All too soon, we are doing our last edition of your soar-away weekly. Just like wrote just about this time last year, we have a duty as a leading maritime media organization to nurse expectations and to give expression to these expectations. We had hopes, just like in 2009 that the Nigerian maritime industry would experience a better 2010. We had hopes that the various unanswered prayers of 2009 would come to pass in 2010, but how wrong we are!
Just like the years before it, 2010 is gradually winding down; with its ‘good bad and uglies’. To have a consensus about any year is impossible; every year is an admixture of all things and an appraisal depends on the perception of the appraiser.
But, whichever view point one holds about year 2010, certain facts are indisputable. One is that 2010 attracted a lot of negative attention to the Nigerian maritime sector. Two, the out-going year witnessed little achievements on the parts of the various government agencies that are saddled with superintending the sector. Three it is perhaps the year in which the National Assembly disappointed the industry the most. Four, in 2010, the Nigerian maritime sector witnessed another avoidable round of the infamous ‘chair game’ at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Perhaps, the most stinking part of 2010 is the influx of dangerous cargoes; such as arms ammunitions, hard drugs and toxic items into the country through the ports. In 2010 alone Nigerian ports received at least five ships that came in with these ‘cargoes of destruction’. The trend started with the importation of cocaine with street value in excess of about N4Billion. This was to be followed with the importation of items which NESREA was to classify as toxic and as if that was not enough, another ship came in with an unprecedentedly large cache of arms and ammunitions. In between these, military trucks came in as well as sundry smaller arms and ammunitions and in all of these; the nation’s port system (especially its cargo clearance and delivery system) became exposed; necessitating the emergence of all manners of ad-hoc groups in the name of task forces.
It is on record that 2010 witnessed the creation of more task forces and ministerial committees than ever in the history of the Nigerian maritime industry.
Like someone rightly observed, perhaps there was an unwritten agreement between the various government agencies and the National Assembly to deny the sector its fair share of development and attention. With the exception of NPA which ceremonially flagged-off the wrecks removal exercise in the approaches to Lagos channels; albeit after months of bickering between it and the NIMASA over who should remove wrecks, other agencies didn’t quite achieve much for the sector to celebrate.
Similarly, in 2010, the National Assembly practically dashed the hopes of anxious stakeholders who had entered 2010 with the aspiration that ‘their bills’ would be passed. But, none of the four bills actually left the hallowed chamber as finished products for the President’s assent.
And few hours after putting this piece together, news filtered in that the director general, NIMASA, Mr Temisan Omatseye has been sent on suspension following the allegations against him.
We had written about the unstable leadership in NIMASA, even as we acknowledged the right of government to appoint into offices whosoever it so wishes. We had written that the frequency of change in leadership at the apex maritime regulatory agency is a disservice to the industry.
Our conclusion was that year 2010 and the years to come should witness a more stable tenureship at the agency. But, recent events at the agency have proven us wrong.
How nice would it have been if the year had ended with a more robust maritime sector?
As for us in the Shipping Position family, we can boldly say that like 2009, 2010 is indeed great. As it was predicted, we indeed feasted on fat things.
We can not forget the demise of two icons in the industry. Both Dr Alhaji Waheed Kareem and Alhaji Sulaiman Hameen passed on in the course of the year, may their gentle souls continue rests in the bosom of their creator.
From all of us at First Mediacon Network Limited, our prayer is for you to have a fun-filled Christmas celebrations and a prosperous 2011. Amen.
We believe resolutely that 2011 will certainly usher-in sweet aroma all through.
Our strength lies in our faith in God Almighty.
See you in January, 2011. Amen.
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