British warship in Nigeria to combat oil theft, sea piracy

A UK Royal Navy warship, has arrived in Lagos to support Nigeria’s efforts to combat sea piracy, oil theft and other forms of maritime crime.

The warship HMS Trent reportedly arrived in the country on Sunday.

Official reports say the development will enable the Royal Navy to deliver capacity training and maritime support on combating sea piracy and illegal trafficking.

Speaking on the deployment of the warship, HMS Trent’s Commanding Officer, Tim Langford, said the visit was an opportunity for the UK navy to work with their Nigerian counterparts.

“The Royal Navy has a long history of engagement within the region and an enduring partnership with the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” Langford said.

“This is an opportunity for the Royal Navy and the Nigerian Navy to work together in order for us to identify possible solutions in the maritime environment and counter insecurity on the high sea.

“We are together to understand the lessons that all nations have identified individually and share the lessons with each other.”

The UK Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said a secure environment would support trade, investment, and prosperity between the two countries.

“Nigeria is an important and valued defence partner for the UK in West Africa,” Baxter said.

“Our two countries face many shared threats and we are keen to work with Nigeria to defeat these and to help improve maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.”

Maritime workers begin strike Monday, to shut down port operations 

Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria has directed all port workers and its other members nationwide to begin an industrial action on Monday over poor pay and welfare package.

The union asked the workers to shut down all operations of shipping companies and port terminals from Monday.

President-General of MWUN, Adewale Adeyanju, gave the order at a press briefing in Lagos.

He said that since 2018, they had been having a running battle with the shipping companies on the welfare of workers.

According to him, despite several ultimatums and interventions of the immediate past Minister of Transportation, Muazu Sambo, the shipping companies, mostly multinationals, had refused to yield.

Adeyanju lamented that the working conditions of the workers in the nation’s shipping industry were nothing short of modern-day slavery.

Reps halt $700m cabotage fund disbursement, demand audit

Shipowners have a real cause to worry as the House of Representatives has ordered the immediate suspension of the disbursement of $700m Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).

The lawmakers also demanded an audit of all contracts involving cabotage just as they summoned the minister of transportation on the issue.

The money is expected to be released to the shipowners by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The Federal Government through NIMASA had promised to disburse the funds before the end of the President Buhari administration.

The agency felt the funds disbursement would accelerate the nation’s transition from crude to blue economy.

But the House on Tuesday directed NIMASA to furnish it with an audited statement of account within seven days showing all monies that had accrued to the CVFF.

Adopting a motion of urgent public importance brought before the House by Henry Nwawuba, the lawmakers also directed its Committee on Local Content to engage an external auditor to audit all contracts entered into in the cabotage regime and report same to the House within seven days.

The committee is also to commence immediate investigations into the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund to determine all monies that have accrued to the Fund since its establishment in 2003 and report to the House within 14 days.

The lawmakers also asked the Minister of State for Transportation and NIMASA Director-General to report to the House Committee on Local Content on the state of the fund and how the funds have been applied over the past 20 years.

Reps halt $700m cabotage fund disbursement, demand audit