The Congress of Nigerian Maritime Media Practitioners (CONMMEP) has confirmed that its much-anticipated workshop, themed “Port Community Engagement: Building Partnerships for Sustainable Development,” will hold as scheduled on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at Rockview Hotel and Suites, Apapa, Lagos.
This one-day event is expected to bring together key players in the maritime industry, government agencies, corporate organizations, and representatives from port communities to discuss the critical role of partnerships in achieving sustainable development. The workshop will provide an opportunity to review current practices in port community engagement, identify and address challenges arising from the neglect of host communities, and promote Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that directly benefit these communities.
The event will feature a distinguished lineup of guests. His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, Minister for Marine and Blue Economy, will serve as the Chief Guest of Honour, while Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, MFR, Comptroller General of Customs, will be the Special Guest of Honour. Traditional leaders, including HRM Oba Abdul Fatai Aremu Aromire, Ojora of Ijora Kingdom, and HRM Oba Moroof Oyekunle Atanda Amodu Tijani Oluwa, Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, will also grace the occasion as Royal Fathers of the Day.
Prominent figures from Lagos State are expected to attend, including Honourable Saad Lukumon Olumo and Honourable Sabur Akanbi Oluwa, both Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly representing Constituencies 1 and 2 of Ajeromi Ifelodun, respectively. The Chairman of Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government Area, Honourable Fatai Adekunle Ayoola, will also participate alongside Yemi Idowu, CEO of Air Com Nigeria Limited, and Honourable Dr. Paul Kalejaye, Member of the House of Representatives.
CONMMEP has emphasized that the workshop will serve as a platform to foster meaningful dialogue between maritime stakeholders and port communities, showcase CSR projects and initiatives that uplift these communities, and chart a course for more effective and sustainable partnerships. By addressing socio-economic issues that arise from the neglect of host communities, the workshop aims to create a framework for development that benefits all parties involved.
In a statement, the Public Relations Officer of CONMMEP, Mcanthony Udochukwu Onuoha, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to the success of the event and extended an invitation to all relevant stakeholders to participate in this critical conversation. The workshop promises to be a landmark event in the effort to bridge gaps between maritime operations and the communities they impact.