AS PIRATES RIDE ROUGHSHOD OVER NIGERIAN WATERS

ment of ENL terminal, one of the operators that have been attacked seven time I the last one month, to look into their internal system adding that there could be sabotage from within.

According to him, “ENL should look within and see if there is sabotage because the mode of these attacks suggests that there is an insider that gives out information to these criminals. ENL should also increase its operational vehicle patrols as this could help to detect and forestall attacks at the berths. Presently we are not pointing fingers, we are discussing together, we are looking at the operations, and we are suspecting that there could be sabotage inside some of these terminals.”

Usman explained that NPA has also commenced discussions with the port Police Command with a view to strengthening waterfront security at the ports.

Work in Progress

Responding to quarries about the security situation in Nigerian waters ever the weekend, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated that security in the Nigerian Maritime domain is a work in progress that requires the commitment of all stakeholders to ensure optimum safety of all investments in the sector.

Peterside stated that the agency is taking the lead on the issue of maritime safety in the entire West and Central African sub-region noting that safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea has a direct impact on the Nigerian economy.

The NIMASA boss noted that there are a lot of factors that contribute to the cost of products coming into the country through the seas, which makes it very important to tackle insecurity in the waterways.

According to him, “We must ensure the security of the Gulf of Guinea because Nigeria is not isolated from whatever happens in the region which may lead to negative economic impact, or increase in the cost of insurance or war premium insurance and ultimately lead to high cost of goods and services which will be borne by the consumer of the goods and services.”

While noting that 65 per cent of cargo heading to the region ends up in Nigeria, Peterside who is also the current chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA), said that securing the nation’s territorial waters is a work in progress that requires the commitment of all stakeholders and neighbouring countries, noting that the management of NIMASA has recognised this fact and is implementing international regulatory instruments in collaboration with various countries in the region to checkmate criminal activities.

In his words, “No maritime crime occurs within a jurisdiction alone. Very often the trend is that maritime crime starts from one jurisdiction and ends in another. The only way we can tackle maritime crime is all of us working together and there have been several regional initiatives in that respect to tackle maritime crime. Apart from the ECOWAS Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Africa Integrated Maritime Strategy, you have the Gulf of Guinea Commission dealing with the same thing there are several sub-regional and regional initiatives to tackle maritime insecurity so I see a lot of potentials in regional collaboration and integration.”

He said that on the home front the Agencies of the government especially in the Transport sector has seen collaboration as the way to go and that this has occasioned the renewal of the MoU between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy as well as partnership with other sister parastals.

Peterside also noted that the Agency’s goal in the implementation of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) Code is 100% implementation level stating that the Agency is still not resting on its laurels after achieving over 90% implementation level within a short period of being appointed the Designated Authority of the implementation of the code.

Safeguarding Vessels

Meanwhile, Nigeria will spend $186m to combat piracy in a bid to safeguard its waters and vessels moving in and out of the country.

Transport minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi revealed this in a speech at Nor-Shipping’s inaugural Africa Podium in Oslo, Norway recently. The Fund is meant to acquire three new ready-for-war ships, three aircrafts, 12 vessels and 20 amphibious vehicles to combat the menace of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Amaechi allayed potential investors’ fears of growing security concerns in Nigeria’s seaway amid the rise in attacks by pirates.

He revealed that over the next six months, the Nigerian government would give additional training to its navy, while providing technical and further support to patrol vessels in the region.

“Rest assured, in six months you will no longer be harassed in our waters,” he told delegates. Amaechi said Piracy is not the only issue currently impacting the progress of the maritime sector in Nigeria.

While admitting that eradicating this growing issue was the main priority, Amaechi was keen to point out that Nigeria was also making significant strides in its bid to improve its creaking transport infrastructure.

“All you hear about is efforts to stamp out corruption, but we are working extremely hard to develop transport infrastructure,” he added.

Whether this be roads or railways, the development of ports, the dredging of inland waterways and coastal regions, he said there was huge investment and resources earmarked for projects now and in the future.