Amaechi silent on quashed Israeli waterway deal, speaks on maritime capacity building
The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government is committed to building capacity for all the segments of the Transport sector in order to progress the Nigerian economy.
Speaking at the 2nd Nigerian Maritime Technical Summit organised by the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) with the theme Ship Operations in Nigeria: Policy, Technical, Financial Challenges and Solution, held in Lagos recently, the Minister, represented by the Director General Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside was silent on the presidential cancelation of the HSLi waterway contract.
Rather, noted that Marine Engineers and Surveyors are critical to the growth of the Maritime Sector adding that they play major roles from the building of the Ships through the entire lifespan of the vessel.
President Buhari had last week, canceled the waterway security contract based on intelligence that the said contractor, HSLi was not a registered company in Israel. The Presidency also ordered the refund of the initial payment of $50m or return of security equipment in the like sum.
But the Minister jumped every question or discussion that will lead to comments on the failed deal and argued that “Marine Engineers and Surveyors are at the very heart of shipping, the life of a ship begins on the table of a marine engineer and the surveyors and they continue to play a role on the ship through the entire life span of the vessel”.
Amaechi who also noted that shipping stands on a tripod of funding, right policies and proper technical direction said that the government is doing everything within its powers to ensure that the maritime industry thrives.
He said that the Government has taken a bold step to audit all Agencies and parastatals under the transport sector in order to strengthen them to perform optimally.
The minister further revealed that efforts are in top gear to resuscitate the National Fleet without giving any further details on processes on ground to achieve the elusive feat.
Earlier in his remarks, the President of AMES, Engr. Charles Uwadia said that he is moved by the enthusiasm of the President Buhari led administration to revamp the maritime sector. He pledged that AMES would continue to work with the Government in order to ensure that the sector reaches its full potentials to the benefit of the Nigerian economy.
