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The Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Mu’azu Sambo, has commended the management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for its capacity development initiatives in the Nigerian maritime sector.
Sambo gave the commendation in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Monday and signed by the Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA, Mr Edward Osagie.
The minister applauded NIMASA for remaining focused in the delivery of its mandate, noting that the agency had a better image than what it was 10 years ago.
“NIMASA of today has come a long way from the NIMASA I knew 10 years ago.
I commend the entire management and staff of the agency for raising the bar; it is a symbol of team work.
“I am impressed with the customer experience centre and your efforts to attract young Nigerians into the maritime sector via various capacity development projects including the essay competition for secondary school students,” he said.
Commenting on the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF), the minister reiterated the commitment of the ministry to work with the agency in ensuring it was disbursed to deserving beneficiaries.
Sambo said that the fund would boost shipping activities in the country’s maritime sector.
“If there is a jinx about the CVFF, I am going to break it by getting it disbursed to deserving Nigerians.
“ If these funds are disbursed, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the Federal Ministry of Transportation will take credit, while it remains a legacy in your administration,” he said.
The minister called for more synergy between NIMASA and other parastatals under the supervision of the ministry, in addition to the Nigerian Navy and members of the Nigerian Armed forces toward ensuring the success of the Deep Blue Project.
On his part, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, thanked the minister for his dynamic leadership in steering the affairs of the ministry.
He also assured that the agency remained committed to actualising its mandate as stipulated in the four enabling Acts of the National assembly for a robust and attractive maritime sector in Nigeria.
Jamoh used the opportunity to intimate the minister on some of the activities of the agency in realising a robust maritime sector which include; obtaining approval for physical and monetary incentives for ship owners to purchase brand new vessels at zero duty.
He noted that they also assisted them in getting foreign exchange at the Central Bank of Nigeria rate respectively.
“The move is to help phase out old and rickety vessels from the nation’s waterways and encourage more participation in the Nigerian shipping industry,” he said.
The director-general informed the minister that under the Deep Blue Project, 600 Special Forces from the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Department of State Security, amongst others, were undergoing training for special skills to ensure effective implementation of the project.
He said that the intent was to ensure that the nation’s waterways remain safe from all forms of criminalities.
Jamoh said that under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) scheme, over 2,000 Nigerians had undergone training, out of which about 800 were actively engaged on various ships, with a huge number of them working on the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NL ships.
He said that NIMASA was developing a National Ship Building and Infrastructure Development Strategy, aimed at bridging the gap of capacity building for trained seafarers.
“Other achievements listed include but are not limited to; Enhanced Maritime Safety administration through effective Ports and Flag States Inspection on Foreign and Nigerian flagged vessels; Enforcement of safety regulations on barges; and tug boats through Operation Sting Ray.
“Reactivation of Online Seafarers Certificate of Competency Verification Platform, and commenced activities toward ensuring GHG emission reduction in the maritime sector with an emphasis on achieving 0.5 per cent Sulphur Oxide (SO2) in Bunker fuel oil,” Jamoh said.
The minister also undertook a tour of the NIMASA Maritime Stakeholders Experience Contact Centre (MSECC).
The 24-hour centre serves as a platform for both internal and external stakeholders to resolve any issue within the stipulated hours.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Wednesday donated medical equipment to Asokoro District Hospital in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Mr Edward Osagie, Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA, made this known in a statement in Lagos.
Presenting the items, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, represented by the agency’s Director of Special Duties, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, said that the donation was part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme.
He said that the donation to Asokoro District Hospital was symbolic and that some other hospitals within the FCT were billed to benefit from the donation.
“The gesture is to support the Federal Government and other stakeholders in improving service delivery in the healthcare sector,” he said.
Responding, Alhaji Abbass Idriss, Executive Secretary of the FCT Emergency Management Agency, expressed appreciation for the gesture.
He said that the equipment would go a long way to improve healthcare delivery in the FCT.
NIMASA has donated hospital equipment, education materials, security intervention items and relief materials to states as part of its 2022 CSR programme.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in its half-year report of 2022 has commended the reduction in piracy in the globe.
Bureau also expressed optimism that it was a new dawn for the shipping community globally.
This was coming on the heels of the Bureau receiving the lowest number of reported incidents for the first half of the year since 1994, evidencing its efforts in raising awareness to make the waters safe globally.
