Shipping Practitioner Urges FG To Revive Goods Export

A shipping practitioner, Mr Christopher Okorie,has urged the
Federal Government to encourage local production of exportable goods to revive
the moribund export line of the maritime sector.

Okorie, who is also the Chairman of Phonic Marine Services
Ltd. (PMSL), made the call in an interview withour correspondent  in Port Harcourt recently  said that Nigeria was losing billions of
naira in revenue daily due to poor attention being paid to the maritime sector.

Okorie, a member of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, also
advised government to invest in the maritime industry to create wealth and
reduce unemployment.

According to him, government should encourage
made-in-Nigeria goods that could be exported, adding “Maritime industry to my
view, will strive higher if more goods are produced for export.

“If local content policy is totally enforced within the oil
sector, it would create the enabling environment for maritime sector to boom,’’
he said.

The maritime expert identified cash crops like palm oil,
cocoa, cotton, ginger, and groundnut as capable of creating wealth for the
country through marine operations.

“Ships have the capacity to convey as many bags of cocoa,
groundnut and tins of palm oil to anywhere in the world.

“And as they move, money accrues into the treasury of the
nation.

“If the marine industry is not reformed, Nigeria will
continue to lose billions of naira and create room for foreign domination of
the sector,’’Mr  Okorie said.