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Tag: Imo

  • Nigeria to return to International Maritime Organisation Council soon

    Nigeria to return to International Maritime Organisation Council soon

    Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative (APR) at the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, Alhaji Diko Balla has said the nation’s maritime sector will soon regain its leadership position in the global maritime community.

    Balla who stated this while speaking at the Nigerian IMO office in London, noted that the steps taken by the present NIMASA management, has led to a great improvement of the country’s relationship with the IMO as a body and other Maritime Administrations who are members of the international body. The move is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari drive to integrate the nation back into global affairs.

    In his words: “Nigeria was amongst the first ten (10) countries from the over 170 member nations of the IMO to submit itself for the IMO Member States Audit Scheme, IMSAS, this is seen as a show of direction of the current administration of maritime in Nigeria by the IMO, adding that the IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim was pleased when the Minister of Transportation Honorable Rotimi Amaechi informed him that the findings and observations of the IMO Member States Audit Scheme of Nigeria was being studied with a view to preparing and implementing Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) within the stipulated time frame”.

    Speaking further, the APR noted that IMO considers the issue of Piracy as top priority and that the maritime community, particularly the IMO is pleased with Nigeria for taking the fight against Piracy and robbery at sea to new levels with the Anti-Piracy bill push parliament.

    “The achievements of the Dr. Dakuku Peterside led Management at NIMASA in the past one year is an indication that the nation’s maritime sector is heading in the right direction. And the fact that the IMO is collaborating with Nigeria much more in the area of trainings and technical support shows that the international body is satisfied with NIMASA operations in recent times. By November this year, I can assure you that Nigeria’s election into the Category “C” at IMO will be an overwhelming one,” Balla explained.

    Commenting on the implementation of the International Ships and Ports facility Security ISPS Code, Bala noted that the fact that Nigeria is now in the category of countries considered as most successful in its implementation is a welcome development to both the IMO and other stakeholders in the maritime sector.

    ” You will recall that when we lost our seat in Council in 2011, our implementation status was less than 13%. Today we have over 85% compliance level, so you can see that the international community is watching and appreciating our efforts” he said.

    Speaking further, the Nigerian APR said that the IMO is prepared to support Maritime Administrations in Africa in combating security challenges, and in building human capacity equipped to implement, monitor and enforce international instruments.

    Commenting on the recent conference of Association of African Maritime Administration AAMA, which was hosted by Nigeria, Bala noted that the IMO has restated her commitment to support, when possible, regular meetings of Heads of Maritime Administrations in Africa, at frequencies to be determined by the continental body.

    The Nigerian Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO noted that the Body is satisfied with the decision of the continental body to encourage regional cooperation and coordination amongst member nations to enhance information sharing and regulatory governance among members which according to the IMO has the potentials to assist in combating the menace of piracy and other maritime crimes while maintaining a balance between security and the facilitation of global trade.

  • Imo Customary Court of Appeal president, Justice Okpara dies

    Imo Customary Court of Appeal president, Justice Okpara dies

    The Imo State government on Thursday confirmed the death of the President of the customary court of Appeal in the state, Justice P. I Okpara.

    A statement in Owerri, the state capital which was signed by the chief press secretary to the governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, stated that the jurist died after a brief illness.

    The statement read, “The governor, His Excellency, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has received with rude shock the unfortunate death of the President of the State’s Customary Court of Appeal, Owerri, Justice P.I. Okpara, who died after a brief illness.

    The governor and the Rescue Mission Government in the State highly regret the death of Justice Okpara at this time when his services both to the people of the State, the bench, and the bar were mostly needed.

    The governor said the State Government would liaise with the family to give the Judicial Icon the kind of burial he deserved.

    The governor has also extended his Condolences to the heads and staff of all the departments of the Judicial arm in the State, over the demise of this great jurist.

    He urged all Imo people to pray for the family members of the late President of the Customary Court of Appeal and ask God to give them all they need to bear this great loss.

