The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside has said that talks between the agency and the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) are in advanced stage over a provision of 100 brand new cabotage vessels for indigenous operators in the oil and gas sector.
Speaking in Warri at KFT Place, Delta State on Thursday during a Maritime Stakeholders Interactive Forum, the NIMASA DG explained that the maritime sector is a multi-stakeholder industry.
According to Dakuku Peterside, “the maritime sector plays a very important role in the growth of the Nigerian economy. It may occur to you that without the maritime sector today in Nigeria, we cannot fund the budget of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“In the maritime industry, all agencies are equally important, but it is only when we work in a synergy that we can accomplish great results.
“For us at NIMASA, we have our eyes on the goal, and that is why that, even the modest achievements we have achieved over time as being down to collaborations with our different stakeholders. It is a pointer to this that we sent 298 cadets to do sea-time training in Egypt and the United Kingdom.
“Nigeria has also moved up the ladder on the Ease of Doing Business ratings.
” It is also a fact that because of the new cabotage compliance strategy, today and in the past six months, we have over 200 seafarers onboard different cabotage vessels.
“What of our collaboration with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), which is at its advanced stage, and will lead to the engagement of over 100 brand new cabotage vessels in the oil and gas industry.
“On the 27th day of February, we will be presenting the Nigerian maritime outlook for 2018/2019. All of this and much more couldn’t have been possible without the support and collaboration of different stakeholders.
We are open for partnership and collaboration, and will continue to work with stakeholders in the Nigerian maritime sector.”
Also speaking at the maritime stakeholders’ event which had as its theme, “Implementation of Executive Order 1”, the Chairman of the House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Hon Mohammed Bago revealed that the House of Representative has passed the Bill establishing the Maritime University in Okerenkoko, Delta State.
In his words, “A few months ago, my Committee and I went into the creeks of the Niger Delta, not far away from here, and we visited the site of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko. There, we promised them that we will pass the Bill establishing the university.
“I am proud to announce to you, that sometime in January this year, the House of Representative has passed the Bill establishing the Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State. I want NIMASA to do the needful and get the maritime university up and running.”
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