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NIMASA restates commitment to protect Nigerian waters

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LAGOS-The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi has stated that NIMASA would continue to deliver on its own mandate to ensure a safe and crime free maritime sector as a stable democracy which can be engendered by a credible election would as well require an equally strong economy to enable the citizens fulfil their individual and collective aspirations.
 
In his goodwill message to the 10th All Nigerian Editors Conference, which ended in Katsina state, Mr Akpobolokemi expressed optimism that the Nigerian economy was growing in leaps and bounds as demonstrated by increasing volume of trade and foreign direct investment, and it would experience further growth given the consciousness to further strengthen the country’s democracy.
 
The Director General, who was represented by the Deputy Director/Head of Public Relations, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, said the theme of the conference – Credible Elections and Good Governance, the Role of the Editor – was quite apt at a time when Nigeria was putting finishing touches to the next general elections.
 
Mr Akpobolokemi said Nigerians have reasons to be optimistic about the future as the economy had been acknowledged to be on track to become one of the 20 largest economies in the world by 2020.
 
According to the NIMASA DG, Nigeria had been classified among MINT countries projected to be future economic leader, which included Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey. 
 
In 2000, Nigeria was ranked 52nd in the world in terms of Gross Domestic Product at purchasing power parity. But the country’s ranking improved to 40th in 2005 and 26th in 2014, making it the largest within Africa.
 
In the words of Mr Akpobolokemi:“Nigeria is recognised as an emerging market with expanding financial service, communications, and entertainment sectors. Its re-emergent manufacturing sector is the third-largest on the continent, and produces a large proportion of goods and services for the West African sub-region. This is why we, at NIMASA play a key role in ensuring that international and local operators have absolute confidence in the Nigerian maritime environment.”
 
He assured that NIMASA would continue to deliver on its own mandate and explained that the recent Memorandum of Understanding the Agency signed with the Nigerian Air Force to complement that with the Nigerian Navy was a way of further safeguarding the country’s maritime domain.
 
The Director General explained: “As we all know, safety of lives and property is a significant prerequisite for the growth and investment in any institution, sector or society. This is why maritime safety and security is engrained in us in NIMASA. It is a way of life; an aspect that is never compromised.”
 
In order to effectively cover Nigeria and eight other countries under the Regional Maritime Search and Rescue Centre, NIMASA has put in place a robust maritime domain awareness and response system, which led to the birth of the NIMASA Satellite Surveillance Centre.
 
“Our desire is to provide safety for all those doing business within Nigerian waters. With the NIMASA Satellite Surveillance Centre, the Agency is now able to respond to any distress call on Nigerian waters and even beyond. The new 24-hour Satellite Surveillance equipment has the capability to detect boats, ships and objects of predefined cross-section floating on water,”the Director General further said.
 
He also reiterated the Agency’s commitment to human capacity development, which is demonstrated in the recent launch of the Nigeria Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State, to complement the Agency’s sponsorship of maritime institutes in four universities, namely the University of Lagos; University of Nigeria, Nsukka; Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State; and Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa State.
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Maritime

Maritime Governance: Minister Deposits Three Accession Instruments At IMO

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The Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has deposited three Instruments of Accession to IMO Conventions signed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with the global body.

He did so on Tuesday, at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which acts as the repository for these conventions.

This move, coming a few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council, is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.

Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary General, Arsenio Dominguez, of the President’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligns with international maritime standards regarding maritime safety, security, and sustainable marine practices.

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He also called on the IMO to extend technical support to Nigeria.

In his words, “These instruments, duly acceded by His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.

“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today.”

On his part, Dominguez, acknowledged with appreciation the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.

“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions. We at the IMO remains fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he stated.

The instruments Oyetola handed over to Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).

It was gathered that three other Instruments of Accession signed by President Tinubu are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.

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Maritime

Capacity Dev’t: NIMASA Assures On Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund

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Funds accrued under the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) are intact and currently held with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the Single Treasury Account (TSA).

This assertion was made by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in a statement in Lagos on Tuesday.

The clarification became necessary to address “a misleading publication alleging that funds have disappeared from the CVFF account”.

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The statement reads, in part, “The report of a missing money is both misleading and false.

“For the record, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, securely held in the NIMASA account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), remains intact. There has been no disappearance of funds, and no illegal transactions, as the article suggests. This misinformation is a figment of the authors imagination, aimed at undermining NIMASA’s integrity, and mislead the public about the Agency’s operations.

“The Management of NIMASA will ensure that the CVFF is utilised in line with its statutory purpose. NIMASA Director General, Dr Mobereola has assured stakeholders of the safety of funds under the CVFF.”

The statement cited the DG thus, “Let us be clear that the CVFF account at the Central Bank of Nigeria is safe, intact, and secure. We at NIMASA will continue to manage it with the utmost responsibility, and there are no irregularities or illegal activities surrounding the funds. I urge the public to disregard this false narrative and to continue trusting the Agency’s ability to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s maritime sector”.

It was gathered that the CVFF is a fund established under section 42 of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003 to promote the development of indigenous ship acquisition capacity and to provide credit facilities to local maritime operators.

The NIMASA, assured of its commitment “to transparency, accountability, and the advancement of Nigeria’s maritime sector.”

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Maritime

Okpebholo Hits Ground Running, Flags Off Edo’s 1st Flyover Bridge

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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo appears eager to deliver the dividends of democracy to his constituents.

This is discernible from the frenzy of activities being witnessed in his first few days on the job, including dissolution of boards, constitution of investigative panels, flagging off of infrastructure projects, among others.

In the bid to address the perennial road traffic congestion negatively impacting economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, Gov Okpebholo on Wednesday flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge.

Biztellers reports that the flyover bridge around the popular Ramat Park in the city centre is the first of such in the history of Edo State.

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The Edo State Government made the disclosure in its verified handle on micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday.

It wrote, “Traffic decongestion: Gov Okpebholo flags off first flyover in Edo.
“Edo State Governor, Sen. Monday Okpebholo has flagged off the construction of a flyover bridge at Ramat Park, Benin City, the State Capital, as part of immediate efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city.”

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