Tony Osauzo, Benin
The Niger Delta Frontier (NDF), a regional interest group, has appealed to the National Assembly (NASS), the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), Ocean Marine Solutions Limited (OMSL), and other maritime stakeholders to be dispassionate in resolving issues relating to the Secure Anchorage Area (SAA).
The group, in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Public Affairs, Sam Governor, and made available to reporters in Benin, said the matters need to be resolved, with national security placed at the forefront.
The NDF said it was disturbed that the issues between the NPA and OMSL have taken a negative turn in the media within the last couple of weeks, compelling the group to come out with a statement appealing for calm while the issues are being resolved by the legislature.
It noted that as the matter is being resolved, the concerned authority must take note of the gains that have been archived since the OMSL started providing security to Nigeria’s maritime concerns.
It called on the Senate committee to consider the huge investment that have been made by the OSML in the sector in settling the matter, as a way of promoting further investments by other bodies or organisations.
“Because we are sure that if this can be resolved without causing damage to either party, especially the OMSL that have invested substantially in maintaining security in the sector, it will serve to bolster who may be willing to invest in the sector or any other for that matter, without fear of cancellation in future,” Governor stated.
“It is for that reason that we are calling on the NPA or the concern authority to work out the grey areas in a bid to settle the matter once and for all.
“While we maintain that the country’s security must not be jeopardized by sub-letting part to a foreign national or organisation, we must also consider those that have been gainfully employed by the OMSL since it started providing these services,” the NDF said.