Day: August 2, 2023

For the first time in 30 years Panama is no longer the world’s largest ship registry. Rival Liberia has overhauled the Central American nation in terms of gross tonnage in new data issued by Clarksons Research.

The Liberian flag now has a 2.2m gt lead over Panama at the top of the registry rankings, its fleet growing by 5.6% so far this year, according to Clarksons. In terms of the number of ships on their books, Panama retains a healthy lead of more than 3,200 ships.

Looking at the list of the top 30 flags, the big losers in the year to date have been Malta and Cyprus, likely as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, while the flag that has grown the most in percentage terms by some distance has been Germany, a nation that is showing signs of having finally thrown off the maritime shackles that has dogged growth for more than a decade.

In related news, to date, a total of 96,804 bulk carriers sail the world’s oceans, with China’s flag being the most used, according to data provided by MarineTraffic.

The flag of the East Asian nation is flown by 65.9% of ships of this type, which is equivalent to 63,838 ships.

In the same way, Panama-registered vessels follow in second place with 3,834 vessels, the Netherlands in third place with 2,669 motor vessels, Liberia in fourth place with 2,272 and the Marshall Islands in fifth place with 2,079.

In addition, the site dedicated to providing real-time information on the movements and location of maritime transport makes the five main ports of origin – according to bulk carrier departures – Port Hedland (Australia), Tianjin (China), Shanghai (China), Kaohsiung (Taiwan) and Terneuzen (Netherlands).

Finally, the top five bulk carriers in the world are Sea Beijing, Sea Qingdao and Sea Indonesia with the capacity to carry 404,389 DWT, followed by Sea Maranhao with 403,844 DWT and Sea Fujiyama with 403,811 DWT

Source: Nam News Network

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Dr Olalekan Balogun (R) and the Acting Zonal Commander of the Ibadan Command of the EFCC, ACE I Halima Rufa’u with others during a visit to the Oba on Tuesday in Ibadan.

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Dr Olalekan Balogun, has pledged his support to the EFCC in tackling the menace of illegal mining activities in Ibadan and Oyo State in general.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, on Tuesday in Abuja.

Uwujaren quoted Oba Balogun as making the pledge when the Acting Zonal Commander of the Ibadan Command of the EFCC, ACE I Halima Rufa’u visited him on Tuesday.

He commended the acting zonal commander for coming to his palace at a time that the fight against illegal mining in Ibadan was on the rise.

The Olubadan also expressed pleasure that the EFCC was a major stakeholder in this fight.

“It is evident and we are aware that the commission has been tackling the menace of illegal mining activities head on.

“I can assure you of my full support including the supports of all the traditional chiefs in Ibadan to making sure that the illegal activities come to an end,” the Olubadan stated.

He also commended the acting zonal commander for expediting positive action as regards land and property fraud cases.

He, however, stressed the need for the commission to do more in curbing the menace of cybercrime and other related fraudulent activities amongst the youth.

The acting zonal commander thanked Oba Balogun for receiving her while assuring the paramount ruler that the Ibadan Zonal Command will do more to curb the menace of cybercrime in the state.

Rufa’u said the commission would continue to tackle the activities of illegal mineral operators that had undermined the development of the state and, indeed, the country through non- payment of royalties, taxes and other dues.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

As Nigerians await palliatives to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal, Mr Dahiru Hammandikko, Convener, Tinubu/Shetima Northern Region Support Group, has called for patience and understanding.

“We understand the current pains and hardship caused by the removal of the oil subsidy by the Federal Government.

“But we can assure Nigerians that the situations will soon improve and that Nigerians will laugh last,”

Hammandikko said in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday.

Hammandikko, Deputy Director, Contact and Mobilization, North East APC Presidential Campaign Council,

explained that the hardship was much now because the decision taken by Tinubu should have been carried out by his predecessors, in the last 15 years.

He, nevertheless, assured Nigerians that things would get better “very soon”.

“We shall reap the benefits of the current pains. Nigerians will laugh last,” he declared.

Part of the statement reads: “The removal of oil subsidy and the new exchange rate regime have led to inflationary pressure which is causing some hardship on the part of the masses.

“As the saying goes, there is no gain without pains. Like the President said, while trying to give birth, one must go through the pains of labour.

“However, when the child is born, the safe birth will keep the mother happy.

“Her pain of a few hours would therefore lead to everlasting joy. Nigerians should see the economic reforms of President Tinubu from that perspective.

“If President Tinubu had not taken those steps, it could have led to a complete crash of the Nigerian economy with its attendant social, economic and political implications.

