The Maritime Sector in Nigeria has in a recent time being married to handful of problems which is making the juicy business unattractive as it ought to be.
Experts in the sector were hosted to a breakfast meeting in order to proffer solutions by the foremost association in the sector, Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) in Lagos yesterday under the theme “ Rehabilitation of Tin Can Island Port: Proffering Workable Solutions,”.
Among the solution provider at the meeting was the President General of Maritime Workers Union (MWUN) Prince Adewale Adeyanju, who had called on the Federal Government to make it a policy by appointing only the technocrats as Maritime CEOs as he attributed the deteriorating Port condition and other misconduct in shipping to leadership flaws and appointment of politicians rather than experts in the sector to head strategic agencies.
The PG stressed that appointment of the inexperienced personalities as Chief Executives easily leads to misguided decisions that stagnates the nation’s maritime Industry.
He revealed that the collapsing quay aprons at Tin Can , dilapidated port access roads leading to Onne and calabar as a problem that would not have been if technocrats were appointed to port regulatory agencies, he cited DG of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agencies NIMASA Dr Jamoh and former Executive Secretary of Nigeria Shippers Council NSC Barr Hassan Bello as good examples who rise to lead their respective agencies.
In the same vein, the former Director General of NIMASA Temisan Omatseye advocated for the development of riverine ports as a solution to the deplorable state of infrastructure at the Tin Can Island port.
Omatseye emphasized on the need for the government to recognize and appreciate the value of riverine transportation in Nigeria. He highlighted that when riverine transportation is effectively utilized, it would creates employment opportunities that will go round various regions across the country.
Omatseye proposed a radical approach to alleviate the strain on the overburdened Tin Can Island port. He suggested that terminal operators should only be allowed to operate in Lagos if they have a waterfront location, promoting the relocation of operations to areas like Epe or Ikorodu.
He further advocated for the establishment of a terminal in Ijebu waterside, with the assistance of the Ondo state government, and the construction of a dual carriage road to Ore.
This strategic development would encourage cargo movement away from Lagos, ultimately easing the strain on the port and boosting the economy of other regions.
The former NIMASA Director General also urged the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to initiate joint ventures with barge operators and invest in first-class equipment.
He emphasized the importance of smaller feeder vessels with a draft capacity of 5.9 meters to transport cargo to ports in Warri, Koko, Ugala, Calabar, and other areas. Omatseye emphasized that the cost of moving cargo via water transportation to these ports would be significantly lower than traditional trucking methods, offering a viable and efficient alternative.
The proposal to develop riverine ports received widespread support from attendees at the breakfast meeting.
Dr. Eugene Nweke, Chairman while speaking at the occasion, expressed the need for urgent attention to the critical infrastructure at seaports and suggested declaring a state of emergency.
He emphasized that ports play a vital role in the nation’s economy and trade facilitation, and inefficiencies in the port system result in costly delays for ship owners.
