A maritime expert and Chairman, Manpower Training Development Committee, of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NCS),Dr. Chris Asoluka has charged Nigerians to support local tonnage.
Dr. Asoluka who spoke to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos during a training organized by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping was reacting to the move by the federal government to establish a national carrier.
He strongly advocated for indigenous participation of in shipping, even as he urged the government to create a platform where Nigerians can buy into.
"I don't think what the minister is saying is to reintroduce the old shipping line, but the point he is making which is valid is that Nigeria should encourage local tonnage. Local tonnage means indigenous participation in the arena of shipping. So whether you do it by creating an investment platform where Nigerians could buy into in other to have a Nigerian vessel that is one option. But I don't think he would want to spend fund on that venture. It is strictly and solely from tax payers money"
He also lauded the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping for the two days training, even as he said that bringing the training to Nigeria will help to conceptualise the discussion to Nigerian environment.
"It is novel in the sense that it has also domesticated it for easy application to the Nigerian shipping environment. Whereas if you take it to London it is for all operators from all over the world,so there is the issue of adaptation and application to you. But in Nigeria we hold it together with the issue of contextualizing those discussions to the Nigerian environment"
He also said that the shipping industry in Nigeria is growing urging the government to hasten the growth of the sector by ensuring the needed policies are put in place.
Speaking on the national carrier, Dr Asoluka, who disagreed with the idea of the government managing the national carrier, advised the government to put the national carrier in the buying statues if established to ensure proper management.
"It is not concessioning there could be a buying. There is something we call trade status. There are certain things that could be easier started by a body. But what some of us will say NO is to establish a shipping line and have government control it because it won't work" he concluded.
Discussion about this post