Ensure CTN works, former Transportation Minister, Sambo urges permanent secretary

THE immediate past Minister of Transportation, Mr Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, has appealed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdalene Ajani, to ensure that the Cargo Tracking Note (CTN) comes into fruition.

Sambo who made this appeal while responding to comments by maritime industry stakeholders at the appreciation dinner organised for him and the immediate past Minister of State, Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye by the League of Maritime Editors in Lagos recently, pleaded with Ajani to ensure that CTN works before the next cabinet is put together by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Reminding her that she’s now acting minister of transportation, the former minister said, “I trust you to, before the next cabinet is in place, 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.”

Earlier in his speech, the executive secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Hon. Emmanuel Jime, recalled that the Cargo Tracking Note which had been suspended for about eight years or more and which the Council struggled to reintroduce, was made possible by Mr Mu’azu Sambo as Minister of Transportation who also approved the NSC as the designated authority for the implementation.

Noting that he was aware of a number of agencies which kicked against the Nigerian Shippers’ Council implementing the Cargo Tracking Note, Jime said, “When Mu’azu Sambo came, the first thing he did as soon as he had interacted with me was ‘ES, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council under my watch will be given the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note.’

“He went ahead, using everything within the political capital available to him to make sure that the Federal Executive Council approved the implementation of the Cargo Tracking Note.

“But not only did he ensure approval, he made certain that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is given the right of implementing the Cargo Tracking Note.”

“And for us at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, this is leadership. I would have loved to stay here and eulogise and to speak extensively on what this is going to do to our maritime space but this is not the time, it’s neither the place to do that except to say Sir, if you didn’t do anything else in the maritime space, that singular achievement that was recorded, that, Sir, will follow you as a legacy and indeed, we at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will never ever forget that there was a Minister Sambo Mu’azu.”

Speaking about the former Minister of State for Transportation, the NSC boss said, “He never for once displayed that he was the boss and in this particular case, I was working under him instead, the Minister of State has treated me as a friend, as a brother. For me, that is a clear demonstration of the kind of leadership that these two men has.

“We didn’t work in an environment that gave the impression that we are under a structured leadership that is authoritarian, instead we worked with our bosses who actually took us as brothers, as comrades of his and I don’t really think that there’s any better environment that you can do your best when you have a boss that takes you as a brother of his. So, sirs, we truly appreciate you, we love you.”

Also speaking, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha described MrMu’azuJaji Sambo and Prince AdemolaAdegoroye as one of Nigeria’s finest, adding that he found in Sambo a dedicated and committed gentleman.

Mustapha who doubled as the Chairman of the occasion and was represented by the former Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator ToluOdebiyi said, “There are achievers but also there are some quiet achievers.

He doesn’t make noise, he goes around focused, doing what he’s committed to doing and working very hard to make sure he gets the support of the Federal Government and of the Senate and the National Assembly to execute all of his projects and there were lots of projects accomplished under Sambo. The trains, boats flagged off, among others are worthy of commendation. I pray and hope that your work will be recognized in the new administration and you’ll be rewarded accordingly.

But not only did he ensure approval, he made certain that the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is given the right of implementing the Cargo Tracking Note.

“And f or us at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, this is leadership. I would have loved to stay here and eulogise and to speak extensively on what this is going to do to our maritime space but this is not the time, it’s neither the place to do that except to say Sir, if you didn’t do anything else in the maritime space, that singular achievement that was recorded, that, Sir, will follow you as a legacy and indeed, we at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council will never ever forget that there was a Minister Sambo Mu’azu.”

Speaking about the former Minister of State for Transportation, the NSC boss said, “He never for once displayed that he was the boss and in this particular case, I was working under him instead, the Minister of State has treated me as a friend, as a brother. For me, that is a clear demonstration of the kind of leadership that these two men has.

“We didn’t work in an environment that gave the impression that we are under a structured leadership that is authoritarian, instead we worked with our bosses who actually took us as brothers, as comrades of his and I don’t really think that there’s any better environment that you can do your best when you have a boss that takes you as a brother of his. So, sirs, we truly appreciate you, we love you.”

Also speaking, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha described MrMu’azuJaji Sambo and Prince AdemolaAdegoroye as one of Nigeria’s finest, adding that he found in Sambo a dedicated and committed gentleman.

Mustapha who doubled as the Chairman of the occasion and was represented by the former Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator ToluOdebiyi said, “There are achievers but also there are some quiet achievers.

He doesn’t make noise, he goes around focused, doing what he’s committed to doing and working very hard to make sure he gets the support of the Federal Government and of the Senate and the National Assembly to execute all of his projects and there were lots of projects accomplished under Sambo. The trains, boats flagged off, among others are worthy of commendation. I pray and hope that your work will be recognized in the new administration and you’ll be rewarded accordingly.