We're seeking collaboration to further tackle piracy – Jamoh

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, said the agency is committed to partnerships to ensure that Nigeria attains the status of the hub of maritime activities in the West and Central African region as well as a major maritime player globally.

Dr Jamoh, who stated this in Lagos during an interactive session with media, noted the steady progress in terms of maritime security safety and growing capacity for the industry.

The NIMASA DG said the statistics released by the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), showing piracy incidents in the Gulf of Guinea dropping from 81 in year 2020 to 34 in 2021 representing 58.02 percent, was not by accident but a product of conscious collaborative efforts by the agency, the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders in the region.

He also noted that the IMB report also shows a 62 percent decrease in the number of crew kidnapping incidents in the Gulf of Guinea which reduced from 150 in 2020 to 57 in 2021.

Commenting on statutory levies stakeholders pay the Federal Government through the agency, Jamoh reaffirmed that NIMASA levies are in accordance with the provisions of the Act which set up the agency.

Commenting on the recent explosion which occurred on Trinity Spirit Floating Production

Storage and Offloading (FPSO), Jamoh described the incident as unfortunate. He said the NIMASA team is working with other relevant organs of government to establish the immediate and remote causes of the fire explosion.

Also highlighting some achievements of NIMASA, Jamoh said last year, it recorded improved contribution to the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) of the Federal Government, from N31bn in 2020 to about N37bn in year 2021, increase of 43.6 percent in condition survey for Flag Registration by the agency in year 2021 as against the performance in year 2020.

He also said the agency launched the online certificate verification platform to reduce falsification of Nigerian Seafarers Certificate and enhance the employment of Nigerian Seafarers.

Jamoh said collaborations have helped to reduce piracy attacks off the coast of the Gulf of Guinea, as there was no single attack on Nigerian waters in the 3rd quarter of 2021, according to IMB.