APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that the European Union (EU) has advised Nigeria to tighten security architecture at the seaports to help reduce its vulnerabilities and risks is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Wednesday.
The Guardian reports that the European Union (EU) has advised Nigeria to tighten security architecture at the seaports to help reduce its vulnerabilities and risks. The call was made at the closing ceremony of the Western and Central Africa Port Security (WeCAPS) first mission training in Nigeria for ports in Lagos.
The mission, which started in August 2022, was sponsored by EU and driven by Expertise France (EF) with the collaboration of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The team leader of WeCAPS, Nico Vertogen, said strengthening the security and safety of the West and Central African ports would help reduce vulnerabilities and risks, thereby increasing skills and vigilance.
Vertogen called for perimeter fencing of the ports, installation of CCTVs and access badges among others as a means to tighten the nation’s port security.
He explained that the WeCAPS project is a partner project with expertise giving their opinion on safety and security accompanied by training.
The Managing Director, NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko, commended the EU for the WeCAPS training mission to strengthen security and safety of ports in the West and Central African region. He said the training mission in Nigeria came at a time when the authority is prioritising safety and security to achieve a hub status within the region.
This commitment, Bello-Koko said is in line with the authority’s vision to be the maritime logistics hub for sustainable port services in Africa, which also prioritises the delivery of efficient port services in a safe, secure and customer-friendly environment.
Also speaking, the General Manager, Security, NPA, Mohammed Khalil, said ports are part of a nation’s critical national infrastructure and assets. He said the ports are also gateways to the nation’s economy as they serve as transportation hubs connecting and facilitating movement of goods to support businesses for wealth creation and economic growth.
The newspaper says that the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) Sahara Deck, Abuja Chapter has joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Press Day.
The organisation said it “commends all pressmen, women and organizations that are at the forefront of ensuring that the press does its job as both the conscience and moral barometer of the society.”
“As it is often said, the press is the fourth estate of the realm. In a democracy, the presence of an active and independent press is a non-negotiable fundamental,” the Seadogs noted.
The organisation made the statements in a release signed by the Capoon Sahara Deck, NAS Abuja Chapter, Olamide Oni, saying, “Aside from holding government to account and enlightening the citizens, an active and independent press is needed by the government to highlight its activities and achievements.”
“Therefore, having an independent press provides a win-win situation and it is healthy for democratic growth and progress,” the organisation said.
It further noted that “While the benefits of an active and independent press are too numerous to mention here, it is important to note that in terms of press freedom and independence, Nigeria is still a work in progress with a huge gap to cover.
“Journalists, media houses and others in the press industry are still experiencing state-sponsored harassment, intimidation, detention and in extreme cases, disappearance.”
The organisation said, “It is important to bring to fore the disappearance of Dadiyata, a Kaduna-based activist and government critic who had disappeared without a trace since 2019. We call on the Police and relevant security agencies to get to the root of this disappearance.
The Punch reports that the Presidential Election Petitions Court has fixed Monday for the hearing of the petitions challenging the declaration of the All Progressives Congress standard bearer, Bola Tinubu as the president-elect.
With this development, the expected legal battle by candidates disputing the outcome of the 2023 presidential poll will commence from May 8.
The National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, Ahmad El-Marzuq, confirmed the date to The PUNCH on Tuesday.
He said the APC legal team had been briefed and was ready to defend the party’s mandate.
“We have been briefed about the hearing coming up next week. But who told you the election petitions at the tribunal must necessarily be concluded before May 29?
“Are you saying if they were not concluded before President Buhari leaves office, the government should be left in a vacuum and the president-elect should not be sworn in? It is not a must,’’ he stated in response to a question about the time it would take for the petitions to be decided.
Also, a top official of the election petitions tribunal affirmed that the hearing proceedings would start on Monday.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to release the information, he said, ‘’The Presidential election tribunal has fixed Monday, May 8th as for the hearing of the petitions challenging the victory of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu.’’
A member of Tinubu’s legal team, Tayo Oyetibo SAN, also said the hearing had been scheduled to commence next week.
Oyetibo, who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday, said,” Yes the hearing is on Monday, but it’s for a pre-hearing session. The hearing is to clarify if there are any applications before the main hearing will start. The timetable will be set for the hearing of the substantive matters.”
The newspaper says that the Organised Private Sector of Nigeria comprising the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industries, and the Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises has rejected the recently announced increase in excise tax.
The hike, contained in the circular dated April 20, 2023, was reportedly signed by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.
In a statement signed by the Director-General, MAN, Segun Ajayi-Kadir; Director-General, NACCIMA, Olusola Obadimu; Director-General, NECA, Adewale Oyerinde; Director-General, Ifeanyi Oputa; and Director-General, NASSI, and Eke Ubiji, the OPSN called for an immediate reversal of the hike. It said the increase was unwarranted, ill-timed and inimical to the Nigerian economy and the manufacturing sector in particular.
It said the manufacturing sector is presently grappling with unprecedented challenges including the sustained scarcity of naira, limited access to foreign exchange, a struggling economy and persistent inflation, alongside perennial problems of multiple taxation and epileptic power supply.
These challenges, the OPSN said, had resulted in a record crash in sales for most businesses running into billions of Naira, with the result that manufacturers are struggling to remain in business, amidst looming job cuts, mothballing of factories and total shutdown of businesses.
The statement partly read, “Therefore, increasing excise rates at this time is extremely ill-advised and may sound the death knell for affected businesses and their contribution to the national economy, even as the broader manufacturing sector continues to deteriorate.
“In light of the above, the OPSN respectfully requests the Federal Government to urgently reverse the increase in excise rates to protect the affected industries and the dependent businesses in their extended value chain from imminent collapse with calamitous consequences for the economy.
GIK/APA
