The hon. Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, is on a race against time as he battles with forces and interests in Nigeria’s transport sector. Aside the politics and plethora of issues, manpower is another challenge the minister is contending with. Kelvin Kagbare, takes a look at the possibility of effecting the desired change by the minister without the intervention of the gods.

Those familiar with ancient Greek mythology will easily recall the name Hercules or Heracles (same person) and the many unpleasant tasks he had to perform to restore his sanity and enjoy immortality with the gods in mount Olympus, abode of the gods.

Among the twelve Labours of Heracles were the clearing of the King Augeas stables the killing of the Lernean Hydra

Legend has it that the King  of Elis had a large number of animals in his stables. All of them blessed with perfect health and immortality. Being well fed and lively, the animals produced a huge amount of dung. As at the time Hercules was saddled with the cleaning task, the stables of Augeas had never been cleaned in thirty years, and King Eurystheus asked Heracles to clean them within a day!.

The Lernean Hydra which Hercules was tasked to kill was a nine-headed serpent that terrified the area and people. Apart from the venomous power of the Serpent, one of it nine heads was immortal.

As we are told, the labours Hercules had to perform were for atonement for the killing of his wife and children under a spell cast on him by a jealous goddess, Hera, wife of Zeus. Hera wanted Hercules dead because Zeus begot him (Hercules) outside their marriage.

While we cannot say the Federal Ministry of Transportation is filled with putrid dung and filth, we are confident that there exist a Maritime Hydra with many heads, cut one off and another grows!

Obviously, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji’s deployment to the Transport ministry is for national development in line with the vision of President Mohammadu Buhari. Sambo’s track records must have positioned him for the national assignment- to restore, realign, straighten and improve services delivery by parastatals under the transport ministry.

The grueling task of restoring sanity in the Nigerian Ports, ensuring safety on the rails and roads, securing Nigerian waters from pirates and other criminally minded persons are enormous challenges for any single individual to tackle.

If you virtualize the onerous responsibility of reviving water transportation which remain grossly underutilized plus the need for adequate manpower to man the various maritime positions to meet global standards and improve our global competitive edge, you will appreciate the herculean task the Minister of transportation is saddled with.

According to Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority, NIWA, boat mishaps are mainly as a result of mechanical, human and natural factors such as overloading, careless driving, speeding, negligence, turbulent weather and wreckages.

Moghalu is of the view that night sailing, untrained boat drivers and flagrant disregard for safety regulations among others were major causes of boat mishaps.

Like Hercules, time was a factor then just as it is for Sambo now. However, unlike Hercules, Sambo is no god, neither is he likely to get the many godly interventions which Hercules enjoyed. Without the help of the gods, Hercules would definitely have failed miserably in carrying out the twelve tasks he was given to perform.

The daunting labours of Hercules were to kill the Nemean Lion, kill the Lernaean Hydra, capture the Ceryneian Hind, capture the Erymanthian Boar, clean the stables of Augeas in one day and  kill the Stymphalian Birds.

Others were to capture the Cretan Bull, steal the Mares of Diomedes, steal the girdle of the queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta and to steal the cattle of the monster Geryon.

Are the tasks set for the minister by President Mohammadu Buhari as tough and as herculean?

What are the issues at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA?

For us, Disbursement of the Cabotage  Vessel Finance Fund, CVFF, a review of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Program, NSDP, deployment of the Floating Dock, Safety and Security issues in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea, GoG, actualization of the Blue Economy project, effective and efficient utilization of available manpower are the key issues staring the minister in the face at NIMASA. Is Sambo seeking help from the gods to guide him right?

What needs to be done at the Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA?

Concessioning of the ports has not translated to the many jobs and revenue as canvassed prior to the exercise in 2006. Decay of infrastructure, cargo diversion, corruption allegations, near abandoned Eastern Ports, construction of Deep sea ports and its attendant cargo evacuation are among issues the minister has to resolve to gain “immortality”

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC is fighting a battle of its life as it tries to carry out its regulatory functions. Adhering to international standards and adopting global best practices is what the Council is spear heading but entrenched interests in high places and their cohorts are working ceaselessly against the Council. Could Sambo wade in and resolve this seeming logjam?

What about the issue of a national carrier? Could it happen in Sambo’s time?

While Receiving an interim report on the establishment of a National Fleet from the Nigerian Fleet Implementation Committee (NFIC),  Sambo  said “Nigeria is a maritime country and if Nigeria gets it’s acts together, the country will have no business looking for money from the oil sector as contribution to the GDP of the country.”

The Executive Secretary and CEO of the NSC and Chairman of the NFIC, has this to say on the issue of National Carrier.  “Shipping is international and competitive in nature and Nigeria cannot operate in isolation, hence the need for the operating environment to be similar to what obtains elsewhere. This has been a major challenge to the growth of the sector in Nigeria. Review of certain trade policies, access to funds and technical/human capacity are issues that need to be resolved”.

The Nigerian Railways Corporation, NRC, is under the Minister’s supervision. Maritime Stakeholders insist that the long queues of trucks on Lagos bridges and Nigerian highways is a badge of dishonor to the NRC while the huge investments made thus far appears grossly un-impactful owing to the uninspiring leadership and management style at the Railways. Is there anything the minister Could do differently to galvanize the rails and deploy same for national mobility?

The Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, and the National Institute for Transport Technology, NITT are training arms of the FMOT. While there has been renewed hope and revitalization at MAN in recent times, there is no doubt that MAN and NITT have needs unmet.

While these training institutions pose less worries for the Minister, ensuring that maritime workers get professional training locally by way of a ministerial directive will save the ministry/country much revenue for internal expenditures.

The Maritime stable is clogged by dung while the multi headed hydra of corruption, revenue leakages, diversions, contract racketeering, backdoor employments and analogue operations are monsters which the minister has to contend with.

The forces are strong, powerful and connected but could the gods intervene to assist Sambo as they did in days of Hercules?

Time will tell.