We’re Hosting AAMA To Re-assert Our Maritime Capacity —Peterside

By Gbenga Oke Director General of Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr
Dakuku Peterside, has said that Nigeria is hosting
the Association of Heads of African Maritime
Administrations, AAMA, in order to re-assert itself
in world maritime activities. He also said that with bilateral and multilateral
organisations and shipping companies in
attendance, Nigeria will be able to seal several
deals, including capacity building and sea time
experience for cadet seafarers. Dakuku Peterside In a chat with journalists, he explained that with 60
percent of cargo coming to West and Central
Africa ending up in the country, it is obvious that
Nigeria will play a leading role in maritime
development on the continent. According to him, “It is unfortunate that Africa
accounts for only five percent trade globally.
Whereas we generate so much cargo, there are no
African vessels conveying our cargo from Africa
to the rest of the world and from the rest to the
world to Africa, which is worrisome. African maritime domain is still dominated by foreigners as
seafarers and so, the earlier we begin to build
African capacity and fleet, the better for all us.” He revealed that should Africa get its maritime
potentials right, the continent was capable of
realising no less than N100 billon annually which
would go a long way in helping grow and
develop the country’s economy. “For the first time on Nigerian soil, we will be
hosting all African maritime administrations and
stakeholders. No fewer than 33 countries have
confirmed participation and for three days in the
city of Abuja, we will be discussing African
maritime. It will be recalled that last year, Heads of Government in Africa came together to adopt the
Lome Charter on Maritime Security, Safety and
Development wherein, they all agreed to make
maritime the main driver of economic development
within the continent of Africa. Without mincing
words, maritime has the ability to drive economic development in Africa and of the 54 countries in
Africa, 38 are littoral states or island states. Africa is
the second biggest planet on earth in terms of
landmass; in terms of population, we are second to
Asia. In terms of our market share of world
economic activity, we are nowhere.”