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By Steve Agbota
The decision of the Federal Government to convert the Kirikiri Fishing Terminals in Lagos to petroleum tank farms has stalled the growth of the nation’s fishing industry.
Former President of the Nigerian Trawlers Owners Association (NITOA), Mrs. Margareth Orakwusi, who briefed the media on the issue said that in other countries, including Ghana, fishing terminals are still working well and serving the purpose of providing mechanical, carpentry workshops, fuel dump, cold room, fire service, among others to the fishing industry.
She lamented that here in Nigeria, the good intention of the association has been sabotaged by powerful people as the terminals converted to tank farms used to serve as cold rooms, andworkshops for artisans among others.
Orakwusi who is the Chief Executive Officer of Morbod Group, stated this while featuring at the League of Maritime Editors and Publishers’ roundtable in Lagos.
“The government in its wisdom dedicated a place in Kikrikiri to serve as fishing terminal, as other countries seriously engaged in fishing have terminals. Ghana our neighbor, has, but we all know how things use go wrong in this country.
“We don’t know what eventually played out until we started seeing tank farms being erected by powerful people in this country. As far as I’m concerned these powerful people are saboteurs of the general public,” she added. On war risk insurance surcharge, she said that Nigeria can end the war risk insurance imposed by foreign ship owners on cargoes bound for Nigerian ports by making the Deep Blue Project work, automate clearance and other shipping processes.
