By Hauwa Ali
The Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), Hon. Emmanuel Jime has stressed the need for an effective maritime transportation, to boost the nation’s economic growth and development, noting that over the years ship calls to Nigeria has improved with increased tonnage of about 140 million and estimated payment of above USD7.5 billion.
Jime stated this while presenting a paper at Ports Users Conference Organised by Maritime Anti Corruption Network (MACN) and the Convention on Business Integrity Ltd.
According to him, the maritime industry plays an important role in the economy of nations of the world.
He pointed out that Nigeria being a coastal state possesses great potential to generate huge revenue from both local and international transportation of persons and goods by water.
He explained that available data revealed that a total of 3, 972 vessels with a Gross Registered Tonnage of 125,133,912 metric tons were received in Nigerian Ports, though this is low when compared with the 2019 records of 4,251 vessels with a Gross Registered Tonnage of 138, 577, 463 metric tons.
He lamented sadly that Nigeria’s participation was zero, as most vessels are foreign-owned vessels.
He added that according to available data, Nigeria’s crude exportation in the year 2020 was about 1 million barrels per day with a cumulative worth of USD 30 billion while only foreign-owned vessels benefited from the freight cost of about USD225 billion for lifting the country’s crude.
The NSC boss, averred that the importance of maritime transportation to Nigeria’s economy can be measured through its contribution to the Nation’s Annual Gross Domestic Product, adding that the sector could have a direct, indirect or induced impact on the economy.
Jime declared that the sector serves as an input into every other industry in the national economy as it accounts for about 95% of the movement of Nigeria’s international trade which made 70% of industrial activities in Nigeria to be sited around the port cities of Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt and Calabar.
He noted that the sector plays a fundamental role in the exploitation, distribution and export of resources, which further aids in the reduction of spatial poverty and inequality.
Also speaking at the event, the co-founder of CBI Nigeria, Mr. Soji Apampa, said the purpose of the conference is to examine the policies, practices, opportunities, and next steps in addressing the lingering challenges in port operations which affect all categories of stakeholders in the maritime sector, including a review of how to expand the current gains and systems reforms in sectors of the industry.
He said: “The conference will evaluate the extent to which the strategies and tools (e.g. Collective Action, the introduction of the SOPs and Grievance Reporting Mechanisms (Help Desk, User Experience Diary), and Learning Management System) deployed through the MACN Nigeria Project have improved institutional compliance practices and the operating environment in the maritime sector, including the outcomes for different stakeholders.
“Key leadership stakeholders. from government, civil society and the private sector will deliver keynote addresses and present data to explain the state of port operations today, implementation of consequence management as part of a wider compliance framework, and capacity strengthening for port officials in the industry,” he said.
