There are indications that the number of petroleum vessels patronizing Nigerian waters may have reduced drastically, allegedly due to Federal Government policies, especially as it concerns charges and activities of security agencies on the waters.
This is also as water transporters under the aegis of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have complained that there have been low activities on the waters due to the disturbing absence of vessels.
There are indications that the number of petroleum vessels patronizing Nigerian waters may have reduced drastically, allegedly due to Federal Government policies, especially as it concerns charges and activities of security agencies on the waters.
This is also as water transporters under the aegis of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) have complained that there have been low activities on the waters due to the disturbing absence of vessels.
Liverpool branch chairman of the union, Comrade Owolabi Omotayo in a chat with Shipping Position Daily confirmed that the number of oil vessels anchoring at Lagos offshore has reduced drastically and that this will have ripple effect on Nigerian economy.
He noted that ship chandlers making use of the services of water transporters to take consumables and other essentials to the ships no longer have jobs to do and that as a result of this, the boat operators were running out of business.
"The situation generally now, especially offshore Lagos is that maritime activities is so dull, I don't know, it is because of the government's policies"
"I don't see vessels coming to our bay, when they come, the ship chandlers will supply food stuffs, lube oil and other effects, the effect of them coming to our offshore circulates into the economy, because the lubricants will go there and supply a lot of drums oil, but now they are not coming again like they use to and everywhere is very dull" he lamented.
Even though the recent outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease has made some ships to boycott Nigeria, Owolabi argued that the lull in activities is not as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease.
He stressed that "before the advent of Ebola Virus, we have been experiencing this"
"Government is not encouraging the vessels to come into our offshore, due to charges and high handedness of security operatives on the waters"
"The policies have discouraged the chatterers from bringing their vessels to Nigerian waters"
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