The Tinubu Shettima Maritime Advocacy Group (TSMAG) a body of stakeholders in the Nigeria Maritme Industry has congratulated Nigeria’s President-Elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice, Kashim Shettima on the recently held presidential elections.
TSMAG revealed this in a press statement issued yesterday and signed by its Chairman, Alahji Lameen Aliyu.
In the press statement, the group also congratulated other APC Candidates who won their Senatorial and House of Representatives seats for the federal legislative chamber.
Aliyu described the victory as a hard-earned one which was also destined by God to be so. He, therefore, called on all Nigerians, especially the practitioners in the nation’s maritme industry to rally round the Asiwaju-led Government for the benefit of the sector and the nation at large.
“We, at TSMAG, are particularly grateful for this victory as we have all worked hard to achieve it. We believe that the Tinubu/ Shettima Presidency will bring a new lease of life to the maritme industry and Nigeria in general, as the president-elect has promised to carry the sector along during our previous engagements with him.
“I want to urge all maritme stakeholders to support the APC government of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima so that we can all derive optimal benefits that abound in the industry. In our engagements with the various leaders during the campaigns, they all promised to pay adequate attention to the maritme industry and carry stakeholders and professionals along,” He said.
He posited that the group will be advocating for maritme professionals to be appointed into positions of leadership in the industry as the sector would be deprived of sustainable growth if it continues to utilize non-professionals who are always appointed to lead key agencies in the sector.
“This time around we want to see maritme professionals heading some parastatals and being appointed into boards of these agencies. By doing this, we believe the federal government can fully harness the potentials of the maritme sector, especially the Blue Economy project. This sector can sustain the nation’s economy if professionals who understand the industry and how to explore new opportunities, fresh projects and new ideas are appointed to serve”, he added.
Aliyu, who is also a chieftain of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and National Coordinator of the Association’s 100% Compliance Team also asserted that freight forwarders, who contribute immensely to revenue generation for the government, shouldn’t be neglected in policy formulation.
TSMAG is an Advocacy Group who joined other volunteer groups to campaign for the Tinubu/ Shettima Presidency. The group comprises professionals, organisations and individuals drawn from Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), ANLCA, Barge Operators Association of Nigeria (BOAN), Maritme Lawyers, Maritme Journalists, Truck Owners, Boat Operators, Shippers, among others.