By Omenihu Alfred fibmn
Blue chip Media practitioners have recently unveiled a new group known as Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners, CONMMEP, to educate, and inform government agencies, stakeholders, and the general public of activities in the Maritime sector.
CONMMEP believes happenings in the maritime sector are underreported due to a lack of synergy between operators and maritime Journalists.
The president of CONMMEP, Alhaji Tunde Umar – Daniah, while presenting the new association to his colleagues (Journalists) in Apapa on Friday, said one of the major reasons the nation’s economy is yet to flourish was because the maritime sector has not received the kind of attention it deserves.
According to him, “it is not that the government is deliberately not doing the right thing, but because most times some key operators mislead those in authority by not telling them the actual issues on the ground.”
Daniah urged maritime stakeholders to always partner with the media so that the right information would get to policy and decision-makers, and investors.
The CONMMEP president added that the massive water resources made available by God to Nigeria if probably harnessed are capable of changing the fortune of Nigeria for good.
“The maritime sector if adequately and judiciously harnessed has the potential of generating more revenue for the country than oil.
“What the Federal Government needs is to pay close attention to the sector and also engage professionals with the requisite experience to champion the rapid development of the Maritime industry.
Emphasizing synergy with industry stakeholders, CONMMEP president said operators in the maritime sector suffer in silence because the government does not know what the main issues are since the operators do not open up to journalists.
“We need to collaborate with all segments of the maritime community for the growth and development of our nation. Operators should be able to brief journalists when the activities of government agencies are negatively affecting their businesses.
Also, agencies of government should partner with the media for better stakeholders’ understanding of their policies. By so doing, there will be peace and positive changes in the maritime sector.”
Furthermore, Daniah advised operators and government agencies in the maritime industry to always collaborate with CONMMEP and other maritime journalists so that the right information on activities and development in the sector would be disseminated to investors and the general public in good time.
