MARITIME SECURITY: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Passes Vote of Confidence on NIMASA
R-L: Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, OFR, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation/Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and Director, Maritime Services in the Ministry, Mr. Babatunde Bombata during the tour of the Agency’s facilities in Lagos.
…Says “NIMASA Has Done Very Well”
By DAPO OLAWUNI
Nigeria’s Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has commended the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the efforts the agency has put in place so far to ensure the security of the nation’s waterways.
Oyetola gave the recommendation on Tuesday when he inspected some maritime assets at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Resource Centre, Kirikiri, Lagos.
According to the Minister, for the Blue Economy sector to thrive, there must be adequate security in place. He said that this is what would attract investors to boost the sector.
After taking a tour of the NIMASA facilities in company of the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and other ministerial delegates, Oyetola said Nigeria was truly ready for the blue economy business.
“NIMASA has done very well. I have seen the C4i center and other maritime assets. They have reduced the level of piracy to zero and we should be able to sustain that.”
“I have been to the NIMASA facilities, enforcement areas, the head office, the training school, some officers manning the security of our waterways. I am impressed with what I have seen so far and I think we are really ready for the marine and blue economy in the real sense of it,” the Minister added.
The Minister further identified tourism, maritime security and waterway transportation as top priority aspects of his leadership.
“Nigeria has about 853km coastline which is in abundance. The first thing is to ensure the security of our waterways so that people will use the waterway for transportation.”
“We need to invite investors. In Kenya there is a particular beach that contain 10,000 villas, one can imagine the kind of revenue they get. I want us to be able to ensure investors in this sector, but investors want to be guaranteed security. So the first thing is to ensure that security of our waterways is guaranteed,” the Minister said.
Oyetola said that Nigerians are really looking forward to the ministry to harness the potentials that have been there all along, but in a coordinated manner.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, in his opening remarks, had welcomed the Minister to the Agency, declaring that his appointment was unique and timely.
The DG noted that the uniqueness of the Minister’s appointment was based on the industry and stakeholders’ clamour for independence, and the magnanimity of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR to create the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, showed that the President was a listening leader.
During the visit, he also inspected the NIMASA Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and intelligence, C4i centre, NIMASA e-library, the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) radio room, Marine Environment Management Laboratory, the newly acquired NIMASA headquarters, Search and Rescue Base Clinic and the NIMASA Skill Acquisition Centre in Apapa.
