The Nigerian Shipper's Council (NSC) is collaborating with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the implementation of the Advance Cargo Tracking System, which is being spearheaded by the Council.
The Executive Secretary of the Council;Mr Hassan Bello gave this hint yesterday when he paid host to the Director General of NIMASA; Dr Dakuku Peterside at the Shippers Council head office in Apapa, Lagos
Speaking during the visit, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, said that partnering with NIMASA will facilitate the realisation of the numerous potentials inherent in the blue economy in the overall interest of Nigeria.
"I will say that it is a worthy partner in our quest to realise the economy. The current DG of NIMASA has turned the agency from what it is used to be to be the apex of shipping in Nigeria and we must commend him for that.
On the blue economy, it is instructive to know that shipping is making direct impact on the nation’s economy"
He specifically called for collaboration with NIMASA on the modern cargo tracking which the council wants to implement.
"We have so many issues we would like to work with NIMASA on, we have the issue of the collaboration with them on the modern cargo tracking law which we want to implement and they are key to that. We have the issue of holding bays for containers in Apapa which we also want to work with NIMASA. We also want to talk about the issue of patronage on the eastern ports which the shippers’ council has been calling for"
Also speaking, the Director General of NIMASA, who appreciated the synergy with NSC, also said that both the NSC and NIMASA are doing the same work which is regulations, but from different perspectives.
The NIMASA DG lamented that Africa remained underdeveloped despite the numerous geographical advantages as well as other natural resources in the region.
He stressed that the continent's inability to unlock the inherent potentials in the seas and oceans has stifled its economic growth over the years.
"We are in the same work from different perspectives, we are NIMASA we are regulating safety. Nigerians have given us the power, but we must use it to protect the interest of Nigerians to ensure that they maximise interest from shipping and other maritime activities. There is a relationship between the sea and the ocean and what has given effect to globalization is that we can move goods from one point to the other and you will find out that more than 90% of that movement is done through the waters", he stated.
He also said that most of the activities of the blue economy is domiciled in the ministry of transport and the ministry has set up a committee in that regards.
"The ministry of transportation has set up a committee in that regards and I am sure that the Shippers’ Council and NIMASA are represented in that committee.
The NIMASA DG, also emphasized on the need for passage of the anti-piracy bill, saying that the bill is fashioned to be an executive bill.
"The anti-piracy bill is fashioned to be an executive bill different from a private member bill and any other form of bill. The strategic intent is that it is the president that will send it to the national assembly so that it will get the back and accelerated attention that it deserves"
He also said that the Nigerian maritime environment is different from other environments.
"Like you know, the Nigerian maritime environment is different from other environments. You know people compare us to other environments like Ghana; I don't know how many creeks they have in Ghana, Togo amongst others. In Niger-delta alone we have thousands of creeks and it makes fighting crime a bit challenging"
Dr Peterside also said that our maritime environment is characterised by crimes, even as he blamed the International Maritime Bureau for creating a wrong impression of the nation.
"Because of that our maritime environment is characterized by kidnapping, sea robbery, illegal bunkering, illegal refining and all sorts of activities that can not take place in other places. And we have had the International Maritime Bureau categorising everything as piracy, creating a wrong impression of who we are not; it is not everything that is piracy. There is high level of maritime crime".
So the anti piracy bill will give rise to two other international conventions, you all know the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. Those are actually the international bases for anti-piracy bill. When we finished with the draft we forwarded it to the Attorney General of the Federation, they did a lot of work on it before we sent to the Ministry of Transportation who has the right to present it to FEC. I am optimistic that if not this month by next month, it will be ready" he assured.
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