Peterside Picks Holes in Piracy Reports
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has denied reports in some quarters that piracy is on the rise in Nigeria territorial waters in recent times.
While noting that it is sad that some section of the media is manipulating statistics to the contrary, he pointed out is that the reverse is the case.
He maintained that as piracy has been reduced to the barest minimum.
Peterside maintained that inter agency and regional cooperation through bilateral agreements among others, as well as effective maritime domain awareness and strong maritime legislation to criminalise and punish piracy is fundamental in addressing the challenges.
According to him, it was in recognition of these efforts that the governments of the West and Central African Countries including Nigeria at the regional level, subscribed to the Continental Maritime Charter on maritime security, safety and development in Africa, in Lome, Togo on the 15th of October, 2016, to strengthen inter-agency and transnational coordination and cooperation among member countries in the area of maritime domain awareness, fight against all forms of maritime crimes, prevention and control of pollution of the seas and to promote economic growth of the continent of Africa.
“In the area of inter-agency cooperation, it is expedient to mention that NIMASA recently renewed its Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigerian Navy to strengthen collaboration between NIMASA and the Navy to enhance the safety and security of navigation in our waters as, well as leverage on the use of the Federal Government’s Falcon Eye Satellite systems domiciled with the Nigerian Navy including NIMASA’s Global Maritime Distress and Safety Systems to respond to distress calls within Nigerian waters in order to prevent and adequately respond to threats within the Nigerian maritime environment ”, he said.
A statement issued by the Head, Corporate Communications, NIMASA, Mr. Isichei Osamgbi quoted Peterside saying this recently in Lagos.
The Nigeria Chapter of Africa Women in Maritime (WIMA) has solicited for what it called “gender equality” in the maritime industry.
The intercontinental body argued that it is when there is gender equality that will lead to an end to the present marginalization of women in all areas of maritime business.
The newly-elected President of WIMA, Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere who stated this in Lagos stated that women in the sector could no longer watch their male counterparts taking over all businesses meant for them.
Anishere who was the immediate past President of Women in Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Nigeria, and the Vice President of African Women in Maritime said the association will ensure the advancement of gender equality in the maritime sector and support mainstream women participation in all aspects of the economy.
Her words: “WIMA will promote human capacity development, enterprise develop- ment and employment of women in all aspects of the maritime sector. It is time to alleviate the hardship confronting women in the maritime industry. The association will enthrone strategic leadership and serves as a voice for gender empowerment through policy advocacy and maritime awareness campaign”.
Anishere who is also an author enjoined women to rise and take their rightful positions in the scheme of things in the maritime industry.
According to her, WIMA had a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Africa Union (AU) to bring issues affecting the maritime industry to the union for discussion. The association will ensure that the constitutions of various countries were reviewed to accommodate issues affecting the maritime industry.
Apart from Anishere, other elected members of the WIMA executives include Mrs. Bola Muse, Vice President; Mrs Mary Madu-Hamman, Secretary; Mrs. Foluke Akinmoladun, Assistant Secretary; and Mrs. Affi Ibanga, Treasurer.