“The pains we are currently going through will soon go and by this time next year, by the grace of Almighty Allah, Nigerians would begin to see the results of the steps that the president has taken.

“The president is just about 60 days today in office. He still has over 46 more months to spend in his first term of 48 months, having spent just two.

“President Tinubu is taking decisions that should have been taken over 15 years ago.

“Nigerians should give Tinubu some time; we must allow his policies to mature and for us to begin to see the positive effects.

“The president has said he understands the pains of Nigeria, we should just exercise patience,” Hammandikko said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Nigeria’s Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa has called for “collective attention and a united response” among ECOWAS defence chiefs to restore democratic governance in Niger.

Musa spoke during a meeting of the defence chiefs of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), on Wednesday in Abuja.

The meeting was attended by 10 countries including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Togo, Liberia, Ghana, Gambia, Cote D’voire, Cape Varde, Benin and Senegal, while Mali, Niger, Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Burkina Faso were absent.

The meeting was in response to the directive of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS during its Extraordinary Session in Abuja on Jul 30.

The CDS said the region must face the challenges of restoring democratic governance in Niger head-on, drawing on their shared experiences, wisdom, and collective resolve.

Musa, who is the current President of the ECOWAS Committee of CDS, said the decisions that would be taken at the meeting would have far-reaching implications for the ECOWAS region.

“Accordingly, this extraordinary meeting is a fall out of the Final Communique of that Meeting.

“To this end, we are assembled here today not only as heads of our various Armed Forces, but also as members of an interrelated regional community.

“The events that transpired in one of our countries on July 26 has reverberated across our borders, affecting us all.

“The recent coup d’etat in the Republic of Niger is one event that calls for our collective attention and a united response.

“We must face the challenges of restoring democratic governance in Niger head-on, drawing on our shared experiences, wisdom, and collective resolve.

“ECOWAS’ strength lies in unity, shared values, and commitment to democracy, peace, and prosperity.

“In this regard, we are tasked with a mission to restore democracy in the Republic of Niger and preserve germane humanitarian principles across the region.

“Our decisions will inevitably shape the lives of millions of people around the sub-continent,” he said.

Musa said the ECOWAS, since its establishment, had remained steadfast in promoting economic cooperation and regional integration, and had stood against any form of illegal takeover of power, as enshrined in the 2001 Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance.

He said it was the principle that compelled them to convene the meeting to address the current situation in Niger.

He added that the political instability in Niger was a source of grave concern for all, adding that it threatens the countries’ shared vision of a peaceful, secure, and prosperous West Africa.

He said that the vision would be impossible to achieve amidst political upheavals and disruptions to constitutional order.

“Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to deliberate on this issue and chart a course towards resolution, in accordance with the principles of democracy, rule of law, and respect for human rights.

“We are not oblivious to the complex challenges that lie ahead. The task of restoring democratic governance in Niger is fraught with potential hurdles and complications.

“However, we cannot afford to be hamstrung by these challenges. Instead, we must confront them head-on, drawing upon our shared experiences, wisdom, and the strength of our collective resolve.

“Our decisions will send a strong message about our commitment to democracy, our intolerance for unconstitutional changes of government, and our dedication to regional stability.”

The CDS therefore called for openness, frankness, and constructive dialogue in their discussion and encouraged all to contribute fully and freely, listen attentively to each other, and work collaboratively towards a solution that would serve the best interests of the people of Niger.

The Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, said the authority of the Heads of State of ECOWAS was committed to eradication of all forms unconstitutional takeover of power in the sub region.

Musah said the region was currently confronted with two existential threats which were mutually reinforcing.

The first one, according to him, is the asymmetric environment characterised by terrorism, refugee flows, poisoning of intercommunal relations which have led to the second existential threat, the return of the military to power in the region.

He said there had been about eight to nine successful and unsuccessful coups in West Africa in the last three years, adding that all memberships of ECOWAS were led by democratically elected president before three years ago.

Musah said the threat of military takeover in West Africa had become pronounced in recent times, saying that efforts must be made to address the situation if the region must not become the laughing stock of Africa and the world.

He said there was need to demonstrate that the ECOWAS could go beyond backing and that it could also bite.

He said the meeting of the defence chiefs was guided by the Protocol relating to the mechanism for conflict prevention, management, resolution, peacekeeping and security, which was adopted in 1999 and signed up to by all Member States in 2001.

