Harboursandport.com: Lagos ---- The Federal Government and stakeholders in the
maritime industry have reached agreement to automate all shipping related
administrative processes in order to reduce subjectivity and corruption,
thereby promoting transparency in the industry.
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| r-l: Chairman, House
Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Mohammed Umaru Bago, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Chairman, Board of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Emmanuel Olajide Adesoye and Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside during the 2nd edition of the maritime Stakeholders’ interactive forum tagged: “Implementation of Executive Order I (Ease of Doing Business) in a secure maritime environment” held in Warri, Delta State. |
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This is in accordance with the quest to ensure
the growth and development of the maritime sector in line with the Presidential
order on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria. This is one of the major
consensus reached in the communiqué issued at a one-day maritime Stakeholders’
interactive forum held in Warri, Delta State with the theme; “Implementation of
Executive Order One (1) - Ease of Doing Business in a secure maritime
environment”.
According to the eighteen point communiqué, Stakeholders
agreed that in order to realize the desired accelerated growth of the Nigerian
maritime sector, the Ministry and its Agencies should explore alternate
financing windows such as the establishment of Maritime Bank to address the
financing gap created by the unsuitability of lending rates of Nigerian banks
for the shipping business; consider reviving NIMAREX as a platform for bridging
the gap between the Nigerian shipping industry and prospective international
investors so as to provide impetus for growth and investment.
Furthermore,
it was established in the communiqué that the Ministry and its Agencies should
take urgent steps to address the challenge of under-declaration of cargo by
ships calling at Nigerian ports to plug the substantial revenue leakage thus
created; that the Ministry and its Agencies should cause the urgent dredging of
the Escravos Bar to facilitate the access of large dry cargo vessels into Warri
ports.
On the issue
of safety and security of the maritime space, Stakeholders were also of the
view that the Ministry and its Agencies should collaborate with the maritime
Communities with a view to relying on their local knowledge and intelligence
for fighting maritime crimes like piracy, sea robbery and vessel hijack.
A statement
made available to Harboursandport.com, noted that the stakeholders also
stressed the need for manpower development and capacity building as well as
urged that the Ministry and its Agencies to consider a return to the former
system whereby the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Inland Waterways
Agency (NIWA) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) all contributed to the training of Master Mariners who are currently
counted at 180 with above 75% being above the retirement age.
The
issue of the Apapa gridlock and access road challenges was not left out as
Stakeholders charged the Ministries and its Agencies to consider establishing
transit parks for trucks waiting to access the ports and implement an automated
call-up system that prevents their proliferation around the ports amongst other
issues discussed at the forum.
Other areas highlighted are; that the Ministry
and its Agencies should consider establishing Complaints Desks and online
feedback platforms to promote the ease of doing business in Nigerian maritime
industry; amongst other pressing issues, all geared toward the realization of a
robust and business friendly maritime sector that can compete favourably with
its counterparts in other climes.
Corroborating
the Stakeholders yearnings as stated in the communiqué, the Director General of
the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku
Peterside stated that the Federal Government through the Ministry of
Transportation and other Agencies under the Ministry will continue to working
hard to ensure less human contacts with processes in the maritime sector, which
is intended to give way to transparency and discourage sharp practices in the
sector and assured the forum that all the points raised will be given urgent
and due attention.
“The Federal Ministry of Transportation shapes the policy that drives
the industry and we are servants in the industry; hence we will join hands with
all Stakeholders to build this industry in order to be able to continue to
provide economic opportunities for our people. I therefore charge you all to
shape opinions that will help Nigerians know that some people are working hard
to take the maritime sector to the next level,” Peterside
said.
On their parts, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian
Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barrister Hassan Bello and the Managing Director of
the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman also lend their voices
and unanimously agreed that automation of all processes and collaboration with
all Stakeholders are keys to realizing a robust maritime sector, which also
demands the support of all industry players.
The Maritime
Stakeholders Interactive Forum was convened to provide a platform for exchange
of ideas by the Ministry of Transportation, its Agencies and industry
Stakeholders on Government policies, processes and their immediate and
potential impact. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to ensure ownership of
Government policies by the people most likely to be affected by the policies.
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