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Tag: NIMASA

  • Ship owners, importers back NIMASA’s 5% growth  forecast 

    The Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), importers and clearing agents have urged the Federal Government to work with the  five per cent growth forecast by the Nigerian Maritime Administrator and Safety Agency ( NIMASA).

    According to them, there has been a steady increase in the level of investments and freight earnings from the sector, urging the government and its agencies at the ports to work with the forecast and see how to improve on it.

    Its President Alhaji Aminu Umar said NISA aligned with the five per cent maritime growth, forecast by NIMASA. He added that commercial banks had shown interest in financing indigenous ship owners, contrary to what obtained during the 2016 economic recession.

    He noted that foreign fund managers have been coming into the country to discuss how to fund maritime assets.

    Umar said there was no doubt that the industry could achieve the five per cent growth and probably surpass it.

    “Based on what we have seen since the beginning of this year, we believe we can surpass the five per cent growth forecast, if not double digit We believe it would be close to the double digit in the maritime sector.

    “The foreign reserve of the country has gone up, this showed a positive impact in the economy, which means that  our banks have the funds  to fund shipping. We have seen positive impact on the banks because they are already talking about funding a lot of maritime assets. So in my own opinion, the outlook is very positive,” he said.

    Umar continued: “Two years ago, banks did not even entertain you talking about funding; we are now seeing a lot of positive investments, a lot of private equity funds are now coming to invest in maritime assets. We have seen foreign funds managers, who are coming from Europe and are also talking about funding maritime assets here. We believe the outlook would be great for this year and 2019.

    “For the past two years, the freight earnings have been down  since 2016, but we are looking at it now that the freight earnings is already going up.”

    The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) outgoing President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said NIMASA’s five per cent growth projection was posible because the world maritime economic situation was improving and Nnigeria would benefit from it.

    According to him, many importers are bringing cargoes to the country instead of diverting them to neigbouring countries’ports, while ship owners are planning to invest in the industry because freight rates are going up.

    “The projection made by NIMASA is one of the tools we need to grow the maritime industry. The forecast will assist in the areas of having and keeping accurate records and plan for the future.

    “ The forecast will help to know if we are able to meet our target and if there are things we must put in place like good road net work, quick evacuation of cargoes, review of government policy and tariffs at the ports, among others. We pray that this year and next year will be the leading light to the peak in freight and maritime robust earnings for the country,” Shittu said.

    An importer, Mr Felix Abraham, urged the government to pay adequate attention to the industry because of the huge potential it holds for the nation. Maritime trade, he said, is the bedrock of the global business, and its connection to import, export and the growth of the world economy.

    “ That is why the five per cent growth forecast by NIMASA is a tool we must all work with to grow the economy,” Abraham said.

     

  • Senate threatens to halt budgets of 444 defaulting agencies

    Senate threatens to halt budgets of 444 defaulting agencies

    The Senate has threatened to halt work on the 2018 budgets of no fewer than 444 federal commissions, agencies, corporations and parastatals for failure to submit their account records to the Auditor General for the Federation over the years.

    The action of the agencies contravened Section 85 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which mandated such federal agencies to submit their audited reports to the Auditor General, for onward transmission to the National Assembly.

    Worried by the development, the Senate on Wednesday gave the affected agencies till the end of May 2018 to comply or have their 2018 budget proposals withdrawn.

    Chairman Senate Public Accounts Committee, Senator Matthew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo State), while presenting a report at plenary on Wednesday, pointed out that of the 491 federal agencies, only 47 have fully complied by submitting their audited reports for 2017.

    The agencies that have complied included: Assets Management Company to Nigeria (AMCON); Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Abuja Property Development Company; Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre; National Law Reform Commission; National Agricultural Seeds Council; National Open University; University of Abuja among others.

    In all, Urhoghide revealed that 444 agencies are yet to comply.

    Among the defaulting agencies, 85 had never submitted audit report since they were created. While others are in arrears for five to 17 years.

    The report listed some of the agencies yet to submit their reports since inception to include: Bank of Industry (BoI); Bank of Agriculture (BoA); Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC); FCT Internal Revenue Service; FCT Universal Basic Education Board; Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria; Abuja Infrastructural Investment Centre; National Automotive Council among others.

    The report also named parastatals that are yet to submit their audited accounts between six and 10 years to include the Debt Management Office (DMO); Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC); National Insurance Commission; Financial Reporting Council; Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE); and Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

    Others are Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP); National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) among others.

