The Centre for Marine Surveyors in Nigeria (CMSN)has advocated the need for regulatory agencies of government to bar foreigners from participating in activities relating to surveys in crude oil production and sales.
The Marine Surveyors' group also appealed to the Nigerian Content Development Management Board (NCDMB) to put in place measures that will guarantee that marine survey activities are carried out by indigenous professionals, saying that the regulatory agencies have not done enough in that regards.
Speaking at a public lecture organised by Centre for Marine Surveyors of Nigeria, last week, in Lagos, President of the group; Prince Bambo Ademiluyi said that there is need for regulatory agencies to ensure that Nigerians get benefit from the provision of the NCDMB Act.
Such regulating agencies include Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
Other regulating agencies are the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), and Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB)
The NCDMB is expected to build local capacity, create linkages to other sectors of the national economy and boost industry contributions to the growth of the nation’s National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The Nigerian Content Act came into effect on April 22, 2010, following the signing of the Bill into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan,
He said the NCDMB Act was supposed to be a catalyst for the growth of indigenous marine surveying practices.
According to him, the Act stipulates that all classes of marine surveying should be carried out 100 per cent by Nigerians, adding that it was supposed to be a catalyst for explosion of growth of indigenous marine survey practices.
He also advised the regulatory agencies that a lot of companies and individuals have escaped scrutiny, yet they are registered to practice; because according to him, the process for licensing is not strict enough.
"This Act is supposed to be a catalyst for the explosion in the growth of the indigenous marine survey practises"
"However this is not so as the regulatory agencies and operating companies especially the exploration and production companies are still not complying enough"
He said there was need for the regulatory agencies “to ensure that Nigerians get the benefits of the provisions of NCDMB Act.
“We do not need expatriates to carry out these surveys, especially for our crude production and sales.
“For Nigerian banks and financial institutions, we should engage the service of certified and licensed surveyors for pre-purchase survey of vessels.
“This can be done so that one is not stalled with non-functional or mal- functioning vessels when procured.
“This is the reason why there are so many bad loans due to poor-performance of these vessels after purchase,’’ Ademiluyi said.
He said the association organised the lecture to provide opportunity for professionalism for fresh graduates of universities and technical colleges.
Ademiluyi said there would also be opportunities for trainees undergoing professional training as mariners in various types of vessels.
Also speaking, Mr Mike Schwarz, Chief Executive Officer of the International Institute of Marine Surveying, U.K., said there was need to have a voice for marine surveyors to drive away quacks.
He said there was need to acquire practical experience and not only academic experience.
Schwarz said that there was also the need for surveyors to be abreast of new technologies in shipping.
He said that an experienced surveyor should be a member of a recognised professional body.
The Chairman of the occasion, Retired Admiral Okanlawon Oni, urged the various surveyors’ associations to collaborate and form an Institute of Marine Surveyors of Nigeria.
“We need to come together and to understand what is obtainable in overseas and Nigeria, so that we can blend.
“If we have a good regulatory body, there would be a guarantee that a lot of people who have money can invest, because, presently, we do not have vessels,’’ he said,’’ Oni said.
He, however, said that “if all the associations form a body, it will enable banks to offer them loan services’’.
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