By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

At its 2023 Midwest Achievers’ Awards event celebrated recently, the Midwest Herald Community Newspaper bestowed a special Award of Excellence for Industry and Community Leadership on Engr Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun. He stood out among six outstanding personalities pencilled down from hundreds of others during a keenly-contested selection process.

According to the organizers of the event, all six successful winners have impacted meaningfully on the socio-political development of Nigeria. They are resourceful and successful in their different fields which included politics, housing, maritime, oil and gas, etc.

Engr Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun, the founder and pioneer President of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) bagged the honour in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of the maritime industry through his Marine Logistics Company and for pioneering the first privately-owned indigenous ship repair and dry-docking shipyard in Nigeria, his unwavering passion for human capital development made evident in jobs creation, internship and training opportunities for Nigerians through his various companies with many Nigerians in their payroll.

Most outstandingly, Engr Ogbeifun possesses to his credit exemplary leadership and mentorship qualities which still manifest even in retirement.

Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun, Chairman, Starzs Investments Company Limited, the publisher of Midwest Herald, Omo Ojo-Orobosa said in a special tribute, is one of the leading lights in the shipping and Maritime Industries.

“Though, somewhat a private personage, but like the proverbial goldfish, the Port Harcourt based billionaire shipping mogul and philanthropist whose exploits spread from Nigeria to the rest of the world, unavoidably hogs the limelight once again at the Midwest Herald’s Award for ‘Industry and Leadership’.

Ojo-Orobosa said the Newspaper marked twenty years of its existence with various awards to the recipients and that Engr Ogbeifun was awarded the special laurel for his ‘industry and for his uncommon leadership’, especially in the Maritime Industry where he built the first indigenous Ship-repair Yard in the country.

“Engr Greg is a philanthropist per excellence, a shipping magnate with remarkable business exploits, who has worked tirelessly over the last 50 years, mentoring younger generations.

“Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun is a man of vision who is constantly on a mission to change the tragic story of a nation in constant crises with itself. He has been deploying his maritime expertise by engaging the younger generations through leadership training for his company member of staff”, Omo-Ojo said.

The publisher further described Engr. Greg Ogbeifun as a detribalised Nigerian whose friends cut across every ethnic backgrounds in Nigeria and beyond. His outstanding business ability aside, his reliability, integrity and dependability have constantly drawn friends into his tent as a result of his contribution to society and humanity.

Reacting to the award with the outpouring of accolades, glitz and glamour, the global business giant gave a glowing account of his driving philosophy.

“I feel very humble, very grateful and I think it’s a very motivating experience. Whatever it is that qualified us to be nominated and awarded, we have to keep doing in the interest of the nation and the younger generations after us.”

“In our time, the culture was much better than this time. Some of us have decided that knowing the challenges of the times facing the youths we continue to create platforms that would enable us to impact in them values and attributes they need to survive in this period of hardship.

“That’s what I’ll advice anyone who’s privileged to be focused so that our teeming youths can be gainfully employed or self creative in our own enlightened self- interest. You heard, for example, when they were reading my citation how I tackled the issues of joblessness and unemployment amongst our youths.

“The platforms I created were essentially established not to make more money for myself and my immediate family, but to expand the frontiers of numerous opportunities for the younger generations to leverage on their natural endowments while excelling in their individual disciplines and chosen careers.

“I think this is needed if we must achieve lasting peace in the country, as well as overcome litanies of artificial stagnation in all sectors of the economy and in our daily lives. We can truly change the narratives and a new paradigm shift is possible for a new Nigeria”, Engr. Greg said.

The business tycoon’s advocacy for positive business climate; the possibility for a new Nigeria, the place of governments at all levels and the roles of the youth to bring it about resonated with all the awardees who took turns to ex-ray the Nigerian project and the solutions to the legions of man made crises facing the giant of Africa.

Engr Ogbeifun has two books to his credit, ‘Not Always Easy’ and ‘Potentials of Nigeria’s Maritime Industry’. The first publication chronicles his humble beginning, aptly telling the story that he did not achieve greatness by accident but through a therapeutic chain of events.
As the newspaper states, ambitious people know that everything they do and every discipline they adhere to form the links in the chain of events that will lead them to their final destination.

Professor Julius Ihonvbere, the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, bagged the Newspaper’s Award for ‘Visible Contributions to the Advancement of Democracy’. His Award recognizes his inspirational struggles, dedication and commitment to Nigeria’s democracy.
The Midwest Herald Community Newspaper described Ihonvbere as an avowed consistent community builder; an astute leader and community builder with a deep-seated passion to serve his people of Owan Federal Constituency and Edo State in general.