    The committee chairman said that many of the parastatals were not willing to submit their audited accounts without being compelled, adding that many of the parastatals do not take issues of accountability in public expenditure seriously.

    He accused the Auditor-General of placing less premium on high profile federal agencies with huge accounts like the NNPC, NPA, NIMASA, CBN, TETFUND, etc.

    “An agency like the EFCC misinterprets the reporting requirement in their enabling Acts to violate the Constitution,” he stated.

    Other recommendations by the committee urged the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation to constantly update and reconcile with parastatals on their status of compliance.

    It also urged the Auditor General to liaise with the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to clarify status of privatised and merged/scrapped Parastatals.

    It also recommended adequate budgetary allocations to the office of the Auditor-General to enhance performance.

    Read Also: Senate, Reps bicker over NFIU bill

  • NIMASA promotes 638 workers

    NIMASA promotes 638 workers

    The Governing Board of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has approved the promotion of 85 management workers.

    The promotions were ratified at its meeting in Lagos under the Chairmanship of Major General Jonathan India Garba (rtd).

    A breakdown shows that two deputy directors were moved to directors; seven assistant directors were promoted to deputy directors.

    Seventy-six Grade Level 14 officers were promoted to assistant directors.

    Those promoted to directors are Head of Internal Audit, Victor Onuzuruike and the Deputy Director, Research, Mrs. Christiana Budaye.

    Similarly, management approved the promotion of  553 workers between grade levels 4-14.

    Director-General  Dakuku Peterside reiterated the commitment of the management to reward hard work.

    “It is true that the reward for hard work is more work, but on the other hand, hard work also comes with promotion. On our part as Executive Management we will continue to ensure that promotion exercises are conducted on a yearly basis and as at when due so that staff can be motivated to give their best to the course of rebranding the Agency and repositioning the maritime sector for greater efficiency. By this we will be able to focus and realise our mandates as an agency,” he said.

    The board enjoined the promoted workers to apply themselves to the greater responsibilties now demanded of them.

  • U.S. Coast Guard gives NIMASA pass mark on port facility

    The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has expressed satisfaction with Nigeria’s compliance with the International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) Code.

    Speaking in Lagos, the group, led by Lt Commander Jacob Hopper of the International Port Security (IPS) Liaison for U.S. government in West and Central Africa and Europe, said there was an improvement in the nation’s port as a result of the security architecture put in place by the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    The delegation is on a two-day visit to some of the ports in Lagos.

    Lt Hopper commended the feat achieved by NIMASA which is the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the code in Nigeria.

    He said he was elated by the level of expertise and knowledge demonstrated by the NIMASA personnel during the visit.

    He described the NIMASA team as very resourceful, and charged the management of the agency not to rest on its oars in ensuring total compliance to the issues relating to safety and security at the nation’s ports.

    NIMASA Director-General Dr. Dakuku Peterside thanked the group for it continuous support and noted that the agency would  remain committed to the ideals of international best practices in carrying out its core responsibilities.

    Peterside, who was represented by the Executive Director, Operations  Rotimi Fashakin, said that the goal of NIMASA is to attain 100 per cent compliance with the ISPS Code and it remains open to all forms of collaboration with stakeholders both locally and internationally to make Nigeria a maritime hub in Africa.

    “Let me commend your support to us over the years and tell you that it has kept us on our toes, thereby assisting us achieve this feat you have noticed today. We also seek your continuous partnership; because for us in NIMASA, it is work in progress and we remain open to all forms of partnerships that can assist us reach our desired goals,” he said.

    He also informed the team that NIMASA has successfully updated the Global Integrated Ship Information System (GISIS) since 2017, and called for an update by the US Port Security Advisory (PSA) as it still display 2013 information about Nigeria.

     

    NIMASA was appointed the DA for ISPS Code implementation in Nigeria in May 2013 and has since then left no stone turned in ensuring that the nation’s ports are compliant in line with global best practices, which has earned the Agency several commendations.

  • Indigenous ship owners to get NNPC, NIMASA nod to lift crude oil

    Indigenous ship owners to get NNPC, NIMASA nod to lift crude oil

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA) are set to allow indigenous ship owners to lift crude oil.

    This will lead to a change in trade terms from Free On Board (FOB) to Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF).

    The deal was sealed yesterday at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

    Minister of State for Petroleum Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who declared the stakeholders meeting open, welcomed the development, urged participants to come out with resolutions that would be of national benefit.

    NIMASA Director-General Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who presented a paper titled ‘The Imperatives of Changing Nigeria’s Crude Oil Affreightment Trade Terms From FOB to CIF’, said the changing landscape of Nigeria’s maritime sector necessitated the adoption of CIF.

    Peterside said: “The CIF, if implemented, will encourage indigenous fleet expansion, lead to massive job creation for qualified Nigerian Seafarers, create opportunities for mandatory sea time experience for Nigerian cadets and build expertise and competence in international shipping trade.

    “Nigeria is one of the major exporters of oil and gas resource in the world, and she averages an output of 1.92 million barrels of crude oil per day so this volume generates huge freight for carriers. Regrettably, Indigenous shipping operators have insignificant share of the freight earned from the carriage of Nigeria’s crude compared to foreign counterparts”.

    He stated that OPEC nations such as Iran, Indonesia, Algeria, Kuwait, Angola, Venezuela, UAE and Libya allow indigenous operators to participate actively in shipment of the crude oil, stating that with the right policies in place Nigeria can build its own capacity and one of this is the change of terms of trade for Nigeria’s benefit.

    NNPC Group Managing Director Dr. Maikanti Baru said the corporation had no reason not to allow Nigerians lift crude. He added that the NNPC was aware of the benefits in the CIF trade term but processes have to be followed which may include transition period before finally opting for the CIF trade term.

    Shipowners and major stakeholders, who spoke at the engagement, lauded the initiative.

    A former DG of NIMASA, Temisan Omatseye, who is also a ship owner, said the CIF trade term would eliminate crude theft, create employment and compliment the diversification drive of the Federal Government.

    The President of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) and Managing Director of Starz Marine Group, Greg Ogbeifun, said what was needed to make the CIF initiative to grow the Nigerian shipping industry and the economy was government support.

  • Repositioning NIMASA

    Following the approval of the board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on August 26, 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari and its subsequent inauguration by the Hon Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, the board hit the ground running with the enunciation of top-notch policies and programmes aimed at revolutionizing the agency.

    It leaves much to be deserved when competence is evaluated and judged based on self-seeking variables that defeat the objective and benefit of the general good. From inception, NIMASA had been on the self-inflicted journey of uncoordinated policies that dovetailed into high level of profligacy. Times were when the agency was a brazen cash cow for obviously non-sustainable programmes and skewed policies.

    The new leadership in NIMASA has brought a lot to the table. This is evident in the several commendable strides so far recorded by the less-than two-year old leadership of the agency.

    As a service and consumer-based establishment, NIMASA is open to varied constituents. Expectedly, everything new attracts reactions that are reflective of group/personal interest and perception. There are people and or groups within and around the establishment that would account as early adopters. These are those who embrace the change that has come about. They are described as smart, innovative and engaging. The early adopters are open-minded and lookout for new opportunities to enhance productivity and, by extension, satisfaction.

    At the other extreme are the laggards. They are averse to change; scared of venturing into the deep seas of glowing opportunities. They prefer the old order. Fear and suspicion reign in their minds and actions. It was with this pervading air of skepticism that the laggards greeted the cutting-edge innovations the new leadership brought to the table. To them, the rebranding of NIMASA was a jamboree. The Director General, Dakuku Peterside has, however assured that “We are progressing with the actualization of a NIMASA that fulfils the wonderful imagery of a global brand. The rebranding of the agency is work in progress with attendant training of staff at all levels. The new logo is a symbol of paradigm shift and a pointer to a new direction for the maritime industry.”On his part, President Muhammadu Buhari has stated that “We are reforming NIMASA so that it can play its expected role as a facilitator of economic prosperity. The rebranding is part of federal government’s effort to enhance economic diversification and repositioning of the maritime sector as the country’s highest revenue earner in the very near future”.

    One of the standpoints of the current NIMASA leadership was the successful hosting of the 3rd Conference of the Association of African Maritime Administrators, with the long-term aim of drawing a roadmap for the sustainable work plan of the association. Recall that Nigeria failed to host the event in 2014, due mainly to the Ebola scourge at that time and may not be unconnected to some debilitating leadership and financial misadventures. As a stamp of the continental approval of the competence of the leadership of NIMASA, Peterside was elected chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA). President Muhammadu Buhari, in his congratulatory message to Peterside, had this to say: “Peterside’s unanimous election is not only a personal honour and an affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA but also places Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) towards safer global maritime activities.” This is competence walking on two legs.

