Piracy, maritime dev. top agenda as Maritime Administrators meet

President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged African Maritime Administrators and Regulators to forge coherent and collaborative response to the challenges confronting Africa’s maritime space.

The President, who was represented by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, gave the charge while declaring open the African Maritime Administrators Association (AMAA) conference in Abuja on Thursday.

According to Osinbajo, Nigeria is more than ever, determined to play a significant role on the global maritime stage.

“As African Maritime administrators and regulators, it is my respectful view that you must ensure a coherent and collaborative continental response to the challenges facing our maritime space.

“This will require cooperation amongst our states and agencies and with other segments of society, including the private sector.

“It will also entail focusing on human capacity development including strengthening the coast guard function to police our waterways.

“It means that government’s issues and appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks must be put on the front burner alongside timely exchange of information.

“In addition issues of maritime security and safety must continue to receive priority attention as we strive to make Africa a valid player in the international maritime community.

Osinbajo observed, however, that these measures would only yield the desired results when all African nations speak in one voice at the global level for the enduring interest of the continent.

He added that the regulatory and legal frameworks to properly manage maritime resources in the continent and overcome the challenges were inadequate.

He also revealed that the administration recently approved the new maritime security architecture and infrastructure.

The function would be jointly coordinated by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), the Ministry of Transportation and the office of the NSA.

On the issue of security on the country’s waterway, Osinbajo added that government had given support to the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies to enable them to work with others in the sub-region to effectively police the waterways.

“These arrangements will also contribute to resolving and eliminating piracy and sea robbery within our maritime domain,’’ he noted.

He said government had also paid significant attention to making it easier to do business, noting that one of the country’s immediate priorities was the exit and entry of goods especially in the seaports.

“The measures we are putting in place are designed to improve the efficiency of our ports and ensure quick turn-around time of vessels.

“Technology is also being deployed to make our port operations more transparent and more effective in support of economic growth.’’

He noted that NIMASA was being reformed to play its expected role as facilitator of economic prosperity.

Buhari noted that recent developments in the continent indicated that the continent of Africa had begun to develop the blue economy for economic prosperity and urged the regulators not to rest on their oars.

Osinbajo also reiterated the desire of Nigeria to seek election into the council seat of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

“In this vein, Nigeria will promote and support effective African participation in the council of IMO ’’ he added.
The Vice President also used the occasion of the conference to unveil the new logo of NIMASA.

The new logo, which has a ship rudder and anchor as its main themes, replaces the logo used by the agency since inception in 2006.

He was ably assisted by the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and other dignitaries at the conference.