Activities in the maritime industry closed
on Friday with an assurance by the Planning Committee of the 2015 Nigeria
Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) to assist maritime operators in sourcing funds and
equipment.
on Friday with an assurance by the Planning Committee of the 2015 Nigeria
Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) to assist maritime operators in sourcing funds and
equipment.
The Chairman of the Committee, Mr Ayorinde
Adedoyin, spoke on the move in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) in Lagos.
He said the exhibition which would come up
from March 29 to April 1 would focus on trade promotion.
from March 29 to April 1 would focus on trade promotion.
Adedoyin said efforts would be geared
toward bringing people that needed funds and equipment together, as well as
those who could provide the vital resources to develop the shipping sub-sector.
toward bringing people that needed funds and equipment together, as well as
those who could provide the vital resources to develop the shipping sub-sector.
He said that NIMAREX had drawn
government’s attention to the potential of the maritime industry in order to
grow the nation’s economy.
government’s attention to the potential of the maritime industry in order to
grow the nation’s economy.
Meanwhile, the Apapa Port Manager, Mr
Nasir Mohammed, called for improved rail service, noting that the provision of
more wagons and locomotives would boost the operations of Inland Container
Depots.
Nasir Mohammed, called for improved rail service, noting that the provision of
more wagons and locomotives would boost the operations of Inland Container
Depots.
Mohammed said the initiative would also
take some traffic off the roads, which had been overstretched.
take some traffic off the roads, which had been overstretched.
He also said that the port management
would dislodge squatters from the port and restrict the movement of persons
with no legitimate business in the ports.
would dislodge squatters from the port and restrict the movement of persons
with no legitimate business in the ports.
According to Mohammed, the port remains a
security facility and the NPA will ensure safety and security of workers in the
area.
security facility and the NPA will ensure safety and security of workers in the
area.
NPA, in its daily publication, ‘Shipping
Position’, stated that 16 ships laden with petroleum products and food items
had arrived Lagos ports, waiting to berth.
Position’, stated that 16 ships laden with petroleum products and food items
had arrived Lagos ports, waiting to berth.
It stated that 43 other ships were
expected with general cargo, food items and petroleum products from Jan. 16 to
Feb. 7.
expected with general cargo, food items and petroleum products from Jan. 16 to
Feb. 7.
Earlier in the week, the Seaports Terminal
Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) said it faced many challenges in its
operations in 2014 due to changes in some government policies.
Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) said it faced many challenges in its
operations in 2014 due to changes in some government policies.
The spokesman of STOAN, Mr Bolaji Akinola,
said the policies did not consider the concession agreement and business
projections.
said the policies did not consider the concession agreement and business
projections.
Akinola said that terminals handling bulk
cargo like rice and fish as well as the Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) operations were
affected.
cargo like rice and fish as well as the Roll-On Roll-Off (RORO) operations were
affected.
He urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
to introduce 24-hour examination of goods, especially containers, to facilitate
cargo clearance.
to introduce 24-hour examination of goods, especially containers, to facilitate
cargo clearance.
According to him, this is already being
practised in some ports in India, to ease cargo traffic.
practised in some ports in India, to ease cargo traffic.
Dr Olisa Agbakoba, a Maritime Lawyer and
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), at a news conference during the week, drew
government’s attention to the need for policy, institutional, regulatory and
legal framework overhaul in the maritime industry.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), at a news conference during the week, drew
government’s attention to the need for policy, institutional, regulatory and
legal framework overhaul in the maritime industry.
Agbakoba said this would enable the
government to tap into an estimated N7 trillion which could come from the
maritime sector annually.
government to tap into an estimated N7 trillion which could come from the
maritime sector annually.
The maritime lawyer urged politicians to
focus their campaign on alternative sources of revenue other than the oil and
gas sector.
focus their campaign on alternative sources of revenue other than the oil and
gas sector.
Also in the week under review,
stakeholders lauded the decision of Mr Eporwei Edike, the Customs Area
Controller, Apapa Area Command, to address complaints made against some retired
officers who engaged in shoddy deals in the command.
stakeholders lauded the decision of Mr Eporwei Edike, the Customs Area
Controller, Apapa Area Command, to address complaints made against some retired
officers who engaged in shoddy deals in the command.
The controller directed the Deputy
Comptroller, Administration to identify bona-fide officers to checkmate the
situation.
Comptroller, Administration to identify bona-fide officers to checkmate the
situation.
