• Senior Maritime Journalist; Asu Beks Says Port Concession Better Done In Phases
Activities marking the 25th anniversary of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) continued on Monday and yesterday with a lecture and Health Walk respectively.
At the falg-off of the health walk yesterday, the Lagos Ports Manager; Mr Nasir Mohammed promised to partner maritime reporters for effective media coverage of activities in the maritime industry.
• Senior Maritime Journalist; Asu Beks Says Port Concession Better Done In Phases
Activities marking the 25th anniversary of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) continued on Monday and yesterday with a lecture and Health Walk respectively.
At the falg-off of the health walk yesterday, the Lagos Ports Manager; Mr Nasir Mohammed promised to partner maritime reporters for effective media coverage of activities in the maritime industry.
Mohammed disclosed this on the sideline of the Health Walk carried out by members of the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos.
Some workers of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) participated in the Health Walk.
MARAN members walked from Wharf Road through Apapa G.R.A. as part of the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the association.
“The NPA will continue to partner with MARAN; we see MARAN as partners.
“That partnership has started and it will continue. We will continue to solidify it and identify with all your activities, “ Mohammed said.
He said that NPA would want the partnership to be sustained in order to have a robust maritime industry.
“There was no casualty throughout the exercise. Though, NPA brought an ambulance. Good enough we did not hope for it and we did not get any, “ Mohammed said.
The port manager said that the exercise would tell the society at large that the maritime reporters were physically fit.
On his part, the Deputy Road Commandant of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC); Mr Adegboroye Adeboye, commended the efforts of the association for organising the Health Walk.
Adeboye said that “health is wealth“, adding that one could only get a good health by exercising the body regularly.
“It has been our culture at the Federal Road Safety Corps that every Wednesday we must participate in a weekly exercise.
“The exercise has contributed to our fitness anytime we are called for assignment, “ Adeboye said.
Also, the Customs Area Controller in Ports and Terminal Multi-Service Ltd. (PTML), Mr Adeshina Odumbaku, also visited MARAN in celebration of the silver jubilee.
Odumbaku congratulated MARAN and urged journalists to continue to seek for the truth, adding that journalism was a noble profession.
“To be a journalist is a big challenge, especially in a country like Nigeria. My advice is that you should be truthful in all your reports, “ the customs boss said.
He said that MARAN had grown from strength to strength and advised the association to introduce a board of trustees to guide the association.
And at the lecture on Monday, a senior maritime journalist and Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Ltd.; Mr Asu Beks, argued that the port concession would have been better done in phases for more economic benefits.
Beks, made the remark in Lagos while speaking as the guest lecturer at the ongoing 25th anniversary of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN).
According to him, the ports concession is not a bad idea, but should have been done in phases for better understanding of how best to run port operations.
Beks, who was President of MARAN from 1989 to 1991, said that the operational challenges at the ports were created by the faulty implementation of the concession.
He, however, said that such operational challenges would be taken care of whenever the Ports and Harbour Bill was eventually passed.
Beks said that the take-over of the Destination Inspection Service by the Nigeria Customs Service “was still an exercise on trial”.
He said that the performance would show the level of preparedness by the service.
“The NCS taking over the Destination Inspection service is very much on trial for now.
“The Destination Inspection service provision requires adequately-trained hands,’’ he said.
Beks advised maritime reporters to use the media as advocacy tool for economic development.
He suggested that the media should set agenda through their reports on the new policy on rice importation, the new automotive policy and the challenge of power generation.
“Report on issues for the purpose of economic development. For instance, look at the new rice policy and the automotive policy.
“How prepared is the nation to grow sufficient rice for the local population?
“How prepared is the nation in reviving and sustaining automotive plants to meet immediate needs?’’
The lecture was attended by the representatives of the Public Affairs Departments of the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council who delivered goodwill messages.
Discussion about this post