Musah said the supplementary protocol of democracy and good governance also declared zero tolerance for power obtained or maintained by unconstitutional means by sitting heads of state who tweaked their constitutions to prolong their stay in power.

“We are of the view that the situation in Niger where democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum has been taken hostage together with his family and being used as a form in negotiations, is a hostage situation and we need to revert that.

“W also need to restore constitutional order in the country by reinstating the overthrown president. Those are the two clear instructions given by the heads of state and they have given the military leaders led by General Giani, seven days to make good the directives of the heads of state.

“Today the third day but when the seven days elapse, anything can happen and as the heads of ECOWAS have said, nothing is off the table.

“So respected chiefs of defense staff of our region, this is a clarion call to you. This is a test of the will of our militaries to demonstrate that we are having a democratically minded military whose responsibility is the protection of the state.

“So the diplomacy is being given a chance to succeed and like we said, the military option is the very last on the table.

“And if we can avoid that, a peaceful resolution is our preferred option but we have to prepare for all eventualities.

“The time has come again for ECOWAS to show that we are a rules-based organisation, we are rule based countries; we cannot allow the rule by the Ballot Box to be replaced by the rule of Kalashnikovs,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The House of Representatives has urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to remove bottlenecks preventing Nigerians from accessing the N250 billion gas expansion facility at the bank.

Rep. Benson Babajimi, the Chairman of the ad hoc committee on petrol price hike said this on Wednesday, when CBN officials appeared before the committee.

Babajimi said that the removal of the bottlenecks would cushion the effect of the removal of petrol subsidy on Nigerians.

“My point is that you oversight the commercial banks, you have the right and powers to remove bottlenecks.

“The information we are giving to you is that you go back and see how you can make the process seamless,” he said.

Responding, the Programmes Manager, CBN, Mr Clement Osawi, acknowledged that the bank had an intervention fund called Oil and Gas Stabilisation Fund.

He said that as a matter of procedure, most CBN interventions went through commercial banks to qualified beneficiaries.

Osawi said that the commercial banks had the responsibility to do the due diligence and feasibility studies on beneficiaries.

“From what you are saying, it is like a new venture where it is very difficult to assess the capacity of the person requesting for the funds.

“So the likelihood of them having access to large sums is very difficult; it is easier to give CBN funds to establishments with clear track records otherwise, CBN will be accused of just giving someone who is not doing anything with funds.

“For IPMAN to have mentioned it, they were informed that the facility exists; CBN can announce that there is a facility and ask commercial banks to send those qualified beneficiaries.

“You can stay for two years, they won’t send one; this is because having drafted the criteria, the commercial bank will tell you, we have checked this customer, we have checked the other customer, it is not okay,” he said.

Osawi, however, said that he would carry the message of the committee to the management of the apex bank for further actions.

Osawi blamed the current hike in petrol price on exchange rate and other factors playing out in the global oil market.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

South Africa International Relations and Cooperation Minister, Naledi Pandor said that Ethiopia and South need to cement their cooperation to continue being leaders on the African continent.

The minister told ENA that Ethiopia and South Africa have played significant roles in supporting the emergence of pan-Africanism and the African Union (AU.)

“These countries played such an important role in giving life to the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD) and in supporting the emergence of the African Union. So, we say Ethiopia and South Africa played a leading role in that regard.”

According to her, the countries need to therefore cement the relationship to continue being leaders on the continent.

To this end, the 4th Ethiopia-South Africa Joint Ministerial Commission meeting was held on Monday here in Addis Ababa to further bolster the existing strategic bilateral relations and continental issues.

Pandor stated that the meeting affirmed the strong cooperation between the two countries.

“We affirmed the very strong cooperation that exists between South Africa and Ethiopia. But we also identified new areas of cooperation. We've agreed that we must play a bigger role in advancing the objectives of Agenda 2063,” she elaborated.

The minister added that Ethiopia and South Africa have also agreed to boost the private sector and encourage businesses to exchange and enhance economic diplomacy as one of the key priorities for collaboration.

Among a number of new agreements that the two countries are working on, one of the most important one is agriculture, according to Pandor.

“As Africa we have a challenge of food security. And I think if we can cooperate successfully together to expand agricultural production, and agro-processing in our countries, we will address food security.

“We've also agreed to add economic diplomacy because we must grow the private sector and ensure that it helps us with job creation and with greater public revenue.”

Recalling her discussion with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Monday afternoon, the minister said that we had a very good discussion on BRICS.

She revealed that President Cyril Ramaphosa has invited Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to take part on the 15th BRICS Summit to be held in South Africa this month.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency