The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mr Rotimi Amaechi

  • Nigeria seeks collaboration with IMO

    Nigeria seeks collaboration with IMO

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed Nigeria’s commitment to greater collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to develop the maritime industry.

    This is contained in a statement by the Head, Corporate Communication Team of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, on Monday in Lagos, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The minister expressed the commitment when he paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary-General of the IMO, Mr Kitack Lim, recently in London.

    Amaechi commended IMO for the technical assistance rendered to Nigeria.

    He called for more cooperation in the areas of combating piracy and maritime education.

    The minister told the IMO secretary- general that ”Nigeria has already put in place action plans and initiatives through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)’’.

    Amaechi said the action plans were for the implementation of the Code of Conduct entered into by the Heads of States and Governments of ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the Gulf of Guinea Commission on the fight against piracy, sea robbery and other maritime crimes.

    To make Nigerian ports safer for international trade, the minister said that the Security Assessment Checklist of the International Ship and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code were continually receiving adequate attention by both NIMASA and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

    He also assured the IMO scribe that the findings and observations of the recently-concluded IMO Member States Audit Scheme (IMSAS) of Nigeria “is being studied’’.

    “This is with a view to preparing and implementing Corrective Action Plans (CAPs) within the stipulated time frame,” NAN quotes the minster as saying.

    The minister also called for greater technical cooperation with the IMO with a view to reviewing programmes and curriculum of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, Akwa Ibom,

    According to him, this is in compliance with the 2010 Amendments to STCW and support to secure sea time training for graduates of the maritime academy.

    Amaechi also requested for a technical advice in converting the academy to a degree-awarding institution and greater involvement of the IMO in building capacities of the Academy’s instructors.

    Responding, the IMO secretary-general, commended Nigeria for its commitment toward meeting the obligations of the IMO and other international organisations.

    The secretary-general assured the minister of the cooperation of the IMO in the areas of continuous training on Maritime Security, Search and Rescue (SAR), Port State Control (PSC) and capacity building for Instructors of MAN, Oron.

    He said that sea time training had become a global concern, adding that the IMO would reach out to shipping companies toward engaging the academy’s cadets on board vessels.

    The minister was accompanied to the IMO by the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, and Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO, Mr Diko Bala.

  • Nigeria committed to maritime safety standards – Amaechi

    Nigeria committed to maritime safety standards – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the nation is committed to safety standards in the maritime sector.

    This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos by the Head, Public Relations Department of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka.

    According to the statement, the minister stated this in his address at the ongoing Regional Training on Port State Control (PSC) in Lagos for West and Central African countries.

    Amaechi said that merchant ships often traded outside the areas that were under the jurisdiction of the Flag State.

    The minister said the maritime agencies could not, therefore, guarantee that all ships under their flag were in full compliance with safety requirements.

    Amaechi noted that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) mandated maritime administrations to periodically carry out Port State Control in compliance with the instruments to which the Flag State was a party.

    He said that the high level of maritime activities in the nation’s waters imposed enormous challenges on coastal countries in the West and Central Africa in terms of building a robust and effective maritime safety regime.

    According to him, the need to therefore continually update the knowledge of vessel inspectors and surveyors cannot be overstated, especially against the backdrop of rapid changes at both the industry and operating environment levels.

    Amaechi said the Federal Government was committed toward repositioning the maritime sector for effectiveness and efficiency.

    He assured member states of Nigeria’s co-operation for a better Port State Control implementation.

    In his address, the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Mr Haruna Jauro, said the agency would ensure effective implementation of Port State Control.
    Jauro said that NIMASA was also committed to human capacity development, adding that the ongoing training was geared toward the development of the sector and the nation at large.

    “The Agency (NIMASA) will continue to build the required capacity to meet domestic and international obligations aimed at making our waterways safe for shipping activities,’’ the acting director-general said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NIMASA Act empowers it to carry out Port State Inspection of foreign vessels that call at the nation’s ports.

    The eight-day training being hosted by NIMASA has in attendance representatives from the 19 member states of the Abuja MoU on Port State Control with resource persons drawn from the IMO.

  • Lagos-Kano rail to generate 250,000 jobs – Amaechi

    Lagos-Kano rail to generate 250,000 jobs – Amaechi

    The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said on Friday that the Lagos-Kano Rail project would be completed in the next two years.

    Amaechi, who said this while inspecting the Abuja-Kaduna rail project in Kaduna, added that it would generate employment for 250,000 Nigerians.

    He said the ongoing rail project from Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar would generate more employment than the Abuja-Kaduna rail modernisation project.

    He further stated that a training institute would be established by the Chinese company to train Nigerians on operations, maintenance and communication.

    “For the Lagos-Kano and Lagos-Calabar rail project, we expect to generate like 250,000 employment opportunities both formal and informal.

    “We are negotiating with General Electric in America to construct a narrow gauge from Lagos to Kano and they cannot run that without training Nigerians.

    “If the communication system goes down how do we revive it, so they would also teach Nigerians how to maintain it.

    “ If we want to replace it, how do we replace it, so the key thing is transfer of technology and that will be the focus of the ministry.’’

    He said government would ensure that the rail service was affordable for the masses.