India Strengthens Working Relationship With Mission To Seafarers,As Ondo, Lagos Pledge Support For Mariners

The India High Commission to Nigeria has expressed its readiness to further collaborate with the Mission To Seafarers Lagos, as part of measures to promote seafaring activities in the country and internationally.

 

The Consulate through the Head of Chancery, Mr. Rachit Rawat who represented the Indian High Commissioner, Abhay Thakur disclosed this on Thursday  at a symposium organised by the Mission To Seafarers Lagos State.

 

The Chancery said that Nigerians and India are collaborating in the area of sea piracy and counter terrorism , in line with a strong bilateral relationship.

 

He said that Nigeria is the largest shipping partner globally, thus the need to further collaborate with the mission and the maritime sector in furtherance to  extend the relationship she already has with the country.

 

According to him, seafarers play significant role in world trade economy adding that the mission is an integral part of the shipping ecosystem .

 

Rawat maintained that seafarers from Nigeria are visible in India Maritime institutions for their manpower capacity programme pointing out the MTS Lagos

 

 

 

Also the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu commended the Mission to Seafarers for their efforts to boost the maritime sector, stating that it was significant that the aquatic potentials that opened up Lagos to intercontinental trade will continue to transform the State into a cosmopolitan city.

 

 

 

 

Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde noted that Lagos State accounts for a substantial portion of the Maritime industry in Nigeria and the ECOWAS sub region as it is largely surrounded by water.

 

He added that the aquatic potentials available in Lagos exposed the State to intercontinental trade many years ago and this has contributed in making it the cosmopolitan city that attracts people and trade from across the world.

 

The Governor pledged its support to the  maritime sector to boost regional integration and national development in the country and to generate wealth and employment for the benefit of the citizenry.

 

 

 

He said, “Towards realizing the vision of efficient regional integration and infrastructure growth, there is urgent need for us as a Government to address the needs and challenges of developing a virile maritime sector that will boost socioeconomic growth and development for the benefit of our people and regional integration of countries that are landlocked.

 

“The Maritime industry is a veritable wealth generation and job creation platform that has continued to benefit many people among many other available and emerging opportunities.”

 

 

 

Sanwo-Olu noted that the Maritime Sector has always been a critical factor in the socio-economic, physical and Infrastructure growth of the global economy as the earliest commercial transactions were carried out through maritime trade.

 

 

 

“Our administration places premium on the opportunities available to the State due to its littoral status and we have developed strategies, programmes and initiatives that will ensure the provision of adequate infrastructure and services to enhance maritime trade and transport in the State.

 

” Indeed, the water transport and commercial operations is a major factor in our administrations T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda for the growth and development of Lagos Economy in the 21st economy,” Sanwo-Olu disclosed.

 

 

He assured that the State Government is doing all it can to integrate national development for wealth generation and job creation that will benefit all investors in the maritime sector.

 

 

 

The Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu applauded the Seafarers for risking the dangers of the sea to ensure the seamless function of the maritime sector, stressing that the sector has not been given the recognition it deserves.

 

 

 

Governor Rotimi stated that the symposium was timely as the pandemic had brought economic loss hence an opportunity that will lead to industrial evolution with strategic support to the industry to boost the manufacturing industry and make the Medium and Small Enterprise more viable

 

 

 

He urged stakeholders to go back to the drawing board focusing on bureaucratic bottlenecks encountered by maritime industrialists in executing their duties, disclosing that Ondo State has concluded plans to build a deep sea port to support the activities ongoing at Apapa Terminal and Tincan Port.

 

 

 

Representative of the Seafarers Employers, Mrs. Margaret Onyama Orakwusi lauded the dedication of the Chairman Mission to Seafarers in Lagos State, Chief Adebayo Sarumi and the efforts of Seafarers urging them to seize the boundless opportunities in the sector. She also added that the indigenous ships were needed as the lack of it had cost the local market 99.9% of freight.

 

 

 

She appealed for more youths to be groomed and exposed to the sector to fill up the shortage of seafarers and meet the rising demand of trade activities,

Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, Governor of Ondo State, said that there was a need to collectively mitigate the devastating experience seafarers were exposed to.

 

Akeredolu, who was represented by the Secretary to Ondo State Government, Mrs Oladuni Odu, said it was the time to go back to the drawing board and rigorously tap into the abundant resources in the seas.

 

According to him, 80 per cent of the world’s food, fuel, raw material and manufactured goods are delivered by sea and the services of skilled seafarers are critical to this business.

 

“We must, therefore, thank them for running the global economy, risking their lives for our satisfaction, daring various hazards and displeasures that come their way while carrying out their mandate.

 

 

 

The MTS Lagos symposium has the theme “Maritime Industry and Development of Nigeria-Connecting with our heritage.

 

Earlier, Chairman MTS Lagos, Aare Adebayo  Sarumi called on both private and public sector players to collaborate with the Mission noting that the seafarers play pivotal role to global trade.

 

Sarumi said during the height of covid-19 pandemic worldwide, despite the shutting down of airports ,the seafarers were busy transporting goods through the seas for demand and supply to take place.

 

He affirmed that seafarers are essential workers that kept the world moving during the pandemic thus must be celebrated and cater for in the best way possible.

 

Likewise, Sarumi added that the Mission will continue to work with critical stakeholders like the Lagos State Government to expand the maritime industry in Nigeria and the entire ECOWAS sub region.

 

 

By Roland Ekama

 

Caption:

Commissioner of Transportation, Lagos State, Mr. Frederic Oladeinde (L) receiving an award from the Chairman, Mission To Seafarers, Aare Adebayo Sarumi while Financial Secretary ,MTS , Mrs Yetunde Akinloye looks on during a Symposium put together by MTS Lagos, Thursday