ES/CEO, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Barr. Pius Akutah Ukeyima with Princess Vicky Haastrup during a recent working visit to the ENL Terminal Operator.

In deference to the provisions of the Performance Bond and in order to meet and even surpass expectations of the minister of the Marine and blue economy ministry, Mr Adeboyega Oyetola, who is charged by the Federal Government to explore, exploit and maximize the abundant resources of Nigeria’s blue economy potentials, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executives Officer, ES/CEO, of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, Barrister Pius Akutah Ukeyima, has said he will not sit down and watch port operations from the comfort of his office.

In an exclusive interview with Maritime Nigeria, Akutah said his priority is to up the ante by mobilizing, galvanizing stakeholders to bring about  port efficiency by providing the enabling environment for investors to operate.

According to the NSC Chief Executive, “I am not an ES that we sit in the office and watch from afar. I intend to be in the port terminals, visit Inland Container Depots, ICDs and see how concessionaires are complying with our regulatory guidelines”

“The ports are critical to our national economy and if concessionaires are compliant, if importers and exporters abide by the rules as captured in our Standard Operating Procedures, SOP, if they adhere to the dictates of the Nigerian Port Process Manual, NPPM, the economic gains will be obvious and the effects shall reverberate in other sectors of the economy” Akutah said.

Sources at the Ministry, disclosed that the performance bond initiative is aimed at strengthening maritime efficiency, proficiency and effectiveness for the overall development of the Marine and Blue Economy sector.

“The Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy is prepared and set to actualise its deliverables and contribute to the actualisation of the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” the minister is quoted to have said.

With the signing of the performance bond, the Ministry became the first to cascade the Performance Bond initially signed with President Bola Tinubu with its Directors and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs)

Appointed late last year by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to actualize the Renewed Hope Agenda from the bowels of the marine and blue economy, Akutah has taken up the challenge by aligning himself, management and staff of the Council to the President’s vision as canvassed by the minister to all heads of Agencies under the Ministry.

Will Akutah deliver on his mandate at the Council?

Time alone has the answer as maritime stakeholders keep tabs.