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Joyce Mmereole Okoli
The House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education, and Administration has committed to revising outdated laws hindering the maritime sector’s alignment with the newly established Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
This was announced on Friday by Hon Uduak Odudoh during a sensitization workshop for the lawmakers, hosted by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in order to update them on the Blue Economy.
The workshop which was themed : “Harnessing the Nation’s Blue Economy, A Legislative Aproach”. Has Barr. Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere, as it’s lead speaker.
Anishere a maritime lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) emphasized on the outdated nature of laws like the Cabotage Act, NIMASA Act, and Fisheries and Aquaculture Regulation.
She noted that most of the existing laws of NIMASA and other regulatory agencies in the maritime sector cannot function under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy unless they are amended.
Anishere stressed the necessity for a comprehensive Blue Economy Framework to guide Nigeria’s exploitation of its maritime potential. She urged the National Assembly to pass such a framework into law.
“The Carbotage Act 2003 was meant to enhance Nigerian ship owners to participate in the industry. The policy is good in terms of empowerment of indigenous operators, ship owners. But then, there is an embargo of some sort to that policy.
“How do we harness the blue economy regulation as it relates to the Carbotage Act? We don’t have a shipping line. That is one of the challenges that will affect our taking the potential of the blue economy.
“The second challenge is fund. Funding is key. When we talk about empowerment, we need the fund that will enable the indigenous ship owners acquire the right vessels to take a benefit of the Carpetage Act.
“And so the draftsmen of the Carpetage Act 2003 actually also conceptualized the Carpetage Vessel Financial Fund (CVFF), which sadly is yet to be implemented. So we need to ensure that we implement the CVFF Fund, and by so doing, we will be able to encourage
the indigenous ship owners and harness the potentials of the blue economy.
“Another regulation is the NMASA Act. NMASA, as we all know, is the regulatory body that helps to ensure safety of our waters, protection of environment. But the interesting part of it is that, if we look closely at the regulation of the Act of NMASA, we’ll see that NMASA’s duties are being supervised by the Ministry of Transportation, so there’s a need to review that Act to fit in under the marine and blue economy ministry.
“If we have a marine and blue economy ministry, and NMASA, Nigerian Post Authority (NPA), and Nigerian Shippers Council, and NIWA, are all agencies under the marine and blue economy, surely it has become moribund for us to say in the NMASA Act that NIMASA will be governed by the Ministry of Transport”, she stated.
On his part, The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh,who took the lawmakers on a thrilling long speech gave them an insight into activities happening at the agency. On plans to submit the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offenses Act (SPOMO Act 2019) for amendments, emphasizing NIMASA’s commitment to maritime security, which has resulted in zero piracy incidents in the past two years.
He also as one of the positive development by the agency is that they are set to move its staff to its newly acquired N17 billion headquarters, NIMASA Towers at Cictoria Island , Lagos. It is equipped with modern facilities, a helipad, and a parking bay for over 100 cars. Dr. Jamoh highlighted the agency’s achievements in maritime security and seafarers’ development.
“I am happy to inform you that come Monday next week, myself and other staff would start working from the new office. In fact I will start taking my things there from Saturday and the files and documents can arrive on Monday”.
Following the acquisition of the then Kanti Towers in July 2021, the building has now been christened NIMASA Towers by the former Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Mr. Kitack Lim in November 2023.
The Deputy Chairman House Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration, Hon Uduak Odudo expressed appreciation for the workshop, and also requesting a repeat session of this workshop to enable the committee carryout inspection of NIMASA facilities.
The legislators commended Dr. Bashir Jamoh’s leadership and vowed to collaborate for the amendment of obsolete laws, acknowledging the potential of the blue economy to uplift Nigeria’s economic situation.
“The little we have learnt today, even one week is not enough, so we are planning to come back so that we can be well integrated and capture what we are supposed to do in partnership with this agency for the betterment of Nigeria.
“On the amendment of obsolete laws, i want to assure Nigerians that we shall go back home and do the needful, and with the calibre of members that we have in this committee and the entire National Assembly, we shall not rest until the needfulis done.
“These laws when signed by Mr President, it would go a long way to improve the economic situation of Nigeria, especially the blue economy.
We shall set up subcommittees and assign duties to ourselves, we shall also partner with our colleagues in the Senate.
“Let me commend the NIMASA DG who have proven that he is a compendium of the blue economy, he has done well. My appeal is for every staff of NIMASA should cooperate with him to ensure the agency succeed.
“On our part as National Assembly, we would not rest on our oars in ensuring that every allocation the agency needs is provided for them to deliver on their core mandates,” he added.
Hon. Wale Oke highlighted the vast potential of the blue economy and urged NIMASA to employ and promote younger Nigerians for sustainable growth.