Peterside
Director
General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has urged players in the maritime
sector especially enforcement officers to comply with safety rules
that would eliminate marine accidents and other related issues that
may arise from marine operational mishandling.
The
DG made this known at the opening of the Annual Maritime
Administration and Safety Enforcement (MASE) HSE Workshop with the
theme: Maritime Enforcement Safety: Current Global Benchmarks
organised by the Agency in conjunction with Heritage Bank which held
in Lagos.
According
to him “ I am happy that we are focusing on Health Safety and
Environment most importantly the safety of those who enforce rules
and regulations. As a safety administration we are not
going to be held by local standards because operational safety
especially when it comes to the maritime sector has to conform to
global standards and this is what we are preaching in NIMASA”
Speaking
further Dr. Dakuku said that as part of the Agency’s mandate to
ensure safety and security of vessels visiting and leaving the
nation’s territorial waters, it is also the responsibility of the
Agency to ensure the safety of those who work on board vessels and
offshore platforms as well as those who create support services from
the shore to for maritime activities thrive.
In
his words, “Our goal is to see a maritime sector devoid of
avoidable accidents due to lack of professional enforcement. This is
why we have reviewed our enforcement drive to give proper attention
to Health Safety and Environmental guidelines for the benefit of
everyone participating in the sector”
He
charged enforcement officers to be safety conscious whenever they are
carrying out their routine inspections adding that they must ensure
that inspections and enforcement are done in such a manner that no
life is put at risk.
Dr.
Dakuku further stated that the training will provide hands-on safety
procedures, which aid the maritime enforcement team carry out their
responsibilities under the NIMASA Act 2007 and related instruments
with compliance with HSE regulations, solely for identification,
assessment and control of hazards prone to enforcement operations in
onshore and offshore facilities.
In
his remarks the Head of Health Safety and Environment Unit of NIMASA,
Engr. Fred Ugo said that the Agency through the HSE Unit has set out
basic guidelines of officers responsible for ensuring health and
safety in maritime especially as it conforms to the environmental
standards which are achievable during enforcement operations.
It
is important to note that Maritime Administration and Safety
Enforcement HSE Workshop is an annual event which brings
maritime enforcement officers up to speed with the latest
details in risk assessment. The event is also designed to boost
hazard awareness in maritime enforcement towards a coherent
application of safe practices.
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