Stakeholders in the nation's maritime industry have lampooned the Minister of Transportation; Mr Rotimi Amaechi for what they alleged as his ineptitude in the way he has so far handled the maritime industry.
The stakeholders alleged that the Minister of Transportation is more concerned about the rail sector which has made him lost concentration on the maritime industry, even as some of the stakeholders have called for the appointment of ‘a maritime governor’.
They said this would put the industry at par with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and who will oversee the affairs of the maritime industry.
The stakeholders alleged that although, last year the Minister had announced that the Minister of State for Transportation, Gbemi Saraki, would supervise the maritime industry, while he busies himself with overseeing railway development, but he has failed to give the minister of state any opportunity to prove herself.
They alleged that his lack of presence in the maritime industry has led to his incapability to handle some key industry issues which has degenerated into a full blown problem in the industry.
In a chat with our correspondent, a senior official at the ministry who pleaded anonymity cited the example of the recent declaration of the Minister that he had no knowledge of any waiver granted to foreign vessels by the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
He said this when he appeared before the Senate Joint Committee on Local Content, Downstream Petroleum and Legislative Compliance that was investigating alleged breach of Nigerian laws by foreign vessels in coastal shipping of petroleum products in downstream sector of the Nigerian maritime industry.
The official alleged that the statement by the Minister shows clearly that the Minister lacks grip of the sector.
He also said the failure of the Minister to settle the issue of the Secure Anchorage Area is an indication that the Minister has a lot on his table, while calling for the establishment of a Maritime Ministry that will be headed by a technocrat and not politicians.
Speaking also, the former National President of the association of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Mr Eugene Nweke however called for the appointment of a maritime governor who will oversee the affairs of the industry.
According to him, " when you look at it from the point of view of insecurity, the national fleet, what is the number of the ocean going vessels that we have, do we also have indigenous participation in shipping activities and marine businesses to the extent of man power development. I believe appointing a governor of maritime such as we have with the CBN who will be a technocrat who doesn't need to talk to you relying on paper presentation.
"So, we will have professional people that can train themselves and not politicians” he said.
On his part, the Director General Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI); Mr Muda Yusuf opined that creation of a ministry of maritime affairs or maritime governor will lead to bureaucracy while expressing that what is important is to place propriety on better appropriation and better commitment to reform the sector.
"We don't need to create too many beauracracies, what is important is that priorities must be cut across, what’s important in the maritime sector is better appropriation, better commitment to reform the sector, use of technology, procedures and proper documentation funding, better road infrastructures, commitment to regulatory refunds in the maritime industry", he said.
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