Chairman, Planning Committee of the 5th edition of the annual Nigeria Maritime Expo tagged NIMAREX 2015, Prince Ayo Adedoyin has assured the oil and gas, shipping and trading communities of a most rewarding outing at this year’s event.
Speaking exclusively to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY on Monday, Adedoyin assured that the suspension of retired Navy Captain Niyi Labinjo as President of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) would not have any adverse effect on NIMAREX 2015.
“NIMAREX is not NISA’s baby anymore. NIMAREX has grown and there are other institutions involved in organising NIMAREX, which includes Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), and even some individuals who are not members of NISA but who are in the industry support us.
“NIMAREX is now a platform and a voice for shipping industry practitioners and operators to come together in order to work for the advancement of the industry,” Adedoyin said.
He said it was wrong to equate Labinjo to NISA because “Captain Labinjo is a member of the association and won the election to become the President so whatever he does with his own personal business enterprise is his own problems so long it is not in the name of NISA.
“NISA is one of the stakeholders of NIMAREX and I don’t think there is any crisis at NISA because as I am talking to you, we have a President whether acting or not so I don’t see any reason why happenings at NISA will affect NIMAREX,” he said.
Adedoyin also assured stakeholders that NIMAREX would get the needed support from relevant government agencies because it is an event created to promote the nation’s maritime industry.
“We now have an Acting President (for NISA) and that is what an association should be all about.
“It is not a one-man thing but an association thing, the association has taken a stand and we should move on,” the NIMAREX Chairman added.
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