MINISTER of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has said the Federal Government is searching for ways to encourage the establishment of a National Shipping Line to ensure maximum exploitation of the potential in the maritime industry.

Amaechi also said, the Federal government is making efforts at improving business in the country’s maritime sector, especially in the areas of establishing a deep sea port for modern mega ships as well as the establishment of dry ports such as the Kaduna inland dry port among others.

Amaechi spoke while delivering a keynote address at the 14th Maritime Seminar for Judges organized by the Nigerian Shippers’ Council(a parastatal under his ministry), in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute, NJI.

According to the Minister, “The present administration is looking into ways of encouraging the establishment of a national shipping line to ensure maximum exploitation of the potentials in our maritime sector. The Federal Government is doing a lot towards improving on the ease of doing business in Nigeria especially in the maritime sector. The Federal Government’s effort towards trade facilitation includes modernization of transport infrastructure such as establishment of deep sea ports to attract the patronage of our seaports by modern mega ships and the establishment of dry ports such as the Kaduna inland dry port and others all over the country to decongest the seaports and facilitate expeditious evacuation of cargo from the seaports among others.”

In his own address, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute, Justice Mahmud Mohammed said the seminar had contributed immensely to deepening the synergy between the judiciary and the maritime sector as part of the wider reform efforts that would reposition the nation’s judiciary for better justice delivery.

Also in his remarks, chairman of the occasion and former Head of State, Chief Ernest Shonekon commended the Nigerian Shippers’ Council and the national judicial institute for healthy collaboration towards nation building. Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mr. Taiwo Abidoku, described it as welcome development for the organizers of the seminar, to encourage the training of judges and legal practitioners in the field of maritime.

Source: Vanguard