NIMASA DG Vows To Revamp Floating Dock,Says It Will Generate Revenue , Employment

NIMASA DG Vows To Revamp Floating Dock,Says It Will Generate Revenue , Employment
…….working out strategies to disburse CVFF
……we have no plans to recall Centurion University students- Dr . Mobereola

Dr Dayo Mobereola,DG NIMASA, Speaking at the Interactive Session with Maritime Media, Yesterday,at Eko Hotel, Lagos

By Frank Odinukaeze

Amid concerns over the Modular Floating Dock which has remained dormant over time ,and inactive, raising speculations of it being abandoned,the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,NIMASA,has assured that the multi – Million naira infrastructure would be put into use very soon.
DR Dayo Mobereola gave this indication yesterday,during interactive session with Maritime Media practitioners at Eko Hotel ,Lagos.
,Dr Mobereola said,the modular floating dock ” Is a responsibility that has come to us,and we are not shying away from it.
He said the agency has gone to physically look at the floating Dock.
He said there has been expressions of interests on the floating dock but noted that the agency is weighing the proposals as they intend to take a good decision on the floating dock
“Many proposals have been on the table,but we want to be sure,” he said , adding that ” a good decision is better than a perfect decision .However, a non decision is not good at all.So we want to put the modular floating dock into use as soo as possible for it to generate revenue for the country ,to help develop our cadets,to aid revenue and employment for the maritime sector.But we need to do it right”. he assured.

Adding,”Please bear with us ,we are almost there Any step we take we will let you know and when we are ready to unveil the plan,you will be there with us,to know exactly what we have done.”
On the issue of Centurion University, Mobereola said,”Let me address it pointedly here.We have not said that those students are coming back home.What we we are doing is that we are reviewing the processes of how the school has been engaged .Is it of benefit to the students ? Are the students going to be rightly good products when they become graduates of those Universities?
” I’m sure you would agree with me that you don’t want to labour with your resources and efforts to send students abroad ,only for the students to come back half baked,that would not be employable by the Industry.So it all of these issues that are on our table right now
” And there is no single day that we do not look at it ,we do not deliberate on it.And I can assure you that by the time we come out with the best approach to deal with it ,you will know that we are doing it firstly in the interest of those cadets and not ourselves.Becaise those cadets who are young and vibrant, intelligent students are supposed to come back to help us develop this nation.And that is what we want from them .And on Oder to get that,the platform for them must be right.So that is what we want to do ” Mobereola said.
On the issue of CVFF,the Nimasa DG recalled that 20-25 years ago when some of these resources were disbursed,they were lost,they were given to the wrong people,there was no benefit to the nation;and there was no benefit to the ship owners who were contributing it.
“So in this case ,we are looking at opportunities to make sure that CVFF,when we start to disburse it ,it will be to the benefit of shipping promotion in Nigeria and it will not be a start and stop.It will be something that can help us continually develop the sector.So it is those strategies we are working and looking at.And bearing in mind that strategies or decisions taken 20 years ago ,has been surpassed.
“We would be doing ourselves injustice if we don’t put into consideration what is happening now ,not only in Nigeria but internationally before we start disbursing this CVFF.

” CVFF is not about Vessels alone.It is a about the demand.What exactly is these vessels going to carry?So we are also working on the issue of ensuring that there is steady cargoes for the vessels,so the vessels will not be lying fallow.But will be making revenue for the sector.So it is all of these that we are looking at” Mobereola said.
The NIMASA DG expressed his appreciation to the Media and pledged to work in partnership with them,while seeking for their cooperation and support at all times.