FG Paying Lip Service To Maritime Services Reform – Ode

The Managing Director of Dominion Global Logistics Ltd., Amb. Ochi Emmanuel Ode, has said that the Federal Government has been paying lip service to maritime reforms. He therefore urged the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to give serious attention to the maritime industry considering its importance to the nation’s economy.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Independent in Lagos, Ode, who lamented the poor state of the maritime sector, said the industry deserves better as the second major revenue earner for the government.

He said: “Regarding the maritime services in Nigeria, there is the need for changes to be brought to bear. Apart from oil revenue, maritime revenue is the second earner of revenue for the government.

“But, what the government is doing regarding the reforms have been lip service. Today, they are talking about 24-hour clearance of cargoes. Have they set up machinery to verify if it is effective or not?

“Today, it takes about two weeks for a container laden with raw materials and merchandise to be cleared in the ports.”

Ode lamented that the roads leading to the ports are in deplorable condition, stressing that government collect seven per cent levy from each import, but such monies are not used to develop new ports.

“But, the money ends up on other things. That is why the port roads are bad. The amenities are not there. Where then is the seriousness of government if such a sector is left to deteriorate? I think something seriously should be done. The Federal Government, in its wisdom, decided to set up a task force. But, the task force became part of the system. That is the problem.”

On the recent action of Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Abode, to check gridlock on the road leading to Apapa Ports, Ode stressed that the governor’s action is not new as his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola, had done something like that before and the gridlock returned few weeks later.

He said: “What Ambode has done is not new. Former Governor Babatunde Fashola attempted it. After two weeks the gridlock returned. Let us hope that what Ambode is doing now will be sustained.”

Ode maintained that the permanent solution to the gridlock is to keep the trucks and at a special park, so that when they want to load, they will be driven to the quay and not to park on the road to cause confusion on the port environment.