Stakeholders Task Buhari On Sea Pirates, Others

Some  stakeholders in the
maritime industry  have bared their minds on what they expect from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as regards the maritime sector.
The stakeholders who expressed their feelings in an interview with The Tide correspondent in Port Harcourt recently said the issue of adequate security to curb the menace of sea  pirates, the operations of the Port concessionaires, maritime workers welfare and training, increased tariff at will   and National Carrier among others should be looked into seriously in order to make the industry more attractive.
According to them, as one of the  sectors that generates revenue into the Federal Government coffers, serious attention should be given to it in order to improve its operational standard in line with  world best practices.
The chairman, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Rivers State, Comrade Jonah Jumbo in his view said, “it is obvious that the past  government did not treat  maritime workers well in spite of the fact that the maritime  sector looks into the issue of cabotage law as it has to do with engaging the youths into marine industry”.
According to Jumbo, some seafarers job were being taken over by expatriates, as they man Nigerian positions in some vessels despite their qualifications.
He said given some foreign vessels waivers should also be addressed as it is also not in the best interest of the country, adding that the administration should also encourage Nigerians to buy vessels in order to employ Nigerian seafarers who are roaming about the streets with their masters certificate in seafaring.
In his own opinion, Babalola James of shipping Trade Union briefly opined  that a lot of re-organisation and steps  should be taken in order to revamp the maritime sub-sector for effective service delivery, and noted with dismay that the former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was ill-advised by his aids in terms of maritime development.
Another stakeholder, Chief Solomon Tibida harped  that government should provide  adequate security on our waterways  including  inland, coastal, creeks and ocean domain because the level of insecurity is alarming and that they should put in place measures to tackle the ugly trend in the maritime domain.
Comrade Frank Alade of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said the President  Muhammadu Buhari’s  government  should look for an avenue to make the industry  more attractive for foreign investors to come and do business in Nigeria for the  economy  to be viable once again.
“I will also want the government to champion the course of promoting local content for investors to gain from the sector”, he opined.
Another maritime stakeholder, Sir Charles Uloma called for encouragement of maritime schools in the country inorder to compete with others globally.
Uloma said a national carrier to compete  with other  foreign  vessels is very  important in this present dispensation.