A stakeholder in the maritime industry has urged the Federal Government to be more sensitive to the transformation of the sector, especially in the appointment of people to strategic leadership positions and manpower training.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Jool Ship Chandlers Limited, Joel Ola, who made the call on Monday in an interview with The Tide in  Port Harcourt, said the major factor militating against the industry was lack of will power by the Federal Government to appoint the right people in the policy making positions that would help sustain growth and development of maritime industry.

According to him, starting from the appointment of ministers, to the appointment of chief executive of the key agencies in the industry that are responsible for implementing and actualising the ideals of the policies of maritime growth in the country, the appointments in these critical positions have been purely political.

He said, it was disheartening to have a ministry responsible for the maritime sector beginning from the minister all through to the permanent secretaries, director, deputy directors, assistant directors and not one of them is mariner, adding.  “It does not happen in any country that has sustained maritime growth.  Also the agencies responsible for maritime administration and safety issues, we ‘ve never had the privilege of having a professional put there who understands the issues about maritime development, so how do you expect the industry to grow.

“You find the international maritime agencies wanting to interact with this country with an objective of partnering to make the sector grow but the people they are talking to, are none professionals”, he lamented.

He maintained that lack of polticial will in appointing people that will move the industry forward was the bane of maritime sector development, saying that the Federal Governemnt should base its appointment to key sectors like maritime, on professionalism and experience.