By Steve Agbota
Clearing agents operating at the nation’s seaports have called on the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to create Federal Ministry of Maritime Affairs to explore the full potential of the nation’s maritime industry and harness blue economy for revenue generation.
The agents, under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), in a congratulatory message to Tinubu on his electoral victory yesterday, said there is need for the Federal Ministry of Transportation to be balkanised, thereby creating Federal Ministry of Maritime Affairs, where agencies like National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and others will be part of it to harness the potential in the maritime industry fully.
The association said the creation of the maritime ministry will enable Nigeria to fully explore the its blue economy project to increase revenue earnings for the Federal Government, create employment for Nigeria’s teeming youths and add value to the nation’s economy.
The congratulatory message by the association’s acting president, Dr Kayode Farinto, who is also the Lagos State coordinator of the Progressive Solidarity for Asiwaju (PSA), a support group of maritime stakeholders and allied industries in the sub-sector of the Nigeria’s economy, said the group is proud of the All Progressive Congress (APC), successes at the elections and urged the President-elect to work for a better NIgeria.
However, he said the new administration when sworn in should as well ensure the reduction of 15 per cent levy on used vehicles and also
increase the age limit of imported used vehicles to 15 years from date of manufacture.
He said: “On the issue of age limits on used vehicles- tokunbo vehicles- we want the government to increase the importation age limits to about 15 years from the date of manufacture and the reduction of 15 per cent levy on used vehicles and all that we have proposed to the President-elect should be address.”
He also called on Tinubu, to appoint a serving Customs Officers as Comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). He stated that the current CG, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has stagnated the growth of cargo clearance and Customs operations in the country.
Farinto called on the president-elect to beam his searchlight on the maritme Industry, which is an alternative source of revenue for the government.
He said that the sector is now the revenue basket of Nigeria aside oil, saying for his government to successfully reap the revenue accruing in the sector, Marítime professionals should be part of the think tank either as agency heads or as board members.
To him, “frankly, inline with international best practices, the new Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) must as a matter of necessity be appointed from and among the proper officers and not this aberration that has stagnated the growth of cargo clearance and Nigeria Customs operations in our nation.
“I want the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to beam it’s searchlight on the maritme Industry, which is now the revenue basket of Nigeria ,aside from oil. For his government to successfully reap the revenue accruing in the sector, maritime professionals should be part of the think tank in this government, either as agency heads or as board members,” he added.
Farinto said the Nigeria maritime industry is ready to work with the Government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the sector to advance its course.
“The hard earned victory of Bola Tinubu and his running mate Kashim Shettima at the 2023 Presidential election is a testimony of their acceptance and trust by all Nigerians to lead our country to the promised land.
“We at ANLCA/ PSA are particularly grateful for this victory as we have all worked hard to achieve it. I want to assure all maritime stakeholders that the Tinubu /Shettima Presidency will bring a new lease of life to the Maritme Industry as the president-elect have promised to carry the sector along during our engagement with him.
“I want to urge all maritime stakeholders to support the APC Government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima so that we can all benefit as professionals and stakeholders from this government in order to move the industry forward.”
“We appeal to him to have Special Advisers on Maritme and Customs Affairs. This will help his government to have professional and technical advice that will grow the industry and generate more revenue , especially with the full harness of the blue economy, which will create millions of employment opportunities for our teeming youths,” he pointed out.
