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FG urged to implement laws to spur indigenous operations in maritime sector
By Seun Ibiyemi
The Federal Government has been urged to develop an actionable plan that would leverage on the existing laws to ensure increased participation of Indigenous operators in the maritime sector.
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMLCA) in a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which was obtained by SlyeNews, decried the low participation of Nigerians in the maritime sector, as foreigners continue to play a domineering role.
The letter, signed by President, NCMLCA, Lucky Amiwero, said Nigeria currently has some laws in place to achieve the objectives, but was faced by poor implementation.
With the establishment of the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry, Amiwero said the sector should be made to promote economic growth, social inclusion, preservation and improvement of livelihoods.
He said the marine-based economy would aid the future generations by contributing to food, security, poverty eradication, employment, health, safety, equity and political stability.
According to him, Nigeria as at now has overall, coordinated maritime policy to activate the blue economy, for the creation of both wealth and generation of employment based on the three legal instruments such as Coastal and Inland shipping (Cabotage) Act 5 of 2003; The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act No. 17 of 2007 and Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act No. 2 of 2010.
Since the enactment of these three legislative instruments meant for the development of indigenous capacity in the maritime sector, he said “Nigeria is yet to find its feet due to the absence of developmental strategy as contained in various Acts, which is to activate and trigger the activities of indigenous operators and generate employment.”
He said the Federal Government should ensure urgent implementation of the three Acts to activate and trigger the blue economy in creating sustainable economic growth, social integration and livelihood.
“Nigeria as a maritime nation needs to speedily develop, organizational architecture and responsibility to ensure the continuous growth of the economy in an increasing, dangerous and competitive environment,” he added.
On the waiver clause in Section 9,10,11,12 and 13 of the Cabotage Act which allows the minister to issue waiver on every component of the (Cabotage) regime, he said this reduces the participation of the indigenous operators in the (Cabotage) activities and allow the continuous domination of foreign operators in both our waterborne commerce and (cabotage) regime.
According to him, the continuous existence of the waiver clause in the Act, will rob the nation of capital flight of huge transfers of foreign exchange out of the country due to foreign dominant power.
He said this will also lead to the continued dominance of freight components by foreign operators.
The waiver, according to him, would also lead to: lack of employment of Nigerian operators due to non participation of indigenous operators; lack of ownership of maritime Infrastructure by indigenous operators as a result of non- operation; and lack of skill as a result of the continuous use of the foreign operators.
Amiwero further stated that the National carriers status should be developed and facilitated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the expansion of fleets, in the carriage of shared cargo based on the Act.
Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa has set up a committee to work out modalities for implementation of a new minimum wage for workers in the state’s civil service.
The committee is headed by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Nimibofa Ayawei.
Other members included the Head of Service, Mrs Biobelemoye Charles-Onyeama, the Commissioner for Finance, Maxwell Ebibai, his Labour, Productivity and Employment counterpart, Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr Peter Akpe.
The committee has the end of May 2024 to submit its report.
Diri made the pronouncement on Wednesday at the 2024 Workers Day celebration at the Peace Park in Yenagoa.
The governor assured that his administration would implement a new minimum wage once the committee submitted its report, adding that the state workers always have emoluments as their federal counterparts.
Diri stressed that the welfare of workers had always been a top priority of his administration as attested to by the numerous worker-friendly policies he initiated.
He equally promised to commence the building of a new befitting secretariat complex for civil servants to accommodate the increasing workforce.
The state’s helmsman, who described workers as the backbone of development in society, attributed the achievements in his first tenure to the support and contributions of civil servants.
He called for continuous harmonious working relationship with his government in order to bequeath lasting legacies.
The Bayelsa helmsman also approved an annual step increment for civil servants, release of funds for completion of the state secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“The committee is to immediately look into what the Federal Government has done on the proposed minimum wage and see the possibility of domesticating it in Bayelsa.
“It is given until the end of May to submit its report.
“My dear workers of Bayelsa, you have done so well. You know that you are the engine room of this government. We have succeeded because you have done so well. We receive commendations everywhere we go.
“In terms of infrastructure, human capacity building and other sectors, we have done well. I say you should continue to keep it up.”
According to him, together, we are building a Bayelsa of our dreams, a beacon of hope, a model of progress and a testament to our unity of purpose.
“The tangible evidence of these fruitful collaborations is that abundantly, we have made it clear for all to see in the plethora of transformative legacy projects that now span the length and breadth of our state, touching the lives of all Bayelsa people.
“Let us continue to work together so that the future of our state will be established.
“Beyond the ongoing renovation, we will look at the option of building a new state-of-the-art secretariat complex to accommodate the expanding workforce,” he said.
Earlier, the workers eulogised the governor for his labour-friendly policies that had improved their working condition.
In a joint address by the chairman of the NLC, Comrade Barnabas Simon, and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Laye Julius, the workers specifically thanked the governor for approving payment of wage award to all categories of workers in Bayelsa.
“We thank you for the regular conduct of promotion exercises and implementation, prompt payment of salaries of workers and pensioners, among others.
“Organised labour in Bayelsa is most sincerely grateful for your kind and favourable disposition to the needs and aspirations of workers in the state.
“Your open-door policies and swift response to most of our demands in the last four years is highly appreciated,” they said.
They, however, appealed for an upward review of the wage award, improved transportation system for workers, and mapping out of acquired lands for civil servants.
Minister of Works, Dave Umahi has said the Group Chief Executive Officer and founder of The Landmark Group, Paul Onwuanibe, cannot claim compensation from the Federal Government in connection with the demolition of structures for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Federal Government is currently demolishing properties along the shoreline to create a pathway for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway.
The Landmark Group, owners of the Landmark beach in Lagos State, is believed to be one of the organisations that will be highly affected by the demolition.
However, Umahi has insisted that infrastructures belonging to Landmark were spared, hence the owner can’t make claims on the Federal Government.
Addressing journalists, the minister said the beach was on the right of way and shoreline.
He said: “No claim for Landmark, we spared all his infrastructure, we don’t pay for the demolition of shanties because it is on our right-of-way, 15 meters from the shoreline, so he has no claim.
“We made all efforts to spare his infrastructure. The Landmark owner is acting like a politician, me I’m an engineer.
“While he does all the politics, I am an engineer, I’ll do the engineering work. I don’t know the attention he is seeking.”
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