- Transport Minister, shipping veterans to grace award ceremony
Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) is set to celebrate its 34th anniversary with a strategic summit to examine the nation’s 16-year seaports concession regime with the Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo leading transport veterans to the event on Friday, December 9th, 2022.
The event themed, “16-Years of Port Concession: The Pains and The Gains” will be chaired by a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Ade Dosunmu; while the immediate-past Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello is expected to deliver the lead paper presentation.
Principal Partner, Jean-Chiazor and Partners, and former Continental President of African Women in Maritime (WIMAFRICA), Mrs. Jean-Chiazor Anishere, SAN, will moderate the panel discussion segment at the programme to hold at the Providence hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, featuring an Award/Gala Night.
Maritime bigwigs expected to grace the occasion include; Chairman of Integrated Oil and Gas, Capt Emmanuel Iheanacho; Chairperson, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Prince Vicky Haastrup; Chairman of SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi; Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko; Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR; Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hon. Emmanuel Jime.
Others are; former President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu; Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd); Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa; the Iyalaje Kano, Hajia Bola Muse; among others.
It is expected that several issues regarding port operations in the nation will be dissected by critical stakeholders and speakers at the event in a bid to proffer the headway for the country.
According to a statement issued by Chairman Planning Committee of MARAN 34th Anniversary and Awards, Mr Dapo Olawuni, the Association has lined up activities to celebrate this landmark event, which includes the conferment of Awards of Excellence on some notable corporate bodies and individuals that have greatly impacted positively on the growth and development of the maritime industry.
His words: “It is instructive to note that MARAN Awards come once in a decade as the last edition was held in December 2013. The association was deliberate in making the Anniversary and Award ceremony a decade-long one to infuse integrity and nobility into the Awards, a radical departure from others.”
The association also plans to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the need to further review the port concession era, and to examine the opportunities posed by the building of new ports, especially the much celebrated Lekki Deep Seaport.
MARAN, an affiliate of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), is the foremost maritime media association which was formed in November 1988 and it has remained the umbrella body of all journalists posted to cover or report the activities of the nation’s shipping and allied businesses.
