Aminu Imam
Former Executive chairman of the board of the Defunct Nigerian Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC), Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan has urged the new Federal Government of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to look into the possibility of establishing a national carrier for the Nigerian shipping and oil and gas sector.
The Ex-JOMALIC Chair told Voice of Liberty in Abuja on Wednesday that the re-establishment of a national carrier is an imperative for the realisation of the objective of Local Content Act of jobs, wealth creation, and the reinvigoration of the nations oil and gas shipping sector.
He said it was lamentable that despite the fact that Nigeria is the largest producer of crude oil in Africa, with a capacity for 2.5 million barrels per day, the nation does not really participate in the exploration, development, production and Maritime Labour supply in shipment of its crude oil.
He identified that this is mainly due to some deliberate Entrenched Selfish interest in NNPCs Crude shipping trade policy and Contracts that is against development of Indigenous shipping infrastructure and fleet that are domiciled in Nigeria.
He noted that, Nigeria is the only oil producing country that does not have its own national fleet, whereas Angola, which recently joined the rank of oil producing countries, has a fleet for its deliveries.
According to him, the absence of a national carrier has not made Nigeria to reap full benefits of it being an oil producing nation.
He explained that there is a symbiotic relationship between shipping and oil and gas, but noted that the absence of a national carrier is a drawback, and one that have denied Nigeria maximum benefits from its position as a ranking producer of crude oil.
He, however, acknowledged that the development of Oil and Gas shipping industry and fleet acquisition requires Federal Governments political will and the right enabling environment and necessary capital to take off.
He, therefore, advised that the Tinubus Progressive Federal Government must kick-start the development of the shipping sector as well as fleet acquisition and expansion through some relevant critical stakeholders in the Oil and Gas industry with Government agencies, namely: NIMASA, NNPCL, NIDAS, NCMDB, CBN, NEXIM Bank, in parnership with the Nigerian Ship owners Organisations.
He argued that Nigeria is not doing enough as an oil producing nation, even as he maintained that, Nigeria could, and should participate actively in the exploration and shipping of her crude oil as well as in competitive participation in its refining.
Wondering why Nigeria should depend largely on foreign operators to run its oil and gas scetior, Alhaji Ramalan queried the fact that in exploration and freighting of crude, Nigeria is entirely dependent on foreign operators and on foreign ships”.
Specifically, he noted that three Acts of the National Assembly, namely: NIMASA Act, Cabotage Act and the Local Content Act were sufficient to reverse the trend, in collaboration with the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, (NNPCL).
There is urgent need for this new administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the New NNPCL and NIMASA, to take a bold position on indigenous participation in lifting of crude oil.
To achieve this, he suggested that Government should promote a National Shipping Carrier through Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), using Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) such as the (NLNG Model)to own and control at least 10% equity in vessels handling Nigerias crude oil export.
According to him, this is strategically sensible and would reduce the Illegal export of our crude oil, and also reduce the Nigerias complete dependence on foreign vessels to freight its oil to customers around the world.
He noted that with adequate government policy and direct involvement of the trio of NIMASA, NNPC and the Nigerian Local Content Board, not only will Nigeria take control of the money-spinning freighting of its crude, but the nation will in a very short time boast of a National Carrier with an impressive fleet.
He also advised that President Bola Ahmed Tinubus Federal Government should take the bold step to review the current NNPC Trade Policy and also abolish the sale of Nigerias crude oil on Free-On-Board (FOB) basis to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).