    As though the president’s commendation on his election was not enough, the Peterside-led NIMASA was highly rated by the federal government and stakeholders for the high revenue contribution to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF). Within a period of one year and one month, NIMASA remitted a total of N21.805 billion to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. According to the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, “The management of NIMASA was able to generate more money by half year that it did in the two preceding years.” The sharp disparity in remittances compared to previous years, thus necessitated the government’s probe of previous leaderships of NIMASA. The Minister of Finance did not mince words in recommending the NIMASA financial model to other agencies of government. The automation of all its processes has reduced to a large extent, human interface thereby increase revenue generation.

    One obvious lesson we can take away from this is that at this season when revenue-yielding agencies and parastatals are finding it difficult to be self-sustaining, NIMASA’s leadership ability to buy into President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision has recorded this plus. Ability to buy into another’s vision is in itself, a leadership trait that is not strewn on the streets of incompetence.

    Convinced that capacity-building remains the mortar that binds the blocks for sustainability of the NIMASA brand, the leadership has left no stone unturned in ensuring that it constantly oils the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP). Worthy of mentioning here is that the NIMASA management in has found the missing part of the NSDP project which is sea time training to ensure the products of the project are employable across the world. So far the NSDP initiative has produced 243 graduates, 1,600 cadets at various stages of completion of the programme out of which 887 are ready for sea-time training”.

    One hundred and fifty cadets under the scheme are bound for Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Marine Transportation in Alexandria, Egypt to commence their mandatory sea-time training, 89 others for the South Tyneside College, United Kingdom for their on-board sea-time training, making it a total of 239 in the first phase of the programme. The problem of sea time which is a global challenge was a no-go area for past administrations until Dakuku took over the mantle of leadership of the agency. This is in addition to various internal and external trainings of all cadres of staff of the agency.

    Conscious of its primary role of checking sea piracy and other related crimes on our national waterways, NIMASA leadership has built strong inter-agency relationship that would see to the success of this role. The synergy between the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Army, the Marine Police and other paramilitary agencies has been rated highly. The Defence Research and Development Bureau is also working in tandem with NIMASA in providing the necessary research knowhow to develop indigenous capacity.

    The prestigious Public Organisation of the Year 2016 Award on NIMASA by Tell magazine therefore, did not come as a surprise. It was a product of visionary leadership anchored on commitment to the delivery of core values of the agency. It was a testimonial of untainted competence of the leadership of NIMASA. It speaks of a team versed in the orchestrated landmines on it path, yet with a torch of professionalism, went about detonating them all. Though, still work in progress, more would be achieved if all stakeholders meaningfully put their hands on the plow and resist the temptation of looking back.

  • NIMASA to acquire more vessels to boost maritime security

    NIMASA to acquire more vessels to boost maritime security

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is to acquire strategic maritime safety and security assets, including vessels.

    This is in line with the recent approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja.

    According to a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by the Head, Corporate Communications, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, the move is also in line with the total spectrum of maritime security strategy.

    The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, also announced the establishment of a Command and Control Centre as part of the maritime security strategic initiative.

    “The four components of the initiative are situational awareness, response capability, law enforcement and local partnerships and regional cooperation; which are the fulcrum upon which tackling maritime crime will be built on.”

    Peterside said that the implementation of NIMASA’s maritime strategy, in collaboration with the agency’s partners, was a panacea to piracy and maritime crime within Nigerian territorial waters.

    According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he gave an assurance that NIMASA would continue to collaborate with the military, especially the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force, among other partners, to make Nigerian waterways safe and secure.

    “We are not unmindful of the peculiar environment of Niger Delta which poses its own challenge in tackling maritime crime, especially kidnapping of crew and illegal bunkering that leads to pollution.

    “We will continue to work with the Nigerian Navy and regional organisations to strengthen our regional approach to tackling maritime crime,” he said.

    The director-general said that NIMASA would not relax in its quest to see the early passage of the Anti-Piracy Bill, the draft of which the Federal Executive Council recently approved for legislative action.

    Peterside explained that eradicating maritime crime and piracy would be a priority for the agency and its partners in 2018.

    He said that the agency focused on working with all relevant stakeholders, using its laid-out strategy to phase out maritime crime in Nigeria’s domain.

