Stakeholders blame FG for stunted maritime growth

ABIOLA Seun |

Stakeholders in the Maritime industry have fingered the Federal Government as a hindrance to potentials in the sector.

Speaking at the maiden edition of Advocacy and Sensitization program (Go to Sea Campaign) organized by Young Ship of Nigeria, they said the government has stunted the growth of the industry through lack of ideas in the sector.

The Chief Executive Officer of Vow ventures limited and member, Nigeria Chambers of Shipping, Olaitan Williams, said the level of exposure in the maritime sector is limited due to government’s lack of foresight in the maritime industry.

In her words “While some visionary are creating young minds in the maritime industry, Nigeria is yet to awake from its sleep.

“The country is busy with mundane classroom ethics when the world is moving in the entrepreneur direction, you will discover that the Philippines, Japan and China introduce their citizen to shipping at a very young age and that is why they are dominating the industry today.

“There is limited exposure of our young ones to shipping due to non-inclusion of maritime courses in the educational curriculum.

“Many of our seafarers are yet to have sea time training due to lack of vessels, how then can we compete with the world?

“The Cabotage vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) is there which the government should disburse to aid the training of our seafarers.”

She said there is need for more participation by the industry regulators NIMASA, NPA, NSC and others.

“Stakeholders must be involved by harnessing the vast potentials in the maritime industry.

We must demystify the idea that only the developed economies should play a role in the global maritime industry, local players must be encouraged to invest in the future of the industry by partnering institutions promoting the industry”.

Corroborating, Mrs Williams Chairman Zoe Maritime resources limited, and Maritime Lawyer Mrs Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore, urged government to do more for the young ones who desire to have a career in the maritime industry.

While speaking on the importance of starting young, she urged the young scholars present at the event to identity their purpose and work towards it.

“Identify the sector where your talents can be used in the maritime industry, and start working towards it today. You must have a passion to learn, have a mentor that will mentor you and teach you some of the things you don’t understand in the maritime industry.

Speaking earlier, the National Chairman of the Young Ship Nigeria said the Nigerian maritime sector is an incubator for economic revolution and sustainability on the continent.

He said the “GO TO SEA CAMPAIGN 2018” with the theme “THE SEA AND I”, is to specifically target secondary school students who are yet to take binding decision on their career path.

“We aim to expose these assets to lucrative and high value careers in the maritime industry, laying emphasis on those skills that are short in supply in Nigeria Maritime sector with a view to preparing them for responsibilities in the future.

“In addition to career perspectives, the programme will also congregate industry experts to discuss on career at sea and its capacity to employ on average of two million Nigerian youth annually”.