A group, the Asiwaju Maritime Network, has said the victory of the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the vice-president-elect, Senator Kashim Shettima, at the February 25 polls “will usher in a new dawn for the country’s maritime sector.”
The group’s convener, Malam Usman Shuaibu Kaoje, in a congratulatory message, described Tinubu as a “remarkable democrat with an exceptional breadth and depth of expertise, experience and dedicated vision of making Nigeria a significant maritime player as he boldly stated in his campaign promises.”
He said Tinubu’s long standing record of performance, political strategies and industry transformation as shown during his tenure as governor of Lagos that set the vision for Lekki deep seaport and Eko Atlantic City “is important to improve the image and status of the maritime sector in Nigeria.”
It urged the president-elect to establish a dedicated Ministry of Maritime Affairs and appoint maritime experts to head it as demonstrated by the success of the independence of the Ministry of Aviation.
The group also advocated for the establishment of a National Maritime Development Bank to provide adequate funding, incentives and interventions that would stimulate the growth of the sector.
“Members of this group wish to assure president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of their unflinching support during your tenure as president in realising with us the aforementioned projects/programmes,” Kaoje said.