The director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside has announced Nigeria’s quest to return to Category C of the IMO Council at an election scheduled to take place later this year.
He stated this at the dinner hosted in honor of a delegation from Nigeria at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) with the Secretary General Mr Kitac Lim.
The DG NIMASA while announcing Nigeria’s quest to seek election back to Council noted that Nigeria has done enough to merit a return to council at the IMO. “Nigerian is willing and prepared to play more regional and international roles to the global maritime community but that would only be possible with your support,” he told the IMO Secretary General. “Let Nigeria contribute from within Council to the growth of the maritime sector globally. Let’s contribute significantly to the work of the IMO.”
While acknowledging the fact that Nigeria is a beneficiary of IMO technical support, the NIMASA DG noted that the issue of the Anti-piracy Act in Nigeria took firm root from the technical support that was provided by the IMO.
He also disclosed that Nigeria has ratified 40 IMO Conventions and domesticated 19 with plans to ratify and domesticate six more in the very near future, adding that Nigeria topped the chart on Port and Flag State Administration in West and Central Africa sub-region. Speaking on the Global Maritime security conference scheduled for Abuja in October, Dr Dakuku disclosed that over 70 countries have so far indicated interest to be part of the conference which is to provide both short and long term solutions to the security issues in the region.
the issue of insecurity in the region’s maritime domain, Nigeria will host the 2019 Global Maritime Security Conference from the 7th to 9th of October in Abuja. With 12 thematic session, it’s our hope that the conference will rise with the ‘ABUJA DECLARATION’ on ending insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea,” he said.
