Worried by the recent events and programmes anchored on the Blue Economy concept in Nigeria, a former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Barr. Hassan Bello, has advised industry stakeholders not to lose sight of the essence of the blue economy over jamboree, theatrics and fancifulness of the concept.
Bello also observed that although the current administration of the nation’s Marine and Blue Economy is being driven by a designated ministry and government agencies, for sustainable growth within the industry, private sector operators have to be empowered to drive the industry.
Bello, who made this call in his remarks at the 10th anniversary/ lecture of Primetime Reporters in Lagos on Wednesday, charged the federal government not to designate any of its agencies as the lead agency to drive the blue economy but create an environment that enhances private investments and private driven initiatives.
According to him, if Nigeria would make progress in the sector and avoid the mistake made during the Cabotage era when it designated an agency as lead agency, a new approach must be explored for the Marine and Blue Economy.
While stressing that the sector requires every stakeholders contribution, Bello said: “things which we must be very careful about is to make, like we did Cabotage. If we remember carefully, Cabotage was coastal and Inland shipping but that inland shipping was not emphasized. It was just for supply of oil and gas to the mother vessel, we couldn’t trade as we were doing from Asaba to Baro in Niger State or carry cement or even petroleum products. So, we cannot restrict that the Marine and Blue Economy in that manner.
“Secondly, don’t give the Blue Economy to an agency to say it is the lead agency because everybody must have contributions to the Blue Economy. We have seen agencies struggling to have seminars on Blue Economy, it’s not even a government thing. Allow the private sector to take over this blue economy, don’t create fantastic departments and overload into the private sector.
“When we had the Cabotage, it was a NIMASA thing and when you talk about Cabotage, You get response like ‘No! don’t go there, what is your own with Cabotage? So, Cabotage was colonized. The Blue Economy should not be colonized. We should have the clear ramification of that Blue Economy entails and ensure that everything trickles down.”
He, however, pointed out that there had been a lot of progress by the various organs of government even before the designation of the Blue Economy Ministry saying, “Blue Economy has always been there just as we had the red economy which is characterized by China’s quest for export for state directed economy.”
“We even have the grey economy which is that which is Informal. We have the green economy and all shades of economy. So, it’s not new that we have the Blue Economy, what has been the call by stakeholders is for us to have a ministry that will cater for marine transportation which is the paramount part of the Blue Economy.
“I know we have sustainable use of ocean resources and many other things but when you talk about the Blue Economy, the central point is the use of ocean and the Inland waterways and other resources for diversification of our economy as the Convener has said.”
While giving the lecture on the theme of the event, “Leveraging Technology To Maximize The Potential Of Nigeria’s Blue Economy”, Mr. Victor Onyegbado Esq., noted that law could be the nexus between innovative technologies and the lofty aspirations for the nation’s blue economy.
He equally encouraged the industry stakeholders, especially regulators, to ensure that indigenous operators maximize the opportunities in crude affreightment, coastal shipping, industrial fishing, tourism, among other subsets of the sector in a sustainable manner.
The event was graced by several maritime bigwigs including the Secretary General of Abuja Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Region (Abuja MoU), Capt. Sunday Umoren; National President, Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry; Pioneer Registrar, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Sir Mike Jukwe; Deputy National President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olusegun Oduntan; former Registrar, CRFFN, Barr. Samuel Nwakohu; CEO, Etcetera Consulting Limited, Dr. Alban Igwe; former National Secretary, ANLCA, Mr. Babatunde Mukaila; Secretary, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Western Zone, Mr. Stanley Ezenga; among others.
