The 2016 edition of the biggest event in the Nigerian maritime industry, the Nigerian Maritime Expo (NIMAREX) has been scheduled to hold in the month of September, 2016.
The President of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Engr. Aminu Umar who announced this on Wednesday while addressing journalists at the end of the association’s general meeting in Lagos stated that the meeting was to seek the ratification and approval of the members for the event which used to hold in March to now hold in September, 2016.
According to him,” In summary, our meeting today is the annual general meeting of NISA. We have met with all our members to brief them on all the activities that are happening in the industry and also to enlighten them on so many things, to bring to their knowledge things or changes that are happening in the government agencies that are governing the maritime sector.
“So, we have discussed a lot, we have discussed on NIMAREX which you all know that it supposed to have taken place this March and we have sought for the ratification and approval of members to hold it in September”.
It will be recalled that the event which made its debut in 2012 had held consistently in the month of March of every year except for 2015 which was held in April following paucity of fund as well as the 2016 general elections held in Nigeria.
Although he did not give reasons for the shift, but it may not be unconnected with the harsh economic realities in the country which forced every stakeholder in the industry both the public and private sector to readjust in line with the current realities.
Umar further revealed that the meeting discussed the role of the association on the newly formed Shipowners Forum adding that they sought and got the ratification of members to be part of the Shipowners Forum.
“We have discussed on the upcoming elections by the time our tenure is completed around October/November. This few things were discussed today and were brought to the knowledge of the members”, he said.
The NISA boss however expressed his displeasure over continued assertion in some section of both the industry and the media that there was another faction of NISA explaining that the association which he was leading was the only body known as the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA).
He added,” if there is another person who is going around and saying he is a member of shipowners association which is not here, then he is not a member of the Nigerian Shipowners Association. We do not know if there is any other person, faction or group that claims that they are shipowners who we believe are not shipowners but nevertheless, we keep hearing this over and over again.
“As far as we are concerned, we are the members of the Nigerian Shipowners Association, to be a member of the Nigerian Shipowners Association, you have to be a shipowner. If somebody is claiming that and we do not think there is any other association, if he is claiming that, he is not a shipowner and he cannot be a member of the Nigerian Shipowners Association”.
When asked to throw more light on the changes in the industry that the association briefed its members earlier during the meeting, he stated,” We have seen a lot of changes in the maritime agencies in recent time. I think we have a new Minister of Transport, we have a new Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and these are some of the events that have happened”.
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