Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has given a thumps up to the budget implementation status of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), saying the Agency has done creditably well, despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Chairman of the committee, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu, stated this in Lagos during an oversight visit by members to NIMASA.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education, and Administration, Hon. Lynda Ikpeazu (right), in a tête-à-tête with Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, during an oversight visit to NIMASA by the committee in Lagos recently.
Ikpeazu expressed confidence in the
current management of NIMASA led by the Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh. She
said Dr. Jamoh had laid down a clear roadmap for taking the Agency to greater
heights and pledged the lower chamber’s support.
A statement signed by Head, Corporate Communications, NIMASA, Philip Kyanet, pointed out
that Jamoh had on assumption of duty as Director-General in March launched a
three-pronged agenda for maritime industry development focused on Maritime
Safety, Maritime Security, and Shipping Development.
The House Committee chairman said by
that agenda, “The Director-General has laid a good foundation for the committee
and the committee is here to monitor the activities of the Agency for 2020 and
see how it has performed so far and further legislative assistance that can be
brought to bear in order to generate more revenue for the government.”
She added, “The DG of NIMASA is doing
his best to ensure that he repositions the Agency to make sure the Agency
delivers on its core mandates. We will make sure we give the DG all the
necessary support he needs because we have seen him moving in the right
direction and, most especially, he has made it clear to us that he wants to
address insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea. The issue of security goes a long way
to affect revenue generation in the maritime sector.”
The chairman also revealed that the
Coastal and Inland Shipping Act Amendment Bill had gone through First Reading
in the House of Representatives. She said the proposed amendment will reflect
contemporary issues that would be beneficial to indigenous shipowners in the
country.
“A more responsive Cabotage law will
stimulate opportunities and policies for giving seafarers jobs and improve on
shipbuilding capacity,” Ikpeazu stated.
Jamoh, in his response, thanked the
committee for the cooperation and support it had accorded NIMASA. He said on
his watch human capacity development in the maritime industry would continue to
take pride of place.
The
Director-General stated, “Human beings are the most important link in the maritime industry and, at the same time, the weakest and most complicated in
the industry. This administration will take the issue of training and capacity
development of staff serious and we have gone further to maintain a close
relationship with the maritime workers union to ensure that dockworkers are
properly trained.”
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