For the first time since it was initiated about five years ago as an annual networking platform for local and foreign players in the Nigerian Maritime sector, the 2015 edition of the annual Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) was boycotted by its key stakeholders; including ship owners.
In a clear demonstration that all is not well, proponents of the exposition; that is members of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) were visibly absent. Other critical stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime and shipping sector were also absent.
For the first time since it was initiated about five years ago as an annual networking platform for local and foreign players in the Nigerian Maritime sector, the 2015 edition of the annual Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) was boycotted by its key stakeholders; including ship owners.
In a clear demonstration that all is not well, proponents of the exposition; that is members of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) were visibly absent. Other critical stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime and shipping sector were also absent.
Dignitaries expected at the expo, but who failed to turn up without any excuse or representatives include: the Chairman NIMAREX 2015; former Head of States, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) who was to chair the opening ceremony, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Transport; Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, President of Nigerian Shipowners Association of Nigeria (NISA) Capt. Niyi Labinjo, among others.
The absence of the shipowners and its effect was amplified by the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi who blamed the poor attendance on the crisis currently rocking NISA.
Akpobolokemi, who was represented by the Executive Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Barrister Calistus Nwabueze, urged the shipowners to close ranks and speak with one voice, even as he assured that the Federal Government has shown interest in implementing the Cabotage Act and ensuring that it works.
Akpobolokemi hinted that the much-awaited disbursement of Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) might take place any moment from now, assuring that the Ministry of Transport is currently showing renewed interest on vessel acquisition.
On the boycott by ship owners, the NIMASA DG said: "This is not the type of event that we envisaged, we expect to see all the shipowners who come to NIMASA to register their vessels, the core practitioners are not here, you need to reach out to them and make them identify with NIMAREX and other critical programme which NIMASA organised so that together we can build the sector better than it is"
"I want to also say that it is very important that we forge unity within NISA; the shipowners, it is only when you are united that you can attract the attention of government, not when you are speaking in discordant tunes"
"Presently there is a very serious effort by the Federal Ministry of Transport to look into the operational difficulties we are having in the implementation of Cabotage Act, and emphasis is being placed on developing indigenous vessel acquisition capacity".
The NIMASA boss urged shipowners to identify with this newly-found passion of the ministry, so that in few months, they will begin to see positive results.
While declaring the expo opened, the Chairman of the occasion; Admiral S. O Afolayan (rtd) advised the new administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to attach seriousness to the communiqué that will be issued at the end of the 2015 expo.
Afolayan described Nigeria as a great maritime nation full of resources and potentials, even as he stressed that the future of the country will depend on how well it has managed its maritime potentials.
"I believe the future of this nation will strongly depend on how well we manage our resources, our crude oil which accounts for 90 percent of our foreign earnings and the big potentials in agriculture which we are yet to tap to the fullest, the resources under the seabed, qualified us as a potential maritime nation"
He commended NIMAREX for trying to showcase the enormous resources that Nigeria has in the maritime sector.
"I will advise the new government to consider the communiqué expected to be arrived at from the conference, with a view of adopting the germane issues to assist in the effort to refocus and reform our economy for national prosperity" he said
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily on the sidelines of the expo, President of the Nigerian Master Mariners Association, Capt. Ade Olopoenia lamented that NIMAREX is supposed to have grown bigger than it is currently.
Our correspondents also discovered that prominent stands at the exhibition hall were taken by government parastatals like: Nigerian Ports Authority, NIMASA, Shippers Council and Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron.
Olopoenia lamented that the big companies that are expected at the exhibition hall are not there and the shipowners are not well represented.
"Not many of the shipowners are here, we have to ask, where are they, if they want to do business in Nigeria, they are supposed to be here, both offshore and coastal vessel owners are supposed to be here"
"They need to bring themselves together, speak with one voice so that the industry can support them" he said.
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