…Says Deployment Of Technology Will Enhance Efficiency, Maximising Gains
The former Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC),Barr. Hassan Bello has advised the Federal Government through the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) to as a matter of urgency ensure that NPA open its offices for 24 hours service delivery as against seven hours,which it currently operates to reap the benefits of the blue economy.
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He said this while making remarks as the Chairman of the 10th Anniversary Lecture and Awards of Primetime Reporter, with the theme , “Leveraging Technology To Maximise The Potential Of Nigeria’s Blue Economy” held in Lagos recently.
He stated that the Nigerian Ports Authority(NPA) should ensure that its offices are opened 24 hours in line with global practice.
He wondered why NPA offices are not opened for 24 hours service when airports are opened for 24 hours service.
Bello argued that NPA opening its offices for just seven hours and five days a week(monday to Friday)is not the best for the country’s blue economy
He urged NPA to ensure stakeholders contribute meaningfully and to also reap the benefits of the blue economy.
Speaking further, Bello advised that the Federal Government should encourage the blue economy to be driven by the private sector in order to maximise the benefits.
According to him, ” Blue economy is not a Government thing and it should not be colonised by government. Government should create enabling environment for blue economy to operate. There must be participation of the private sector and we
must use technology to harness our resources.”
We cannot grow our blue economy without the deployment of technology especially at our ports . Port are not supposed to have people, it must be driven by technology and that is the only way we can harness the potential in the blue economy.
That our ports operates for ,5 days instead of 7 days is not a good idea. Our ports must operate 24 hours with technology like our airports in line with global standards.That is what blue economy is all about.The blue economy should focus on inland ways, ” he added.
Communication, Bello said contributes 25 per cent to the economy , while transport contributes nothing, urging stakeholders in the sector to buckle up while the Federal Government provide an enabling environment for the blue economy to thrive.
He called on the media to make the operations of ports in the country its duty by making what is happening at the ports a business matter and not personal matter such as reporting the transfer or redeployment of Comptrollers.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Managing Director/ Editor in Chief of Primetime Reporters Mr. Saint Augustine Nwadinamuo said that the theme of the conference was carefully and strategically chosen to draw attention to the newest ministry in Nigeria, The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and how Technology could be used to Maximize the Potential inherent in the sector.
Nwadinamuo posited that technology is the practical application of knowledge to create something new or do something in a new way, adding that it can also mean the products of these efforts such as machines, tools or software.
He pointed out that globally the ocean economy is valued at $15 trillion per annum, making it the seventh largest economy in the world and and 350 million jobs world wide are linked to fisheries, stressing is the turnkey of economic development.
He said that the Federal Government fully conscious of diversifying the economy from oil and gas and aware of the inherent potential in the blue economy which is capable of helping the government in achieving its diversification drive, Prime Time Reporters decided to X ray the role technology can play in harnessing the immeasurable potential in the sector and assemble experts in that area including the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to marshall out plans for the sector.
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