Dakuku Peterside
The
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has called on the
International Maritime Bureau (IMB) to ensure fairness and balance in
its reportage of piracy issues on Nigeria’s territorial waters.
Dakuku regretted what he called the exaggeration of reports on
incidences on the country’s waterways by the IMB, a specialised
department of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) dedicated
to fighting maritime crime and malpractice.
The
DG made the assertions on Tuesday in Lagos, when a delegation of the
International Maritime Security Operations Team (IMSOT) from the
United Kingdom paid a working visit to the Agency. He bemoaned the
distortion of facts in the coverage of Nigeria by the bureau, saying
such distortions can do reputational damage to the country within the
international community.
He
observed that even the slightest crimes in the creeks and habours of
Nigeria were often reported as piracy by the IMB Piracy Reporting
Centre.
Dakuku
stated, “
Let
me use this opportunity to call on the IMB to, please, report
Nigeria appropriately and appreciate the efforts we are making to
curtail security incidences within our maritime space. Is it in
our laws that we are strengthening, is it investment in
intelligence, maritime security and safety and also the regional
collaboration we have engaged in, among other efforts being made.
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“We
have made tremendous progress because we are putting a lot of
effort and we are willing and determined to work with anybody who
can assist us to ensure that the maritime space in Nigeria is safe
and secure for everybody.”
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The
DG noted that the Agency had put mechanisms in place to reduce piracy
to the barest minimum. These, he said, include investing in the
satellite surveillance system, which has the capacity to view all
vessels on the country’s waterways; supporting the security
agencies to acquire assets that will enable them fight piracy and
other maritime crimes; and proposing an anti-piracy bill that, when
it becomes law, will give the Agency the authority to prosecute
maritime related crimes, among others.
In
his words, “Maritime security is multi-sectoral and the need
for collaboration cannot be overstated; hence the reason the Agency
has continuously embraced collaboration with relevant government
agencies and stakeholders with the intent of realising a robust
maritime sector in line with best global practices.
“We
will continue to accord high priority to the issues of maritime
crimes so that we can maximally benefit from the Blue Economy
initiative, which is now the focus in the global maritime space.”
Dr.
Dakuku further assured the IMSOT delegate that the Agency was willing
to collaborate with them and share ideas where necessary, all on
purpose to grow Nigeria’s maritime sector.
In
his own remarks, the IMSOT team leader, Leigh Smith, commended NIMASA
for its efforts to maintain security on the country’s territorial
waters and high sea. He urged continuous collaboration in the areas
of technology and information sharing. “We will work together
with NIMASA and also share knowledge together; all with the intent of
ensuring security in the global maritime space,” he said.
A
major highlight of the visit was the inauguration of the
International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code
Implementation Committee (ICIC) by the DG. He asked the committee to
ensure there was a remarkable difference in the next one year through
their actions, the rules and regulation set, and collaboration with
other stakeholders.
“I
trust that you will give your best to this assignment; it is about
the reputation of our country, our sector, our ports, the shipping
companies, those who do business with us and our stand in the face of
the international community,” the
DG said.
The
ICIC is a committee chaired by NIMASA, the Designated Authority for
the ISPS Code initiative. It is made up of various government
agencies, including the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigeria Police, the
Department of State Services, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS),
Nigerian Customs Service, and the Department of Petroleum Resources
(DPR), among others. They are charged with the responsibility of
working out modalities for the implementation of the ISPS Code in
Nigeria.
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