It is no longer news that President Goodluck Jonathan has perfected plans to handover the nation’s maritime security to a private enterprise and this is already generating anger.
We recall that prior to the recent attempt, the same company, Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited had been awarded contract to police Lagos maritime zone at a handsome cost of about N49.7 Million monthly.
It is no longer news that President Goodluck Jonathan has perfected plans to handover the nation’s maritime security to a private enterprise and this is already generating anger.
We recall that prior to the recent attempt, the same company, Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited had been awarded contract to police Lagos maritime zone at a handsome cost of about N49.7 Million monthly.
The contract which coffers patrol and surveillance of the waters in and around Lagos has been touted as largely responsible for the perceived reduction in sea robbery on and around Lagos waters.
For the sake of clarity, we will like to recall how Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited came into the horizon of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). From all available information, the company first approached NIMASA during the tenure of Dr Ade Dosunmu as the director general with a proposal to provide security and surveillance on Lagos waters.
For reasons that were not disclosed, Dr Dosunmu did not buy into it; neither did his successor, Mr Temisan Omatseye.
But, as soon as the incumbent DG, Mr Ziakede Akpobolokemi came on board, the romance between NIMASA and Global West was ignited. One of the first official engagements of the then-new DG was that he received five fairly-used boats that were donated to NIMASA by the chief executive officer of Global West Vessel; Capt Romeo Itima.
Encouraged by the way the tape is rolling, Capt Itima got set for Act 2, Scene 1of the script, he applied for the infamous contract to police Lagos waters, he got a ‘Yes’ answer and every month, his company; Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited got N49.7 Million.
The script writers were very good at it; they looped the controversy over the Maritime Security Agency (MASECA) Bill into their scheming, got maritime industry stakeholders to oppose MASECA and rode on the opposition to get a letter from the Presidency to the National Assembly to withdraw the Bill. While the letter was being worked on and while the Bill was still in limbo at the Senate, the promoters of Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited were told to bring their proposal forward.
The final Act and Scene in the script was for Messrs to be awarded contract to police Nigerian maritime domain from Lagos to Calabar.
Apart from being too obviously primordial and largely suspiciously driven by selfish motives, handing the nation’s maritime domain to a private company portend great dangers to the nation’s security and sovereignty.
The directors (except one) are all from one ethnic nationality; they are the President’s kinsmen.
As a media organisation, we quite align with the fear that opposition party Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) raised when it stated that: “all Nigerians to show interest in this issue, which has far-reaching implications for the country's continued existence as one entity.”
The maritime domain of any nation is her backbone in times of trouble or external incursion, how then can any right –thinking government concession it to a private security outfit. We honestly doubt the sincerity of purpose of the President in this matter; we also doubt the competence of Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited to handle the assignment. It will certainly partner with foreign interests, which makes it all the more dangerous.
This is where the National Assembly comes in; it has intervened in less serious issues in the past, so it should demonstrate that same patriotism and call the President and his co-travelers to order.
There are two options: Get the MASECA Bill back to the National Assembly for considerations or empower NIMASA to perform maritime security functions.
We hereby reiterate our preference for MASECA as a distinct government agency saddled exclusively with maintenance of security within the nation’s maritime domain.
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