Amaechi seeks better reportage of maritime industry

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has urged maritime journalists to be more committed to reportage of events in the Nigerian maritime industry,

The minister, in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday by the president, African Maritime Journalists Association (AMJA), Mr. Sesan Onileimo, commended the quality of reportage the industry enjoyed.

According to the statement, a team of AMJA members paid a courtesy visit to the minister.

Amaechi expressed delight at the richness of media reportage and assured that the ministry would continue to partner the media to communicate with all Nigerians in line with the policy of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The AMJA President was accompanied on the visit by the duo of Mr. Godwin Oritshe of Vanguard Newspaper and Mr. Lanre Badmus of Marine Business Internationa.

He told the minister about plans for the inauguration of the continental body’s executive committee.

Onileimo also seized the opportunity of the visit to invite the minister to the inauguration as Special Guest of Honour.

Accepting the invitation, the minister expressed delight that a Nigerian was elected to pilot the affairs of the continental body, even as he affirmed his readiness to attend personally.

Other members of the AMJA Executive Committee are: Collen Jacka (Vice President) from South Africa); Mr. George Sunguh (General Secretary) from Kenya; and Grace Nana Esi Boateng (Treasurer) from Ghana.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inauguration is scheduled to hold in November in Lagos.

When reminded of the enormous challenges of piloting the affairs of the Transportation sector, Mr. Amaechi said the ministry would take up the challenges of piloting the affairs of the transportation sector one after the other.

He said that the on-going arrangement for national fleet expansion was one of those things that the ministry had put its fingers on.

“We are taking the issues one after the other, because we have a clear understanding of our mandate in the ministry,’’ Amaechi said.

He told the delegation that the ministry was desirous of a responsible partnership with the media in the maritime industry.

The minister assured the AMJA delegation that his acceptance to be at the inauguration was a mark of his respect for the media.

He also congratulated the AMJA President for doing the nation proud.