Also Speaks On Customs and Sea Port Administration

Chief Eugene Nweke is the MD/CEO of Virtues Marine and Freight Services Ltd. He is a major key player in Nigeria’s maritime industry with passion for academic and professional research which has earned him series of awards both locally and internationally. He is a speaker at maritime events and has presented papers at different fora. Chief Newke is a Philanthropist, Columnist, Trainer, Opinion Leader, Analyst.

When the One Question crew of Maritime Nigeria, led by Kelvin Kagbare sought his views on  the calibre of person he expects as the next transport minister and other developments in the industry, he put aside tasks he was handling and responded thus:

“We expect that the president will appoint someone with transport-related background and knowledge of Transport administration in Nigeria and even beyond as Transport Minister because the world has become a global village. We need a man who will come to the industry to make impact by putting maritime CEOs and head of Ministries Department and Agencies, MDAs under the Federal Ministry of Transportation, FMOT on their toes because we cannot continue the way we’re going”

“We need a minister of transport whose transport background will bring new impetus irrespective of his political overtures. Anything less than that will be a continuation of the same ritual circle which has not helped us”

“We do not want people who will occupy positions with impunity,  we do not want people who will think that political connection is all that is required; the maritime industry he is a highly regulated environment which requires the expertise of technocrats; this we must pursue by turning a new leaf”

Customs

“I am one of those who have consistently insisted that we need a professional Customs administration and I believe we have gotten that in the person of Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,  the acting CGC, whose appointment should be confirmed quickly for the good of the Service and growth of the maritime industry”.

“You can see and testify that the man hit the ground running and he is making drastic changes for a much more effective and efficient Customs operations”

“He is bringing back the sense of professionalism so that officers know that Customs is a career”.

“The acting CGC is one of the key officers that worked with the late, former CGC of Customs, Inde Dikko,  to bring about Customs modernization under the former CGC”

“I believe his visit to the home and family of the late Dikko is not a mere homage; it has a lot of significance and I’m sure it is part of his efforts to reorganize the Service for greater efficiency”

“Just watch and see how things pan out in the days to come and you will see what the professionalism in Customs service we have been talking about entails”

Nigerian Ports

“Whether we like it or not, we must go back to the National Transport Commission, NTC, Bill which is being held down by some Cabals if we want a viable competitive port industry”

“Our ports as they are are not competitive. Importers go through a lot to move their cargo from the ports. After going through different government security agencies, you exit the ports only to go through numerous layers of agberos often referred to as non-state actors who have turned the port access roads to their points of extortion; making hapless traders and other port users to waste more time and money”

Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko Managing Director, NPA

“You cannot continue to focus on cost, cost, and cost component and revenue aspect of port management and expect to have competitive ports”.

“The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko is doing his best but a lot more needs to be done if our ports are to become attractive and competitive”

“You cannot continue to focus on cost, cost, and cost component and revenue aspect of ports management and expect to have competitive port.

“International trading goods must be accorded attention from point of origin to the warehouse of the importer but what do we have?, You exit the ports after passing through several government security agencies only for you to face agberos otherwise known as non-state actors in their numbers”

“They have turned the port access roads to their extortion avenues and different groups have their extortion point mounted along the roads. You can see the different associations and groups struggling and trying to survive as they grapple with issues and the menace of state and non-state actors within the port environment” Nweke said