Stan Okenwa
9 November 2009
Experts in international trade and security have cautioned the federal Government on the dangers inherent at the shipment of petroleum products into the country saying that the importation put Nigeria in the mercy of foreign interests.
Dr. Chris Agomeze, Lagos based importer and consultant on maritime trade said in an interview with Daily Champion that leaving the larger part of refined crude importation in the hands of non-Nigerians remains a security.
He said time has come for firms of real Nigerian origin should be encouraged to either take over completely or partner at a controlling percentage, the business of importing refined crude into the country.
Also baring his mind, another security analyst, Mr. Johnson Ikhomogbe argued that the current situation whereby only foreigners are handling the trade cannot guarantee the security and safety of the nation's water ways and maritime limits.
Ikhomogbe was however of the view that capable local firms can handle the importation, stressing that "what local investors in the downstream petroleum sector need is government encouragements and a bit of partnership with foreign petroleum products vessel owners.
Jide Amusu, a security analyst and Akure based consultant in his response noted that "for Nigeria to hire foreigners to ship our oil in this economic dispensation totally amounts to corruption".
Continuing, he argued that "it is clearly impossible for the foreigners to do the business without traces of secret deals where kickbacks can be made at the detriment of the overall economy.
Daily Champion recalls that penultimate week, the director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Temisan Omatseye, warned that Nigeria might compromise her economic security if the shipment of refined petroleum products continue to be in the hands of foreigners.
While calling for a total check of the trend, he suggested that the country has no choice than to safeguard its economic interest by supporting the implementation of the Cabotage Act.
Omatseye said the success of the cabotage regime would address this challenge. The NIMASA director general who disclosed this in Lagos at the just concluded Oil Trading and Logistics, OTL, Africa conference reasoned further that "it is regrettable that the huge economic benefits flowing from the maritime aspect of the Nigerian oil and gas industry have not been domesticated for the economic advantage of the country."
Presenting a paper on 'Managing Petroleum Products Supply Logistics in Africa', Omatseye lamented that after an impressive era of indigenous shipping spanning over two decades (late 1960s to mid 1980s), Nigeria has since the eve of the 21st century recorded almost negative growth in her tonnage capacity.
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