The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, has deposited three Instruments of Accession to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Convention which was signed by President Bola Tinubu.
The Head, Public Relation Unit of the Nigerian Maritime Adminstration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Edward Osagie, said this in a statement in Lagos on Wednesday.
Osagie said that the event took place at the headquarters of the IMO in London, which acts as the repository for these conventions.
He said that the move came few weeks after Nigeria declared its intention to contest election for a seat on the IMO Council.
According to Osagie, the category C seat is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
Shortly after the presentation ceremonies, Oyetola informed the IMO Secretary-General, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, of the Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria aligned with international maritime standards regarding safety.
He said that Nigeria was commited to sustainable marine practices, and also called on the IMO to extend technical support to the country.
“These instruments, duly acceded by the President signify Nigeria’s continued commitment to aligning with international maritime standards, ensuring maritime safety and security, and promoting sustainable marine practices.”
“We hereby request tailored technical cooperation under the Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme (ITCP) to enhance Nigeria’s compliance with IMO conventions and improve our maritime governance and implementation of the instruments we submitted today,” Oyetola said.
The IMO Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, acknowledged the formal deposition of the Instruments of Accession, stating that it underscores Nigeria’s steadfast commitment to aligning with global maritime standards.
“I congratulate Nigeria for its exceptional efforts in acceding to these six critical IMO instruments. I encourage continued momentum by securing presidential assent to additional key conventions.
“We, at the IMO, remain fully committed to supporting Nigeria through technical cooperation and capacity-building initiatives to ensure the successful implementation of these instruments,” he said.
The instruments Oyetola handed over to IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez include the instrument of accession to the 2005 Protocol to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms Located on the Continental Shelf (SUA Protocol 2005), the instrument of accession to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F), and the instrument of accession to the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in Cases of Pollution by Substances Other Than Oil (Intervention Protocol 1973).
Three other Instruments of Accession signed by the President recently are undergoing further steps to complete the processes for their deposit.
