Oluyinka Onigbinde
Ahead of the imminent commercial take-off of the Regional Maritime Development Bank, Nigeria has been ceded the position of the headship and management of the bank.
The Minister of Transportation; Engr Mu’azu Jaji Sambo has disclosed President, Managing Director and Secretary of the bank will be Nigerians.
Recall that, at a meeting with the Secretary-General, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa, Dr. Paul Adalikwu recently, the Minister had disclosed that within 90 days, the ministry would be able to secure accommodation to enable the take-off of the Regional Maritime Bank, an indication that Nigeria is billed to play a leading role in its operations.
While responding, the Secretary General of MOWCA, had told the Minister that the idea of a RMDB was conceived 11 years ago to facilitate single-digit interest loans to provide leeway to key players in the sector and enable them to compete favourably with their international counterparts.
According to Adalikwu, “Eight countries have signed the charter as required in the document establishing the bank. Two weeks ago, DRC Congo also signed making it nine countries. One above the threshold required for the establishment of the bank.”
At the meeting, he had hinted that, the organogram of the maritime bank as adopted by council members had positions of President, Company Secretary and a seat on the board already ceded to Nigeria.
Our correspondent also confirmed last week that, Cameroun will produce Vice President 1, while Ivory Coast will provide Vice President 2, adding that other member countries of MOWCA are to provide board members.
But, speaking on the planned take-off of the bank last week, the Minister confirmed to our correspondent that Nigeria has been ceded the headship of the bank getting the slot of the President, Managing Director, and Secretary.
The minister informed that specific names for appointments into the slots will be provided as soon as the council of ministers of MOWCA give approval for the appointment.
He assured that the best people will be selected for these positions in the bank that have been touted to facilitate single-digit interest loans and provide leeway to key players in the sector to enable them to compete favourably with their international counterparts.
According to him, “the Regional Maritime Bank is something we also consider a low hanging fruit, Nigeria has been ceded the position of President of the bank, the company secretary of the bank and the director of the bank
“The next step is to have a meeting of the council of ministers. Once the council of ministers gives us the formal approval of these positions, then we are going to select the best people we have and put them forward. So we will do it as quickly as possible” he said.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the nation’s maritime industry have warned against the appointment of non-professionals into the ceded positions.
The stakeholders in a chat with our correspondent urged the minister to ensure that only professionals get the positions, explaining that when professionals are in charge it will help encourage intra-African trading.
A ship owner and member of the Nigerian Indigenous Ship Owners Association (NISA) Capt. Taiwo Akinpelumi, urged the minister to ensure that professionalism is the watchword when appointing those that will be in charge of the bank.
According to him, the “Regional Maritime Bank is not a bad idea, so long as Nigeria has a very critical stake, where it’s not going to be the usual rhythm, you know before Nigeria could get something from MOWCA, it took so long, there was no single Nigerian working at the secretariat, that was why Nigeria threatened to boycott then
“So professionalism should be the watchword, it shouldn’t be our usual square peg in a round hole, because the other African countries will want it run the proper way, but we should not lose the focus of how it will be beneficial for Nigerians”.
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Speaking also the President Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), Mr. Olubunmi Olumekun urged that only those with the requisite knowledge get the positions.
“If you are bringing in somebody to a sector, it has to be in that sector, so that we will have professionalism, so it has to be a professional, a mariner or a maritime operator who knows the terrain. We don’t need a medical doctor to come and manage the bank, it has to be a banker and a maritime professional, so the minister should please consider this if indeed we want the regional bank to function well”, he counselled.
Also speaking, Capt Tajudeen Alao, President, Nigerian Association of Masters Mariners (NAMM) urged that since the bank will be run like a financial institution, maritime professionals should be appointed as technical advisers while the bankers run the affairs of the bank.
He said when professionals are appointed it will be to the greater benefit of Nigerians.
“It is a bank, and only financial accounting, financial management people that will be there, they are the one that will manage the money, any other person we call experts will only work at micro-capacity, technical people will not necessarily be engaged, they may be engaged and be in form of consultants, technical advisers.” he said.
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