By Uzor Odigbo
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and its sister-agency, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), have agreed to work together in a bid to boost maritime safety and security in the country.
Consequently, the two-sister agencies have decided to interlink their command structures, NPA’s Ci3 and NIMASA’s Ci4, for shared information that will help the Naval security platform, Falcon eye, provide security on Nigeria’ waters.
Therefore, the Nigerian government has concluded arrangements to make the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project, the central security structure for all anchorage areas in the Nigerian maritime domain.
This is to reduce the cost of shipping goods into the country.
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, confirmed this in Lagos after a meeting with the Executive Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) led by the Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, at the agency’s Headquarters in Lagos.
According to the Deputy Director Public Relations, Philip Kyanet, the NPA MD also disclosed that both agencies have agreed to work out modalities for effective removal of all wrecks and derelicts that may hinder navigations in the Nigerian waters.
According to the NPA MD, NIMASA and NPA are sister-agencies and should be seen to be collaborating more for the growth of the maritime industry and the country generally.
She also disclosed that arrangements were in top gear to berth the NIMASA floating Dockyard permanently in order for it to commence operations in July.
“We had a range of discussions bordering on the Secure Anchorage Area which our supervising Ministry desires the Deep Blue Project to provide security for all anchorage areas in the country.
“Aside saving the country a lot of money, it will ensure that the security of the Nigerian Maritime domain is given focal attention”.
Hadiza also disclosed that both agencies agreed to interlink the C3i of the NPA and C4i of NIMASA to interchange information that would assist the Nigerian Navy’s response to security.
