Dakuku Tasks Legal Experts on Updates of Maritime Law

Eromosele Abiodun

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has charged practitioners of law in the maritime sector on the need for regular updates on the knowledge of the sector, due to the dynamism of maritime law regulating the industry, which is key to its development.

Speaking at the dinner event of the annual general meeting (AGM) of Nigeria Maritime Law Association (NMLA) held at Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, Peterside described maritime which is driven by international laws as a pillar of the economy and issues regarding the sector must be taken seriously.

According to the NIMASA boss, “Maritime is driven by international and municipal laws with an infusion of technology which makes the sector always re-evolving; maritime law is a specialised branch of law so practitioners must update their knowledge to meet up with the pace of the change of the sector.”

He also noted the importance of the maritime aspect of law to NIMASA, adding that the law majorly is concerned with commercial aspects of shipping as well as the navigation which are core functions of the agency in its bid to ensure that Nigeria’s maritime domain remains safe and secure for maritime business to thrive.

Earlier in his presentation, President of NMLA, Mr. Lucky Ilogu SAN said that NIMASA, as the maritime safety administration of Nigeria, has a great role to play in the development of the maritime sector.

He commended Dakuku and the agency’s management team for ushering in a new direction for the maritime industry through its repositioning drive.

The NMLA is a body of lawyers and related professionals in the maritime industry established in 1977.