The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Employment Clinic, Ms Ronke Kosoko has called for more concerted efforts by the government both on the Federal and state levels towards emplacing a strong maritime economy to replace the dependency of the country on revenue accruing from Oil.
Speaking in Lagos during a press briefing on way forward for the nation maritime sector from impact to legacies heading to a new frontier in maritime economy, Ms Kosoko, noted that part of the conception of the Lekki ports idea was the problems associated with Lagos ports in Apapa axis.
She said that when the Lagos State government started the conversation of constructing the Lekki ports complex capable of creating millions of jobs, she was excited as the project will take many jobless Nigerians out of the street.
The CEO of Employment Clinic, who has come up with Project One Million Jobs commended the President-elect and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the incumbent Governor of Lagos State Babajide Sanwo-Olu for their election, urging that the maritime sector in the state should not ignored in the economic blue print.
She also commended the impact made in the industry by Chief Isaac Jolapamo, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Nigeria Shipowners Association and Chairman MORLAP Group, who she said impacted the industry with over 50 decade of his wealth of experience.
She said: “I have to congratulate the President-elect, and former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“You all know that many things were not working in Apapa because of Government policies.
“You all know what Apapa was before Lekki port started.
“I remember vividly when I came into this industry, Lekki port was still on papers.
“And if it was on the papers, it has not taken off.
“But there were some conversations about millions of job it was going to create, so some of us were very happy about that.
“So, over the last decade, from my experience, said the industry was not doing well, except you are in another world or you are benefitting more than I do.
“Lagos being a littoral state with three port cities cannot be ignored. First and foremost is to lay the foundation. The foundation is to connect the door at the governmental level.”
Kosoko said the second door will be on employment opportunities, adding that this is where her project one million jobs comes in.
“The second door is the employment thing. Note our Project One Million Jobs.
“We did not want to sound political, because we are not political. What we wanted is the realignment that the maritime industry needs.
“Many of you here are going to have their individual businesses.
“If you have your business, and you do have some young maritime journalists to work with you and learn from your wealth of experience. Do you think in the next 10 years, you are still going to be sitting here as journalists.
“It is even as basic as that. When we talk about manpower, we talk about master mariners and so on.
“If you have your business, do you have young persons you can vouch for today that can work as you do. “Do you have maritime journalists that if all of you disappear today, you can still see maritime news in the dailies every day.
“It is as basic as that. In journalism a lot has to be done. So, I made a promise in December 10, and it was intentional and we said we have to start with journalists.
“This is because it they did not report our activities, or they are left alone, nothing is going to happen. “They need to be part of the developmental process.
“Like I told you, the reason we call you is to congratulate the President elect and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the second part is also to congratulate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“If you have been going round Lagos, you know that there are a lot that are uncompleted.
“You have to connect to Apapa. I personally, Apapa has become a personal project.”
She said that project was started in 2013 into 2014, and projects were signed for 6 years.
“By 2015 there was election and the situation of the port became worse. With the 1 million jobs project, we started with Lagos State for some reasons, but we had to wait, the only way to wait is to wait out the administration and see where the federal was heading.
“Today, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not new to maritime activities. He is not a person you need to introduce to maritime.
“ When he got tired everything in the port, he moved and say lets look for alternative ports. The alternative port is not the solution, but it is part of the solution.
“Today Lekki port is not a joke. Lekki port came to Apapa to take over half of the work force.
“Employers are shouting that they are taking all their staff away.
“I say it is good. That they are taking those people away means there are openings for others.
“But those openings, if you ask me for those who are looking for the jobs, they cant get the job.
“Even within the private companies within the maritime industry. So, what we do as an employment thing, by the time we launch this project, we will focus on maritime economy. We have the support of the honorable minister of transportation, NIMASA, Shippers Council, NPA, NITT, Man Oron, will be part of it.
“With the arrow heads in Lagos, we have a plan, if you know what is making Lagos work, it is because they had a plan. That plan continues to transcend into different administrations.
“Since October last year, we have a 30-year economic plan of Lagos State. 2022 to 2052 left. Now how can that happen if you did not carry the maritime industry along.
“Chief Jolapamo is solidly behind us. We cannot let him go because no matter what people may say, he is the father of shipping who has put over fifty years in the industry.
“I will like to take you back that, Dangote didn’t just happen. Apapa was becoming a no- go area. If you remember when President Buhari visited Apapa, all the trailers causing gridlock disappeared.
“Fifteen minutes’ drive, I was already in NIMASA. After the event, all the trailers returned.
“How did you think that happened, it showed there was a coordinated problem.
“I mean, if you want trailers disappear in Apapa, they will actually disappear.
“ But we shielded the person that would have actually seen the road on that day.
“The programme we did in October last year, I intentionally fix it at Rock View Hotel, Apapa so that people can come and see.
“Everything is connected to employment. But if you can’t communicate at this level, and if feel that the government should solve this or that?”
Photo caption
Ms Ronke Kosoko, CEO, Employment Clinic.
