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Maritime Development: NPA Restates Support For MOWCA, Commends Dr. Adalikwu’s Blueprint

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is commited to the development of Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA)

Managing Director of NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko who said this when he received Dr Paul Adalikwu, the MOWCA Secretary General in Lagos on Tuesday , also commended the roadmap for a better MOWCA being put in place by the new scribe.

He said the NPA has always been cooperating with the organisation in respect of diligent calculation of Nigeria’s dues to the organisation and has been ensuring timely release of such funds in the last 47 years , even when no Nigerian was working at the MOWCA secretariat.

Bello-Koko described the reorganisation of MOWCA secretariat under Adalikwu, to align with it’s establishment charter, as a good example of due process and advised the SG to draw short, medium and long term goals for the regional maritime body.This according to the NPA MD, would help in reaping “low hanging fruits”

He urged the MOWCA Secretary General to emplace training programmes that would help build capacity of maritime experts and professionals across member countries.

For his part, Adalikwu, who was visiting NPA as part of his maiden official tour of Nigeria since assuming office in Abidjan in January 2022, disclosed that 10 member states have almost completed ratification of the the Regional Maritime Development Bank’s charter, with the headquarter to be located in Abuja.

He further disclosed that plans have reached advanced stage for launch of the bank later this year adding that the President of the bank will be a Nigerian with two Vice Presidents from Cameroon and Cote D’Ivoire.

Adalikwu also told NPA MD that prior to his assumption of office, there were no proper personnel record while noting that the 25 staff organisation now have files, staff number and all necessary documentations as expected of an international organisation.

On relationship with other international organisations, Adalikwu said his office will engage with International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in London, World Maritime University(WMU) in Malmo Sweden and the secretariat of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Accra Ghana to advance benefits to member countries.

The SG also said his office will engage with the IMO Secretary General to reactivate a desk for MOWCA while working for Nigeria and other member countries to be on the council of the organisation in 2023.

He expressed willingness to pursue strong MOWCA representation in the comity of maritime nations to avail West and Central Africa the opportunity to be part of global maritime decision making, especially where it affects the two sub regions interest.

He added that MOWCA is about to open talks with WMU for academic exchange programmes and support of resource persons to boost the capacity of maritime training institutions in member states while also noting that MOWCA would interface with the secretariat in Accra on how best to harness maritime trading potentials amongst African countries.

“MOWCA secretariat would also explore possibilities of promoting dry port and inland container depot establishment in landlocked countries involved in import and export,” he added.

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