The Federal Government has been urged to develop an actionable plan that would leverage on the existing laws to ensure increased participation of indigenous operators in the maritime sector.
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMLCA), in a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, decried the low participation of Nigerians in the maritime sector, as foreigners continue to play domineering roles.
The letter, signed by NCMLCA’s President, Lucky Amiwero, said Nigeria currently has some laws in place to achieve the objectives, but faced by poor implementation.
With the establishment of Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, Amiwero said the sector should be made to promote economic growth, social inclusion, preservation and improvement of livelihoods.
He was optimistic that the marine-based economy would aid future generations by contributing to food, security, poverty eradication, employment, health, safety, equity and political stability.
According to him, Nigeria as at now has overall coordinated maritime policy to activate the blue economy for the creation of both wealth and generation of employment based on the three legal instruments such as Coastal and Inland shipping (Cabotage) Act 5 of 2003; The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act No. 17 of 2007 and Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act No. 2 of 2010.
He, however, noted that since the enactment of these three legislative instruments meant for the development of indigenous capacity in the maritime sector, Nigeria is yet to find its feet due to the absence of developmental strategy as contained in the various Acts, aimed to activate and trigger the activities of indigenous operators and generate employment.
He said the Federal Government should ensure urgent implementation of the three acts to activate and trigger the blue economy in creating sustainable economic growth, social integration and livelihood.
“Nigeria as a maritime nation needs to speedily develop organisational architecture and responsibility to ensure the continuous growth of the economy in an increasing, dangerous and competitive environment,” he added.
On the waiver clause in Section 9,10,11,12 and 13 of the Cabotage Act which allows the minister to issue waiver on every component of the (Cabotage) regime, he said this reduces the participation of indigenous operators in the (Cabotage) activities for the continuous domination of foreign operators in both waterborne commerce and (cabotage) regime.
According to him, the continuous existence of the waiver clause in the act will rob the nation of capital flight of huge transfers of foreign exchange out of the country due to foreign operators.
He said this will also lead to the continued dominance of freight component by foreign players.
The waiver, according to him, would also lead to lack of employment of Nigerian operators due to non participation of indigenous hands; lack of ownership of maritime infrastructure by indigenous companies as a result of non-operation; and lack of skill as a result of the continuous use of the foreign workers.
Amiwero further stated that the national carrier status should be developed and facilitated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the expansion of fleets, in the carriage of shared cargo based on the act.
