VOX POP
Dr. Obiora Madu (Chief Executive Officer, Multimix Academy)
There has been no significant improvement in the maritime industry in this year 2016. Last year, the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) of the World Bank which indicates how countries are performing, particularly on international trade and port matters, Nigeria drifted from 75% back to 90% in 2016. This speaks volume, what it means is that the little gains we made as a country actually came from the ports, but now we have gone back, because of arbitrary charges. The competitiveness of this nation is still a big trouble. So for me in 2016, we dint quite move forward, if you use the LPI to measure our performance, we did not perform well, the LPI is a global benchmark and standard, even some tiny African countries are moving ahead of us on the LPI and it's quite sad, we are like in the centre of Africa and centre of the world, nature gave us so much advantage but we threw it away.
Elder Sunday Nnebeh (Clearing agent)
This year 2016 is the worst year ever that we have witnessed in terms of importation in the maritime industry, the government' auto policy has affected all operators, even the Abacha regime that we termed as the worst was not as bad as this. For example, PTML today hardly gets one ship in a week unless there is another shipping company bringing cargo to them, even though they reduced their freight charges, there is no improvement.
The situation is not peculiar to Grimaldi, it is also prevalent at Five Star Logistics Terminal, their terminal is like a football field, then Ports and Cargo Terminal are now just trying to come up a little bit. All the terminals were forced to reduce their freight charges because, when there is no importation, the bargaining power now lies with the importer or the shipper.
Chief Remi Ogungbemi (Chairman, AMARTO)
The economic situation in Nigeria has caused everyone to crumble, I am not really impressed with the year 2016, business in the maritime sector is not moving as usual. Normally in previous years, when we approach the Christmas and New Year, there used to be serious activities, but if you look at the situation today, everywhere is quiet. The situation could be attributed to government policy, the policy is discouraging importation, but it is only the economists that would tell, maybe the government is rolling out these policies to enhance and re-position the economy, but as it is, I do not know. All I can say is that for now, the trucking business is not lucrative at all; the input into the business is more than the output.
Ugochukwu Nnadi (Deputy National President, NAGAFF)
I have not noticed anything new in the maritime industry this year 2016 and it's just as simple as that, the year is completely bad, apart from the Nigerian Shippers Council trying to make an impact in the sector, every other agency are just stagnant. Coming down to the freight forwarding business in 2016, we have never had it so bad this year; it is the worst year so far.
Comrade Stephen Ebi (NAGAFF)
It appears that 2016 is a year which did not yield positive result like previous years for the maritime sector, considering the fact that customs as a key player did not meet its target this time around which to me is a minus, the state of the roads connecting the seaports are in deplorable conditions and above all government policies for the sector is a mess for the year.
John Okpono (Merchant Navy)
Considering the fact that there has been moves by the minister of transportation to float a national fleet for the country, it shows that 2017 might record tremendous transformation of the maritime sector and from all indications, I could say the sector is on course. The DG of NIMASA has been able to keep to his promise on the issuance of discharge book for seafarers which is a plus for the industry this year, thus we can say the sector perform above average this year and we are hoping that next year will be better than this year.
Chuks Njemanze (ANLCA)
2016 for the maritime sector is full of turbulence because it appears government is confused about industry policies. The roads linking the seaports are virtually abandoned by the government and the government is aware of the huge revenue that the sector generates. This year alone, we experience hike in duty payable on importation courtesy the FOREX and as a result throw the industry into pandemonium. Shippers are running away from import and we experience massive job loss this year in the industry. The terminal operators, shipping companies, freight forwarders and other ancillary organisations that provide services to the industry all retrenched some of their workers due to instability of policies of government.
Osita Chukwu Patrick (Coordinator SNFFIEC)
The sector experienced ups and lows in 2016 because it appears that the infrastructural decay still lingers, but for 2016 I can state categorically that the Nigerian Shippers Council is exceptionally brilliant in the area of training and capacity building of personal in the maritime industry. Other agencies of government in the sector did not really impress me this year considering their respective mandate, customs also did not perform up to expectations for the year.
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