“For Nigeria’s Maritime Industry to grow and develop further, the Federal Government must muster the courage, demonstrate and show greater commitment to the development of the sector if the economic fortunes of Nigerians is to improve”

This was the submission of stakeholders at the occasion of the 3^rd year anniversary of Prime Time Reporters held in Lagos recently.

Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, who doubles as President, Ship Owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN and Managing Director/Chief Executive of Starz Group Ltd, called on the Federal Government to show greater consistency in maritime policy formulation and commitment to its development as the sector hold enormous potentials vital to the economic growth of Nigeria.

Ogbeifun also called on the maritime media to be critical but constructive in their contributions to maritime/shipping development in Nigeria.

In his words “Nigeria is bigger that any individual and that is the bigger picture we should have at the back of our mind in whatever we do. For us to succeed as a nation, we must support government by making suggestions and pointing out errors, not shouting and heating up the system unnecessarily at every little occurrence which is not in our interest or favour”.

Asked to disclose what to expect from the committee on the restructuring of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron, on which he served as member, Ogbeifun said “We did a lot of work, in no distant time you will be hearing the urgent and immediate actions/plans that will be taken to make that institution a world class maritime academy”.

“I must commend the honourable minister of transportation for stepping out boldly to reposition that school for academic excellence. It is the right way to go and I am sure the maritime industry will be better for it” Ogbeifun said

In his presentation on a paper titled “Maritime Sector in Nigeria, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” Dr. Chris Asoluka, a renowned maritime consultant was emphatic “ the stagnation of maritime development in Nigeria is a result of policy failure and lack of courage/will power on the part of the federal government to revamp the sector”

Asoluka maintained that for the maritime industry to grow, our thinking must change, because “the best way to predict the future is to create it”.

Quoting copiously from several authors and authorities on shipping, economics and politics, Asoluka showed that Nigeria has huge shipping potentials. What needs to be done, according to him is to match that potential with the right policy and the will to implement such policies doggedly.

How can Nigeria (or any developing nation) utilize national shipping policy as a tool to develop its maritime operations? – “Vision without action is a daydream. Action with without vision is a nightmare.” —Japanese proverb and we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. Albert Einstein.

“For the Maritime sector to grow, our thinking must change” Asoluka said.

Asoluka, a former Chairman, Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, reiterated that Nigeria must therefore match dream with action if the maritime sector is to move from where it was yesterday, where it is today and arrive at where/what we want it to be tomorrow. “Each generation must discover its mission, fulfill it or betray it, in relative opacity.”  Franz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth, Asoluka said.

Chief Asoluka stated that if  developed and developing countries such as  USA, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea  and China  shown commitment (USA, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea  and China could through determination and commitment, develop and utilize their maritime potentials, nothing stops Nigeria from attaining similar if not greater heights in maritime capacity.