     

  • NIMASA to release maritime forecast by first quarter of next year

    NIMASA to release maritime forecast by first quarter of next year

    As part of the initiative to reposition the maritime sector for greater efficiency in line with international best practices, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will release the forecast that will determine the outlook of the industry in Nigeria by the first quarter of 2018.

    Its Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, disclosed this in Lagos.

    He explained that the forecast would deal with how developments on the international scene would affect the industry in Nigeria. It  will also serve as a guide for investors and stakeholders in the maritime sector.

    Dr. Peterside noted that the forecast would be released from a holistic perspective in order to know areas of advantage that will be of immense benefit to Stakeholders and industry players, both locally and internationally.

    He said: “On the positive side, it will look at where the opportunities will be in the year 2018 and 2019; will greater investment in oil and gas translate to more demand for offshore support vessels? What are the industry perspectives? What government and her agencies should do to attract more investment in the industry amongst other salient issues.”

    The NIMASA DG noted that the maritime industry forecast would also look at whether there would be improvement in maritime security, especially in the Niger Delta and what impact it would have on shipping; the expected impact of NIMASA’s partnership with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) on Cabotage implementation and international shipping will be another area the forecast will focus on. The various projected impact of shift to digital shipping in Nigeria and its attendant effect on Nigerian shippers will also be analysed in details.

    He said the maritime forecast would look at the impact of global emphasis on Blue Economy and how Nigerians can benefit from it.

    On capacity building, the DG said two new specialised universities, Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko and the Admiralty University, would come on stream.

  • NIMASA: Driving Nigeria’s ‘Blue Economy’

    Formed on August 1, 2006 when National Maritime Authority was merged with the Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is responsible for Maritime Safety Seafarers Standards and Security, Maritime Labour, Shipping Regulation and Pollution Prevention and Control in the marine environment. Also, NIMASA is responsible for domesticating conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions as well as Promotion of Commercial Shipping and Cabotage activities.

    Considering the huge maritime traffic it supervises in a country with a population of over 180 million people and a coastline which measures about 850kkm, NIMASA is well positioned to rake in a lot of revenue. Sadly, since its inception, this has not been the case and contrarily, the agency has been in the news for different kinds of allegations of corruption. Not anymore.

    With the intervention of the Dakuku Peterside as NIMASA Director General since March 2016, there has been a turn-around for the better. And the new catchphrase within the agency is ‘Blue Economy.’ But just what is Blue Economy? Well, simply put, it refers to economic activities derived from the maritime sector.

    And overnight, NIMASA seems to have transformed into a huge revenue earner for the country that in August, the agency was commended by the finance minister, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun for contributing N9.975bn and $46.025 million to the federal government coffers for the year 2016 – more than 100 per cent increase from its 2015 contribution of N4.955bn. That is part of the dividends of the Blue Economy being driven by the Peterside-led NIMASA.

    The agency is however, not resting on its oars. Rather, Peterside, who was elected chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA) at the third Association of African Maritime Administration conference which held in Abuja in April, is seeking how to derive more benefits for the country.

    At the recently concluded 23rd Nigeria Economic Summit which held in Abuja and with the theme, “Opportunities, Productivity and Employment: Actualizing the Economy Recovery and Growth Plan,” Peterside charged Nigerians to invest in the opportunities afforded by the Blue Economy stating that it is the fastest growing sector in the world with enormous business potentials.

    “Developing the blue economy is paramount across the globe now, and the public and private sector have to collaborate to sustainably harness the potentials of our maritime sector for the benefit of the Nigerian economy especially as the federal government continues the economic diversification drive,” said Peterside at the summit.

    The NIMASA-DG stressed the need for investment in the Nigerian maritime sector which he said had similar opportunities that exist in countries such as Singapore, Ukraine and South Korea which thrive on their maritime sector.

    At this year’s event which had notable maritime stakeholders like Olisa Agbakoba, the Executive Secretary Shippers council, Hassan Bello and Captain Iheanacho amongst others, present, the NIMASA boss assured stakeholders that backed with political will, and improvement in maintenance culture, adequate data management and statistics, Nigeria will be a leading light in the comity of maritime nations.

    Under Peterside’s watch, NIMASA has fully automated and made secure all of its operational and payment process. And realising the need to boost workers’ morale for motivation, the DG promoted over 300 staff that had remained stagnated, some for upwards of over a decade.

    Also at the NES, Peterside promised better maritime security to reduce piracy and other related sea crimes, while advocating synergy within stakeholders and saying that with the support of the federal government, the agency is working to ensure Nigerians reap bountifully in the sector.

