Ademola Irinyemi (Registrar IFFN)
After the organization’s transition into her present status, one would say that NIMASA has to some reasonable extent, improved on the achievement of its mandate. Specifically, there is a gradual progress on the aspect of Cabotage implementation, maritime safety and there’s been some giant stride by the organization on the development of maritime labour services for the present existing dockworkers and seafarers.
But, the aspect of conflict between NIMASA and ISAN should be given attention because the continuous face off would have a negative impact on the advancement of the maritime business.
Abdullah Yelwa (NIMASA, Shipping Dev.)
We are really doing our best to make sure we carry out our mandate as a maritime organization; We give MAN Oron some percentage and also contribute to the growth of the school, we generate revenue through shipping development and also receive distress calls, as well as settlement of dockworkers, Cabotage policy and so on, So far we have maintained our mandate and we intend to do better this new year as a maritime regulatory agency in Nigeria.
Capt. Adewale Ishola (Master Mariner)
In some cases, yes. In the area of development of professional manpower, they have pass mark considering the sensitization seminar which was held in zones across the country. But, to make it work, they must encourage indigenous ship owners, because this is where these trained seafarers will work and acquire practical experience.
NIMASA has really tried on the support of MAN Oron through the provision of generating set and other things they did for the institution and other institutions that are specialized in maritime training by giving out ertificates.
They lack man power in Flag state and Port state control, the hands are few, and they are on contract, they need more professionals in that area. They tried in the aspect of wreck removal on our waters by collaborating with the Nigerian Navy hydrography department by giving support on the charting of our waters.
The Cabotage aspect should attract more attention because its implementation is being faulted. There is need for more professionals in the agency.
NIMASA should improve in the aspect of combating sea piracy and robbery by providing needed infrastructures
Capt. SMD Usman (Navy)
Taking it from our angle there has being great improvements as about 45 wrecks were removed last year. In the area of search and rescue, two distressed vessels going to Gabon and Cotonou were rescued. We also rescued the captain of a merchant vessel coming from an Asian country who ate poison and was taken to Lagoon Hospital here in Apapa for proper care and treatments.
Integration is one of the challenges and it’s been marvelous for NIMASA accepting us (NAVY) as military to work in their midst and they have been supportive; the collaboration has created a good rapport.
Musa Yinusa (seafarer)
To my own understanding, I would say NIMASA has tried, but they can still do better, fine they put so many measures on ground but there should be follow- up. For instance, the sensitization seminar which it put together, the only means to employ these cadets is for us to implement Cabotage and encourage indigenous shipping but, how many ships do we have in Nigeria, those on ground are having problems, so where do we go from here?
If seafarers must enjoy in Nigeria then., NIMASA can decide that. We want actions and not too much talk, though they tried.
Okon Boniface (Dockworker)
We are not really feeling their impact, if not for the union, we don’t even know if NIMASA is there or not, because they are not really favouring us.
They should make dockworkers feel their impact directly by contributing efforts to make things easy for us. Thank you.
Engr. Alex Peters (Marine Engineer)
NIMASA has been implementing many aspects of her brief, in my opinion, but is still a long way to go. Perhaps she is handicapped by dearth of qualified and experienced technical personnel to man the core safety and seafarers’ standards department.
NIMASA has been able to tap into and depend on the very few qualified and experienced technical contract staff over the years. She needs to expand more in that direction and to vastly improve on their conditions of service, to more vastly tap into us private individuals.
Alh. Adesokan Fatai (Ag. National Sec, IFFN)
NIMASA has carried out its mandate to a reasonable extent, especially in the areas of manpower development, safety and environment as well as Cabotage.
There’s still room for their activities to be more visible especially to those outside the industry, because I am speaking from the industry’s perspective.
Comrade Owolabi Omotayo
NIMASA is trying, so far they have been able to remove the wrecks from the water ways in order to further achieve safe navigation, also in terms of shipping regulation they are making contributions especially in phasing out single hull tankers and so on.
However there is still a need for improvement especially in terms of safety on our water ways, NIMASA should do something to further protect the lives of the seafarers from sea pirates and sea robbers by boosting security level. They should carry every body along in their policy and also try to work more on the Cabotage law, because so far it is still law on paper; they still give preference to foreign vessels more than our indigenous ships.
In the training of seafarers, the agency is coming up but they should be sincere to themselves, because it is one thing to train and another to get them employed. In a nutshell, they have tried but they still need to do more to implement their objectives.
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