By Oluyinka Onigbinde &Joshua Yousouph
The newly elected leadership of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) has pledged to deepen collaboration with the Nigerian Port Consultative Council (NPCC) as part of efforts aimed at promoting reforms, professionalism and sustainable development within the nation’s maritime industry.
The commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the MARAN executives to the NPCC headquarters, where they were received by the Chairman of the Council, Bolaji Sunmola, the Vice President, Jean Chiazor Anishere, alongside other members of the council’s executive committee including Mrs Ify Akerele, Captain Emmanuel Iheanacho Ebubeogu and Dr Basil Opara.
Welcoming the MARAN delegation, Sunmola described the relationship between the media and the maritime industry as mutually beneficial, stressing that the NPCC has always maintained a strong bond with the press.
According to him, the council considers the media a strategic partner in driving conversations, policies and reforms within the port industry.
“At this point, even though we are familiar with many of the faces here, we welcome you wholeheartedly on behalf of the Nigerian Port Consultative Council, the Board of Trustees and the council management,” he said.
Sunmola noted that the council inherited a strong media-friendly culture from its past leadership and expressed optimism that the renewed engagement with MARAN would open fresh channels of cooperation.
“It is a symbiotic relationship. We work with the press, we love the press, and the press is our strength. This meeting will go a long way in fostering that relationship further,” he stated.
Speaking during the visit, MARAN President, Oluyinka Onigbinde, said the association considered it necessary to engage the NPCC because of the critical role it plays in the maritime sector.
He explained that MARAN was committed to strengthening collaboration with stakeholders in the industry in order to promote efficiency, transparency and development.
“On behalf of the Executive Council and entire members of MARAN, I sincerely appreciate your warm reception and the opportunity to engage with you this morning,” Onigbinde said.
“Our visit today is a demonstration of MARAN’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with critical stakeholders in the maritime industry.
The Port Consultative Council plays a vital role in promoting dialogue, operational efficiency and harmony within the port sector, and we commend your contributions over the years.”
The MARAN President further assured the council that the association would continue to uphold responsible and developmental journalism capable of supporting reforms and advancing the growth of the maritime sector.
He noted that maritime journalists play a vital role in educating stakeholders and the public on developments within the industry through reportage, investigations and policy analysis.
According to him, MARAN has over the years contributed significantly to reforms in the industry, including advocacy efforts that supported the push for the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to emerge as the economic regulator of the ports sector.
“MARAN has remained a critical voice in the maritime industry. Through our reportage, investigations and analyses, we have helped shape policies, reforms and conversations within the sector,” he added.
In her remarks, Anishere congratulated the newly elected MARAN executives and commended the association for its longstanding contributions to the maritime industry since its establishment in 1988.
She however stressed the need for constructive journalism, urging practitioners to always seek clarification from organisations before publishing damaging reports.
“We like criticisms, but we like constructive criticisms. Where we go wrong, we would like you to first tell us before making it breaking news,” she said.
According to the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, collaboration between MARAN and the council’s media committee would help in promoting the council’s activities, advocacy programmes and policy initiatives.
She disclosed that the council already has a functional media committee headed by seasoned maritime communication professionals and expressed confidence that both organisations could work together more effectively going forward.
Speaking further, Captain Ebubeogu noted that both MARAN and the NPCC share a common objective of advocacy within the maritime industry.
According to him, advocacy remains critical to shaping policies, promoting reforms and drawing the attention of relevant authorities to issues affecting the growth and efficiency of the nation’s ports and maritime sector.
He stressed the need for continuous engagement between the media and industry stakeholders to ensure that important issues are brought to the forefront for necessary action.
Also speaking, Mrs. Ify Akerele reiterated the need for journalists to avoid sensationalism in their reportage, noting that balanced and constructive reporting would contribute positively to the development of the maritime sector.
She urged MARAN members to support the council’s drive towards restoring the competitiveness of Nigerian ports through objective and development-oriented journalism.
Other MARAN executives who spoke during the meeting also emphasised the importance of developmental journalism in advancing national and sectoral interests.
Responding, members of the NPCC executive reiterated the council’s commitment to improving Nigeria’s ports and restoring the competitiveness of the maritime sector.
They appealed to maritime journalists to support the council’s advocacy and training programmes through positive and balanced reportage capable of attracting greater stakeholder support for the industry.
The meeting ended with both organisations expressing optimism that the renewed engagement would strengthen stakeholder collaboration and contribute positively to the development of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
