Alhaji Gatima Bilima (IMO consultant)
Nigeria ought to be at the council because there a lot of our inputs will be taken into consideration, we will be able to influence training, be able to get to know the kind of shipping standards that are current in the world. But beyond that I will assume that the anxiety is that we have not been able to build our own shipping fleet but we are instead going round capitals lobbying for them to put us on the IMO seat instead of being on the ground developing a merchant fleet, I think that is the kind of anxiety that most of us in the shipping industry are worried about.
Nigeria ought to be at the council because there a lot of our inputs will be taken into consideration, we will be able to influence training, be able to get to know the kind of shipping standards that are current in the world. But beyond that I will assume that the anxiety is that we have not been able to build our own shipping fleet but we are instead going round capitals lobbying for them to put us on the IMO seat instead of being on the ground developing a merchant fleet, I think that is the kind of anxiety that most of us in the shipping industry are worried about.
I have been in the IMO negotiations for quiet a number of years as a special assistant to two directors general of NMA for six years and I can tell you that ideally before you go to IMO, you should sit down and have in- house talks about the anxieties appertaining the maritime safety, safety of life at sea including environmental issues, and those stakeholders ought to now tell you what the anxieties are so that by the time you now go to IMO, you will now have a common position that is also sub regional because we are also talking of port state control, memorandum of understanding, the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa sub region. With this, you will have a regional approach for these initiatives. So, it’s not just having bureaucrats in Abuja going round the world, though of recent I can see that the honorable minister Ibrahim Bio has done so well by including the Nigerian chamber of shipping as part of the delegation and I think it is a positive development.
Major H.A. Ajetunmobi (Rtd) (GM. Facilities, Sifax)
It took quiet some efforts and diplomatic manoeuvres for us to gain a seat at the IMO as a result of a tense work by government and stakeholders, I believe the opportunity is renewable base on the indices of our performance, to look at the tendencies of us not being there will be self analytical.
Considering the zeal with which we are pursuing the ISPS code and other protocols anybody will think we are qualified but unfortunately, the enthusiasm has gone down, this is most common to us in Nigeria; it is only the issue at the moment that grips our minds and after some time we weary.
It took quiet some efforts and diplomatic manoeuvres for us to gain a seat at the IMO as a result of a tense work by government and stakeholders, I believe the opportunity is renewable base on the indices of our performance, to look at the tendencies of us not being there will be self analytical.
Considering the zeal with which we are pursuing the ISPS code and other protocols anybody will think we are qualified but unfortunately, the enthusiasm has gone down, this is most common to us in Nigeria; it is only the issue at the moment that grips our minds and after some time we weary.
Being on the IMO council will make us aware of our inadequacies and that will make us work harder knowing that we are there by his grace, and by the time we see the other countries and what they have been able to provide in their own ports to make them qualify for the seat, it will urge us on.
It will be a matter of pride to the average Nigerian for the country to occupy a place in the council being the largest maritime country in Africa, it will also make us feel elated that Nigeria is not only mentioned in the area of crime and corruption.
So, considering it from this perspective I think it’s in our best interest to be on that council.
It will be a matter of pride to the average Nigerian for the country to occupy a place in the council being the largest maritime country in Africa, it will also make us feel elated that Nigeria is not only mentioned in the area of crime and corruption.
So, considering it from this perspective I think it’s in our best interest to be on that council.
Dr Alex Okwuashi (Registrar, Certified Institute of Shipping.)
If America, Sweden, Britain, and other G7 countries of the world have a chance to be in the council, I don’t see why Nigeria should not. Our position in Africa’s maritime business cannot be over emphasized and we can be called leaders or advocator based on different factors, the first being our regional coordination centre which borders on maritime security.
Secondly, we have come of age in terms of infrastructures and we cannot be compared with other countries. Also, Nigeria is like a maritime hub because we have the largest container traffic in the whole of West Africa.
If America, Sweden, Britain, and other G7 countries of the world have a chance to be in the council, I don’t see why Nigeria should not. Our position in Africa’s maritime business cannot be over emphasized and we can be called leaders or advocator based on different factors, the first being our regional coordination centre which borders on maritime security.
Secondly, we have come of age in terms of infrastructures and we cannot be compared with other countries. Also, Nigeria is like a maritime hub because we have the largest container traffic in the whole of West Africa.
