The Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM) has hailed the recent decision of the Federal Government to acquire new boats for the nation’s maritime industry.
Shipping Position Daily recalls that the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed told State House correspondents recently that the new boats will be for surveillance and anti-corruption activities.
Reacting to this, the president of NAMM, Captain Tajudeen Alao said that there is need for procurement of boats for all the government agencies that have something to do with maritime businesses.
He however stressed that the country needs tanker or cargo liners, even as he harped on the need for surveillance boats on the nation’s waterways.
“All government agencies that have something to do inside and under water need boats, the sizes or gross tonnage depending on their operations.
“For ocean liners, a new shipping line needs to be formed, we need Tanker liner or cargo liner depends on our consumption pattern”
Capt Alao specifically urged the Federal Government to also ensure that there is a provision of multipurpose boats for marine Customs, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian Police Force.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director Public Relations of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr. Philip Kyanet said he was not aware of any approval for boat acquisition for the agency.
However, the Information Officer of the Western Naval Command, Thomas Otuji said that the navy is celebrating its 64th anniversary, even though he did not admit if the current approval for boat acquisition was for Navy.
He disclosed that, as part of the activities of the Navy, it has taken into service a total of 12 Manta Class boats and Inshore Patrol Craft that were acquired and would be inducted into the fleet this year.
The Navy said it has taken delivery of 148 River Patrol boats, with another 24 expected in the later part of this year, adding that 36 Rigid Inflatable Boats were also procured, with another batch of 56 programmed for delivery in 2020 ending, as part of the efforts to boost its operations.
Also speaking, the National Public Relations Officer (NPRO) of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Joseph Attah, a Deputy Controller, told our correspondent that he was unaware of any boat acquisition for the service.
“The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had a meeting last week on how to procure boats and you are talking to Customs PRO this week, what do you want me to tell me, I don’t know anything, I read it on the pages of newspaper the same way you did. It is when the process gets to our level that we will even talk about it”, he told our correspondent.
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