Isaac Anumihe
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called for the implementation of a National Maritime Policy in Nigeria to serve as catalyst for the actualisation of the objectives of Africa’s Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS) 2050.
Peterside, who stated this while declaring open the meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for AIMS 2050 in Lagos, noted that a maritime policy for Nigeria will provide a platform to implement the framework for the protection and sustainable exploitation of Africa’s Maritime Domain (AMD).
The DG who spoke through the agency’s Executive Director, Operations, Rotimi Fashakin, urged the committee to take cognisance of the current maritime security architecture in Nigeria that has been structured in line with international best standards and practices.
He also stated that to realise the dream of a blue economy, strategies must be put in place, adding that security and capacity building, among other initiatives, are key areas to unlocking the opportunities that abound in the blue economy. “When you talk about security issues, you talk about the actual and the perceived; and in the real sense of business, perception matters a lot. The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) is being perceived as not being quite safe because of few attempts we have in the GoG, but I can assure you that the Nigerian Navy and NIMASA are working hand-in-hand to secure the Gulf of Guinea,” he assured. The NIMASA DG also used the opportunity to applaud the committee for involving ship owners in the AIMS 2050 implementation process, noting that the blue economy cannot be realised without them as they are the major assets owners. He also gave the assurance that the interest and concerns of the ship owners will be addressed.