Business, Society

Maritime Sector Can Bail FG Out of Recession – League Of Maritime Editors

EdomiThe nation’s maritime sector can bail Nigeria out of economic recession if the federal government gives more and necessary attention to the sector, the League of Maritime Editors has said.

President of the League, Mr Ovie Edomi argued that even at hard times, the nation’s maritime industry has the potential to generate more revenue for the government.

Edomi who spoke at a one-day seminar titled ‘How to Improve Maritime and Allied Industries Revenue in a Depressed Economy’ said that for this to be achieved, the government must be ready to make the necessary sacrifice.

He said  part of the measures would be for government to consider as fast as possible infrastructures rehabilitation at the nation’s ports in such a way that it impact positively on the ease of doing business  in Nigerian ports.

Edomi also noted that efficiency in the ports system as a result of improved facilities will reduce cost of doing business in Nigeria and will in turn discourage those who have chosen to divert cargoes meant for Nigeria through the neighbouring ports.

He thus stated that all the agencies of government in the ports should be awake to their statutory responsibilities as this will promote efficiency.

He added that this should include checking the excesses and arbitrary high charges by service providers, one of the reasons why some Nigerian businessmen patronize neihgbouring ports.

According to him, once facilities were working efficiently at affordable costs, the trend will in turn lead to improved revenue generation from the ports as more and more people will use the nation’s ports.

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Edomi said, “it is pertinent for me to state at this stage that as Editors and Publishers, we saw this great nation in the era of oil boom to the extent that in the 70s, the Nigerian nation  was thinking of what to do with her foreign reserve.

“Today the situation is different, the giant of Africa is in a recession. As Editors and watchdog of the society,   we believe that there are vast opportunities/resources in the maritime industry. In fact, after oil the next highest source of generating revenue is the Maritime industry.

“Some people argue that if Nigeria harnesses her Maritime potentials, the country can generate three times what the country currently generate from oil. If the experts say this, as gatekeepers and agenda setters, we feel that policy makers need to take a second look at peerless editorials, as well as opinions expressed by experts on the issue”.

Edomi explained that the lecture was part of League’s contributions to economic development in the maritime sector by identifying ways in which the industry can improve on their revenue generation.

According to him, if the nation must achieve any economic reckoning in the vision 2020 framework, the country must not only create jobs and develop capacity, the seamless transition in the way image makers manage their bosses as well as the various agencies, institutions of government must be given deep consideration.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has said that it was committed to addressing all security issues on the nation’s territorial waters in order to boost robust maritime operations and achieve increased revenue generation.

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The Director General  of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside  in a keynote address at the one-day   lecture     said that it was because of the importance the agency attaches to having a secured  maritime  that  was responsible for its partnership  with the Nigerian Navy  and others to achieve the best.

Deputy Director, Cabotage Service, with NIMASA who represented Peterside, Capt Sunday Umoren described security as key to all maritime revenue generation.

Umoren said that without having a secured maritime environment, vessels will shun Nigerian waters, a development, he said, will affect businesses and revenue  from the sector.

He said that once ship owners notice that a country’s maritime domain was not secure, many of them will use the neighbouring ports, adding that this will promote transshipment at very high cost to the shippers and final consumers.

Umoren said that NIMASA had entered into Memorandum of Understandings, MOUs, with the Navy and others to ensure adequate security of ships coming to the country.

Also speaking, a Senior Lecturer from Babcock University, Ilisan Remo, Ogun, Dr Helen Adekoga, said that journalists reporting maritime should look inwards and report the potential of the industry that could attract foreign investors.

She said that if foreign investors could make Nigeria their ports of destination, it would increase revenue generation for government.

The Senior lecturer said that the media should focus on potentials of the industry and report them regularly to help in changing people’s perception so that revenue would be diverted from oil into the maritime sector.

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“Revenue from maritime can triple what the country is getting from the oil sector if it is well utilised,” she said.

The Head of Corporate Communications Team of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Hajia Lami Tumaka, commended the League  for the efforts.

Tumaka advised the organisers not to be discouraged due to the recession, adding that one day, their efficiency would be rewarded.

She added, “the recession the country is facing is affecting everybody. I will want the maritime media to report people’s views on solutions to the situation we found   ourselves.

“The media should support NIMASA in searching for alternative means of getting revenue for government.

“It is encouraging now that every pieces of land nearby are being used for farming. I believe we will soon surmount the situation the country is going through.“

Also the zonal Co-ordinator Nigeria Customs, Assistant Comptroller General in charge of Zone A charged traders,importers and clearing to comply with laws of the land as well as adhere to PAAR pre assessment report.

Signed

Francis Ugwoke

PRO

League of Maritime Editors