Iheanacho Cautions FG on Proposed Re-establishment of National Shipping Line
Capt Iheanacho making a speech at a maritime event ..
By Francis Ugwoke
Former Interior Minister and big time player in the maritime industry, Capt Emmanuel Iheanacho, has cautioned the federal government on the proposed plan to re-establish a national shipping line.
The advice came as the federal government recently indicated its plans to re-establish National Shipping Line under the arrangement of strategic Public Private Partnership.
This was announced by the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Chief Gboyega Oyetola.
But speaking at a maritime summit held in Lagos, Iheanacho, told the federal government to learn from the past experience.
Iheanacho recalled the failure of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) and Nigerian Unity Line (NUL), adding that the government should consult those who know in order to avoid a repeat experience of the past 30 years.
He said that treading on this path as planned by the government was what led to the demise of the NNSL and NUL.
Iheanacho said he was ready to offer free of charge expert advice on how to set up a shipping line and how to train cadets.
He also pointed out that it was wrong to send cadets to train in schools abroad, adding that the best place to gain sea time training remains on board vessels.
Stakeholders who attended the summit were of the views that the federal government should go ahead and disburse the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF).
They said that the government may not have any plan to disburse the fund, but merely playing with time.
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