When Dr Dayo Mobereola, the new Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) recently reassured stakeholders and shipowners that the Agency will expedite the development and automation of the shipping registry, he was emphatic that it is a move “that will significantly boost shipping development in Nigeria by enhancing efficiency and streamlining processes.”
Expectedly, since shipping development form the fulcrum of his remarks, shipowners who had lost interest in government’s promise-and-fail disposition on the disbursement of the funds that have accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) listened attentively, wondering if his pronouncement was not a mere recycling of the usual propaganda! Could Mobereola, the ‘new boy in town’ be the one to make the difference in the shipping subsector?
What makes him think he can do what his predecessors including the dynamic and focussed Bashir Jamoh could not do despite the hard work, resilience and determination aided by massive goodwill from stakeholders?
What makes him think that he can force a stream to flow uphill? Was he lost in official day dreaming? Can it be real?
Dr Mobereola who was speaking in Lagos during his maiden interactive session with maritime stakeholders following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu said: “It is important that we develop clear objectives, goals, and strategies to advance the industry and align with the vision of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
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“While the Agency will continue to play its part in serving the industry, it is important that we all collaborate to achieve a sustainable maritime sector, as all efforts should be inclusive and collective,” he assured.
NIMASA, at the last count, has received support from the current House of Representatives to disburse the $360 million CVFF to qualified Nigerian shipowners.
A committee of the House, in its report, gave the nod for disbursement, following an end of an investigation chaired by Hon. (Barr.) Legor Idagbo.
The Committee had requested NIMASA and the Ministry of Transportation to provide detailed information on the total amount accrued to the Fund since inception, and begin the disbursement.
But to the shock of everybody gathered at Eko Hotel, venue of the interactive session, Temisan Omatseye, a former Director-General of NIMASA dropped a bombshell. Looking at Mobereola on the face, he told the incumbent DG that he would not be able to disburse the controversial CVFF during his tenure no matter how hard he tried; citing, among others, an avalanche of legal provisions and encumbrances that may impede the disbursement.
To close observers, being erudite and cerebral as he is, Omatseye could not have spoken for the mere reason to be noticed! Discerning minds think he may have spoken fromexperience, having seen it all while in the saddle.
Perhaps, it has become necessary to realistically probe his declaration and find out what gave him the conviction to make such a weighty pronouncement. But who is ready to bell the cat? Is it the divided ship owner associations or the present occupants of Aso Rock who like their predecessors lacked the political will and sense of commitment to speak action to the revival of the nation’s indigenous shipping industry and it’s development?
But come to think of it: where is the fund today? Who is warehousing it and on whose behalf? These questions may sound trite but realistic under the circumstances.
Stakeholders need a do lots of introspection and appraisals, as there are reasons to believe that the acrualls may have grown more than our system is willing to compute to facts. If there are insinuations and doubts, yes, for good reasons.
There are allegations that under the previous regime of President Buhari, the CVFF was tampered with to prosecute political campaigns. Is it true? If yes, is the current regime of President Tinubu willing and able to unearth the issues and circumstances?
At the interactive session, some key shipowners MARAN NEWSPAPER approached for comments were lukewarm, wondering the essence of discussing the matter when, according to them, the Federal Government has demonstrated lack of commitment to disburse a fund they say they joyfully contributed, hopeful of a new dawn.
The unanimous impression was that it was no use discussing whether or not the CVFF should be disbursed years after the cycle of disbursements would have had positive impacts on Nigeria’s shipping development.
They queued behind Temisan Omatseye in the submission that unless a miracle happened, the current NIMASA DG would serve out his tenure without disbursing the beleaguered fund.
Their concern, however, is that since a new DG is already making promises, a fresh effort be made to appropriately put Nigerians on the know of issues involved, so that the needless controversy can be brought to an end.
But, is the Federal Government ready to do this and decisively end the controversy, paving way to disbursing the fund?
Doing so is the only way to demonstrate that Nigeria is ready for shipping development beyond all the rhetorics being bandied during seminars and meetings.
