As part of efforts to harness the Blue Economy, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has disclosed that the Agency is set to reopen the Lokoja office to enhance collaboration and promote Research and Development.
In a press statement issued by the Assistant Director of Public Relations of NIMASA, Osagie Edward, on Thursday, he said the DG made this known when he hosted the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), Mal. Usman Hayatu Mazadu, at the head office of the Agency in Lagos.
The DG noted that investment in research would play a major role in ensuring the harnessing of Nigeria’s maritime potentials.
“The key cardinal principle of opening the NIMASA Lokoja office is to improve Research and Development. Our goal is to establish a nexus in maximizing the use of available resources in the nation’s inland waterways and the deep blue waters within 28 states, spanning over 4000 kilometers of inland waters and over 200 nautical miles of ocean resources, with the advent of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.
He said, “Now, the Blue Economy has come to stay, and very soon you will see the impact of what we have in terms of the gains and benefits to grow our Gross Domestic Product while improving the well-being of our economy.”
Earlier in his remarks, Mallam Usman of KADSEMA lauded the Agency for the achievements so far, which cut across the entire Nigeria. While seeking cooperation with the Agency in possible areas, he expressed the readiness of KADSEMA to support the Agency in areas that may be deemed possible.
