Nigerian maritime sector has capacity to catalyze economic growth —Peterside

Nigerian maritime sector has capacity to catalyze economic growth —Peterside
Gbenga Oke March 20, 2018 https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/03/nigerian-maritime-sector-capacity-ca...

Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, yesterday, said Nigerian maritime sector has the capacity to catalyze the country’s economic growth.He also said the agency will not rest until it realises its dream of building a robust maritime sector that will substantially contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

He added that the agency had not only contributed to the economic development of the country but has created employment opportunities for the people.

Peterside spoke when City People Media Group bestowed an “Award of Excellence Leadership in Public Service” on him, adding that NIMASA was actualising its mandate of repositioning the maritime sector.

His words: “This award means a whole lot because it shows that Nigerians acknowledge the efforts that we are making to ensure a cleaner ocean for safe and secure shipping.

“Also, this will spur us to keep doing our best so as to have a robust maritime sector capable of catalyzing and impacting the growth and development of the economy.

“In the last two years, the agency, for the first time, has been able to put over 250 cadets onboard ocean-going vessel to do sea time training, making our graduates employable and has also been able to make substantial contribution to Consolidated Revenue Fund, CRF, even as a regulatory agency.

“We have also gone further to release the Maritime Industry Forecast, which will serve as a compass to investors for 2018 and 2019.

“Today, the whole country appreciates the fact that we are making a difference in the maritime space. We are not only contributing to the economic development of the country, we are also creating employment for our people and we are giving people opportunities they will remember for a lifetime.”