Democracy Day: Stakeholders brainstorm in Lagos on fate of maritime after 19 years

Maritime stakeholders will on Monday in Apapa, Lagos, congregate to x-ray the scorecard of the industry in the last 19 years since the inception of unbroken democratic process in the country.

The event, being put together by the Maritime Journalists Association of Nigeria (MAJAN) at its Apapa secretariat, has as its theme, “Nigeria’s Nineteen Years of Unbroken Democracy: The Journey So Far in Maritime Industry”.

Expected to grace the occasion are industry bigwigs, including the Founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam and the renowned maritime lawyer, Barrister Jean Chiazor-Anishere.

Others are the Customs Area Controllers (CACs) of the Apapa Area 1 command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Mohammed Jubrin; his counterparts in Tin Can Island Port and PTML commands, Comptrollers Mohammed M.B.A and Adetoye Olutade Francis.

Also expected at the event tagged, “MAJAN Democracy Day Media Parley”, are freight forwarders of note, representatives of government maritime agencies, shipping companies, terminal operators, manufacturers, dock-labour operators, labour leaders, among several others.

According to a statement by the President of MAJAN, Mr. Ray Ugochukwu, much of the discussions would centre on the impact of the major reform witnessed under the current democratic dispensation, which is the 2006 port concession exercise of government.

Ugochukwu added that participants would also use the opportunity to appraise the series of Nigeria Customs Service reforms vis-à-vis trade facilitation in the country’s international frontiers – seaports, airports and border posts.

The statement added that a comprehensive communiqué would be issued at the end of the one-day forum with a view to letting the authorities know stakeholders’ assessment of the reform measures introduced since the fourth republic.

Dr. Aniebonam, Founder, NAGAFF