The leaderships of the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) and the Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) have confirmed that they have united under one umbrella called the Shipowners Forum.
The confirmation was contained in a press release sent to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY by the leaders of the association on Friday.
SHIPS & PORTS DAILY had exclusively reported the fusion of the groups on March 4.
In a press statement signed by the Shipowners Forum Chairman, Barr. (Mrs.) Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi and the Presidents of NISA and SOAN, Alhaji Aminu Umar and Engr. Greg Ogbeifun respectively, the group said the merger was made possible at the instance of Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi.
The statement reads: “Recently, the Honourable Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi at a parley in Lagos requested Shipowners in Nigeria to present a common front in their engagement with government on all issues relating to shipowners in Nigeria.
“The Ministerial challenge was immediately followed up with a convivial meeting of shipowners where the resolution to float the Shipowners Forum under the Chairmanship of Barr. (Mrs) Margaret Orakwusi was reached.
“Shipowners in Nigeria whose vessels are registered and flagged in Nigeria or having correspondent/concurrent identities or relationships with Nigeria and have been operating from two platforms – the Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA) under the headship of Alhaji Aminu Umar and Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) under the headship of Mr. Greg Ogbeifun, recently convened a meeting in Lagos on the 26th of February 2016 to shelve partisan cleavages and resolved amicably to come under one united umbrella body, which they collectively agreed to name Shipowners Forum.
“This is without prejudice to the fact that the respective Associations NISA and SOAN will continue to exist according to the statues establishing them.
“The Shipowners Forum would like to use this medium to appreciate the Honourable Minister for his desire to unify shipowners in Nigeria. We are very ready and committed to engaging him and the federal government constructively with a view to supporting the government’s policy thrust to better the lot of shipowners in Nigeria and the entire maritime industry.
“We would like to use this opportunity to thank those Shipowner members of NISA and SOAN for their support in bringing this union to fruition.”
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