Ogbeifun, Others Faults Cabotage Enforcement

Managing director of Starz Investment Company Limited, Engineer Greg Ogbeifun and some maritime industry stakeholders in Rivers State have faulted the performances of Cabotage Act implementing agencies in Nigeria, urging them to  be more committed  to their work.
Ogbueifun spoke in Port Harcourt at a chat with maritime journalists. He expressed worry over the slow pace with which Cabotage implementation is moving in the country, saying that Cabotage is still at its kindergarten stage. He therfore blamed the situation on those in charge of implementing the Cabotage law.
Ogbueifun described the Act in Nigeria as a disaster because it has not favoured the indigenous ship owners and the sector at large, “Cabotage is a total failure”, he said.
He blamed lack of political will on the part of government, and also lack of commitment on the implementation agency to make Cabotage law to work.
He advised that the agencies responsible for Cabotage should do more to see to the actualization of the act. “Opportunity abound whereby the provisions of the Act can be accomplished, but those responsible are thwarting the efforts. It is bad, it is a pity”, he lamented.
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Also reacting to the alleged poor performance of Cabotage law, Comrade Francis Bunu Abi, Rivers State chairman of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Seamen branch,  blamed the Cabotage implementation agency which is the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for being a clog on the wheel of progress.
Comrade Abi said the problem with NIMASA is not about frequent changes of director generals. He said NIMASA could not function well because there is no political will on the part of government to get the agency accountable.
He tasked President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a mechanism via ministry of Transport that will make NIMASA an implementation agency to perform its roles as expected.
Comrade Abi said that it is only then that NIMASA can transform from a non-performer, to a performing agency committed to addressing the issues relating to cabotage law implementation.