NIMASA Boss Unfolds Measures to Strengthen War Against Piracy
*Says floating dock to generate N1bn revenue monthly
*Sets October date for CVFF disbursement
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Bashir Jamoh Thursday restated the commitment of the agency in the war against piracy in Nigerian and the Gulf of Guinea.
Jamoh who spoke to newsmen in Lagos on his 100 days in office said his agency was even more strengthened now following the passage of the Anti-piracy Law, adding that this will help a lot in the fight against piracy.
He said that the agency will introduce a new approach of having working groups who will identify problems and proffer solutions.
Jamoh added that the agency has taken the issue of maritime security further by introducing guidelines and regulations which will fast-tract the judiciary to carry out quick dispensation of justice on offenders.
According to him, “We have sent good signals to the international communities and they understand that Nigeria is not sleeping, that the government of Nigeria is very serious in fighting this piracy.
“And then to those criminals, that they know we have trained 156 personnel from the Nigerian Navy, NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigeria Police Force, and the Attorney General of the Federation, whose responsibility it is to try these offenders.”
He disclosed that there will be a common purpose of the agency’s single window – C4i and that of the Falcon Eye of the Nigerian Navy, NPA’s CEi maritime domain security platforms which will be targeted at having operational effectiveness for a common national objective..
He added, “We have a Regional Maritime Coordinating Centre here in Lagos, in our Resource Centre. This Centre takes care of nine countries in Africa. Where ever there is challenge of safety, this Centre will be available to respond to that, and we have four Centers.
“Our Resource Centre is working perfectly, we have imported the machineries, and all equipment are there. We have another at Takwa Bay – the equipment are already there, we are waiting for the experts to come from the UK to programme the equipment. Once we do that, we are finished with Lagos/ Western axis.
“In the Eastern and South-South part of the country, we have Bonny and Escravous. So, this one, we are importing the equipment from the UK. As soon as COVID-19 lockdown eases, we hope to bring the equipment and install. We are looking between September/October and we have our own Global Maritime Distress and Safety System(GMDSS) working perfectly. With these, there is no way with ship missing of having problem within our territorial water and outside.”
The DG also said that the floating dock which has been idle since last year which will soon be put into use, adding that it hopes to generate as much as N1bn monthly once take-off.
He disclosed that the agency was holding discussions with the Nigerian Ports Authority and a consultant to put the facility to use”.
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