The commencement of prosecution by the Federal Government and the Nigerian Navy of suspected criminal vessel, MT Heroic Idun, and its crew handed over by the government of Equatorial Guinea is one of the trending stories in Nigerian newspapers on Wednesday.
The Guardian reports that the Federal Government and the Nigerian Navy have commenced prosecution of suspected criminal vessel, MT Heroic Idun, and its crew handed over by the government of Equatorial Guinea.
Addressing newsmen on the development, Chief of Policy and Plans (Navy Headquarters), Rear Admiral Seidu Garba, noted that the “mischievous” act by MT Heroic Idun was aimed at tarnishing the good image of the maritime domain in Nigeria, which the Navy has worked hard to achieve and sustain.
He urged the public to “disregard rumours, mischievous and fictitious articles being circulated by enemies of the state, in a bid to cause chaos and discredit efforts of the Nigerian Navy and indeed Nigeria.”
He added: “The smear campaign put up by the ship in the media space, in a fierce attempt to rubbish the transfer process by falsely gaining international support/sympathy, is bound to fail. It is, perhaps, an indication that the vessel has a case to answer.”
The briefing was jointly addressed by the Navy, representatives of Ministry of Defence (MOD), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Justice.
Garba said: “You may recall that on Friday, August 19, 2022, Naval Headquarters briefed the media on the arrest of Motor Tanker Heroic Idun by the Equatorial Guinean Navy. It was mentioned that the Very Large Crude oil Carrier (VLCC) had entered the Nigerian Maritime Environment (NME) on August 7, 2022 and headed for Akpo Field without any form of authorisation or clearance.
“For the avoidance of doubt, MT Heroic Idun (IMO: 9858058) is registered in Marshall Island, with an overall length of 336-metres, 60 metres breadth and capacity of three million barrels. The vessel was spotted by the Nigerian Navy Maritime Domain Awareness facility. And a Nigerian Navy (NN) Inshore Patrol Craft, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Gongola, probed the legitimacy of her presence in the Total Safe Anchorage operated by Akpo Field.
“Following interrogation, the Captain of MT Heroic Idun duly responded to NNS Gongola and further stated that his vessel was without relevant clearance to operate in the field.
The newspaper says that the Federal Government, in Abuja, yesterday, said about 3,318 kilometers of rail lines are being considered across the country.
This came as stakeholders insisted that unless Africa is linked by railway network, projected boost in intra-African trade, as envisaged under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), would remained a mirage.
Speaking at an International Railway Conference, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), the stakeholders, noted that the continent must prioritise railway, if it must address growing poverty, unemployment and weak economic outlook.
Minister for Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo, said the Federal Government has conducted feasibility studies on selected route alignments it considered viable for development.
The proposed route alignments, according to him, are: Zaria-Funtua-Gusau-Kaura Namoda-Sokoto-Illela-Birnin Koni, which is 520km; Lagos-Ibadan-Oshogbo-Baro-Abuja, 615km; Ilela-Sokoto-Jega-Yauri-Makera, about 408km; Aba-Ikpene-Ibiono-Itu (Spur Uyo) Odudukpani-Calabar, about 340km, Calabar-Ikom-Obudu-Ogoja-Wukari-Yola-Maiduguri, 1,068km and Kano-Nguru-Gashua-Damaturu-Ngala, which is 707km.
The total network expansion is at about 3,318 kilometers.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, Mu’azu disclosed that a 25-year strategic railway plan for Nigeria had suffered setback due to discrepancies in government policies; inadequate funding of the rail sector and absence of experienced private investors, among others.
Also, President of ACCI, Dr. Al-Mujtaba Abubakar, said railway development in Africa demands urgent attention. He noted that railway remains a climate-smart and efficient way to move people and freight.
Quoting an African Business Forum report, he said over 25 per cent of intra-African trade gains in services would go to transport alone; and nearly 40 per cent of the increase in Africa’s services production would be in transport under AfCFTA.
The Punch reports that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, says the Federal Government will do away with petroleum subsidy by June 2023.
Ahmed said this on Tuesday in Abuja during a press conference to mark the end of the 28th National Economic Summit.
The fuel subsidy gulped N2.565tn between January and August 2022.
Also, in the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, the Federal Government proposed to spend N3.3tn on fuel subsidy between January and June 2023.
According to Ahmed, removal of fuel subsidy is part of the FG’s medium-term plan in the budget.
She, however, said that the challenge was how to go about removing the subsidy.
“First, we have to engage. We have already engaged with the states and the public before it was approved as part of the medium-term plan.
“We have to do it by systematically informing the citizens about the size and the quantum of the fuel subsidy.
“We also have to educate them about the opportunity cost of what we are unable to do because of the fuel subsidy,” she said.
According to the minister, the fuel subsidy, in addition to budget deficit, is putting enormous pressure on the “fiscals”.
“It is not money that we have; it is money that we have to borrow to maintain the fuel subsidy.
“Some countries introduced subsidy during the COVID-19, and because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but they are using their money to fund such subsidy.
“In our case, we are borrowing to pay the subsidy; that is double jeopardy. It is something that has to stop
“We are glad that majority of people in decision-making positions, including the political parties, have agreed that subsidy is not sustainable.
The newspaper says that Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, on Tuesday, issued an order of interim injunction restraining the Federal Government from executing the proposed establishment of the national carrier – Nigeria Air.
But the Federal Government, through its Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, declared on Tuesday that no law in Nigeria could stop the national carrier project.
On their part, domestic airlines alleged that the sale of shares of the proposed airline violated the Companies and Allied Matters Act, as well as that of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The document containing the FHC’s order of interim injunction, with reference: FHC/L/CS/219/2022, indicated that the registered trustees of the Airline Operators of Nigeria were the plaintiff in the suit.
It named the four defendants to include Nigeria Air Limited – first defendant; Ethiopian Airlines – second defendant; Senator Hadi Sirika (aviation minister) – third defendant; and the Attorney-General of the Federation (Abubakar Malami) – fourth defendant.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Monday that the national carrier project might be stopped by the court as domestic airlines had taken the Federal Government and its foreign technical partner and majority shareholders to court.
The report stated that about eight local airlines and their association took the government to court on Friday, listing Nigerian Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, as defendants.
GIK/APA