Following a request made by the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to different shipowners’ association to present a common front for the purpose of engaging with government, members of the Nigerian Indigenous Shipowners’ Association (NISA) and the Shipowners’ Association of Nigeria (SOAN) have come together to form Shipowners’ Forum.
A press statement jointly signed by the trio of the NISA President, Alhaji Aminu Umar, the SOAN President, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun and Chairman, Shipowners’ Forum, Barr. Mrs. Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi said that the resolution to form one united body was without prejudice to the fact that the respective associations namely; SOAN and NISA would continue to exist according to the statutes establishing them.
While appreciating the Minister for his desire to unify shipowners in Nigeria, the statement said that shipowners were very ready and committed to engaging the Minister of Transportation and the Federal Government constructively with a view to supporting the government’s policy thrust to better the lots of the shipowners in Nigeria and the entire maritime industry.
The statement read,”Recently, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi at a parley in Lagos requested shipowners to present a common front in their engagement with government on all issues relating to shipowners in Nigeria. The Ministerial challenge was immediately followed up with convivial meeting of shipowners where the resolution to float Shipowners Forum under the Chairmanship of Barr. (Mrs.) Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi was reached.
“Shipowners in Nigeria whose vessels are registered and flagged in Nigeria or having correspondents/concurrent identities or relationships with Nigeria and having been operating from two (2) platforms: (a) Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) under the headship Alhaji Aminu Umar and (b) Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) under the headship of Mr. Greg Ogbeifun, recently convened a meeting in Lagos on the 26th of February, 2016 to shelve partisan cleavages and resolved amicably to come under one united umbrella body which they collectively agreed to name ”Shipowners Forum”. This is without prejudice to the fact that the respective associations NISA and SOAN will cobbtinue to exist according to the statutes establishing them.
“Shipowners Forum would like to use this medium to appreciate the Honourable Minister for his desire to unify Shipowners in Nigeria. We are very ready and committed to engaging him and the federal government constructively with a view to supporting the government thrust to better the lot of shipowners in Nigeria and the entire Maritime industry”.
The statement further appealed to those shipowner members of NISA and SOAN for their support in bringing the union to fruition.
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