Nigerian maritime industry, a little above average – Marine Group

Tayo Oladipupo |

Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA) has scored Nigerian maritime industry 60% in the last one year.

The group of seafarers said that the industry had performed below average since the beginning of the year, 2018 saying it is not a good sign for the country.

The National President of the group, Engr. Matthew Alalade said this in a chat with nigeriamaritime360.com at the head office of the association in Lagos, Tuesday.

According to him, the infrastructure decay in the port contributed to the lull in shipping activities at the port.

He said, “The shipping sector in Nigeria has not done so well in the past eleven months but in terms of regulation, it has been good.

“Activities in shipping have been interfered with mainly by the bad roads because they are not in good states and that has made many people not to come and do business there.

“Maritime in the last one year, I rate it 60% which is not good but we enjoin the federal government to diversify the port. The port has a lot of potentials despite the fact that the roads are bad.

Proffering solutions to the anomaly, he called on the federal government to develop other ports in the East as well as provide adequate security to make activities in the area viable.

Alalade who doubles as the Auditor of Trade Union Congress (TUC) quipped that dredging and developing deep seaports in Calabar and Port Harcourt would enliven the shipping sector again.

“The government should develop other ports in Port Harcourt and Calabar and let there be operations there too as well as security in the zone.

“What we have in the past one year has not been a good omen to the industry.”

Speaking further, he said he had achieved so much for the union since his assumption of office six years ago.

He averred that the union did not have a befitting secretariat before he came in as president but added that he would deliver that to the members before leaving office in the year 2020.

He added that many members now represent the union in oversea trainings and functions, a feat he said never took place before he became the president.