…But Stakeholders must ensure corresponding support!***
Nigeria’s foremost shipping mogul, Engr. Greg Utonwen Ogbeifun has observed that except key stakeholders adequately guide the Government in the right direction to pursue in the nation’s planned gradual phasing out of a category of vessels import into Nigeria, the success of an initiative by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) policy to that effect, may remain a mirage.
Ogbeifun who is currently championing and expanding the cause of ship building and ship repairs in his shipyard stated this in Lagos, stressing that while Government, through the NIMASA bears a noteworthy vision, the dream would only be achievable, if the nation’s maritime practitioners provide the right support, guidance and supervision.
Recall the NIMASA recently gave notice of determination, for a five-year phasing out of certain category of vessels, in focused pursuit of a realistic ship building regime, in Nigeria. Ogbeifun maintains that, NIMASA’s vision is realizable.
“Is it something we can achieve? The answer is ‘Yes’, if we do the right things!” the Chief Executive Officer of the STARZS Group said with emphasis, adding that the initiative is praiseworthy.
“I think the initiative of Government in coming up with that policy is good”, he posited, before adding that the only problem was that: “Most times, we, the practitioners, don’t help matters.
“Government has come up to say ‘this is what we want to do’; it is up to us to tell them: ‘if you want to do it; ‘This and this and this is what we think you should do!’
“But, how many of us are doing it? But, we are still waiting for the same government to build us a shipyard; and then do this or do that! We fold our hands… No! I think we are all stakeholders in this!
“What am I doing?
“I will show you what I am doing. Within a year, by the grace of God, I will be 70 per cent close to rolling out the first ship built in my shipyard!” he said, showing indubitable evidence of what he is currently doing at the STARZS Shipyard; as another success story.
“We are working at ensuring a capacity to repair every size of ships, floating in upstream in our waters; and then, the capacity to build ships up to 60 metres! Now, that is the STARZS shipyard.
“We are going to start from the little ones. A client is giving us a contract to build vessels which are 27 metres long…like patrol vessels. I won’t mention the company. But that is in the making.
“So, I went out of the country to a shipyard, and I say ‘look, normally I would want you to help in building these ships, needed in Nigeria. There are 6 all together; three of the ships or boats, I want built, wholly in my yard!
“You will build the first one, the big one there, whilst you are building them, I am sending a team of different artisans to you, to be part of the process from start to finish! And whilst you are building that one, you are prefabricating the other two!
“So, by that you are finishing that one wholly in your yard, wherever you are; they are shipping the prefabricated to my yard; my team that has worked with you for one year and your own supervisors will come back to my yard; work in my yard with my team to now build the remaining ones. There has to be a practical process!
Also read: MONDAY WITH OGBEIFUN: Nigeria’s maritime industry will wax stronger
“When I finish putting these together, then I will be knocking on the doors of NIMASA; of the NCDMB, of the Ministry to tell them: I have done my bit! This and this are what I’m doing…and I want long term lease for my land!
“I want long term lease for my land. I am not asking for anything. I am not even asking for money: give me long term lease for my land; give me the easy access to all the statutory requirements I need to build these things…
“But, I have to take a practical step!” he stated further, stressing that until the stakeholders begin to prove they can do it, the Government may not be denied the opportunity for perfection of excuses, to continue to keep practitioners in limbo!
