By Olubunmi ISOKPEHI, Lagos
The body of former Executives of Indegineous shipowners Association (ISA) now known as Nigerian Shipowners Association, NISA, has debunked the allegations that Cabbotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, withdrawn by the president as false.
The Chairman of the board, NISA, Isaac Jolapamo, made this known during a press briefing held at Ikoyi, Lagos. While, declaring a come back of over 200 members of the association.
He said, “we have consulted widely and they say there’s nothing like suspension of CVFF. We knew the internal politics that is involved, some people want it moved from central bank to commercial banks, others were not disposed to it, thats why you hear all the contradictory statements.”
Adding, “We have consulted and those that are supposed to be in the know told us there is nothing like withdrawal of presidential approval.”
He reaffirmed, “The president has given approval and he has not come out publicy to denounce the approval, so for now there’s nothing like withdrawal.”
He asserted, “I’ve written to the minister of my personal position to give us the amount accrued from the collection of cabotage funds, to tell us a few things wether they have spent it or something has happened to it, i can then brief the association later , to progress to the next stage which will not be the court.”
He added that, “Our comimg together is to take the bull by the horn, to ensure we bring back the jobs that we have lost, that is our intention of coming together and speaking with one voice”
He assured, “NISA is back on its feet to fufil the mission as well as the vision of the founder fathers of the association. A committee has been set up to bring back every other person the way it used to be”.
He added, “what we are looking for could still happen, the House from 99′ never wanted to see us like wise the customs we fought our way to be seen in the past, some people listened to us when we were clamouring for cabotage, they thought it was going to be helpful to us, but it is a trade where by when you take one step, your contemporaries elsewhere have taken two, and they are using your own people to ensure it doesn’t work. The fighter in me is back, i am not going to use my self but the people that surrounds me.”
In his remarks, Ayorinde Adedoyin, a member of NISA, posited, “We have been working on Something called the Nigerian maritime fund, this is something we have been working on for a while now, like 5 years, what we are trying to do is to pull money together like $500 million, we are almost getting there, with the fund we can acquire asset for operators not only vessels, we are talkimg about other ancillaries of the shipping industry.”
He added, “They can own it or lease it out for about 5 to7 years and after they finish paying, then the asset becomes that of the owner, it’s not all about CVFF, we hope and pray that early next year, the maritime fund should come into fruition”.
