By CHRIS OCHAYI
DETERMINED to launch Nigeria into hub status for seaports in the African continent, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, has pledged to kick off the implementation of the cabotage law with a view to unlocking potentials in the maritime sector of the economy.

Senator Umar, who stated this in Lagos, at the recently concluded second edition of the Nigeria Maritime Expo, NIMAREX, added that the ministry has mapped out plans to organise a round table discussion that will usher in the implementation of the cabotage law.

The cabotage law if implemented will restrict the use of foreign vessels in the nation’s domestic coastal trade and operation as well as to promote the development of indigenous tonnage and establish a Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund. Senator Umar also promised to pursue policies and programmes which will encourage growth and sustain increase in local content participation in the Nigerian maritime industry.

According to him, “if this vision is pursued spiritedly, the Nigerian Maritime sector will be falling in tandem with Goldman Sachs 2003 report in which it was predicted that Nigeria was one of the identified countries with the potentials to be like Brazil, Russia, India and china.”

He added, “I have no doubt in my mind that the Nigerian Maritime industry holds the key to the realization of this prediction through appropriate policies and programmes that would unlock the idle potentials of the sector.

“The strategic geographical location of Nigeria in Africa and the world economy, with regards to the fact that the nation has had maritime operations for over 50 years with well articulated maritime insurance and laws, leave us with no choice but to accentuate the import of NIMAREX.

The minister challenged the organizers to use the NIMAREX as an ideal platform where important personalities and stakeholders in the Maritime Industry would brainstorm and update the audience on the state of Maritime industry and the measures that could be taken to transform Nigeria into a maritime hub as envisaged in the National Vision 20-20202.

The minister explained further that the government has resolved to ensure total sanitization of the industry so as to pave way for efficiency and enhance revenue generation, adding, as you are fully aware, the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has since ordered the streamlining of agencies operating in the Ports.

He said this directive has since been complied with. According to him, “equally worth of mention is the observance of 24 hours Ports operations policy by all relevant agencies. We are committed to the attainment of 48 hours clearance of goods by putting in place appropriate logistic measures.

Noting on facilities being put in place to ensure smooth running of the Ports, Senator Umar added, “in order to show further commitment, the Federal Government has awarded contract for the rehabilitation of the 1.6 kilometre road within the Apapa Quays and a number of other projects toward the rehabilitation of the various infrastructure in Apapa, Tin Can and Warri Ports.

On the determination to realize potentials in the Inland Waterways, he said, he has set up a committee to study and recommend the best strategies and ways to utilize the inland Waterways. The report according to him is ready and expected to be submitted to him any moment from now.

He told the audience in maritime industry that “the capital dredging of Lower River Niger has been completed, urging the stakeholders in the sector to come and explore the investment potentials of “this huge infrastructure development in the Inland Waterways.”