Dr Anthony Onoharigho, Deputy Registrar, Liberian Maritime Authority, has described transportation and logistics as key sectors that will help the country achieve the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) objectives.
Onoharigho said this at the second edition of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL) held on Thursday in Lagos.
The lecture had the theme: ‘AfCFTA – Dismantling Barriers, Navigating Regional Trade’.
“The transport sector is undermined. To move goods within the country is a problem and now thinking about Africa, so we need to make things seamless by removing barriers.
“We have a competitive advantage by being producers of oil in the country but the constraint also is that we do not have vessels to move the oil outside the country,” he said.
Commenting, Dr Alban Igwe, member, United Nations Committee on Trade and Transport Location, noted that the country had all the opportunities to be a logistics hub all barriers removed.
Igwe added that there was need to dismantle everything that was pulling the country back so that it could get its share of the global cake.
“Todays’ conversation is very important, it is a wakeup call for Nigeria as the country is under a global threat, other African blocs are doing well, while Nigeria is struggling,” he said.
Also contributing, Capt. Warredi Enisuoh, Executive Director, Operations and Technical Services, Tantita Security Services, Nigeria Ltd., noted that with AfCFTA, a future exists for manufacturers.
Enisuoh urged manufacturers to start thinking about Carbon Registry, adding that if Nigeria could organise themselves for this, they could have a National Carbon Credit to their benefit.
Mr Emmanuel Maiguwa, a maritime security expert urged the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, instead of focusing on National Shipping Line, they should ensure that customd duty on vessel acquisition was removed.
“We cannot trade in Africa using our roads successfully and so the need to make acquisition of vessel to be cost effective, all barriers hindering the acquisition of vessel should be eliminated,” he said.
The Chairman of the occasion, Mr Sola Adewunmi, President, Nigerian Shipowners Association, noted that the lecture was a good development but asked how prepared was Nigeria in trading on AfCFTA.
Adewunmi said that people are losing money due to bad policies, inadequate funding, urging that for Nigeria to be a shipping nation, incentives should be given.
Earlier, Mr Godfrey Bivbere, President, MARAN, noted that by breaking down barriers hindering AfCFTA and fostering closer economic ties, the country would pave the way for unprecedented opportunities, growth and prosperity.
“Today’s discussion will explore how the country can collectively tackle challenges, leverage opportunities presented by AfCFTA, and position Nigeria and Africa at large to benefit from the estimated $3.4 trillion trade opportunities.
“To maximise the benefits of AfCFTA, Nigeria must address critical requirements such as improved trade infrastructure, efficient procedure, capacity building, investment in maritime assets and leveraging technology and innovation to facilitate trade.
“Intra-Africa trade currently stands at just 10 per cent, with AfCFTA, there are projections to raise this to 20 per cent and for this happen, we must ensure free and efficient movement of goods across borders through vehicles, railways, ships and trucks,” he said.
I must express thanks to the writer for rescuing me from this setting. After browsing throughout the search engines and finding things which are not productive, I was thinking my life was over. Existing devoid of the answers to the problems you’ve resolved all through your main short article is a critical case, as well as the ones that might have in a negative way damaged my entire career if I had not encountered the blog. Your good mastery and kindness in taking care of the whole lot was valuable. I am not sure what I would have done if I hadn’t discovered such a stuff like this. I can at this time look forward to my future. Thank you very much for this impressive and sensible help. I will not think twice to propose the blog to any person who should receive tips on this area.
I don’t commonly comment but I gotta state regards for the post on this amazing one : D.
Do you have a spam issue on this site; I also am a blogger, and I was wondering your situation; many of us have created some nice practices and we are looking to trade methods with others, be sure to shoot me an email if interested.
Rattling wonderful info can be found on website. “Many complain of their memory, few of their judgment.” by Benjamin Franklin.
I went over this site and I conceive you have a lot of good info , saved to bookmarks (:.
I have not checked in here for some time because I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I would like to show my thanks to you for bailing me out of such a crisis. After looking out through the search engines and meeting ideas which are not beneficial, I assumed my life was done. Living devoid of the approaches to the difficulties you have resolved all through your good guideline is a critical case, as well as the kind which may have adversely affected my entire career if I hadn’t noticed the blog. Your understanding and kindness in handling all things was helpful. I’m not sure what I would have done if I had not discovered such a subject like this. I’m able to at this point relish my future. Thanks a lot very much for your professional and result oriented help. I won’t think twice to endorse your web page to any person who needs to have direction about this issue.
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is attractive, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an shakiness over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly a lot often inside case you shield this hike.
I have been checking out some of your posts and i must say pretty good stuff. I will surely bookmark your website.
Woh I like your articles, bookmarked! .
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
I was just looking for this info for a while. After six hours of continuous Googleing, at last I got it in your website. I wonder what is the lack of Google strategy that do not rank this type of informative sites in top of the list. Usually the top sites are full of garbage.
Great site. Plenty of useful information here. I’m sending it to several friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your effort!