Maritime Transport Policy critical to economic growth- Peterside

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has stated that Nigeria is in dire need of a Maritime Transport Policy, which will complement the existing National Transport Policy and advance the country’s global maritime trade.

The DG stated this at the opening of the National Workshop on Maritime Transport Policy (MTP), organised by NIMASA, in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Dr. Peterside noted that the programme is a new phase in the nation’s journey towards effectively maximising the maritime opportunities that abound in the sector, especially in line with the Agency’s mandate of promoting and facilitating maritime trade.

According to Peterside, “You will agree with me that 60 per cent of the cargo headed to West Africa will likely end up in Nigeria; we have not only a long coast, but also one of the largest inland waterways; in addition of six active port complexes. All these, coupled with our population, which make us the biggest economy in Africa. Therefore, we need a sustainable maritime policy that would guide the coordination of maritime activities, as we strive to advance Nigeria’s global maritime goal.”

The DG, however, said that NIMASA cannot achieve this goal alone, hence, the need to seek the support of the IMO and other relevant stakeholders in order to come up with a model to develop a maritime transport policy that would serve Nigeria’s interest and be sustainable.
In his words, “A workable maritime transport policy of any nation should be stakeholders’- driven. Therefore, all associated stakeholders and professionals in the sector, are needed to participate in the articulation and formulation of this policy,” Dakuku said.

However, the IMO Secretary General, Mr. Kitack Lim, who was represented at the event by the IMO Head, Africa Section, Technical Cooperation Division, Mr. William Azuh, stated that promotion and development of national policies to guide planning, decision making and relevant legislative actions, is an important governance practice of many governments, including Nigeria.

According to him, “We will support NIMASA in developing a sustainable maritime transport system reflecting and balancing the interests of stakeholders with a carefully devised and executed maritime transport policy, which is crucial in serving as a fundamental guidance document to provide a long-term sustainable vision for the future of the Nigerian maritime sector.”