I think if Africa must develop, then Nigeria must be given a full supported into the council so that we can pull others along, our presence at the council and our contributions go a long way, other countries of Africa look unto us because we also play the big brother role in terms of finance.
Barrister Chinedu Ogbonna (Customs PRO, PTML command.)
For us to gain a second term will be determined by how we have fared so far and our representation. Are we compliant in terms of trade facilitation? Then it will be a great benefit to the global world if Nigeria is allowed to continue considering the global resources available, if you do a critical statistics, then you will know that out of every three persons in Africa, there is a Nigerian so our role is not something you can play with. But however, looking at the compliant level, we are still far behind others.
For us to gain a second term will be determined by how we have fared so far and our representation. Are we compliant in terms of trade facilitation? Then it will be a great benefit to the global world if Nigeria is allowed to continue considering the global resources available, if you do a critical statistics, then you will know that out of every three persons in Africa, there is a Nigerian so our role is not something you can play with. But however, looking at the compliant level, we are still far behind others.
But it is unfortunate that among practitioners in Nigeria very few know about IMO compliance and security, it is only about one third that is aware of it because there is no proper information and without this they cannot relate with what they don’t know.
There should be sensitization among all practitioners both importers, agents, officers and so on, let them know that IMO goes beyond clearing and forwarding, it extends to even the oil and gas were the money really is.
For now the citizens are still ignorant of what the IMO is all about because there are no publications made available to them, no seminars or workshops, no synergy among the relevant government agencies, what effort is NIMASA, NPA and the Customs making to let the officers know about the role of the country on maritime security?
For now the citizens are still ignorant of what the IMO is all about because there are no publications made available to them, no seminars or workshops, no synergy among the relevant government agencies, what effort is NIMASA, NPA and the Customs making to let the officers know about the role of the country on maritime security?
We need another chance at the IMO.
Mr. Babatunde Samuel (Registrar, POTMAN)
My opinion is that Nigeria deserves a second chance and at the same time we don’t.
We deserve another chance because we are a maritime nation and also considering the volume of cargo that we handle in the whole of West Africa.
Nigeria also ought to be on the council because we have the drive for international trade.
However on the other hand, we have to do a critical review of our being there in terms of how many policies that we have influenced and how many have we domesticated in Nigeria.
Another issue to consider is that what has been the socio economic impact of our membership on the common man has it increased our bilateral or multilateral trade? These are questions we need to ask our self.
My opinion is that Nigeria deserves a second chance and at the same time we don’t.
We deserve another chance because we are a maritime nation and also considering the volume of cargo that we handle in the whole of West Africa.
Nigeria also ought to be on the council because we have the drive for international trade.
However on the other hand, we have to do a critical review of our being there in terms of how many policies that we have influenced and how many have we domesticated in Nigeria.
Another issue to consider is that what has been the socio economic impact of our membership on the common man has it increased our bilateral or multilateral trade? These are questions we need to ask our self.
Bayo Akomolafe (Maritime Reporter)
Nigeria as a maritime nation deserve a second term on the council because of our contributions in the whole of Africa but the problem is that our waters are not protected, recently we saw the incident that took place at the Atlas cove which is very close and opposite to the naval base. If such can happen then how are we sure that the whole ports can not be attacked? The problem is that we lack access control.
Nigeria as a maritime nation deserve a second term on the council because of our contributions in the whole of Africa but the problem is that our waters are not protected, recently we saw the incident that took place at the Atlas cove which is very close and opposite to the naval base. If such can happen then how are we sure that the whole ports can not be attacked? The problem is that we lack access control.
NIMASA is doing its job very well on maritime control but still there is no security on the waterfronts.
Considering all these, we are not qualified to be on the council, but in our contributions and constructive presentations, I think we are qualified to remain in the council, because over 70 per cent of the cargoes in Africa come to Nigeria because we have many ports and several private jetties.
Considering all these, we are not qualified to be on the council, but in our contributions and constructive presentations, I think we are qualified to remain in the council, because over 70 per cent of the cargoes in Africa come to Nigeria because we have many ports and several private jetties.
In fairness, Nigeria should justify her quest for second term by protecting the waters and ensuring a strict access control.
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