By Isaac Anumihe
In line with their commitment to ensure safety and security in the Nigerian territorial waters, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy have renewed the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to protect and secure Nigerian waters.
At the signing of the MoU in Abuja, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, agreed that the MoU was sacrosanct for seamless shipping activities within the nation’s territorial waters to bring about the much-needed economic diversification in line with the change agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
According to Peterside, the previous MoUs between NIMASA and other government security agencies will help the agency to provide adequate maritime security for merchant shipping. The MoU being renewed, he said, was first entered between NIMASA and the Navy in 2007.
“NIMASA does not carry arms, thus the MoU will embolden the Nigerian Navy to provide support for NIMASA against ships with potential and actual illicit operations. The success of the originating MoU with the Navy has spurred this agreement up. So, we have no doubt or hesitation whatsoever to continue the collaboration,” the Director General stated.
He expressed gratitude to President Buhari and the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, for their support and approval for the collaboration agreement.
On his part, Vice Admiral Ibas, on behalf of the Nigerian Navy, promised to provide the anticipated tactical experience and capacity to complement and support NIMASA in its drive to secure the maritime environment and engender safer shipping.
“The Nigerian Navy is adept and keen to pursue the objectives and content of this MoU in the general interest of Nigeria and Nigerians. Illegal operations of ships are detrimental to our maritime potential and by extension, the Nigerian economy. Therefore, collaboration of this magnitude to salvage the economy and complement the change agenda of the present administration for economic diversification must be pursued,” Ibas observed.