…Pledges to support implementation committee
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| Dr. Dakuku Petrside, DG NIMASA |
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that Nigeria is overdue for an
active national fleet that would properly position it in the comity of maritime
nations.
Dakuku stated this in Lagos when he played
host to members of the National Fleet Implementation Committee (NFIC) at the
headquarters of the Agency, pointing out that National Fleet will energize the
maritime sector, retain huge spending on freight in-country and create job
opportunities to grow the economy.
host to members of the National Fleet Implementation Committee (NFIC) at the
headquarters of the Agency, pointing out that National Fleet will energize the
maritime sector, retain huge spending on freight in-country and create job
opportunities to grow the economy.
He declared the Agency’s readiness to support the Committee, saying, “The
national fleet implementation is long overdue and so NIMASA will work
assiduously with the committee to ensure that the national fleet is restored to
its past glory so that our nation can be reckoned with in the comity of
maritime nations.”
The Director-General stated that NIMASA had taken a lot of steps towards
developing the maritime sector and increasing indigenous participation.
He
detailed the measures to include repositioning of the Nigerian Ship Registry;
securing a special tax regime, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of
Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service; and changing of trade terms from Free
on Board (FOB) to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).
detailed the measures to include repositioning of the Nigerian Ship Registry;
securing a special tax regime, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of
Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service; and changing of trade terms from Free
on Board (FOB) to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).
Others are engaging the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN) in negotiation for one digit interest rate for Shipowners to help
in the acquisition of maritime assets; collaborating with the Nigerian Content
Development and Monitoring Board; and supporting the Nigerian Navy in capacity
building.
Nigeria (CBN) in negotiation for one digit interest rate for Shipowners to help
in the acquisition of maritime assets; collaborating with the Nigerian Content
Development and Monitoring Board; and supporting the Nigerian Navy in capacity
building.
“The national fleet implementation will create employment and wealth
opportunities in Nigeria. The focus lab will also help Nigerians to understand
the maritime sector and bring the players together to solve and understand
issues better,” he said.
The Chairman of the committee, Mr. Hassan
Bello, during his presentation enumerated the work done so far by the committee
and solicited NIMASA’s support. Bello also requested a joint briefing with
NIMASA to the Honourable Minister of Transportation to get his buy-in on the
need to go through the Focus Lab to realise the Nigerian fleet project.
Bello, during his presentation enumerated the work done so far by the committee
and solicited NIMASA’s support. Bello also requested a joint briefing with
NIMASA to the Honourable Minister of Transportation to get his buy-in on the
need to go through the Focus Lab to realise the Nigerian fleet project.
He said
there was need for the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Budget and
National Panning to write a joint memo to the Federal Executive Council and
other relevant arms of the government for approval to hold the lab.
there was need for the Ministry of Transportation and Ministry of Budget and
National Panning to write a joint memo to the Federal Executive Council and
other relevant arms of the government for approval to hold the lab.
NFIC was set up by the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon Rotimi
Amaechi, to work out modalities for the establishment and sustenance of a
Nigerian Fleet.
It would be recalled that Nigeria had a
lot of vessels under the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL) before it was
liquidated in 1995 and this is a major effort to resuscitate the National
fleet.
lot of vessels under the Nigeria National Shipping Line (NNSL) before it was
liquidated in 1995 and this is a major effort to resuscitate the National
fleet.
