Oluyinka Onigbinde
Stakeholders in the nation’s maritime industry have expressed divergent views over the ability of the new Minister of Transportation; Engr Mu’azu Sambo to deliver on the promised he made.
While some stakeholders have commended the minister and have shown optimism that he will deliver on the promises, others have knocked him describing him as a minister who is no different from others who have made promises in time past and have failed to deliver on their promises.
Recall that the Minister, shortly after coming into office, promise among other things to ensure the disbursement of the controversial $350 million Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), release of the remaining train victims kidnapped, and ensure the passage of the National Transport Commission (NTC) bill, among others.
Reacting to some of these promises, stakeholders have expressed a mixed feeling of optimism and pessimism.
In a chat with our correspondent, a marine expert and former National President of Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) Capt Thomas Kemewerigha opined that the minister can not deliver on his promises, stating that the minister only has a few months in office and as such can’t make good his promises.
“I can bet with anybody that that minister is just an extension of fraud, is a staunch APC member, he has come to acquire more money for the election, how can you come and disburse funds, are you not aware that the Ministry of Finance said that money is not ship owners’. Nigerians contributed the money and I have been telling who cares to listen that that money has been used long before now”, he alleged.
“They are deceiving everybody; how many months do they have to spend in this regime? They have less than five months to spend”, he said.
On his part, the President of National Association of Masters Mariners (NAMM); Capt. Tajudeen Alao, was however optimistic that the minister will deliver on all of his promises. He stated that looking at his pedigree since he started working with Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) down till the time he left the National Inland Waterways (NIWA), he has proven to have what he takes to deliver on his promises.
He said: “When you look at his pedigree from the Nigeria Port Authority, till he left NIWA, I believe that he knows what he is up to. The time is not long again, so we shall hold him responsible. I am very optimistic that he will deliver, these things are not rocket science, to disburse CVFF is not rocket science.
“He has to take them one by one and then we discuss it, generally he will deliver, he is coming onboard in a short time, an election campaign has started and then as a minister they are going to handover to him so definitely he must deliver, he has done his homework very well”, he added.
Reacting also a top executive of one of a ship owners’ association who pleaded anonymity, opined that the minister may not be able to deliver on all of his promises, while expressing pessimism over the capacity of the minister to disburse the CVFF.
“I am not moved by all of these promises, I have spent over 25 years in this industry, so promises of such don’t move me again, I think the minister should rather be silent and let his work speak for him, rather than making noise about what he has not done.
“Just like you said, if he says the CVFF is a low hanging fruit, this and that also is a low hanging fruit, we would love to see the fruits not just keep us salivating for what we’ve not seen.
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“I will advise that he lets his work speak for him rather than becoming a minister of low hanging fruits”, he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Association of African Professionals Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON); Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, noted that with his experience, the Minister should be able to achieve more and deliver on his promises.
“I think he should be able to deliver, because he has started engaging stakeholders, so the possibility for him to achieve more is very high. And I think with his experience, I believe he is going to achieve more” he said.
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