Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, the immediate past Minister of Transportation, has appealed to Magdalene Ajani, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation (FMoT), to ensure the full implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN).
Speaking at a Maritime Industry Appreciation Dinner for Sambo and Ademola Adegoroye, his minister of state for transportation, organised by the League of Maritime Editors, he urged the Permanent Secretary to ensure she makes CTN work before the new government puts together its cabinet.
“Before the next cabinet comes, make sure that the Cargo Tracking Note is working. You are the acting Minister now, you can take anything to Mr. President for approval and get express approval,” Sambo advised Ajani.
Earlier, Emmanuel Jime, executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), said the Cargo Tracking Note, which was suspended for about eight years or more, and the Council struggled to reintroduce, was made possible by Sambo as Minister of Transportation who also approved the Council as the Designated Authority for the implementation.
Jime said this feat remained a game-changer in Nigeria’s quest toward cargo security.
In his welcome address, Timothy Okorocha, president of the association, said Sambo’s good leadership qualities enabled him to lead the FMoT to record unprecedented achievements within a very short period.
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According to him, obtaining the Presidential approval for the disbursement of the long-awaited Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) which was stalled for over 20 years within nine weeks was commendable.
He also lauded the reinforcement of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), a project of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which led to the sending of over 300 Nigerian youths to Greece, Norway, and other countries on maritime-related training courses.
“This has in no small measure promoted respect, efficiency, and productivity, thus, overall transformational change in the country’s shipping industry,” Okorocha said.
On his part, Mohammed Bello-Koko, managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), who described the two former Ministers as goal-getters, also commended Sambo for his role in fast-tracking the designation and gazette of Lekki Deep Seaport as a port of origin and destination.
He assured the outgone Ministers that the management of the NPA under his watch would continue to pursue the burning desire in transforming Nigeria’s seaports into a regional hub by promoting automation, renewing port infrastructure, deepening the equipment fleet, and enhancing efficient service delivery.
Also, Bashir Jamoh, director general of the NIMASA, who insisted that the agency remains the greatest beneficiary of the Ministers’ purposeful and transformational leadership qualities, cited the ability to secure permanent office accommodation for the agency at its Abuja liaison office and its regional office in Port Harcourt under their guidance as examples of the effort of the outgone Minister in ensuring the agency deliver its mandate.
He also lauded the Minister for securing the presidential approval for the disbursement of the CVFF and training of over 300 Nigerian youths under the NSDP programme, as well as enabling the acquisition of additional patrol platforms and staff ferries for members of staff, among others.
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