Dr Jamoh, who stated this while receiving
the Management of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA Channel 10 in Lagos,
noted that the success in fighting piracy in Nigeria is a combination of many
factors, which has seen the entire gamut of security architecture working
together to achieve a common goal.
“Our joy is that Nigeria has exited the
piracy list and the progress is steady.
No single organization can lay total claim for the success. The
Presidency is playing a major role by providing direction, the Armed forces are
playing their role as enshrined in the constitution, and NIMASA is playing its
role by being an effective Maritime Administration with the Deep Blue Project
as a focal tool.
The National Assembly who gave us the SPOMO
Act and the Judiciary who have now ensured maritime crimes are punished in
Nigeria should also get credit”, he said.
Dr Jamoh also acknowledged the support from
the international maritime stakeholders as key to the success in the fight
against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea”.
According to him, the international
conglomerates, including the major oil marketers, International Tanker owners,
INTERTANKO, and the International Cargo Owners, INTERCARGO amongst others who
are part of the joint industry-working group, which has now metamorphosed into
the SHADE Gulf of Guinea, also deserve some credit.
Furthermore, the NIMASA helmsman disclosed
that two of the Agency’s Global Maritime Distress Safety System, GMDSS, located
at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center, RMRCC in Kirikiri Lagos
and Takwa Bay are now fully functional.
”We have greatly enhanced the safety of
navigation of vessels on our waters, every vessel within the Nigerian
territorial waters and even beyond can easily access our GMDSS.
The ones in Takwa Bay and Kirikiri are now
fully functional, while the other three stations located in Oron, Bonny and
Escravos are almost ready to commence full operations.
These are some gaps identified in the
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency by the IMO during its last
IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) and we are closing these gaps”. He said.
Commenting on the Suppression of Piracy and
other Maritime Related Offences SPOMO Act, which now serves as a model for
other countries in the Region, Dr Jamoh noted the need for harmonization of
laws to ensure uniformity of purpose in prosecuting maritime offences within
the region.
“Other countries in our region are now in
the process of enacting laws similar to our SPOMO Act. This is the time for us
to ensure harmonized Maritime Laws in the Gulf of Guinea to ensure
criminalities in the maritime sector are prosecuted easily within the region,
thus no safe haven for criminals in the region”.
Dr Jamoh also noted that NIMASA decided to
engage the Naval Dockyard to repair the Agency’s patrol boats as part of
efforts to deepen inter-Agency collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.
Earlier, leader of the delegation and the
General Manager, NTA Channel 10, Engr. Olusegun Osinowo commended the efforts
of the Jamoh-led administration in its quest to realise a robust maritime
sector, while also pledging the continuous support of the media in educating
the public on the activities of the Agency.
“With this feat, it is evident that
President Buhari did not make a mistake in his choice of appointing the DG of
NIMASA”, he said.