Navy, NIMASA sign MoU for better service delivery

The Nigerian Navy (NN) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), for effective and efficient service delivery.
The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, said the signing of the MoU became imperative because of the importance of the nation’s maritime domain.
Ibas said the first MoU signed between the two organisations yielded a remarkable achievement.
This, he said, necessitated the review of the MoU to continue to work together to protect the nation’s assets from crude oil thieves and other criminals.
He said the first quarter of 2016 witnessed an unprecedented high rate of crime in the nation’s maritime domain but due to the collaboration of the two organisations, the crime was drastically reduced.
Ibas said the service needed more support from sister agencies to enable it carry out its professional responsibility of safeguarding the nation’s maritime domain and other responsibilities.
He expressed optimism that intelligence, facility and information sharing would go a long way in assisting the service to carry out its professional responsibilities.
Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the MoU would avail the two organisations with yet another opportunity to continue to safeguard the nation’s assets.
He said the major responsibility of NIMASA was to safeguard the maritime domain and rid it of any illegal activities and making the environment conducive for legal activities.