NISA begs Oyetola to ensure adherence to Local Content, Cabotage laws.
...seeks inclusion of younger generation into decision making
Segun Oladipupo
The Nigerian Shipowners Association has reacted with skepticism to the statement credit to the Hon Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to effect that he is tinkering with the establishment of a National carrier during the courtesy call of the Danish Minister of Transportation.
The President of the association – Otunba Sola Adewumi, in a press release said that the Minister must have been quoted out of context because of his conviction that the Minister is a strong believer in the Nigeria project and as such believes in a home grown solution to the problems of shipping with active participation of Nigerian ship-owners and investors in line with the extant laws regulating the industry including the Cabotage act and Local Content regulations which were deliberately and painstakingly promulgated to protect indigenous shipping for national security.
The NISA President therefore appealed to the Hon Minister to quickly rally stakeholders in the maritime and blue economy towards finding a lasting solution to the perennial problems of shipping by ensuring that the Local Content and Cabotage laws are strictly adhered to without any frivolous waivers which gives latitude to foreign domination.
Otunba Sola Adewumi harped on the need for the maritime industry to also access intervention funds like other businesses such as power generation and distribution, infrastructure bank for construction companies and manufacturers with Bank of Industry and other CBN intervention funds at singe digit interest rate.
He called on the Minister to urgently look into the disbursement of the CVFF funds and the establishment of Maritime Bank to cater for the specialized business of maritime in Nigeria.
Speaking at the National Discourse 2 on Tuesday, President of NISA, Otunba Sola Adewunmi stated that there would be a dearth of knowledge and lack of continuity if the younger people are left out to the equation of things in the Maritime sector.
Represented at the even by Public Relations Officer of the group, Gbolahan Adu, he said that the same faces that have been around for the past decade are the ones still available and that no younger person has joined the fray.
“We do a lot of plans but fail to inculcate the younger generation that will take over.
“The faces that I know since ten years have not changed. For us to advance in maritime, we need to bring the younger generation into decision making
“In maritime, we have a lot of potential but until we bring in younger people who do not necessarily have to be out children.
“In the next ten to fifteen years, the people we see today, we may have to go to their houses to consult them.
“Infrastructure in shipping without human capacity and human capacity is not about institutions alone. We need younger people to come on board to say things the way they are.
“Even the younger generation do not develop interest in maritime if they don’t see it as a place where they can develop career.”
