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| ▪︎ Lucky Amiwero |
Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA) has hinged the successful implementation of the Federal Government’s Blue Economy, on the urgent implementation of three legal (3) Maritime Acts to trigger the activities of indigenous operators.
The three legal instruments are :
(1) Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 5 of 2003
(2) The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act No. 17 of 2007 and
(3) Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act No. 2 of 2010
Lucky Amiwero, the National President of NCMDLCA, made the call in a letter written to President Bola Tinubu, and titled 'The Need To Activate The Nigerian Blue Economy By Legal Implementable Priorities For The Development of Indigenous Operation In The Maritime Industry.'
Amiwero noted that since the enactment of these three (3) legislative instruments meant for the development of indigenous capacity in the Maritime Sector, Nigeria is yet to find its feet due to the absence of developmental strategy as contained in various Acts, which is to activate and trigger the activities of indigenous operators and generate employment.
He said: " Nigeria as a Maritime Nation needs to speedily develop, organizational architecture and responsibility to ensure the continuous growth of the Nigerian Economy in an increasing, dangerous and competitive environment.
" The springboard of any successful maritime operation globally depends on the proper implementation of the following:
"Cargo reservation policy; incentive/subsidies; domestic trade restriction policy(Cabotage), shipyard and shipbuilding, fleet expansion program, including the development of maritime infrastructure and capacity building initiatives, and they are all contained in the three (3) Acts."
He said that as part of the implementation, the " National carriers status should be developed and facilitated by (NIMASA) for the expansion of fleets, in the carriage of shared cargo based on the Act, On National Carriers, it is the agency that will develop and implement policies and programs, which will facilitate the growth of the Local Capacity:
(a) in ownership, manning and construction of the ship and other Maritime infrastructure as contained in Section 22-(k) of NIMASA Act 17 of 2007
(b) Carriage of bulk or liquid cargo must be initiated by NIMASA to empower the indigenous operators as contained in the Act
(c ). Fifty 50%(percent) of Cargo to and from Nigeria, the sharing ratio must be implemented to galvanize and kick start the participation of indigenous operators
(d)Nigerian flagged vessels to carry fifty 50%(percent) cargo generated through technical assistance (NIMASA) should work out modalities for the proper implementation in conjunction with other Federal government agencies as contained in the Act.
(e) The carriage of crude and petroleum products to and from Nigeria should be implemented to build capacity and generate employment in line with the Act
(f)Administer policy or the development of shipping in general
(g)Develop and implement policies and programs, which will facilitate the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning and construction of Ship and Maritime infrastructures
(h) Review and remove the waiver clause of the cabotage operation of Sections 9,10,11, 12 and 13 to build capacity and generate employment
(i) Constitute a Cabotage task force consisting of all stakeholders, to see to the proper implementation of the three (3) Acts
(j)Implement the provision on Towage, carriage of petroleum products, navigation in inland waters, shipyards and ships manning to build capacity and generate employment
(k) Implement the local content on labour requirement, contract and manufacture of the local content."
The three legal instruments are :
(1) Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 5 of 2003
(2) The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act No. 17 of 2007 and
(3) Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act No. 2 of 2010
Lucky Amiwero, the National President of NCMDLCA, made the call in a letter written to President Bola Tinubu, and titled 'The Need To Activate The Nigerian Blue Economy By Legal Implementable Priorities For The Development of Indigenous Operation In The Maritime Industry.'
Amiwero noted that since the enactment of these three (3) legislative instruments meant for the development of indigenous capacity in the Maritime Sector, Nigeria is yet to find its feet due to the absence of developmental strategy as contained in various Acts, which is to activate and trigger the activities of indigenous operators and generate employment.
He said: " Nigeria as a Maritime Nation needs to speedily develop, organizational architecture and responsibility to ensure the continuous growth of the Nigerian Economy in an increasing, dangerous and competitive environment.
" The springboard of any successful maritime operation globally depends on the proper implementation of the following:
"Cargo reservation policy; incentive/subsidies; domestic trade restriction policy(Cabotage), shipyard and shipbuilding, fleet expansion program, including the development of maritime infrastructure and capacity building initiatives, and they are all contained in the three (3) Acts."
He said that as part of the implementation, the " National carriers status should be developed and facilitated by (NIMASA) for the expansion of fleets, in the carriage of shared cargo based on the Act, On National Carriers, it is the agency that will develop and implement policies and programs, which will facilitate the growth of the Local Capacity:
(a) in ownership, manning and construction of the ship and other Maritime infrastructure as contained in Section 22-(k) of NIMASA Act 17 of 2007
(b) Carriage of bulk or liquid cargo must be initiated by NIMASA to empower the indigenous operators as contained in the Act
(c ). Fifty 50%(percent) of Cargo to and from Nigeria, the sharing ratio must be implemented to galvanize and kick start the participation of indigenous operators
(d)Nigerian flagged vessels to carry fifty 50%(percent) cargo generated through technical assistance (NIMASA) should work out modalities for the proper implementation in conjunction with other Federal government agencies as contained in the Act.
(e) The carriage of crude and petroleum products to and from Nigeria should be implemented to build capacity and generate employment in line with the Act
(f)Administer policy or the development of shipping in general
(g)Develop and implement policies and programs, which will facilitate the growth of local capacity in ownership, manning and construction of Ship and Maritime infrastructures
(h) Review and remove the waiver clause of the cabotage operation of Sections 9,10,11, 12 and 13 to build capacity and generate employment
(i) Constitute a Cabotage task force consisting of all stakeholders, to see to the proper implementation of the three (3) Acts
(j)Implement the provision on Towage, carriage of petroleum products, navigation in inland waters, shipyards and ships manning to build capacity and generate employment
(k) Implement the local content on labour requirement, contract and manufacture of the local content."
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