By Stephen Ubanna
Determined to develop Nigeria’s maritime sector, to compete with other maritime nations in the developed economies of the world, Dayo Mobereola, a former Commissioner of Transportation, during Babajide Sanwo –Olu’s First term in office as governor of Lagos state, the nation’s commercial nerve cener, and now Director General, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, had said that adopting ‘’the Public-Private Partnership, PPP model, is essential for the infrastructural development of the nation’s maritime sector.
Mobereola, who could not hide his feelings was said to have spoken his mind during a recent visit to the NIMASA, Headquarters in Lagos, the nation’s Commercial nerve centre, by the Management of Infrastructure Concession and Regulatory Commission, ICRC, led Johnson Osedion Ewalefoh, the Director General.
The NIMASA, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, may have gladdened the heart of the ICRC, helmsman when he stressed the importance of the Commission‘s increased involvement in attracting private sector investors to develop infrastructural capacity in the nation’s maritime industry.
Hear Him: We appreciate the engagement of the ICRC, for being responsive in attracting private sector investors into the nation’s maritime sector, which many believe that if properly developed and managed it could be one of the country’s foremost revenue generating sectors. Next to Oil and gas, Tax and Non – oil .
The NIMASA boss was said to have told his ICRC, Counterpart ,that the maritime sector is capital intensive, noting that government funds cannot solely put it in place the required infrastructure to reposition the sector. It was not surprising why he has taken advantage of the ICRC, Director General and his management team’s Visit to appeal to the agency ”to develop the PPP based business models that will be attractive to the investors both within and outside the country.
A source privy to their discussions had said that the NIMASA CEO, had told Ewalefoh, the ICRC, boss, that there is need for the agency to streamline processes for investors to come into the nation’s maritime industry by the use of technology. He was said to have further told him that the maritime agency will continue to count on the support of the ICRC ‘’to help drive the agency’s PPP projects for effective and efficient service delivery to industry stakeholders.
The ICRC, CEO, who was said to have supported Mobereola, the NIMASA’s Director General’s position had underscored the significance of the nation’s maritime sector to the economy. He had agreed with Mobereola that that the ICRC, had a major role to play to developing the country’s maritime sector, noting that the PPP model would go a long way to attract increased funding and expertise from the private sector to accelerate the growth and development of the industry.
He had said to have assured Mobereola and his Management team that they have no cause to worry as the ICRC, is prepared to engage with the maritime agency on its projects to ensure time execution.
This may have informed why he had said that ‘’there is no waste of time’’, stating that the country needs lots of funding for infrastructural development to create an enabling environment for the country’s maritime activities to thrive.
He ha alluded to service delivery, not revenue generation, insisting that that , it is the only way people will be willing to pay if the get the get right services from the agencies and other industry operators
Osagie Edward, an Assistant Director and NIMASA, spokesperson , may have spoken the mind of the agency Director General, when he disclosed that the ICRC, has proven to be a viable approach worldwide for driving government policies that promote development and economic growth.
He noted that as a regulatory maritime agency, it has consistently embraced collaboration and partnership through the PPP initiative to ensure the growth and development of the country’s maritime sector.
