The Nigerian Shipowners’ Association (NISA) has declared that it is the main umbrella body for all indigenous ship owners in the country. This is even as it claimed that it has the highest number of real indigenous shipowners, as against the purported claim by rival group; the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN).
Shipping Position Daily recalls that for over many years, the Indigenous Shipowners Association (ISAN) served as the only body of indigenous shipowners under the headship of Chief Isaac Jolapamo.
However, contentions began to rise amongst members of the single body after it’s first-ever election which held on October 24, 2014 which later led to the break-away of members from NISA. The polarization led some ship owners, with Engr. Greg Ogbeifun as the arrowhead to form the SOAN in April 2015.
Speaking with our correspondent on the sidelines of the commissioning of NISA’s new secretariat in Lagos last week, the National President of NISA, Otunba Sola Adewumi stressed that NISA remains the main umbrella for all indigenous ship owners, adding that SOAN is just a breakaway splitter group with no strong grip.
Adewumi stated that NISA which currently has over 100 members has been a formidable association that has weathered a lot of storms from personal interests from some individuals, but remains indomitable.
In his words: “If you look at SOAN, in as much as I wouldn’t like to condemn them, I don’t think SOAN has the capacity that we have. We are the main umbrella of the Nigeria Ship owners Association and we all know that SOAN is just like a breakaway faction. We would try as much as possible to bring everybody under the same umbrella” Adewunmi said.
Reacting to allegations that NISA is dominated by consultants and associates, unlike SOAN which has a high membership of real ship owners, Adewumi said: “What is the name of the vessel of the current President of SOAN? Which vessel does he own? Let them mention the number of their vessels. One thing I’ll tell you is that, this is the main umbrella. We are over 100 both associates and main ship owners.
“I will advise that you just do an investigation and probably take a statistic and we would know who the real ship owners are.
“As far as we are concerned, there is nothing like a faction in NISA because, what is their name if I may ask? It is better we ignore those insulations in order not to create more confusion in the industry”, he concluded
