The Manager, Calabar Port, Mr Olumati Festus
By Ita Williams, Calabar
In a bid to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of port operations, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) has called for strategic collaboration among maritime stakeholders in the country.
The appeal was made on Thursday by. the Manager of Calabar Port, Mr Olumati Festus during a public lecture titled, “Promoting Safety in Maritime Industries, Pollution Prevention, and Fire Safety,” held at the Senate chambers of the University of Calabar.
The public lecture was organized by the Department of Oceanography, University of Calabar (UNICAL), brought together various maritime stakeholders.
Festus stressed that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Blue Economy by the current administration has placed significant responsibilities on maritime stakeholders.
He said that it was crucial for them to join forces and devise strategies to enhance the ministry’s activities and fulfil its mandate. Without proper synergy among the various stakeholders, the ministry would encounter difficulties in functioning efficiently.
“We are calling for collaboration of maritime security stakeholders and the management of the Nigeria Port Authority to ensure that vessels passing through our waterways deliver goods and services without a hitch,” Festus stated.
He maintained that the activities of sea pirates and kidnappers have raised doubts among international key players in the maritime industry. The safety of vessels, personnel, and other strategic components of the sector is crucial.
He said, without a safe environment, financial institutions or insurance firms would be hesitant to guarantee letters of credit for exporters and importers whose businesses are located in areas prone to the nefarious activities of anti-maritime actors.
Festus applauded the Nigerian Navy and the Marine Police for their tireless efforts in ensuring the safety of the country’s waterways and boundaries for international trade.
He also opined that without proper synergy among maritime stakeholders, the Ministry of Blue Economy would face challenges in fulfilling its mandate.
“The establishment of the Federal Ministry of Blue Economy by the present administration has placed an enormous task on the shoulders of maritime stakeholders in ensuring that they pull their resources together and strategize to boost the activities of the ministry to deliver on its mandate,” Festus said.
