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By Steve Agbota
PortNews has announced its inaugural summit, scheduled for Wednesday, December 4 in Lagos.
The event, themed: ‘Port Reforms and Local Content: Has Nigeria Fared Well?’, aims to bring together esteemed economists, shipping moguls, maritime stakeholders, legal experts, and veteran maritime journalists who will x-ray the impact of the 2006 port reforms and chart a progress path for the industry.
According to a statement from the organisers, the summit will be chaired by Captain Emmanuel Ihenacho, former Minister of Interior, while the Guest Speakers include renowned economist and former Director General of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Muda Yusuf, and distinguished maritime legal expert, Olisa Agbakoba.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will serve as the Chief Host, and the Special Guest of Honour will be the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola.
Posers to be tackled by experts are; “Since the privatisation of the ports in 2006 by the Federal Government, what have been the fate and performance indexes of the concessionaires entrusted with our port terminals and sensitive facilities? Have the concessionaires, especially foreign investors, added value to the system in terms of skills transfer, timeliness, and increased ship and cargo volumes? Did the new order translate into more revenue for the government and port users in general?
Do the steadily increasing Customs revenues reflect an upward swing in ship traffic and a growing Nigerian economy?
“How do we reconcile the challenges faced by Nigerian freight forwarders and licensed customs agents, who are increasingly sidelined, with a Customs Service counting trillions of Naira in generated duties? Who remits these enormous sums to Customs? What’s the real value of these funds? Where are the cargoes?
“These and many other critical questions will be addressed by maritime technocrats, economists, and distinguished guests at the summit, with the unwavering goal of improving standards, boosting productivity, and increasing profitability in Nigeria’s maritime industry”, the statement noted.
