Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Former Secretary General of the Gulf of Guinea, GoG, Ambassador Florentina Adenike Ukonga said the Nigeria and some other African countries cannot be clarified as maritime nations because their maritime transport capacities are still undeveloped.
Speaking at the recently concluded Lagos Maritime Week held at the Oriental Hotel in Lagos, Ukonga said that majority of the ships providing maritime transport services are either from Europe or Asia.
Ukonga who also spoke at the conference themed, ‘MARPOL at 50- Pollution from Ships, Africa’s Commitment to Clean Oceans Seas, Inland Waters and the Marine Environment’, noted that Nigeria and the sub-region has the potentials to transport their goods and services through own vessels manned by African sailors.
She stated: “Nigeria cannot yet be classified as a shipping nation. In fact, many countries in Africa, though party to MARPOL are not shipping countries. In maritime transportation in Nigeria and in the West and Central Africa is still grossly underdeveloped.
“Majority of the ships providing maritime transportation services in West and Central Africa region are from Europe, Asia and the Far East. It is a cause of great concern to maritime industry watchers that maritime transportation with so much potential for economic emancipation and the development of the coastal countries and their is virtually in the hands of non-Africans and solidly in their control.
“Goods cannot move from one country to the other along the coast of West and Central Africa without first passing through Europe to be trans shipped to Africa. Whereas, if the maritime transportation is well developed, even if it is within the region, there should be ships plying these routes stopping in almost all the ports of the region with shorter period of transportation of goods from one country to another and not exceeding 2-5 sailing days en route. Right now, goods sent by Ship from Luanda to Lagos takes about 3-4 months minimum’’.
