…As Stakeholders Indict NIMASA
The President of African Ship-Owners Association, Barr. Temisan Omatseye was quick to come to the rescue of the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside as stakeholders indicted NIMASA for supporting the diversion of Nigerian cargo for STS (ship-to-ship) in Lome.
At a recent maritime stakeholder’s summit organized by NIMASA earlier this week, a stakeholder had pointed at the agency for being responsible for the increased illegal STS operations in Lome, even as he stressed that the Nigerian vessels which moved to Lome for the STS transfer had also breached the Cabotage Act.
As a greenhorn, Dr. Dakuku was astounded and needed the timely rescue of Barr. Temisan Omatseye. Omatseye, a former NIMASA DG, swiftly redirected the blame to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and its forex policy which he said gave rise to STS transfer in Lome. He also asserted that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had its fair share of the blame.
However, Dr. Dakuku Peterside revealed that NIMASA is set to draft its medium term maritime business growth plan that will cover the period between 2016 and 2019.
According to the DG, the plan was what necessitated the agency to gather maritime industry stakeholders at the meeting with the theme: ‘Repositioning the Maritime Industry for Greater Impact’.
Dr. Dakuku said the agency was looking at changing its structure as well as its culture. He said, “We are looking at reforming our work culture, we cannot be doing things as of we are in 1990 while we are in 2016”
“Our performance would not be measured by how much we rake into Federal purse, rather, it is about how many vessels are bought, how many are involved in coastal trade and so on” He added.
Also speaking at the summit, President of National Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC), Mr. Bolaji Sunmola lamented that government appointed stevedores have been hindered from doing their jobs at port terminals.
“Terminals have been using workers (stevedores) haphazardly without complying to the laws. These workers should be registered with NIMASA and placed under an employer, but that isn’t the case. There is also the issue of refusal of the stevedores at the jetties too”
Mr. Bolaji stressed that if the process is checkmated, the government and NIMASA would gain more as the stevedores ought to pay dues to the agency.
