The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative resolved on Tuesday to adopt alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in a matter before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions.
The committee was investigating a petition brought against NIMASA, where the Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative alleged that NIMASA failed to establish educational and skills acquisition projects in the coastal communities as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR). When the matter was called up on Wednesday, both parties agreed to seek a peaceful settlement through ADR.
Speaking during the occasion, the chairman of the committee, Mike Etaba said the NIMASA team, led by its director of administration and human resources Isichei Osamgbi, had reached out to the committee earlier, seeking to resolve the matter through ADR. Etaba stressed that this move is well appreciated and encouraged by his Public Petitions Committee.
“NIMASA’s team met me before the sitting, and we have agreed that this matter be handled through ADR for proper implementation. If there is anything we encourage, it is ADR. If parties agree with ADR, they will go into it,” he said. Etaba expressed delight over the harmonious agreement between both parties, stressing, “there is nothing like harmony.”
Also speaking, chairman of the Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative, George Wilcox Noah said he was satisfied with the resolution, adding that the harmonious agreement shows that the community is not at odds with NIMASA.
“I am very much satisfied with the resolution since it aligns with the agency’s plea, just to show that we are not at odds with the agency. We are not antagonising the agency,” he added.
The community leader assured that, moving forward, there would be peaceful coexistence between the community and NIMASA and that sea piracy affecting both the Niger Delta region and the Gulf of Guinea would be mitigated.
