiers that have been in the field. We lost so many of them, their families are out there not finding it so easy and their children as well.

We feel this is an opportunity to reach out to them, to put smile on the faces of some of them. It is a great opportunity and we had to partner with some organisations, who could support us to be able to reach out to them effectively

It is not just a Sallah thing. It is an opportunity to reach out to both Christians and Muslims at various occasion. So during Easter and Christmas celebration, we will have similar event.

So that we will be able to reach out to various groups and families. We are taking care of 400 families mostly widows of our fallen heroes and the needy among us and it cut across the armed Forces and the police.

Also, wife of the Commandant, National Defence College, Jamila Bashir, thanked the three organisations for finding National Defence College a place whereby they could come and present something to women.

As women, we know the importance of meat and other important things and which means today our pots are going to taste better.

We also thank the President, alumni association for seeing National Defence College as a place where you can present this beautiful package.

Responding on behalf beneficiaries, Ms Lakunuya Bello, who commended the organisers for the gesture, emphasised the need for government to support the educational pursuit of the children of the fallen heroes in the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Benson Iziama/Grace Yussuf

Source: NAN News

By Sunday Bassey

Gov. Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom has directed remedial work on the collapsed Road in Mkpok, Idua, Ediam and Umana Ndon streets in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Resources, Mr Charles Udoh, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Eket, Akwa Ibom on Saturday.

He said the governor had commenced the process of the remedial work at Mkpok, Ediam, Idua, and Umana Ndon streets in Eket.

Udoh stated that the process was ongoing and the contractors would soon move to site of the collapsed roads in the area.

He advised commuters to avoid the failed areas of the roads as soon as possible, saying that avoiding the bad portions would be safe.

It is safety first, you must be safe, so everybody must avoid the areas as soon as possible, he said.

The commissioner said that himself, Permanent Secretary and other staff of the ministry would be at the site on Saturday, adding that the attention of the ministry was drawn to the collapsed portion of the roads last week.

He warned motorists plying the routes to look for alternative roads, saying that the road was impassable.

NAN reports that the road collapsed in early hours of Saturday during the heavy down pour that started by 10 p.m. on Friday.

Udoh hinted that he was aware of the collapsed house in Mkpok street in Eket. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

By Habibu Harisu

As water scarcity bites harder, Sokoto residents chase after moving water tankers to get supplies.

The Sokoto Water Board has not been able to pump water through the pipeline network since contractors stopped supplying expensive diesel to pump water.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that because of the unavailability of diesel, the water board resorted to distributing water using tankers that go to households.

Residents have been seen chasing after water tankers at Masallacin Shehu, Atiku UbanDoma, Sabon Birni, Aliyu Jodi and Kofar Kade among other residential areas.

Other residents troop to the Water Board headquarters and to water treatment plants on Illela Road to fetch water.

A source at the Water Board told NAN that aside unavailability of diesel, other logistics like debt owed to contractors supplying water treatment chemicals were challenges being faced.

The source hinted that contractors stopped supply because of unpaid accumulated expenses by the government.

Some residents alleged that the water board was supplying adulterated water through the pipeline network until Thursday when supply stopped totally.

They alleged that the poor quality water was untreated, brownish in colour and had bad taste.

When contacted on phone, General Manager, Sokoto State Water Board, Alhaji Ismaila Umar-Sanda, initially expressed misgivings that newsmen were only out to look for negative issues.

He said newshounds were not approaching the board on its routine activities till things went bad, stressing that all hitches were temporary and efforts were being made to address them.

He added also that there was no Commissioner for Water Resources in the state.

In a statement issued by Malam Muhammad Bello, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to Gov. Aminu Tambuwal, however, the governor expressed displeasure at the situation.

As Muslims in Sokoto State celebrate sallah, some residents of the metropolis had to cope with shortage of water supply, a situation which prompted the state government to respond swiftly.

Only last week government gave N114 million to the water board to tackle the issue.

It is surprising that the problem still persists; hence the governors decision that the state government will investigate what went wrong, Bello stated. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Abubakar Ahmed/Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, says his administration has strengthened enforcement in the bid to tackle reckless driving in the nations capital.

Bello made the disclosure when he received the management of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) led by its Managing Director, Mr Buki Ponle, on a courtesy visit.

The minister also said the administrations officials had arrested many offenders.

Most of the taxis that are in green and white colours in the city are registered, so we have a data base and some of them are uniquely under a specific company.

Some companies have fleets of 300 to 400 vehicles while some have 150 to 200; so we are able to catch up with them.

What we do now in some areas that are notorious and very difficult to have enforcement officers all the times is to create some barriers, the minister said.

According to Bello, offenders are taken to the hospital for psychiatric test to ascertain their mental health while their vehicles are impounded.

The offenders will pay N10,000 for the mental check-up and if the results show that they have psychiatric problem, then we will keep them at the hospital.

However, if it is not a psychiatric case, we will take them to the Vehicle Inspection Officers office where we have a conference room and then they will make them to pay fine.

After paying the fine, the vehicle will be parked there and they will come for lessons on good manners of driving for two weeks, he said.

The minister, who said his administration had been urging the media to embark on naming and shaming of offenders, however, said it had not been receiving the desired cooperation.

Earlier, Ponle had commended the minister for his efforts in ensuring sanity in the nations capital, adding that enforcement was very important.

I am happy you raised this issue of increased surveillance, especially when it comes to enforcement because enforcement is important.

If there is a law and if there is no enforcement, it is just as if there is no law. But when there is enforcement and punishment, you will remember that if you break the law, punishment is awaiting you.

So people will think twice before they break the law. I am happy about that, Ponle said. (NAN)

Edited by Mufutau Ojo

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has expressed its commitment to partnering with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in sensitising Abuja residents on their expected roles in the protection of critical national infrastructure.

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, said this when the management of the agency led by its Managing Director, Mr Buki Ponle, paid a courtesy call on the minister in Abuja.

Bello said NAN, being a manager of public information, could use its vast reach to publicise the administrations initiatives, especially the fight against acts of vandalism on infrastructure such as manhole covers, streetlight fittings and rail tracks.

The minister, who emphasised the importance of the manholes in housing critical telecommunication infrastructure, said FCTA was ready to partner with the media on the sensitisation drive.

The critical thing is this issue of sensitisation. I think you (NAN) have a platform really that will be very effective in this sensitisation and we have a lot of materials which we can make available to you.

I wish to inform you that hope is not lost with respect to the issue of manhole covers because we are using a lot of composite materials as an alternative.

We are trying to also strengthen enforcement.

Generally in the past, most people tended to assume it to be just a minor nuisance and crime not knowing that it is a very dangerous one because these manhole covers, especially for the telecommunications docks, are housing a very critical national infrastructure, Bello said.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, FCTA, Mr Olusade Adesola, said the administration was worried about the negative attitude of some residents toward protection of public infrastructure

Some of our worries had been variously expressed by the minister even at high profile meetings.

Many of us do not show concern for these infrastructure because these things are not removed by angels, but by humans and they do it at times in the glare of people, Adesola said.

He said the administration had experimented with various options to protect manhole covers, adding that it had used a mixture of cement, sand and iron that would not be attractive to the vandals.

Adesola, however, lamented that some of the alternatives had failed to deter vandals.

Ponle, in his remarks, said that NAN would do all it could to partner with the FCTA to ensure that it achieved the lofty objective of enlightening residents on preservation and protection of infrastructure.

The NAN managing director, who said the agency was concerned about removal of manhole covers in the territory, reiterated the determination of the agency to partner with FCTA on advocacy.(NAN)

Edited by Mufutau Ojo

Source: NAN News