Olumide Lawal
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy have renewed an existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two agencies to protect and secure the nation’s maritime industry.
At the official signing ceremony of the MoU at the Naval Headquarters in Abuja, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas agreed that the MoU was sacrosanct for seamless shipping activities within the nation’s territorial waters.
The duos maintained that the renewed MoU will bring about the much needed economic diversification in line with the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Administration.
According to Peterside, the MoU signed by the two parties, in addition to the previous ones already signed between NIMASA and other government security Agencies- especially as NIMASA does not bear arms, will help the Agency to provide adequate maritime security for merchant shipping.
He said the MoU being renewed was first entered between NIMASA and the Navy in 2007.
He expressed gratitude to President Buhari and the Hon. Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon.Chibuike Amaechi, for their support and approval for the collaboration agreement.
Meanwhile, a statement from the Nigerian Navy said Vice Admiral Ibas promised to provide the anticipated tactical experience and capacity to complement and support the Agency in its drive to secure the maritime environment and engender safer shipping.
He said, “The Nigerian Navy is adept and keen to pursue the objectives and content of this MoU in the general interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Illegal operations of ships are detrimental to our maritime potentials, and by extension, the Nigerian economy therefore, collaboration of this magnitude and nature, to salvage the economy and complement the change agenda of the present Administration for economic diversification must be pursued.”
