Stakeholders in the maritime sector have advised the Federal Government to appoint a professional rather than just the captain of a ship as the Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council of Nigeria.

Speaking to newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Folorunsho Olaitan and Captain Bashiru Adamu said it is only when a professional is appointed as the Executive Secretary of the council that government policies aimed at promoting shipping activities in the country would be implemented.

Dr. Olaitan said since the inception of the Shippers Council, majority of those who had headed it were captains of ships who were caught in between defending the interest of government and that of their businesses.

"Now that the Executive Secretary, Captain Adamu Biu has left office last week following the expiration of his tenure, we find it necessary to call for the appointment of a professional among the public servants to take over and enforce some of the laws and resolutions the captains who headed the agency could not implement them," he said.

Captain Adamu said all captains of ship have one business or the other to do with shipping and may not want to enforce any law that would not be in the interest of follow captains even if it is capable of enhancing activities at the shipping industry.