India’s Director-General of Shipping, Capt Anish Joseph, has banned seafarers of Indian origin from working in various coastal states jurisdiction in the Gulf of Guinea (including Nigeria, Ghana, and other West African countries). This is as a result the recent rise in crime rate.
In line with this government directive, a circular from the Indian Directorate General of Shipping has been published. The circular contains what transpired and led to the government’s banning decision.
In the circular, Capt Anish Joseph reportedly disclosed that the recent insecurity challenge on the port led to the banning. This is because “…armed robbery attacks in the Gulf of Guinea are becoming more violent, with a greater tendency to attack, hijack and rob vessels as well as kidnap crew.”
This prompted the need for the banning by the board.
India’s attempt to secure its citizens: The Director General also noted that some attacks in the past have witnessed violent actions such as ships’ crew members being injured, kidnapped and in certain occasions taken ashore for ransom.
The implication: This banning, aside portraying Nigeria negatively before the international world, threatens business trade via shipping between Nigeria and India will be affected. And, with India being Nigeria’s largest trading partner as of the the third quarter of 2018, Nigeria might observe a significant reduction in terms of revenue earned.
What must Nigeria do: Owing to the trade benefit Nigeria derives from India through mutual-trade relationship, Nigeria must take up security measures to ensure and afford its business state -India full security on its shores. This is only wise in a bid for business to continue to thrive.
