*Sets Up Committee to Review Floating Dock Ills
The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola has promised to avoid the mistakes of the past in the disbursement of the much awaited Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF).
A creation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003 by the National Assembly, the CVFF which exact amount in United States of America (USA) dollars and Naira and the accruing interest is yet to be made public has been dogged by controversies and failed promises over the years.
Maritime Bits checks revealed that many helmsmen of NIMASA including the immediate past Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh and former Ministers of Transportation had repeatedly promised to disburse the multi-billion fund but they all failed to do so until their tenure elapsed.
Similarly, in order to change the present poor narrative on the N50 billion floating dock which was procured by the agency but has been lying idle in Lagos waters for years, he promised to come up with a better business model to ensure that it is fully and effectively utilized to provide job opportunities and generate revenue into the coffers of the Federal Government.
To this end, he revealed that a committee has been put in place to come up with the details of making the floating dock a profitable venture in the months ahead.
His words: “I have set up a committee to look into it. There are various options on the table. We will take a look at it and come up with the best possible option. I do not want to go into details so as not to preempt the work of the committee. However, I am of the view that the floating dock should contribute to revenue generation in the maritime industry”.
Mobereola who made these disclosures in his maiden parley with journalists covering the maritime industry at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday stated that his administration is doing everything possible to ensure that it avoid the mistakes of the past in the disbursement of the CVFF.
According to him, what made similar schemes to fail in the attainment of set goals and objectives in the maritime industry will be avoided by his administration.
The NIMASA helmsman who was flanked by the three Executive Directors in the agency took time to answer several questions from the media practitioners who took turns to look at the mandate of NIMASA vis-à-vis what it has achieved over the years,
They also provided suggestions and comments on the way forward for the multi-billion naira government parasatal which is the designated authority (DA) for the global maritime watchdog, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO),
Mobereola assured the journalists that his administration would bring all round good tidings to them through the provision of what he called “media infrastructures”.
He maintained that the marine and blue economy should contribute largely to Nigeria economy, just like several other nations across the globe.
On the challenges facing some of the beneficiaries of the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) in their institutions of learning overseas, he said: “we have not decided to bring the students back home to Nigeria. We will ensure that the cadets finish their programme successfully and come back to contribute to their own quota to the progress of Nigeria”.
Against the backdrop of complaints in some quarters that the agency does not promptly respond in the provision of its services in line with its mandate, the NIMASA helmsman said: “Processes and procedures this time should surely be different henceforth at NIMASA. Automation is certain in this consideration in terms of ship registration.”
On the establishment of a new national fleet, Mobereola who was hitherto the Managing Director, Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) said: “we should not go the way of owing vessels but go the way of government creating the enabling environment for privately owned vessels with Nigerian flag”.
Apparently pleased with the media parley which gave him an opportunity to meet and interact with the journalists covering the maritime industry, Mobereola gave an assurance that the event shall be a regular part of his tenure in office.
