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| L-R: Gen Raji Rasaki, former military administrator of Lagos State, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar and the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi at the opening ceremony of NIMAREX 2014 yesterday |
• Transport Minister Raises Hope On Passage Of Port and Harbour Bills, Others
President Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and Former Military President of Nigeria; General Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida (retd), both of whom had earlier being advertised to grace the 2014 edition of the Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX),yesterday failed to show up. The former President was billed to chair the opening session of the programme.
Even though the President was represented by the Minister of Transport; Sen. Idris Umar and the former President, represented by Former Military Administrator of Lagos State; General Raji Rasaki (retd) stakeholders who had eagerly turned up for the event told our correspondent at the venue yesterday that the absence of government functionaries, and other service chiefs, is an indication of the lack of commitment of government towards the maritime sector.
Speaking at the expo however, Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar expressed government's resolve to transform the shipping sector through the phased implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Retreat on Maritime Sector and through the re-introduction of bunkering services.
In his goodwill address, an indigenous ship owner and Chairman of Starz Investments, Engr Greg Ogbeifun lamented the lack of interest shown to the NIMAREX 2014 expo by indigenous investors and practitioners.
Umar reiterated that the Nigeria Shippers’ Council has been given government backing to act as commercial regulator of the port, pending the passage into law of the National Transport Commission (NTC) Bill to create a National Transport Commission to serve as economic regulator.
"It is also pertinent to highlight that three more transport sector Bills namely: the Railway Bill, the Ports and Harbour Bill and the Inland Waterways Bill will soon be considered by the Federal Executive Council before transmittal to the National Assembly", he added.
The minister announced that Nigeria will host the third D-8 Expert Working Group on Shipping where bilateral and multilateral agreements on shipping of member countries will be discussed.
Also speaking, General Babangida, acknowledged that Nigeria is a natural maritime nation endowed with maritime potentials and vast hinterland.
While reminiscing on the development of maritime sector during his regime, Babangida stated that, "the need to strengthen social transport was a priority for my government and this led to the formation of National Maritime Authority (NMA) with a view to encourage indigenous operators."
He continued that government’s resolve to strength the capacity building led to the creation of the Nigeria Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) in 1986 and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, (MAN) Oron in 1992.
"Government recognizes the importance of maritime to the economy led to the creation of port reform in 2006 and the enactment of the local content law all directed to improve the maritime sector in Nigeria" he observed.
In his goodwill address, an indigenous ship owner and Chairman of Starz Investments, Engr Greg Ogbeifun lamented the lack of interest shown to the NIMAREX 2014 expo by indigenous investors and practitioners.
Ogbeifun who was pioneer chairman of NIMAREX, said that the idea behind the expo is to draw world attention to Nigerian maritime sector and to showcase its indigenous potentials.
"If you look at the adverts in the brochure, I don't think there are more than three Nigerian Shipowners on the stand, 80 percent of the exhibition hall should be about Nigerians" he noted.
In her opening speech, chairman NIMAREX 2014 Planning Committee, Barr. Margaret Orakwusi stated that the title of the expo '100 years of maritime development in Nigeria' is in sync with the national centenary celebration.
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