By GODWIN ORITSE

PRESIDENT of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) Mr. Lucky Amiwero has called for the review of the Nigerian Cabotage law, saying that “the law is long over due for review”.

Speaking to Vanguard in Lagos recently, the seasoned freight forwarder noted that Nigerians for whom the law was meant to benefit have not benefited nine years after.

Amiwero, one of the maritime experts in Nigeria noted that local shippers have lost businesses to their foreign counterparts adding that the trend will not change until a drastic action to correct all the wrongs in the Cabotage law.

He suggested that IF THE Cabotage is review in such way that the waiver clause is done to favour Nigerians, there is no way that the local shipping industry will experience a complete turn around.

He further explained that the effective implementation of both the Cabotage law and Local Content Act the sector has the potential to turn the economy around.

“This is the only country in the world where foreigners can sail into do businesses in our coastal water and sail off unchallenged.

“A good review of the Cabotage law will put an end to these non-sense and Nigeria local sjpping firms will again take their rightful place and grow the economy.

“The local shipping industry has the potential to employ millions of Nigerians of different kinds of skills and spiral effects of this on the economy is better imagined” he added.

The management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has almost concluded plans to commence disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to indigenous shipping operators who have applied to the fund.