About 22 contestants in the Nigerian Ship owners Association of Nigeria (NISA) yesterday took turn to assure maritime practitioners that the controversial Cabotage Act of 2004 shall be implemented and made to function optimally for the benefit of operators.
This assurance came at the association’s manifesto presentation forum held by NISA for the contestants at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa Lagos, ahead of today's elections.
About 22 contestants in the Nigerian Ship owners Association of Nigeria (NISA) yesterday took turn to assure maritime practitioners that the controversial Cabotage Act of 2004 shall be implemented and made to function optimally for the benefit of operators.
This assurance came at the association’s manifesto presentation forum held by NISA for the contestants at the Rockview Hotel in Apapa Lagos, ahead of today's elections.
Speaking at the event, Chief Executive of Starz Group, Engr. Greg Ogbaifun assured that if he is voted in as president of NISA , he will make judicious use of the position to ensure that the flouting of Cabotage Act by foreign operators is stopped.
In the upstream and downstream activities, he promised to put a stop to the discriminatory attitude of International Oil Companies (IOC) and their preference for foreign operators.
"My administration will visit the IOC's to open up channels of communication to ensure all parties can improve on working relationships, I will visit all critical stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Transport and all chief executives of relevant agencies", he assured.
Ogbeifun also promised to set up a committee to review the national carrier status and the ISAN shipping line and also make recommendations for going forward.
The ship owner added that his executives will work with relevant agencies to acquire a befitting national secretariat for the association in Lagos and also collaborate with all bodies and government agencies including NIMASA, Navy and NPA in the day to day business of the industry.
Also speaking, another contestant and the immediate past Secretary General of NISA, Capt. Niyi Labinjo promised to become the arrowhead in driving away foreigners who according to him have taken away jobs belonging to ship owners and that ship owners will reclaim their rightful place.
He also promised to ensure that government is committed to the Cabotage Act as well as the Nigerian Content Act. Labinjo observed these Acts are yet to be fully tested for benefit of operators.
On his part, a former Director General of NIMASA; Barr Temisan Omatseye, also a contestant promised to engage the Central Bank of Nigeria to give ship owners a sector support fund just as it is done in the aviation and agricultural sectors.
"We want to say clearly to CBN that the policy that states that we have to go to Lome to load from a mother vessel or visit a foreign country before you can get foreign exchange should be abolished"
Omatseye said that mother vessels will now be brought into Nigeria directly promised to ensure that only Nigerian ship owners are allowed to do ship to ship transfers on Nigerian waters.
He assured his voters that the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) will be disbursed.
"All the ship owner wants is a vessel and once you have the vessel, you can generate what you want to affect the economy, any waiver that will be issued must be clearly given by NISA"
In his opening remarks, Chairman of the NISA electoral committee, Capt. Niyi Adeyemo assured members of the association that today's election shall be free and fair and that it would be conducted by Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.
"I wish to advise that it is not a do or die affair, this association has always worked like brothers and have always pursued the same interest, in an election like this there can only be one winner" he said.
He advised further that those who do not win in the election should congratulate and hug the winners.
Discussion about this post