It started from mere ambiguity. Now, it has degenerated into distrust. Most stakeholders in the maritime industry said they do not feel comfortable with the idea of simply passing such fundamental responsibility as the security of the nation’s waters to some private company or individuals!

 Maritime industry analyst, Dr Olu Ologbese, has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to handle the issue with caution, stressing that to do otherwise might make the president look as if he was attempting to make both the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) redundant.

The image-makers, of the two organisations, especially Hajia Lami Tumaka of the NIMASA have decided to keep totally out of the controversy.

The Indigenous Ship-owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN) has also indicated their unwillingness to subject their vessels to inspection by a private company, Messrs Global West Vessel Specialist Nigeria Limited (GWVSL) recently contracted by the Federal Government to oversee security at sea.

Yet a few others who spoke on conditions of anonymity posited that their discomfort arose from their fears that Mr President was about to hand over the onerous tasks of entrenching sanity within the nation’s waters, a duty which so far was performed between the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA to the GWVSL, a firm allegedly founded by some Niger Delta ex-militants.

The first time the name of GWVSL came up, it was sometimes in the first quarter of last year when the NIMASA director-general said the GWVSL was providing some five patrol boats, free of charge to the enable the agency patrol the water fronts. Nine months later, the Federal Ministry of Transport, according to stake-holders had pre-sented the GWVSL to the Federal Executive Council, seeking for an endorsement which would have the GWVSL provide a platform, with an initial investment in the sum of USD103, 400,000.00 (about N16 billion) inclusive of all taxes on a contractor financed by Supply Operate and Transfer (SOT) Concession for a period of 10 years based on performance.

But while the stakeholders expressed their disgust that Mr. President was empowering a private firm, at the expense of the navy and NIMASA, those in support of the bill may also have perfected their dream project, making sure that official hurdles could be scaled through.

Already, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) was indicated to have reviewed the procurement process and issued a Certificate.

Secondly, the President, vide letter Ref. No. PRES/99/MT/61, of 9th November, 2011 was indicated to have equally granted anticipatory approval for the project; even as the Attorney General of the Federation/Minister of Justice had also reviewed and approved the Draft Agreement, noting that the project is a ‘contractor financed’ and does not require any government appropriation; more so, as it was expected to create some 1375 job opportunities to Nigerian professionals and non-professionals directly and 1620 jobs indirectly.

The Nigerian Tribune was told that the Bill has now been sent to the National Assembly.

Confirming the development, ISAN Chairman, Chief Isaac Morakinyo Jolapamo, told journalists that he had received several alerts from some of his colleagues that GWVNSL’s officials and agents had allegedly been harassing their vessels across the seas. Consequently, he immediately called the NIMASA Director-General, Mr Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, requesting him to “call these people to order”, since the action would remain illegal, until the National Assembly endorses the gesture.