“Over the years, he has consistently and passionately promoted the Local Economic Development (LED) of his Constituency through scholarships, business grants, employment and other social security works through the IHONVBERE FOUNDATION which he formed several years ago.’

Before venturing into the federal parliament in pursuance of the quest to serve his people, Prof Ihonvbere was Special Adviser on Programme and Policy Monitoring to former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Later, he became Secretary to Edo State Government under ex-Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

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By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

An online registration user guide for operators and shippers has been described as one sure way to address fears of insecurity and return total sanity in port operations to the Eastern ports.

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) stated this in Port Harcourt during the unveiling of the Online Portal for the Registration of Regulated Port Service Providers and Users. The ports economic regulator says the innovation has the tendency to improve the much- desired security as well as enhance the ease of doing business.

Unveiling the Portal, Chief Cajetan Agu, NSC’s Consumer Affairs Director,
explained that the arrangement which is the first of its kind, is designed to identify who is who in order to ensure trust in shipping operations in the Eastern zone.

Agu who represented Hon Emmanuel Jime, the Council’s Executive Secretary, identified insecurity as one of the challenges confronting operations at the Eastern ports.

“The user guide is to demonstrate a move away from manual registration to on-line platforms. This is going to reduce time and cost. It will also make it easier for stakeholders. It will help us know the people who are customers, shippers and operators accessing the port. It will assist to give out information.

“The registration of the operators will bring sanity in our Eastern ports. If you don’t know the people that are operating in a particular area you cannot manage them. The issue of security is there.

When you don’t know anybody, secuity is compromised. But when you know the people, secuity is guaranteed. With this, we can profile people and know who is doing what in the Port.

Agu advised those doing business within the Eastern ports to identify with the arrangement and register themselves so as to operate seamlessly.

Earlier, the South-South Zonal Director of the NSC, Glory Okonedo, who regretted that access into the ports lacked control, expressed delight that with the innovation, port operators in the zone now have a reason to be happy.

“The registration means so much to us in this zone. If you look at the ports in the Eastern zone, particularly Area 1 Port and Onne, access into the ports lack effective control.

“As it is now, registration will control access into the port. Most importantly is the fact that when you register on this portal as a service provider or user, it gives some level of integrity to your business. It will aid the ease of doing business.”

By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

Unless Nigeria intensifies efforts to install adequate port infrastructure for efficient port operations, her chances of becoming a maritime hub in West and Central Africa will turn out a pipe dream.

The Executive Secretary/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hon. Emmanuel Jime stated this in Lagos, Thursday, while speaking as guest of honour at the breakfast meeting organized by the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN).

Nigeria’s dream in this direction, he reasoned, should be determined by how serious she is in efforts to develop and upgrade her ports infrastructure to meet international standards.

“Unless we focus on the development of our infrastructure and make them of international standards, we will not achieve our objective of being a maritime hub.”

To entrench a sustainable delivery of port services as is obtainable in other parts of the developed world, Nigeria should discourage the current method of cargo evacuation which focuses on use of road transportation, he advised.

“The inland waterways and rail linkages are the significant parts of port operations that should come together for the nation to achieve the ultimate objective of ranking as a premium, proper maritime nation,’’ he stated.

Jime equally added that Nigeria also needed to strengthen its weak regulatory framework at the ports to make the country’s ports more attractive to global trade.

While inaugurating the new MARAN executive led by Mr Godfrey Bivbere, Hon Jime recalled that when he was appointed to head the Nigeria Shippers’ Council, the flagship maritime press offered him warm embrace. The warm reception accorded him and the cordial relationship, he stated, has endured till date.

He hailed MARAN for the initiative to host a stakeholders’ meeting on the deplorable state of infrastructure at Tin Can Island Port. He expressed delight that this has led to robust fertilization of ideas aimed at proffering solutions to the issue.

Jime also pledged to collaborate with the association and other stakeholders in efforts to find lasting solutions to the myriad of challenges bedeviling the ports industry.

He called on the leadership of MARAN to carry him along while planning similar programmes in future as doing so makes his work easier as the nation’s Port Economic Regulator.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko who was represented by the General Manager, MD’s Office, Mr Ayo Durowaiye reassured that NPA would maintain its close affinity with MARAN as the foremost maritime beat association.

He maintained that NPA would continue to partner with the body, especially, on programmes aimed at improving port operations in the country