This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Edward Osagie, Assistant Director, Public Relations, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), on Sunday in Lagos.
The Gulf of Guinea Declaration (GoG) on Suppression of Piracy has confirmed that there has not been any case of Seafarers kidnap one year after the May 2021 declaration.
This is considered commendable progress in comparison to the 2020 statistics when 130 seafarers were kidnapped.
The status report from the GoG declaration also confirmed that there had not been any case of kidnap for ransom in 2022, as against 20 cases in 2020 and 12 in 2021.
Responding, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, said that Nigeria was committed to sustaining the momentum of the success recorded in recent times in the fight against piracy in the region.
“It is heart-warming that the international maritime community is acknowledging the progress made so far.
It is a direct result of collaboration amongst national, regional and non-regional stakeholders.
“It is our hope that this trend will be sustained and very soon, we will start reaping the benefits such as a change of status concerning the Insurance premium paid on Nigerian bound cargoes; the War Riskpremium being paid at the moment.
“We hope this status will change very soon,” he said.
Jamoh said that the Baltic and International Maritime Council, (BIMCO), world’s largest direct-membership organisation for ship-owners, charterers, shipbrokers and agents called for the effective and full deployment of Deep Blue Assets on Anti-piracy tasking.
“Key to the successes in the war against piracy are efforts of the Nigerian Navy in clamping down on pirates camps, the Deep Blue project C4i coastal surveillance and collaboration with international Navies for law enforcement off Nigerian waters.
“Others are the series of meetings under the umbrella of the Gulf of Guinea maritime coordination Forum, Shared Awareness and DEconfliction, , Jamoh quoted BIMCO as saying.
IMB Director, Mr Michael Howlett, also confirmed that no case of vessel hijack took place in Nigerian waters in the first half of 2022.
“The ICC and International Maritime Bureau (IMB) have confirmed that the first half of 2022 witnessed the least cases of piracy globally in 28 years with only 58 reported cases as compared to 68 within same period in 2021.
“Of the 58 incidents, two were classified as piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, with none of them occuring in Nigerian waters.
While the reduction in reported incidents is indeed encouraging, the IMB PRC continues to caution against complacency,” he said.
Howlett said that not only was this good news for the seafarers and the shipping industry, it was positive news for trade which promotes economic growth.
“ But the areas of risk shift and the shipping community must remain vigilant.
We encourage governments and responding authorities to continue their patrols which create a deterrent effect,” he said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director- General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has been commended for his exemplary leadership role in advancing the cause of adjudication and mediation in admiralty matters.
Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, President of the Court of Appeal, gave the commendation in a statement in Lagos on Monday.
The statement was signed by Mr Edward Osagie, the Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA.
Dongban-Mensem while speaking at the recently held seminars for judges said Jamoh was contributing immensely to keeping judicial officers abreast with relevant knowledge to handle maritime matters.
He added that the director-general had set worthy examples for his peers, which had increased judges’ capacity to perform better.
“ Jamoh’s impact touches on areas like timely and easier interpretation of Suppression of Piracy and other Maritime Offences (SPOMO) Act which aims at achieving a safer maritime domain; alternative dispute resolution in the maritime industry; limits of admiralty jurisdiction in Nigeria amongst others,” she said.
He noted that under Jamoh’s watch and with NIMASA as an interested party, Nigeria recorded its first conviction of pirates using the SPOMO Act at the Federal High Court Port Harcourt in August 2020.
“The convicted three persons were accused of involvement in the hijack of an Equatorial Guinean flagged vessel named, MV ELOBEY VI, off Equatorial Guinea’s coast,” she said.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, has emerged winner of Vanguard Public Sector Icon, Maritime, 2021 award.
Mr Edward Osagie, Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA made this known in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.
The Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr Eze Anaba, who announced this while presenting a conveyance letter to Jamoh in Lagos, said there were other awardees.
Anaba listed them as: President of the African Development Bank (ADB) Akinwunmi Adesina, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mele Kyari, Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, amongst others.
Anaba noted that the screening committee of the Vanguard Awards reviewed Jamoh’s nomination critically and all indices in good corporate governance pointed at the NIMASA DG as an outstanding public sector official in 2021.
He said the consistency of the Jamoh-led management at NIMASA in growing capacity for the Nigerian maritime industry, despite not being a revenue generating agency was considered.
