A Ministerial Committee on Modalities for the establishment of a Nigerian Fleet has disclosed that Nigeria has lost $2.2 billion in 2014 due to the lack of an international fleet during the presentation of the report of the committee to the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.
According to a representative of the committee, there are no Nigerian ships operating on International waters with dry local cargo.
He said: “If 50 percent of the over 5000 ships came to Nigeria in 2014 were Nigerian ships, crewed by Nigerians, say 20 Nigerians per ship, and earning $3,000 per person, Nigeria would have made $2.2 billion
“That is apart from the freight that is accrued by carrying Nigerian cargo. The human elements, the seafarer that would have worked on those ships would have earned $2.2 billion and you imagine every family of that sea farer would have benefited from the cargo.
“These are the kinds of losses that we are making by not having ships that are carrying our cargo. All the international cargo we generated is carried by foreign ships. We don’t have a ship in international waters carrying dry cargo.”
“The Federal Government would assist the committee to implement its findings on the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund to enable Nigerian ship owners acquire vessels.
“I will give you people the necessary instruments to implement it. The way to implement it is not to bring it back to the minister.”
“If you are selfish, I will pull it out. It means that I must not see your private interest, yes, most of you are ship owners and you want to access it – you are qualified, but it must be broad that everybody’s interest is involved if not, you will tear the maritime sector apart.
“The law says the minister decides and the decision ends on my table. That is what the law says. However, I intend to take it to the cabinet.”
