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Winner, Dangote Port Operation Prize for
Best Overall Essay, Uzoigwe Chimezie Daniel (centre) receiving his cheque
from CEO of Ships & Ports, Mr. Bolaji Akinola (left) and Deputy
Superintendent of Customs, Haruna Ephraim who represented the Acting Zonal
Coordinator, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos, Comptroller Charles
Edike at the prize presentation ceremony of the 2015 Ships & Ports Annual
National Essay Competition held in Lagos on Thursday
Best Overall Essay, Uzoigwe Chimezie Daniel (centre) receiving his cheque
from CEO of Ships & Ports, Mr. Bolaji Akinola (left) and Deputy
Superintendent of Customs, Haruna Ephraim who represented the Acting Zonal
Coordinator, Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service, Lagos, Comptroller Charles
Edike at the prize presentation ceremony of the 2015 Ships & Ports Annual
National Essay Competition held in Lagos on Thursday
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A First Class Economics graduate of the University of Benin, Edo State,
Uzoigwe Chimezie Daniel has emerged proud winner of the Dangote Port Operation
Prize for Best Overall Essay in the 9thShips & Ports Annual
National Essay Competition.
Uzoigwe Chimezie Daniel has emerged proud winner of the Dangote Port Operation
Prize for Best Overall Essay in the 9thShips & Ports Annual
National Essay Competition.
At the prize presentation ceremony held in Lagos on Friday, Daniel was
presented with a cheque of N100,000 by the organisers of the competition.
presented with a cheque of N100,000 by the organisers of the competition.
“I am so happy to emerge winner of the competition. This is the first time
I would participate and it is exciting to emerge the winner.
I would participate and it is exciting to emerge the winner.
“The Ships & Ports Essay Competition is the most enduring essay
competition that I know of in the country. I am happy that youths were given
the platform to contribute,” he said.
competition that I know of in the country. I am happy that youths were given
the platform to contribute,” he said.
He urged government to pay more attention to the growth and development of
the maritime industry.
the maritime industry.
“As Nigeria faces dwindling fortunes from the oil and gas sector, it has
become very imperative that we diversify the economy and seek new sources of
growth.
become very imperative that we diversify the economy and seek new sources of
growth.
“ In doing this, a veritable option for us is to promote the development of
the shipping sector by boosting indigenous participation in that critical
sector,” he added.
the shipping sector by boosting indigenous participation in that critical
sector,” he added.
The topic of the Essay Competition was “How to boost indigenous participation
in the shipping sector.”
in the shipping sector.”
Other prize winners include Kizito Chijioke of the English and Literary
Study Department, University of Nigeria Nsukka, who won the Sifax Group Prize
for Most Creative Essay.
Study Department, University of Nigeria Nsukka, who won the Sifax Group Prize
for Most Creative Essay.
Chijioke Anthony won the Nigerian Shippers’ Council Prize for
Best Researched Essay and Kwara State-based journalist, Eyitayo Oyelowo who won
the Comptroller Charles Edike Prize for Outstanding Essay.
Best Researched Essay and Kwara State-based journalist, Eyitayo Oyelowo who won
the Comptroller Charles Edike Prize for Outstanding Essay.
Onyeagba Chidiebere Joshua, Jonathan Mairiga, Bright Chinecherem and Waheed
Adigun also won the Comptroller Charles Edike Prize for Outstanding Essay.
Adigun also won the Comptroller Charles Edike Prize for Outstanding Essay.
CEO of Ships & Ports Limited, Mr Bolaji Akinola, who expressed
satisfaction with the quality of participation in the competition this year,
said a total of N300,000 was given out to the winners.
satisfaction with the quality of participation in the competition this year,
said a total of N300,000 was given out to the winners.
He said the organisers received entries from 13 states in five out of the
six geopolitical zones of the federation for the 2015 edition of the
competition, with the highest number of entries received from Lagos State.
six geopolitical zones of the federation for the 2015 edition of the
competition, with the highest number of entries received from Lagos State.
“Entries from Lagos made up 60% of the participants of the competition this
year while no entry was received at all from any of the six states in the North
East Zone,” Akinola said.
year while no entry was received at all from any of the six states in the North
East Zone,” Akinola said.
He urged Nigerians, especially the youths to take interest in the maritime
sector, which he said is the lifeline of the Nigerian economy.
sector, which he said is the lifeline of the Nigerian economy.
He said, “Notwithstanding the various challenges confronting the sector, it
remains a viable platform for driving the change agenda of the new government,
creating employment and enhancing economic development.”
remains a viable platform for driving the change agenda of the new government,
creating employment and enhancing economic development.”
Akinola asked President Muhammadu Buhari to review policies that were
promoting smuggling and loss of cargo to the ports of neighbouring countries.
promoting smuggling and loss of cargo to the ports of neighbouring countries.
He listed such policies to include the National Automotive Policy, the rice
import policy, fish quota system and Central Bank of Nigeria foreign exchange
restriction to importers of 41 select items.
import policy, fish quota system and Central Bank of Nigeria foreign exchange
restriction to importers of 41 select items.
