By Tina Amanda
Admiralty Lawyers Society of Nigeria says the federal government should, urgently fashion out a proper blueprint for developing and diversifying into the maritime sector.
President of Admiralty Lawyers Society of Nigeria, Angus Obinna Chukwuka, who disclosed this in Port Harcourt, said the government must depart from the politicization of port development in Nigeria.
He emphasized that the Immediate and all-embracing economic growth should outweigh the trappings of tribalism and sectionalism in the sector.
“Nigeria has one of the best maritime ambience in the world. Nations less endowed than Nigeria are steadily boosting their gross domestic products and foreign reserves throughout the sea world with an increasing employment index for their citizenry and a correspondingly dwindling crime rate in the youth sector.
“But the reverse is the case in Nigeria; with such astonishing maritime ambience, Nigeria cries like a baby washing her face with spittles amidst the river. It is disturbing that, to date, Nigeria has not been able to properly diversify her economy.
“Instead, Nigeria’s mainstay remains petroleum, a significant cause of climate change and ecological disasters. Nigeria is still grappling with primary matters like gas flaring and subsidy removal.
“Nigerians are hence suffering deep inexplicable hardship; Nigerians are finding it challenging to eat decent meals. Many Nigerians are living from hand to mouth and cannot pay their essential bills, the youths are roaming unemployed and finding kidnapping, yahoo yahoo and cultism as escape routes; given our maritime environment, this situation ought to have been long outlived.
“A state of emergency should be declared on revamping our eastern ports. Mere lip service is not enough to revamp the eastern ports.
“In this regard, the government should begin to act on developing the deep sea ports earmarked for Warri and Bonny.
“Akwa Ibom State has about the best ambience for seaports in Nigeria, and it is of utmost importance that the federal government properly synergizes with the Akwa Ibom State government to realize the dream of a world-class seaport in the area which will assure of the emergence of great employment opportunities and revenues both for the state and the Nation.
“We are also expecting that the much talked about dredging of the River Niger should be fully actualized in Onitsha within record time during this regime and that the Oguta Lake is transformed into a maritime wonder and world-class tourist attraction hub.
“This is the only way we can systematically end the gridlock in Apapa and put smiles on the faces of Nigerians using the maritime wand”. He said
Chukwuka calls for the need to revisit and improve the dry port system, which has been over-emphasized.
“Dry ports are meant to complete the seaports but proper road, rail and air networks must be in place. Modern maritime industry emphasizes on multimodal transport system; hence, Nigeria must begin to boost its transport networks around the dry ports and to establish more dry ports”.
The Admiralty President urged the government to incentivise local and foreign investors in the marine sector.
“We recommend that better tax and port charge incentives be provided for our local importers and exporters; we also urge the federal government to immediately grant adequate incentives to foreign investors to enable them to invest in our maritime industry.
“A reviewed tax regime and improved multimodal transport system will help a peaceful and enabling environment. The reign of bandits and kidnappers cannot attract foreign investors into our now comatose maritime industry.
“The Nigerian government must demonstrate genuine and believable zeal and capacity to deal with piracy and armed robbery in the waterways.
We must have armed forces and law enforcement agencies that are not compromising the system, and the government must never be seen to be arming or supporting outright criminals and rascals to man or roam our official systems.
“The right persons must be appointed irrespective of religion, gender or tribe. Round poles must be put in round holes, as it’s said.
“A month is long enough for a serious and visionary government to set the tone for developing the critical sectors of the Nation’s economy, such as the maritime sector. We implore this government to hit the ground running and shift the paradigm”.
