Journalists covering the maritime sector have formed a new association called Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP).
Among other aims and objectives, CONMMEP said it seeks to adequately showcase, educate and inform government agencies, stakeholders and general public of activities in the maritime sector of the economy.
It also hinged its birth to the fact that happenings in maritime sector are under reported due to lack of synergy between operators and journalists covering the maritime industry.
Unveiling the new association in Apapa recently, the President of CONMMEP, Alhaji Tunde Umar Daniah stated that one of the major reasons the nation’s economy is yet to flourish was because maritime sector has not received the kind of attention it deserves.
“It is not that the government is deliberately not doing the right thing but because most times some key operators mislead those in authority by not telling them the actual issues on ground”, he added.
He enjoined stakeholders in the maritime industry to always partner with the media so that the right information would get to policy formulators, decision makers and investors.
He argued that the massive water resources made available by God to Nigeria if probably harnessed was capable of changing the fortune of Nigeria for good.
His words: “The maritime sector if adequately and judiciously harnessed has the potential of generating more revenue for the country than oil. What the Federal Government needs is to pay close attention to the sector and also engage professionals with requisite experience to champion rapid development of the maritime industry”.
Emphasizing on synergy with industry stakeholders, CONMMEP President said operators in the maritime sector suffer in silence because government do not know what the main issues are since the operators do not open-up to journalists.
According to him, we need to collaborate with all segments of the maritime community for the growth and development of our nation. Operators should be able to brief journalists when activities of government agencies are negatively affecting their businesses. Also, agencies of government should partner the media for better stakeholders understanding of their policies. By so doing, there will be peace and positive changes in the maritime sector.
He enjoined operators and government agencies in the maritime industry to always collaborate with CONMMEP and other maritime journalists so that the right information on activities and development in the sector would be disseminated to investors and the general public in good time
