Group Urges F.G To Set Up Ministry Of Maritime Affairs

A call has gone to the Federal Government to create Ministry of Maritime Affairs that will  address remote and immediate problems affecting  ports operations.
Making the fresh appeal last week, a maritime activism group; the Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition charged the President and the National Assembly to look into the possibility of creating a distinct ministry for the maritime sector.

A call has gone to the Federal Government to create Ministry of Maritime Affairs that will  address remote and immediate problems affecting  ports operations.
Making the fresh appeal last week, a maritime activism group; the Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition charged the President and the National Assembly to look into the possibility of creating a distinct ministry for the maritime sector.
The group also stressed the need for stakeholders to rally support round the Senior Special Adviser on Maritime to the President Mr. Leke Oyewole as regards issues concerning the concessionaires.
In a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week, National Coordinator of the (SNFFIEC) ,Chief Patrick Osita Chukwu explained that the maritime sector generate huge revenue for the federal government and as such the industry should not be handled with kids cloves.
Osita said that the sector is too technical for the ministry of transport to handle because the responsibility of the ministry of transport is much, therefore the need for maritime or seaport ministry is paramount in order to take the stress off the transport ministry.
He said that the aviation sector is also a mode of transportation, but it has its own ministry and the minister has been able address issues bothering the sector because of the scope and responsibilities it handles.
The group noted that the recent visit of the  SSA to the president on maritime affairs to the port shows that the industry needs a minister of such magnitude.
He said that the visitation of Leke Oyewole to the ports in Lagos recently made terminal operators to wake up and live up to expectations.  
He also made a strong case of the SSA to the president to fill in the position whenever the possibility arises.
Osita argued that the Leke Oyewole is pro-active as an adviser to the presidency than the minister of transport Senator Idris Umar even as he added the group is in support of the SSA on Maritime Affairs to be the minister of the proposed ministry.
The Coordinator noted that the recent visit by Leke Oyewole is the talk of the industry as stakeholders have commended his doggedness in the fight to bring about smooth flow of port operation.