Maritime: Dominguez, IMO, Secretary General, Gives Kudos To NIMASA, Over Improved Ship Traffic In The  Gulf Of Guinea Region

By Stephen Ubanna

The impact of the anti-piracy  efforts of Bashir Jamoh, the immediate past Director General  of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, have begun to felt in the Gulf of Guinea region, barely seven month months he was relieved of his appointment by the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who incidentally was a former governor of Lagos state. In Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea

Dayo Mobereola, who had succeeded the Kaduna state born former Chief Executive Officer, CEO, may have continued from where Jamoh, had stopped as he was said to have made it clear on assumption of duties last March that he would make the safety of seafarers and security of ocean-going vessels gladdened with cargoes in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea his top priority.

True to his words, Mobereola, had kept to his words as the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, under the Leadership of Abubakar Dantsoho, who recently appointed 2 new General Managers to ensure effective Administration of the ports to align with the direction of Oyetola Adegboyega led ministry of marine and blue economy    Industry Operators and could attest to improved cargo traffic in the nation’s waters and Gulf uinea region.

Dominguez, SG, IMO, Mobereola and others, during a meeting in IMO, Headquarters, London, UK

Unknowwn to Mobereola, and his Management team, the Inernational  MaritIme Bureau , IMB,  a specialized  division  of the International  Chamber of Commerce, ICC,   described as a focal point   in the fight against  all types  of maritime crimes like piracy , sea robbery and kidnapping  and other malpractices are impressed that the Gulf Guinea which was a threat to ocean-going vessels and their seafarers in the past have become a haven to them . This is because the foreign ship owners now to struggle to put their cargo laden commercial ships in in the Gulf region as there was no fears of threats of pirates’ attacks, sea thieves or kidnappers awaiting for them.

HLSI, Systems and Technologies Limited , an  Israeli security firm, that was said to have been engaged by the then Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, was said to have supplied  16 Armoured vehicles , 17 Interception Boats for coastal patrol, Two Specil Mission Vessels, Two Special Mission Aircrafts,   for Surveillance  of Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zones, EEZ,  three Helicopters and four  Unmanned  Aerial Vehicles domiciled in NIMASA, between 2027 and 2022 at a contract sum of  the North American country of the United States, US,$195 million.

There is no gain saying the fact that past and present Management of the Maritime Regulatory Agency, with the support of Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, led Nigerian Navy, which operates and the maintains the  sea security equipments alongside the Nigerian AirForce, NAF, which oversees the air assets have fully deployed  the maritime assets into operation forcing the criminal elements who could no longer bear the heat to relocate from the Gulf of Guinea region to other parts of the world considered safe  for their illegal operations.

The improved commercial ship traffic in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea region, was said to have also benefitted other member countries of the region like Angola, Togo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Central African country of Cameroun, and Sao Tome and Principe , which wre said to be experiencing  heavier shipping  as well.

Mobereola, DG, NIMASA, Dominguez, SG, IMO, and others during a meeting in London, UK

This may have informed why Arsenio Doming guez, Secretary General, International Maritime Organisation, IMO, a United Nations, UN, maritime agency, who could no longer hide his feelings could give ‘’kudos, to Nigeria, for taking the bold initiative to maintain   the safety and security of ocean going vessels laden with cargoes in the Gulf of Guinea region, particular, in the recent times

The IMO, Secretary General, was said to have spoken his mind during   a meeting with the NIMASA, CEO, at the UN, maritime agency, Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. He did not stop there.

 The IMO, boss was said to have also commended Mobereola, the NIMASA, helmsman,   for engaging the services  of the technical team  at the IMO, to rub minds on  how Nigeria can effectively  address all  the identified gaps   from the 2016  audit  conducted  by the Organisation.

An elated Dominguez, may have gladdened the heart of Mobereola, the NIMASA, CEO, when he specifically appreciated the efforts of the Nigerian government on the progress made so far as regards to maintaining security in the Gulf of Guinea region in the recent time.

Recall that there was concerns over the region in the past due to the situation in the Red sea and the resultant pressure around the Gulf Guinea region.  The Red sea, particular, according to maritime analysts, was said to have created space for heightened piracy incidents.

 The activities of the Houthi militants   which controls Yemen, in the Middle East  region,  who are anti-West militants attacks on  cargo ships and commercial vessels in the Red sea  was said to have spread to the Gulf of Guinea region.

Abubakar, Nigeria’s APR, to the IMO, Dominguez, SG, IMO ad Mobereola, DG, NIMASA, in London, UK

 Given that cargo ships and commercial vessels are not armed, going by the provisions of the International Law,   may have made it possible for the Houthi militants, who use drones and light weapons to attack them with ease and take so much of the world’s seafarers hostages.

As a prelude to stop the mess in the Gulf of Guinea region, cause by the pirates and sea kidnappers, the IMO, CEO, was said to have told those that cares to listen that the UN maritime agency officials are working closely with  Nigeria through NIMASA ,insisting that that the partnership will continue.

The IMO, Secretary General is optimistic that with the support of the technical staff working NIMASA, the agency would be able to close all the identified gaps before the next audit cycle   in the right direction. Dominguez, was said to have assured Mobereola, that he has no cause to worry as the agency will do everything within its powers to give any technical support to the Organisation to succeed.

Determined to take the World Maritime space to another level, Dminguez, was said to have announced that theIMO, under his Leadership  i working on enhancing  the Global  Integrated  Shipping  Information System, GISIS,  to provide better   services  too member states  in terms of information management.

Given the encouragement that had been given to the NIMASA, Director General by the IMO, Secretary General , in order to excel, may have emboldened him to words  that  NIMASA, under his Leadership  will pay attention  to details  on how Nigeria  can become  a voice  to be reckoned  with in global maritime  diplomacy, stressing that Nigeria,  as a maritime nation, is committed  to sustaining  the momentum  of the its recent achievements  in securing maritime safety  and security , within  the Gulf of Guinea region.

The NIMASA, CEO,  was said to have said that that the agency will leverage existing relationship s  both within and outside the nation’s maritime domain   to sustain  the momentum in  safety  and security  in the nation’s maritime domain.

He noted that the newly created ministry of marine and blue economy by President Tinubu,   which emphasizes the policy direction of the Administration   have placed the agency in a vantage position   to play an active leading role   not just in the Gulf of Guinea region or the IMO, but in the global maritime space.

Mobereola, who had alluded to the meeting with the IMO, technical staff, ha said that it was aimed at ensuring that NIMASA and the UN, maritime agency,   are aligned before the next audit cycle.

Here him: I  discovered  today  that critical information  regarding  the agency   and the technical team at IMO , I obsolete ,’’ stating that the agency is reviewing and updating  it immediately in line with what obtains in other maritime nations. He was said to have pointed out that the IMO audit is not an examination but rather should be seen a guide to assist Nigeria in achieving its potential. This may have informed why he has taken a decision that he will get personally involved in the technical affairs of the agency  to get the basics right.

He may have given the NIMASA staff a cause to be cheery when he disclosed that the minister of marine and blue economy,   has constituted a Committee  too address all  areas of concerns  raised in the 2016 report  of the policies of the agency, which includes  ”reviewing NIMASA  enabling laws and effectively  implementing  a corrective action plan”.     

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