By Loveth Anyaegbunam
Nigeria, on Thursday, last week, joined the global maritime community to mark the 2024 World Maritime Day(WMD), with mixed feelings, reports MMS Plus. .
WMD is observed on last Thursday of September each year to highlight the relevance of maritime safety, security and protection of the marine environment. Tagged Marine Day, it provides awareness on maritime activities in addition to special events. In other climes, families and fun seekers visit beaches, swim, snorkel,surf or dive and embark on other ocean-related festivities.
In contrast, while others celebrate, the celebration in Nigeria was tainted with what could be described as the worst form of female gender humiliation. It lays credence to the assertion that gender inclusivity in the nation’s maritime industry ends up in sloganeering. These examples suffice. Mrs. Mfon Usoro as the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) was not given the opportunity to birth the needed change. Hadiza Bala-Usman, former Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA), stayed longer on seat but battled human-induced landmines for her audacity to touch the sacred altars as a woman. Like Usoro, Bala-Usman was harangued and forced out.
Today, it is the turn of the Acting Registrar/CEO, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria(CRFFN), Mrs. Chinyere Uromta, who is constantly bullied by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy,Mr. Olufemi Oloruntola. At the WMD event, last week, he allegedly instructed a director in the ministry to ensure that the goodwill message of the Mrs. Uromta, which had been widely circulated in the hall, was not read, and made sure that the media crew of the ministry did not write about it in their press statement. Uronta was said to have made efforts to take the podium to read her goodwill message like other CEOs, but all to no avail as she was told there was no time.
In his seeming detest for this woman, Oloruntola personally allegedly ensured that she was not given a seat on the second row, where the maritime chief executive officers were seated. Her seat was lost in the crowd. And upon inquiry it was gathered that the Perm Sec. left a standing order.
This left a trail of questions on why the Perm Sec. would always demean and talk down on a sitting acting CEO of an agency; Why would they not confirm her and yet keep her to be going through humiliation?; why would he choose an event to display his weakness for a female gender? Why would he choose an event of this season to display his hatred for mankind? From all that have been happening, the story smacks off ethnic bigotry.
This further explains why gender mainstreaming in the maritime industry is suffering serious alienation. Gender inclusion without enablement for productivity is meaningless. Many women directors in these agencies are not given level playing fields to function and optimize their positions.
Nevertheless, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to join the rest of the world in promoting the critical importance of maritime safety for seafarers, infrastructure, and the environment in line with the campaign by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to attain a robust and sustainable development in the nation’s Maritime industry.
Oyetola made the disclosure while delivering his Keynote address at the occasion of the 2024 World Maritime Day celebration held at Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos State on with the
theme: “Navigating the Future: Safety First”.
The Minister said this year’s theme is particularly relevant, as Safety is a fundamental prerequisite for achieving a business – friendly Maritime sector.
Oyetola who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Olufemi Oloruntola, highlighted the event’s significance in driving initiatives and policies within the maritime sector. He noted that the annual event provides an opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s progress in maritime development as well as positioning the sector as a key driver of national economic growth.
Speaking further the Minister disclosed that 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the 1974 adoption of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), the world’s most important treaty for the safety of merchant ships. The Minister reiterated the country’s commitment to aligning its regulatory framework with International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards and other global regulations. He also stressed that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, significant investments are being made in port modernization through public-private partnerships, aimed at reducing inefficiencies, lowering operational costs, and enhancing safety.
The Minister therefore, called for continues collaboration with the private sector to achieve a world-class standards in Nigeria’s maritime industry, stressing the importance of state-of-the-art facilities in elevating the sector to a higher level.
On his part, the Special Guest of Honour, Prof. Larry Awosika said: “The theme for this year’s World Maritime Day Celebration offers us a unique opportunity to reflect on the current state of Nigeria’s Maritime industry and to chart the way forward for a safer, more sustainable future for our nation’s waterways and global trade
According to him, “our Maritime sector has long been a cornerstone of the country’s economy, driving majority of our international trade”, noting that despite it’s immense potential, the industry is grappling with a number of challenges that threatens to undermine it’s full capacity. Maritime security according to him, remains a pressing issue, with piracy, armed robbery at Sea and other illicit activities persisting in the Gulf of Guinea, which not only disrupt trade, but also endanger lives and raise insurance costs, making the country’s shipping routes less attractive to international operators.
As a measure to strengthening Maritime security therefore, Awosika called on the Federal government to deepen regional and international cooperation as well as implement the Deep Blue Sea Project, enhance surveillance, improve training for Maritime security personnel, and invest in cutting – edge technology like drones and satellite monitoring systems.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Olufemi Oloruntola described the World Maritime Day event as more than a commemoration, but a reaffirmation of the vital role the maritime sector plays in sustaining global trade, fostering economic growth and driving sustainable development.
The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director Maritime Safety and Security in the Ministry, Mr. Babatunde Bombata said this year’s theme serves as a reminder and a call to action to place safety at the forefront of every decision and every action within the maritime domain because without prioritizing safety, we risk not only human lives but also the ecosystems and economies that rely on our oceans.
According to Oloruntola, “in an era of rapid technological change, where innovations like autonomous vessels, renewable energy platforms and artificial intelligence are reshaping the landscape, our commitment to safety must be unwavering. These advancements present great opportunities, but they also introduce new risks. We must therefore, ensure that these technologies enhance safety standards rather than compromise them, guiding us into a future where innovations and safety works hand in hand”, the Permanent Secretary said.
In her goodwill message, Mrs Uromta, called for capacity building of human resources in the Marine and Blue Economy value chain, saying it is the catalyst for a sustainable blue ocean. She added, “ Capacity building, training and retraining must be given prime attention because the Marine and Blue Economy sector is a dynamic one.”
She advocated for safety of the port access corridors beginning from Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne and Calabar seaport complexes.
