- Seeks more FG’s investment to increase continental shelf project
By Steve Agbota
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has said that with the deployment of $195million Deep Blue Project, no piracy incident was recorded on Nigerian waters in the last two years.
This is even as the maritime apex agency is seeking more Federal Government’s investment for the security architecture to expand its continental shelf by 16,300 square kilometres following the approval from the United Nations.
Speaking during the Deep Blue Security Capability Demonstration exercise held at the Navy Town, Ojo Lagos over the weekend, the NIMASA DG, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, said that
the Deep Blue Project has been commissioned by the Federal Government to cub piracy and sea robbery and it is working well.
He said the security architecture worked so much so that Nigeria has been recognised by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and Nigeria has been taken off from the Piracy list, there has been no report of piracy on Nigerian waters for the past two years.
“The aim is to continue to sustain it and even expand it to cover other areas and help neighboring countries as well, because the more we protect their waters the more we protect ourselves. We would continue to encourage the personnel of the Deep Blue Project with all the assets equipment required, and encourage the crew who have done marvelously well to continue to do more,” he said.
He said there is the need for the Deep Blue assets and manpower to be increased in line with the expansion of Nigeria’s continental shelf.
“We are going to expand, Nigeria has increased its continental shelf from 200 to 220 Nautical Miles (NM), and we need to cover that 220 and beyond, the 220NM is what is legally ours, but we can cover beyond that to 350NM as much as we can.
“We would be making a case to the Minister and to the President to assist the Deep Blue Project to support in terms of more equipment for us to be able to cover the whole of the Nigerian territorial waters, and lend support to the Gulf of Guinea so that the while region would be pirate free, sea robbery free, and all kinds of incursion happening on our waterways would come to an end.
He said there is the need for the Deep Blue assets and manpower to be increased in line with the expansion of Nigeria’s continental shelf.
“We are going to expand, Nigeria has increased its continental shelf from 200 to 220 Nautical Miles (NM), and we need to cover that 220 and beyond, the 220NM is what is legally ours, but we can cover beyond that to 350NM as much as we can.
“We would be making a case to the Minister and to the President to assist the Deep Blue Project to support in terms of more equipment for us to be able to cover the whole of the Nigerian territorial waters, and lend support to the Gulf of Guinea so that the while region would be pirate free, sea robbery free, and all kinds of incursion happening on our waterways would come to an end.
While addressing the MSU personnel, the NIMASA boss said he was highly impressed by their display of courage, knowledge, understanding and abilities.
“Keep it up, and we on our own side would continue to support you as much as humanly possible with all the resources required to carryout your work. We know that your task is daunting, and I am acknowledging it openly that you are the best in Africa, and in the Gulf of Guinea, there is nobody that can compare with you.
“Please don’t reduce your efforts as we count on you to make the maritime space more secured, the President of Nigeria is counting on you, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola is also in support of your project,” he said.
On his part, the Acting Chairman, House Committee on Maritime, Uduak Odudoh commended the Deep Blue Project, saying that the feats recorded so far has placed Nigeria on a high international pedestal on maritime security.
He assured that the lawmakers would double it is efforts in order to grant NIMASA the needed budgetary support and approvals in order to sustain the gains so far recorded through the Deep Blue Project.
“At the IMO Conference which i attended last year, Nigeria was greatly commended for the fact that there has not been any pirate attack on our waters in two years, that feat was achieved with the effort of the Deep Blue Project.
“When I looked at the budget, I saw Deep Blue Project management and sustainability, I want to commend NIMASA for this. However, it is pitiful that that only NIMASA is funding this project, if we have a project like this and it is taken seriously, the issue of oil theft in the Niger Delta would reduce to zero.
“We have no option than to look at the budget, if they require for more funds, we would approve it for the benefit of suppression of security challenges in Nigeria. If maritime security is guaranteed, the revenue of NIMASA would increase, and by extension, that of NPA and others, this means more money for Nigeria.
“As far as we are concerned at National Assembly, the DG should bring additional proposals and we would approve it for the benefit of the agency and Nigerians,” he said.