NIMASA and NIWA Partner to Enhance Maritime Safety Amid Rising Boat Mishaps.
In a bid to bolster maritime safety in Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced a strategic partnership with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
This collaboration aims to develop and implement comprehensive safety strategies to reduce incidents of vessel capsizing and enhance the overall safety of Nigeria’s maritime domain.
During an interactive session with maritime media professionals in Lagos on Monday, NIMASA’s Director General, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, underscored the significance of this partnership, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property on Nigeria’s waters.
He highlighted the ongoing review of the NIMASA Act of 2007, which will include new regulations for the registration of small boats and their pilots—a move designed to address the challenges posed by unregulated vessels.
“We are collaborating with our sister agency, NIWA, to develop strategies that ensure safety in both deep waters and the inland waterways controlled by NIWA,” Dr. Mobereola stated. He stressed that safety is a core mandate of NIMASA, and the success of this mission is critical to the agency’s legacy.
Dr. Mobereola pointed out that past oversights in maritime regulation often focused on larger vessels, neglecting the smaller boats that are frequently involved in illegal activities such as piracy and sea robberies. The revised NIMASA bill will seek to rectify this by ensuring that all boats, regardless of size, are regulated, registered, and monitored.
“In the new bill, we aim to ensure that every boat in our waters is regulated, registered, and that we know who is piloting it, where they are going, and where they are coming from. This regulation will be embedded in the new bill to strengthen maritime safety and security,” he explained.
Dr. Mobereola also highlighted the potential of NIMASA’s recently acquired N50 billion modular floating dock. He noted that the agency is keen to utilize the dock to generate revenue, develop cadets, and create employment opportunities within the maritime sector. However, he emphasized the need for a cautious approach to ensure its successful deployment.
“We want to put the modular floating dock into use as soon as possible to generate revenue for the country, help develop our cadets, and provide employment for the maritime sector. But we need to do it right,” he remarked.
The DG also addressed the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), stressing the importance of careful planning to ensure that the fund benefits the Nigerian shipping industry effectively. He warned against repeating past mistakes, where resources were misallocated, resulting in little benefit to the nation or contributing ship owners.
“In the past, resources were given to the wrong people, and there was no benefit to the nation or to the ship owners who were contributing. We need to consider current circumstances, both in Nigeria and internationally, before we start disposing of the CVFF,” he cautioned.
Related Posts
In addition, Dr. Mobereola spoke on the importance of proper training and certification for Nigerian cadets, expressing confidence in their ability to excel on the global stage. “Our cadets speak good English, they are hardworking and intelligent. Once they get the right training and certification, they will excel,” he assured.
He concluded by emphasizing the strategic importance of preparing Nigerian cadets for international opportunities, stating that the global shipping industry is in need of skilled seafarers and that Nigeria must ensure its cadets are well-prepared to meet these demands.
