NAN-H-54
Maritime
By Bolaji Buhari and Uche Eletuo
Lagos, Sept. 28, 2016 (NAN) Some maritime experts on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to urgently take strategic steps toward reviving the country`s shipping industry.
The experts gave the advice in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.
Other experts called for an improved budget and the establishment of a security trust fund to carter for the myriad of problems troubling the maritime sector.
They spoke ahead of the International Maritime Day observed globally on September 29 of every year.
NAN reports that the theme of the 2016 edition of the occasion is “Shipping: Indispensable to the World“.
Mr Olu Akinsoji,a former Sole Administrator, Nigerian Maritime Academy,Oron, Akwa-Ibom, said that there could be no maritime sector without a viable shipping industry.
Akinsoji said the country had not been able to benefit from the opportunities in the sector because there was virtually no shipping in the country.
“September 29th is the International Maritime Day but Nigeria cannot be said to be participating because we do not have shipping.
“You see, shipping is an integral element of the maritime sector and countries that have good shipping industry are reaping bountifully from that multi-billion dollar sector.
“We need to reposition the sector to promote trade and improve our economy.
“The government needs to create the right maritime environment and take certain strategic steps to revive the shipping industry, “he told NAN.
Akinsoji, also a former Government Inspector of Ships (GIS), said the refloating of a national shipping line was strategic to the revival of the shipping industry.
He said that with the government`s plan at having ships carrying national flags, the industry would come back to life as there would be enough ships to drive the local maritime sector.
The expert said he was part of the committee set up by the Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, to work out the modalities for the new fleet, saying the eventual take-off would add fillip to the industry.
Akinsoji said that there must be a conscious effort by the government and other stakeholders to address the problem of human capacity to revive the shipping industry.
He said that lack of skilled manpower in the industry had affected shipping actitivities in the country.
The expert said regulatory agencies like the Nigerian Maritime Administration And Safety Agency (NIMASA) should be strengthened to perform their statutory responsibilities effectively.
He also said increased private –sector participation in shipping would promote competition and help return the industry to life.
Also, Mr John Egesi, a former Director-General of the defunct National Maritime Authority(NMA), said the maritime sector had suffered because of low shipping activities.
He however said lack of cargoes due to low capacity of local manufacturing sector was partly responsible for the near death of the shipping industry.
“We are having issues with the shipping industry because we are not an export based economy. We need to develop our manufacturing capacity in order to drive a viable maritime sector.
“To me, a national fleet might not solve the problem. Because if we have all the ships and do not have the cargoes, what will the ships carry.
“We should grow our economy first and if we have enough to export, shipping will thrive naturally, “ he said.
Egesi called for partnership with the major private shipping lines to attract the right investments in shipping and grow the maritime sector.
Mr Benson Adegbeyeni, President, Senior Staff Association of the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), lamented the exit of foreign shipping lines due to low import activities.
He urged the government to implement the right policies and create the right environment to revive the industry.
Mr Ignatius Mba of Genesis Maritime and Mr Steve Abe of Sapid Ltd. suggested that budgets for the maritime sector would mean more revenue to the country.
Mba said that nothing stopped the nation from floating a national carrier to help absorb trained seafarers.
A Maritime Security Consultant, Mr Ikechukwu Uche, said that Nigeria still maintained its good name in global maritime circle.
“We are still there as a nation in world maritime but a lot still needs to be put in place to catch-up with other advanced maritime world.
“As a nation, there is need for the establishment of a National Maritime Security Trust Fund to cater for the increasing sea crime,’’ Uche said.
The Managing Director, Kizto Maritime Agency Ltd., Mr Tony Uzum, said that the Nigerian maritime sector was bedevilled with infrastructure decay.
“Most of the equipment used by the operators and agencies are obsolete and the incapacity is robbing on service delivery.
“The maritime world of today is on fast-track with stiff competition from other societies for improved service delivery.
“An improved budgetary allocation to the sector will afford the managers the opportunity to improve on their equipment,’’ Uzum said. (NAN)
EUC/BHB/AJA
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(Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)