?Nigerian ship owners have sent a renewed ‘Save Our Soul’ (SOS) message to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Navy over renewed attacks on oil tankers on Nigerian waters.
The ship owners have equally accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of sabotage and issuing unfriendly policies to frustrate indigenous ship owners.
?Nigerian ship owners have sent a renewed ‘Save Our Soul’ (SOS) message to the Federal Government and the Nigerian Navy over renewed attacks on oil tankers on Nigerian waters.
The ship owners have equally accused the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of sabotage and issuing unfriendly policies to frustrate indigenous ship owners.
Former Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Chief Executive of Polmaz Limited, Barrister Temi Omatseye at a forum in Lagos last week lamented that, as a result of government's unfriendly policies, ship owners need to go to Togo and other neighboring ports before they can receive products from mother vessels.
Omatseye while speaking during election manifesto into the Nigerian Ship owners Association in (NISA) said that currently, there is a vessel patrolling Nigerian waters and attacking petroleum tankers.
He called on the Nigerian Navy to work more closely and establish a smooth relationship with Nigerian ship owners because according to him, ship owners are the eyes of the sea.
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He recalled that his vessel was attacked three weeks ago by a prowling pirate vessel, he said however that his vessel was able to escape the ?attack after he called the navy officials. He however said that many ship owners who do not have friends in high places like himself could not afford to escape the same situation.
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"The Nigerian Navy needs to work with us because we are the eyes of the sea, there is one vessel floating around right now attacking all of us at the high sea?"
"My vessel was chased three weeks ago by pirates, I had the GPS coordinates, I had everything, I called the navy and immediately the Central Command engaged and my vessel was rescued, how many ship owners have this contact?"?
The former NIMASA boss solicited that only Nigerian vessels should be allowed to do Ship to Ship transfer out of Lagos anchorage
Omatseye revealed that he had entered into troubled waters when he was NIMASA Director General because he attempted to straighten the relationship between indigenous ship owners and the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) ?
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"We need to let NNPC to know that they are not doing us any favour, we are the saviors of the Nigerian economy, what deal are they cutting with anybody else that they cannot do with us, we can take crude over there and bring refined cargo back to Nigeria??"
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?"?Because of the government's wrong policies, we have to go to Lome to bring cargo to Lagos and Port Harcourt, we have to tell CBN that the rule that states that you have to go to a foreign country before they can give you foreign exchange must be changed"
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He added that the CBN needs to give ship owners sector support funds just like the aviation and agricultural sectors.?
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He pointed out that the problem with the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) is not the law itself but in the regulation.
"The law states that the money should be domiciled in NIMASA, but it belongs to us, we are the once that contributed that money, the problem is just the regulation?"
He also stressed the need for bio-metrics of all master mariners on oil vessels, so that if one steals on one vessel, he cannot go on another member's vessel.
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