Customs CG urges NPA, NIMASA, Shippers’ Council to pioritise maritime journalists’ welfare

The Comptroller General of Customs Adewale Adeniyi has called on heads of maritime parastatals including the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency ( NIMASA), the Nigerian Shippers’ Council ( NSC) and others to pioritise the welfare of journalists covering the maritime sector.

Adeniyi made the call while receiving the Iconic Maritime Personality of the Year 2024 Award in Lagos on Thursday.

He noted that if operators in the industry are prospering, the welfare of journalists who contributed to their success stories through their reportage should also be pioritised.

Adeniyi also expressed concern about the proliferation of beat associations in the maritime media and multiple clearing associations in the freight forwarding industry.

He noted that consolidating the associations into unified bodies would enhance their impact and influence.

He said” I rose from two staff, you know, public relations, and I became the CG. And you are reporting. I also believe that your welfare should be the concern of all the agencies that you report.

“There is a lot that we can do for you in customs, and we’ll be trying to do some of it. But there’s also a lot more that you can do by yourself. You must now begin to see how you can come up with initiatives that will help to drive your welfare programs.

“Yes, you organize programs for agencies or in the industries. I have not seen programs that you are organizing for yourselves. Let’s work on initiatives about your welfare.

“Can we think, for example, of an insurance cover for journalists that is practicing in the maritime industry? Is this something that you can start? You can call for assistance.

“This is one thing that I believe that I can speak to other heads of agencies in the maritime industry for us to join hands with you and look into the issues of your welfare, only if you come together as a united front. Is it possible that when maritime reporters are reporting the beat, that they should also be house owners by themselves? If journalists in the maritime sector come together with a scheme that will allow them to own individual houses, and it is not rocket science.The Federal Mortgage Bank is doing it. There are lots of companies that are doing it.

“So it is just for you to come together, establish a scheme, call for seed money that we can use to start it, and we can take it from there. I know some journalists that are staying comfortably in schemes that are organized by NUJ. The way I look at the maritime sector, we are possibly going to be stronger than the parent body NUJ that birthed you, only if you can come together strongly and unite behind a common purpose for the advancement of your interests.”

He continued, “This is also sending an email to the customs agents that we have. The story of customs agents follows that of the maritime associations. When we started, we knew them as only one.

“They were only one umbrella. And I think the journalists have shown that it’s actually not impossible for us to also begin to identify points that can bring all our associations together under one umbrella. The maritime journalists, have already shown the way.

“Periodically these associations should come together, identify common points that you can use to speak with one voice in the maritime industry. There is so much discordant notes in the industry. And it’s not helping policy makers.Policy makers want to respect you when they see that there is a united voice from the industry.”

Adeniyi described the award as symboliic, marking the first time maritime journalists have united to recognize a stakeholder.

He expressed gratitude for the recognition stressing that a united media can be a powerful force for positive change in the indistry.

“Your coming together to organize this award ceremony means that we could have something that could serve as a running point, a unifying factor for all of these associations who never see any issue from the same point.

“It is indeed a very humbling experience for me. And it tells me that if we actually get it right, if it is the interest of the maritime industry that we want to protect, it means it is still not too late for all of us to begin to work together as a very strong unit, ” he said.

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