All is now set for the maritime summit on drug smuggling and human trafficking scheduled for August 22nd, 2024 at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Already, the embassies of United States of America (USA) and France in Nigeria have confirmed that they will attend the summit which is expected to bring stakeholders in the maritime industry and beyond under one roof.
In the same vein, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola is expected to chair the summit which seeks to address the ills associated with drug smuggling and human trafficking in the nation’s seaports in recent times.
The summit is being organized by the Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) and the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron (AMANO).
The Chairman, AMANO/MASPAN Planning Committee, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa dropped the hint Friday at a press conference which took place at the International Press Centre domiciled in the Maritime Reporter’s Association of Nigeria (MARAN) secretariat, Apapa, Lagos.
Maiguwa stated that AMANO and MASPAN were concerned with the rising incidents of large quantities of drugs found on ships arriving at Nigerian ports as well as sustained cases of stowaways found on ships departing the nation’s seaports.
His words: “Ships have been detained for several months while their crew were placed on trial and forced to remain without seeing their families for several years in cases of drug smuggling. At the end of this conference, we hope that stakeholders will arrive at workable solutions and mandate a working group to ensure the actualization of the resolutions reached.
“Human trafficking, cases of stowaways, especially in Lagos ports, have continued to cause delays to vessels when they are found before vessel departure. Cases where discoveries were not made before departure have continued to burden ship owners because of the very complex administrative protocols involved in handling stowaways on ships.”
He averred that organizing the event became pertinent having considered the disruption drug smuggling and human trafficking activities can pose to shipping operations via increased cost and the traumatic experience on seafarers.
According to him, the goal is to align with critical agencies in making sure that drug and human smuggling/trafficking in the maritime domain are reduced; if not eradicated, perpetrators are penalized in a way innocent parties are not made to pay the price, and the industry is not deprived of its growth potentials.
Continuing, he said: “We have equally secured the support of the key agency responsible for narcotics in Nigeria, the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) which has committed to fully participate in the panel discussion. The embassies of the United States and France, international and local shipping companies have also shown keen interest and are set to attend the event.”
While stressing that the event is strictly by invitation and registration, he enjoined interested stakeholders to contact the Planning Committee through the details provided in the flier produced for the event.