He added that the NIMASA management under his watch had effectively blocked leakages and increased contributions to the consolidated revenue fund exponentially in 2021.
“He reached an all-time high of over N37 billion naira.
“The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) on March 3 announced the removal of Nigeria from the global Piracy list as a result of sustained decline in piracy activities in Nigerian maritime domain.
“The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Kitack Lim, during the Marine Protection Committee meeting last week recognised Nigeria for the steady progress in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
“They also commended collaboration amongst regional bodies in the quest to achieve improved safety and security of commercial shipping,” he said.
Jamoh appreciated the organisers for the recognition, noting that it was a call to serve more.
“This recognition coming from a reputable organisation such as Vanguard is a call to serve more. Since March 3 when Nigeria was delisted from the global piracy list by the IMB, our new challenge now is that of sustenance.
“We will continue in our collaboration with all relevant stakeholders locally and internationally to ensure a sustainable development of the Nigerian maritime industry,” he said.
(NAN)
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says the NIMASA-Barugu ship that sank on Saturday was the subject of litigation in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Mr. Edward Osagie, Deputy Director of Public Relations of NIMASA, made it known in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos.
The Nigerian News Agency reports that the NIMASA/Barugu, one of the gunboats in the Global West Vessels Specialists (GWVS) fleet, sank at the Kirikiri Terminal behind the NIMASA Resource Center over the weekend.
The boat reportedly sank at around 10:13 p.m. on Saturday despite efforts to save it.
Osagie said the incident was an unfortunate development, but noted that the vessel referenced was one of the Global West vessels that was in service with the Agency years ago.
“This ship has been named NIMASA-Barugu since the days of the contract. There are also other boats in this contract category at Warri.
“Together, the ships and their management have been the subject of litigation and in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for years,” he said.
He said that for the avoidance of doubt, it was on record that NIMASA had recently made concerted efforts to reactivate some of the ships in service in this fleet, but had been hampered by liens due to the nature of the court case.
“As a law-abiding entity, we approached the matter under strong legal advice.
“Finally, it should be noted that this vessel was not at our pier or under our management at the time of the incident.
"The crew on board does not report to NIMASA but to the management of Global West, its owners," he said.
He noted that NIMASA remains committed to its statutory responsibility to manage safety and regulate the industry within the scope of any legal framework.
By Chiazo Ogbolu
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Security Agency (NIMASA) said on Wednesday that piracy fell by 77% in Nigerian waters in the first nine months of 2021.
NIMASA Managing Director Dr Bashir Jamoh said this in a statement from Mr. Edward Osagie, Deputy Director of Public Relations, NIMASA.
Jimoh said the reduction was reflected in the International Maritime Bureau's (IMB) third quarter 2021 report.
“Nigeria reported four incidents in the first nine months of 2021, up from 17 in 2020 and 41 in 2018.
“This represents a 77% decrease in incidents between 2021 and 2020, and a 95% reduction compared to 2018.
“The IMB also reported a 39% reduction in incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG),” Jimoh said.
He added that the latest figures followed the launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterway Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project, on June 10 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Jamoh said the agency has measures in place to maintain the current momentum of security in the country's waters.
“We are delighted with this latest news from IMB and the progressive reduction trend in piracy and related incidents in our waters.
“But we cannot afford to be complacent about our commitment to the security of our maritime domain.
"We will continue to strive to put in place more effective measures to ensure the security of Nigerian waters," he said.
Jamoh quoted the IMB as saying, “The Gulf of Guinea region recorded 28 incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the first nine months of 2021, up from 46 for the same period in 2020.
The hacking communications agency explained that crew kidnappings in the region declined with just one crew member kidnapped in the third quarter, compared to 31 crew members captured in five separate incidents in the third. quarter 2020.
"All of the incidents in the third quarter also involved vessels at port anchorages, while the average successful removal location in the third quarter of 2020 was approximately 100 NM from land."
He said the overall reduction in incidents of piracy and armed robbery in the region was a testament to the strengthening of maritime security and response coordination measures adopted by regional and national authorities.
"He called for maintaining the current momentum, as they welcome the decrease in piracy attacks and armed robberies in the Gulf of Guinea and the efforts of the maritime authorities in the region," the director said. from IMB, Michael Howlett.
Source: NAN
