Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi has reiterated the Nigerian government’s readiness to release its counterpart funding for the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB).
Speaking on Thursday when he received Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary-General of Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) in Abuja, Amaechi said Nigeria will gladly identify with the project.
The Minister assured Adalikwu that efforts would be activated to secure an official accommodation space for the bank in Abuja.
Amaechi who promised to reach out to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) urged other member states to come forward with their financial contributions too.
He said: “We will be glad to put our resources down for the bank as soon as you are ready. We will just instruct them in Lagos to release the fund for you.
“We are also ready to provide accommodation for the bank and we look forward to other states making their contributions. We wouldn’t want our money to be tied down.”
Speaking earlier, the MOWCA Secretary-General who led an incubation committee comprising Cameroon and Congo Brazzaville representatives, thanked the Nigerian government for supporting his candidacy.
He also thanked Nigeria for payment of its arrears which has supported MOWCA in meeting some of its obligations to member states and employees.
Adalikwu said 8 countries have signed up for the charter with an interim board put in place. He told the Minister that the mandate for Nigeria to host the bank has been in place for ten years but activities for its creation were kick-started by Amaechi when he became Minister of Transportation.
The MOWCA Secretary-General added that steps have been taken to make the organisation vibrant and fulfil its mandates. According to him, an organogram has been created with every employee’s schedule of duties duly specified.
He disclosed that some of the employees he met on the ground were inexperienced with inadequate education to man the offices they occupy and that communication has been activated with member states to nominate qualified persons that would help the organisation run smoothly and efficiently.
Prof Gerard Messina a representative of the Cameroonian Transport Minister told Amaechi that his country is convinced of the ability of Nigeria and Adalikwu to strengthen the organisation.
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