While signing – off in 2011, we had stated that the year was an admixture of all that stakeholders are used to. It was a year that further exposed the National Assembly; a year that all the bills that were brought forward were again carried over to 2012.
Like we wrote in our last editorial for 2011, it appeared like 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.
While signing – off in 2011, we had stated that the year was an admixture of all that stakeholders are used to. It was a year that further exposed the National Assembly; a year that all the bills that were brought forward were again carried over to 2012.
Like we wrote in our last editorial for 2011, it appeared like 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.
We also recalled that the greatest shock of the year was the failure by Nigeria to retain the Category ‘C’ in the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Her loss was all the more painful considering the fact that she lost because Liberia refused all entreaties and overtures made to her to step down for Nigeria. The country also lost her seat in the governing council of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) under questionable circumstances. The ILO seat is courtesy of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF).
And because of the strings of what we perceived as an unimpressive outing, we had concluded that 2011 was not as exciting as one had expected it to be. We went further to rate the various actors and gave the lowest mark to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency for performing below expectation. Its decision to engage an unknown private enterprise to secure Lagos waters remain one of the most uninformed and suspicious decisions taken in the outgoing year.
And now that we are safely in 2012, the nation’s maritime industry is already sharing in the anxiety of what it portends for all.
As we move into 2012, we are optimistic that Nigerian ports will continue to witness high vessel traffic and that the nation’s port system will witness sanity n line with the aspirations of the government which had gone ahead to constitute a port monitoring committee.
It is also our hope that the nation’s waters will be safer than they were in 2011 and that all government agencies that are relevant to this will be more alive to their responsibilities of ensuring that sea robbers and pirates no longer attack ships and their crew and cargoes.
One issue that is becoming a regular feature every year (at least in the last three years) is the delay in the passage of maritime sector bills at the National Assembly. It is taking the legislators too long a time to pass the Ports and Harbour Bill, consider the Maritime Security Agency Bill and the Chartered Institute of Shipping of Nigeria Bill.
In 2012, we are hopefully awaiting the passage of the much-expected Port and Harbour Bill which incorporates the Independent Port Regulatory Commission (IPRC). The Bill enjoys an unenviable record of being one of the most delayed and the most controversial legislation since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
One of the foremost expectations of stakeholders in the maritime sector for 2012 is the passage of these bills.
It is reassuring that the chair of the marine transport committees in the two chambers of the National Assembly have committed themselves to earnest consideration of these bills and one can only hold them to their words.
As a maritime media organization, we look forward to a very eventful year for the industry; we have very high hopes that the industry will be better
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