Stakeholder Calls For National Carrier

The need for the Federal
Government to re-introduce the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) as the national carrier has again been emphasised.
A Port Harcourt-based stakeholder in the maritime industry, Sir Richard Iffi, made the call in an interview with The Tide in his office in Port Harcourt, last Monday.
Iffi said with the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda in the transport  sector, there is need for the administration to re-inaugurate the shipping line to boost the economy, provide opportunity for employment, and have a say at the international maritime sector as a nation endowed  with the potentials in maritime business.
He noted that the maritime sector and its potentials  would no doubt transform  the economy of Nigeria with this development pointing out that, “The re-introduction of the nation’s shipping line which will generate  huge foreign exchange for the government and substantial employment opportunities for the unemployed cities  is therefore not a misplaced priority in the sector”.
The  maritime stakeholders,  who is the  Managing Director of Iffi  Global Services reiterated that the shipping line when  rehabilitated  would contribute  to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as well as break the monopoly of foreign  vessels that are doing business in the country.
According to him, it would also reduce the cost of importation of goods into the country and attract more businessmen  into the country, as they would now patronise  the nation’s shipping line which is expected  to be cheaper and safer.
Iffi said the re-introduction of NNSL  would increase efficiency  in the maritime sector and will go a long  way in promoting the nation’s international trade and help develop and transform the economy better, so that the transformation agenda by the President in the transport sub-sector would fully attract global recognition.
He, however, called on the National Assembly to urgently pass the port and Harbour bill to facilitate ports operations in line with international best practices, and lauded the Federal Government for all its reform and developmental efforts of the Ports in the country, enjoining them not to relent.