By Chinonye Anyatonwu.
The House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration has commended the budget implementation performance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
According to the statement made by Mr Philip Kyanet, Head, Corporate Communications in NIMASA.
He quoted the Chairman of the committee, Mrs Lynda Ikpeazu, as saying that the agency had done creditably well despite the coronavirus pandemic.
During an oversight visit by members to NIMASA, Ikpeazu is quoted as expressing confidence in the current management of NIMASA led by the Director-General, Dr Bashir Jamoh.
She said Jamoh had laid down a clear roadmap for taking the agency to greater heights and pledged the lower chamber’s support.
She recall that on assumption of duty as director-general in March, Jamoh launched a three-pronged agenda for maritime industry development focused on Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, and Shipping Development.
“The DG of NIMASA is doing his best to ensure that he repositions the agency to make sure it 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 toward 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,” she said.
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 would 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 said.
In his response, Jamoh thanked the committee for the cooperation and support it had accorded NIMASA.
He said that under his watch, human capacity development in the maritime industry would continue to take pride of place.
“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 seriously and we have gone further to maintain a close relationship with the maritime workers union to ensure that dockworkers are properly trained,” Jamoh stated.
