RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos.
The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dayo Mobereola has ruled out expectations that the National Shipping Line carrier will be resuscitated by the Federal Government.
Rather, he said the Federal Government would encourage the private sector and support it to own vessels that will fly the flag of the country worldwide.
The NIMASA DG gave the hint while fielding questions at an interactive session with the maritime journalists on Monday held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
His words, ” We shouldn’t go the way of the past where government own vessels. We should encourage the private sector and be supported and encouraged by government.
“So the issue of having Nigeria carrier is not going to happen, but we are going to be having a Nigerian flag that will fly in the whole world.”
Mobereola, who sorted the cooperation and partnership of the maritime media in moving the maritime industry forward, noted that the media is a veritable organ in nation building.
The NIMASA Boss, while speaking on the delay in the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessels Finance Fund (CVFF), posited that his administration is trying to avoid the mistake of past administrations.
He reiterated the commitment of his s administration to avoid the mistakes of the defunct Ship Acquisition and Ship Building Fund (SASBF) in the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessels Finance Fund(CVFF)
According to him, the nation’s maritime industry has undergone some changes since the earlier disbursements about two decades ago and requires adequate planning that takes about seventy percent of the time to achieve efficiency.
Mobereola said when disbursements begin, it will be sustained to achieve economic development through employment and business growth for investors in the blue economy
The NIMASA DG added that the CVFF won’t be about vessels alone as the agency aims to ensure the availability of cargoes to sustain the continuous operations of the fund and avoid a repeat of the SASBF saga
He disclosed that members of the NIMASA executive management recently visited the modular floating dock for which several proposals have been made on its management.
Mobereola said the agency is coming out with a detailed plan to guarantee job placement for maritime cadets and graduates.
Mobereola described the agency’s expansion of the blue economy concept with various state governments as an ongoing activity as the country under President Bola Tinubu is committed to economic diversification through the maritime industry.
He said Nigeria can achieve its desire to reduce its over dependence and expresses optimism that Nigeria can make more from blue economy like Namibia which has 33% of it’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from the sector.
Present at the interactive session were the executive director finance and administration of the agency Mr. chidi Okwudili, executive director operations Engr. Taye Adeyeri and executive director Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services Jubril Abba and other senior managers.