    In the latest piracy report released recently by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), Nigeria got a knock. The report stated that out of 20 attacks reported against ships in the first nine months of 2016, 16 of the attacks took place off the coast of Brass, Bonny and Bayelsa. It also disclosed that 39 of the 49 crew members kidnapped globally occurred off Nigerian waters in seven separate incidents.

    “In general, all waters in and off Nigeria remain risky, despite intervention in some cases by the Nigerian Navy,” the Director of IMB, Pottengal Mukundan, was quoted as saying.

    “We advise vessels to be vigilant. The number of attacks in the Gulf of Guinea could be even higher than our figures as many incidents continue to be unreported.”

    It is good news to know that Peterside was already giving the issue of quelling piracy on Nigerian waters attention before the IMB report was even published.

    And just some days after the NES, NIMASA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) in Lagos to further develop the Blue Economy. Aside boosting bilateral relations between both countries, it would also reduce crimes such as piracy and terrorism on the oceans and seas. The MoU focused on knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer, capacity building initiatives and Cabotage implementation and enforcement processes among others.

    “Africans must come together to solve their own problems,” Peterside said, while addressing the press.

    “Piracy attack is universal and that is why we need to come together. There are some areas where they are stronger than us, and there are other areas where we are stronger than them. Ghana has maritime university which we are yet to commence our own.

    “What we here to do, is to put our house together and ensure we maximize the potential of the blue economy. It is our dream that we become the giant of maritime administration in Africa.”

    Already, the place of Nigeria in global maritime is incontestable. And the GMA Director-General, Kwame Owusu, also commended Peterside for better repositioning the Nigerian maritime sector and by extension the entire African continent.

    “We are here to strengthen the bilateral relationships that exist between both countries and to learn international best practices from you,” said Owusu.

    That Peterside is particular about reaping from the Blue Economy should be getting familiar to industry watchers. At a recent Harmonised NIMASA Stakeholders Interactive Forum organised by the agency in Lagos in August, and with the theme, “Synergy: An Instrument for Sustainable Development of the Blue Economy,” Peterside had also charged stakeholders to participate in the Nigerian maritime sector in order to support the growth of the Blue economy.

    For a man that has transformed an important sector as maritime amidst its challenges and turned it into a money spinner, the country would do well to listen and support him. For the good of country, it’s high time our economy went ‘Blue.’

  • NIMASA to end foreign control of crude lifting

    NIMASA to end foreign control of crude lifting

    The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is set to end foreign domination of crude oil lifting. The agency plans to introduce new measures that will pomote indigenous participation in the highly lucrative business.

    Its Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside, it was gathered, has concluded arrangement to introduce new policies that will enthrone the participation of many Nigerians.

    Speaking with The Nation  on  the side line of the World Maritime Day, organised by the Ministry of Transportation last week in Lagos, Peterside decried the monopoly, which precludes indigenous shipowners from participating  in the highly-lucrative enterprise.

    He promised to assist in building indigenous operators’ capacity to participate actively in the business.

    The NIMASA helmsman  said the involvement of indigenous shipowners in the trade would be in the national interest.

    Their participation, he  noted, would provide gainful employment for many Nigerians, reduce crime, generate more revenue and ensure security at sea and around the ports.

    The DG called on International Oil Companies (IOCs) to engage eligible Nigerians in the lifting of the country’s hydrocarbons and promised to assist in building indigenous operators’ capacity to participate more actively in ferrying Nigeria’s oil and gas resources.

    He assured operators that the apex regulatory agency is ready to enforce its statutory responsibilities, especially in the area of preserving and protecting the marine environment from the adverse impact of oil exploration and other commercial activities. He warned that NIMASA will no longer tolerate a situation where IOCs renege on the payment of levies due to it as enshrined in its enabling instruments.

    Peterside added that the maritime sector in Nigeria is the soul of the country’s economy. “Apart from the fact that most of the oil and gas exploration, which is the major revenue earner of the country, is done in the maritime environment, vessels are needed to transport these products from one point to the other, making the maritime sector integral to the whole economic process,” he said.

    Peterside also expressed concern that NIMASA, as a regulatory agency of government, has been grossly misunderstood and assured stakeholders of Buhari Administration’s commitment  to not only engender the development of local content in the maritime industry, but push for the review of the Cabotage Act to make it more beneficial to Nigerians.