A former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye, has criticized the newly-established Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, under Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, describing it as a “wasteful resource and investment.”
Speaking at the national maritime industry discourse in Lagos on Thursday, Omatseye expressed his disappointment over the ministry’s failure to boost shipping development, calling for the maritime sector to be returned to the Ministry of Transportation.
The discourse, themed “The Human Capital Component, Assets, and Infrastructure for the Blue Economy,” which was held in Lagos, brought together stakeholders to assess the state of the industry. Omatseye lamented that the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy had not added significant value to the maritime industry since its creation in May 2023, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. He noted that despite the ministry’s promises, the maritime sector has seen little progress.
In a pointed comparison, Omatseye praised the achievements of the aviation industry under Minister Festus Keyamo, despite his lack of experience in aeronautics. He urged maritime stakeholders and the media to be more objective in their assessment of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, criticizing the over-promotion of its activities while tangible results remain elusive.
In his remarks, Omatseye also called on industry stakeholders to engage the government more actively in shaping the future of the maritime sector, emphasizing the need for practical steps to develop human capital, infrastructure, and assets within the blue economy.
Adding to the discourse, Engr Greg Ogbeifun, a prominent shipowner, expressed deep concern about the stagnant state of the industry despite decades of dialogue and effort. He highlighted the lack of meaningful engagement between the public sector and private industry professionals, noting that private sector experts with decades of experience need to be involved in policy-making.
“The situation is so challenging, so bad that it’s difficult to know where to start because people have been talking, making efforts over the decades, and we are still where we are,” Ogbeifun said.
Ogbeifun called for a closer collaboration between public policymakers and seasoned private professionals, stressing the need for equitable discussions to harness ideas and create practical, implementable solutions. He pointed out that while government administrations have life cycles of four to eight years, many private sector professionals have spent decades in the maritime industry and have a wealth of knowledge that could benefit policy development.
However, Ogbeifun expressed frustration over the lack of engagement with policy makers at such forums. He emphasized the importance of creating a platform for interaction and sharing ideas between the private and public sectors to drive meaningful progress in the industry.
Convener of the event, Mr Kelvin Kagbare, echoed similar sentiments, stating that the maritime sector has not seen the expected progress despite the establishment of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry. He highlighted the ongoing manpower gaps in the industry, pointing to the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) as an example of initiatives that have yet to yield substantial results.
Kagbare stressed that the expectations for the blue economy, including its potential to generate $1.5 trillion annually and create millions of jobs, remain unfulfilled. He called on stakeholders to deliberate on the way forward and share insights from their experiences in the maritime sector.
The event brought together distinguished maritime personalities who were given awards for their contributions to the maritime industry, while sharing their experiences and insights on the challenges facing the maritime sector.
