The Lagos Maritime Security zone of the
Port Facility Security Officers, PFSO, Forum, has proposed a regional
maritime security forum in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
with a view to tackling security from a common front.
Chairman of the Forum, Dr. Ignatius Uche,
who disclosed this at its monthly meeting in Lagos, said that since the region
has a common maritime security challenge, the move to tackle such issue through
a regional front will not be out of place.
Uche said that the Forum has
communicated its plans to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency, NIMASA, being the Designated Authority, DA, to implement
the International Ship and Port Security, ISPS Code, a
maritime convention by the International Maritime Organization, IMO.
“The PFSO Forum is evolving, we started
with the Lagos Maritime Security zone of the PFSO and grew to have the National
Maritime Security zone comprising of both the Lagos and Niger Delta maritime
security zones which gave birth to the PFSO Forum of Nigeria.
“We now looked at how we can synergize
with other countries in the sub-region with a view combating piracy and
sea-robbery from a common security front since we have a common maritime
security challenge.
“Moreso, this is in line with the
objective of regional integration in the area of maritime security.”
He also told Vanguard that members of
the Forum are expected to buy into this initiative adding that NIMASA being the
DA, is also expected to buy into the move and push it to the appropriate
authorities as much as possible.
He disclosed that NIMASA has been
intimated on the matter just as the Forum is also awaiting the approval of the
proposal from government.
Similarly, the representative of the DA,
Mr. Lakopsam Dashel, an officer of the ISPS Unit in NIMASA told the gathering
that the message will be passed to the management of NIMASA for all necessary
action.
Dashel however commended the Forum for
thinking out of the box to bring about a regional PFSO Forum.
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