Worried by some recurring assessment of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry as under-performing, the Minister, Adegboyega Oyetola has described such assertion as misleading on account of the accomplishments of its agencies.
Oyetola made this remark at the 2024 Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) Annual Maritime Lecture (MARAN), with theme: “AfCFTA: Dismantling Trade Barriers, Navigating Regional Trade” on Thursday in Lagos.
The Minister, who was represented by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Ismail Omipidan, stated this while reaffirming the commitment of the Federal Government to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to ensure economic development in Nigeria and create new export opportunities for the marine sector under the Guided Trade initiative.
A former Acting President of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr. Kayode Farinto, had described the Marine and Blue Economy as underperforming in his closing remarks after his paper presentation at the event.
Farinto had also stressed the need to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers, address infrastructure deficits, improve the service delivery at ports and simplify trade processes for continental business.
In his response, Omipidan maintained that the Ministry can’t be extricated from the success stories attributed to Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), among other agencies being supervised by the Ministry.
“If there are specifics that the Ministry should address, come up with them and I can assure you that they will be looked into. I think it is misleading and unfair on the Ministry to say it is doing nothing or underperforming; yet the same stakeholders turn around to commend agencies like NIMASA, NPA, Shippers’ Council, and others for their performance,” the Minister said.
Speaking about the Ministry’s commitment to AfCFTA, he posited that through the NPA, the Ministry has licenced several Export Processing Terminals (EPTs) which fast-track export procedures and enhance the efficiency of trade processes under the AfCFTA.
“In July this year, we recorded a significant milestone in our march to economic recovery, following the inaugural shipment ceremony under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the AfCFTA. For us, it was a crucial step towards an enhanced trade and economic cooperation on our continent.
“In today’s interdependent and globalized world, efficient and cost-effective maritime transportation systems that link global supply chains are the engine that would ultimately fuel economic development and prosperity,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, encouraged the Ministry to address the maritime sector’s absence in the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) indices prepared by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Yusuf argued that until the industry is properly captured in GDP contribution, its performance and growth will be difficult to measure.
On his part, the President of Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN), Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, noted the removal of Customs duties for the importation of ships would significantly enhance the nation’s shipping sector.
Maiguwa, however, called for high integrity within the freight forwarding sector as an abuse of this privilege will see the government rescind the decision to remove duties on ships.
Some maritime dignitaries who graced the occasion were; President, Nigeria Shipowners Association (NISA), Otunba Sola Adewumi; Executive Director, Operations, Tantita Security Service, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh; Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port (TCIP), Comptroller Dera Nnadi; former President, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Mrs. Eunice Ezeoke; Publisher, Shipping Position newspaper, Mr. Sesan Onilemo; CEO, Etcetera Consulting Limited, Dr. Alban Igwe; among others.