    The governor prays the good Lord to grant the soul of Justice Okpara eternal rest”.

  • My achievement in Imo surpasses that of Obiano – Okorocha

    My achievement in Imo surpasses that of Obiano – Okorocha

    …says comparing him to Obinao is like comparing Messi of FC Barca with a left wing player of Mbieri Secondary School.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said his Anambra State counterpart, Willie Obiano is way below him in terms of achievements in government.

    Okorocha noted that comparing him Obiano achievement wise in administration was like comparing the legendary Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona with just a left wing player of Mbieri Secondary School.

    Okorocha therefore challenged newsmen in the South-East to make a comparison of governance and infrastructural development in Imo and Anambra States to confirm his assertion.

    His statement was against the background of Obiano’s denial of the claim by the Imo State governor that three of the four other South-East governors were planning to join the All Progressives Congress, APC.

    Okorocha, while reacting to Obiano’s denial, through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, in Owerri warned the Anambra governor to stop the use of motor park languages and start behaving like ‘His Excellency.’

    “That kind of motor park language was unexpected from a governor of a state who answers His Excellency, even when the Anambra governor did not explain what he meant by that. In what way was Governor Okorocha not an example of what a leader should be?

    “Governor Okorocha’s claim was a healthy one, expected to provoke sound debates, which is the beauty of democracy.

    “Governors with ideas and the right exposure gave their polite reactions, but the one without ideas (Obiano) took to insults. Only men with nothing to offer in terms of ideas take delight in insulting others. Men of ideas do not insult others.

    “Leadership is all about ideas and service. Luckily enough, Obiano has been governor for almost four years while Okorocha has also been governor for five years now. Let Obiano publish his achievements in Anambra State even with high IGR, and let Governor Okorocha also publish his achievements in Imo. Then, we take off from there.

    “As governor, Owelle Okorocha came up with ideas and popular policies like free education at all levels which has been working well in Imo, Community Government Councils (CGC), urban renewal programme, Ikuola Nkwu, Imo Air, massive road networks, building of universities, infrastructural revolution, and so many others. Let Governor Obiano mention at least one programme his government in Anambra State is known for, almost four years as governor.

    “We may at this point, challenge journalists from the South-East to embark on project tours of Imo and Anambra and make their findings known to the public. Obiano, no doubt, has taken Anambra State several kilometres backward, while in Imo, Okorocha has raised the bar of leadership or governance.

    “To say the least, comparing Okorocha with Obiano is like comparing Messi of Barcelona FC with the left wing player of Mbieri Secondary in Mbaitolu LGA of Imo State.”

  • Gunmen attack Imo court, free notorious robbery suspect, ‘Vampire’

    Gunmen attack Imo court, free notorious robbery suspect, ‘Vampire’

    Gunmen suspected to be members of a notorious kidnap and armed robbery syndicate invaded the Owerri High Court on Friday and rescued a suspected member of the gang, Henry Chibueze, who is known as ‘Vampire’.

    It was gathered that the suspect and others had been brought into the court premises to face kidnapping and other heinous criminal charges before the attack.

    According to a report by The Punch the suspect, Chibueze, who had been in prison custody in Owerri, and about 50 other in-mates were driven to the court in a police van, when about six heavily armed bandits invaded the premises.

    The gunmen escaped with Chibueze after a shootout with security operatives, which left several persons with injuries.

    The State Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Prisons Service, Mr. Maduba James, said the suspect, Henry, was at large and that over six people were critically injured during the gunfight.

    The PRO said, “We were in the office this morning when we got a distress call that some gunmen were in the court premises, we thought they were DSS officials because by then we were conveying over 50 in-mates to the state High Court for hearing.

    “However, the gunmen attacked some of our men and some of the in-mates. They were critically injured and have been taken to the hospital.

    “Nevertheless, one of the in-mates who we know as Vampire is at large presently but my Comptroller and other security operatives in the state are on top of the situation”.