Dakuku: We Want Nigeria to be First Ship Registry in Africa to Earn Five-Star Int’l Standard Certification
*Promises to announce Committee to implement recommendations on ship registry in 72 hours
By Francis Ugwoke
The Director General of the Nigeria Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside Monday said it is determined to pursue international standard certification of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office to earn a five-Star International Standard.
Dakuku who spoke while receiving the final report on the state of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office from the Committee constituted sometimes ago said the target of the apex maritime agency is to ensure that Nigeria becomes the first ship registry in the continent of Africa to earn five-Star International Standard certification.
Pledging the implementation of the report of the Committee, Dakuku said, “We give you two commitments today. One is that, the implementation of the recommendations of the committee will be pursued vigorously with all sense of purpose and commitment and that 12 months down the line, if you have the opportunity of evaluating the acceptability of the Nigerian Flag, you will agree with those of us in NIMASA that the world has come to respect and accept the Nigerian Flag.
“Two, is that in the next few months, we will be pursuing vigorously the international standard certification of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office. As you are aware, we are going through ISO 2015 and we believe that any moment from now the agency will be certified and we will be the first in West Africa sub-region to have IMO certification amongst Maritime Administrations.
“But beyond that, we are pursuing and will be pursuing the international standard certification for the Nigerian Ship Registry. The idea is that Nigeria will be the first ship registry in the continent of Africa to earn five-Star International Standard certification.”
Dakuku also promised that the agency will in the next 72 hours announce a Committee that will implement recommendations in the report.
The Committee which was given the assignment to determine the status of the Nigerian ship Registry side by side with international best standard is made up of shipowners, former ship registers and consumers of shipping services.
Dakuku explained that the choice of members of the Committee was based on their experience and exposure in the industry.
He said, “We had singled out some of the best brains in shipping in our industry, including former registers of ship who will come and bring on board a lot of experience, exposure and the fact that they could identify challenges.
“We brought on board stakeholders, those who daily will fly the Nigerian Flag on our various seas, oceans and rivers and encounter challenges that there is in flying Nigerian flag. We also got those who consume services rendered by those who fly the Nigerian Flag. We put them together and charged them to determine the status of the Nigerian Ship Registry in line with international best standards”.
He commended the Committee members for their selflessness and dedication to the national assignment.
Chairman of the Committee, Engr. Emmanuel Ilori, while submitting the report thanked the NIMASA DG for the efforts to revitalise the ship registry in the country.
Ilori however said it was important to implement the recommendations of the Committee’s report, adding that this will turn around the fortunes of the shipping industry in Nigeria.
He said, “The reform that we are recommending, we believe that it is in the right direction. They will attract investment, improve the confidence of the financial community of the Nigerian Flag. It will raise our technical integrity.
“It will make sure that we achieve the necessary global acceptability, because the exposure at the moment is to be reversed. The return on investment with the Nigerian ships has to change. No more will they see Nigerian ships and make sure that they are detailed for arrest.
“By the time we finish this report, where Nigerian ships go, they must open their doors to them as it used to be. I will like to thank you once again for giving us the opportunity to serve, and I hope that the work of this committee will not go to waste, because a lot of time and energy had been devoted to producing this report” .
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