The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged to continue to take deliberate steps to work with critical institutions and professional bodies like the judiciary to reposition Nigeria’s maritime industry.
Speaking during a courtesy call by a branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to the agency, the director-general of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh stated that working with the association and the judiciary remained important to the agency, given the complex and time-sensitive nature of maritime issues and the attendant requirement for prompt resolutions.
“Prompt dispensation of justice is important for achieving success in our drive for sustained investors’ confidence and the judiciary is a critical factor in this drive. When there is a delay in a case, investment opportunities are lost. Let me, therefore, use this opportunity to solicit the cooperation of the Nigerian Bar Association to always push for timely dispute resolution for maritime-related issues, as we all have one role or another to play in catalysing the Nigerian economy,” Jamoh said.
Speaking further, Jamoh observed that the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Crimes (SPOMO) Act 2019 has come to stay and is a victory for Nigeria in the nation’s determination to assume her rightful position in the comity of maritime nations. He noted that some convictions were secured to date, describing it as a signal that Nigeria is on the right path in the war against piracy and other crimes [committed] on the nation’s waterways.
“We will not relent in our efforts to ensure a safe and secure maritime domain in line with our mandate. NIMASA will continue to work closely with other organs of government, the international community, and other stakeholders to achieve improved security in the Nigerian waterways and the Gulf of Guinea. With the SPOMO Act, we have secured 23 convictions, with 10 of them sentenced to 10 years imprisonment, 10 bagging seven years and 3 foreigners fined for their involvement in crime on the Nigerian territorial waters. This will serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements who are still engaged in nefarious activities on our waterways.”
He opined that despite the strides being made by the agency in safety and security of the Nigerian maritime domain, the management of the agency equally recognised the need for professional development and alignment as well as increased partnership and collaboration amongst all stakeholders, including the judiciary.
He emphasised the place of training and development as important components of the agency’s administrative growth, stressing that NIMASA has a system where officers, including those of the legal unit of the agency, are trained in various fields and admiralty law, respectively, in the World Maritime University (WMU), Sweden, for global competitiveness.
Earlier in his remarks, the chairman of the NBA branch in the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Adjeh Monday commended the NIMASA leadership for all the achievements of the agency, reiterating the need for continuous collaboration with relevant stakeholders to advance the nation’s maritime industry. He said the association will continue to seek more value-adding models of collaborating with the agency, to provide necessary assistance to NIMASA in its bid to ensure a safe and secure maritime space.
