NIMASA DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO SEAFARERS WELFARE

·        Facilities Signing of Landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement

In furtherance of its effort to ensure improved working conditions for seafarers in the country, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has midwifed the signing of the Nigerian Seafarers Conditions of Service Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The agreement signed at the Agency's headquarters in Lagos was with the endorsement of the National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) Collective Bargaining Agreement on minimum standards on conditions of service for Nigerian seafarers in both coastal and offshore sectors.

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Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, expressed his belief that proper implementation of the agreement would bring about significant improvement in seafarers’ working conditions.

Dakuku said, “As an Agency, we are happy to midwife this process that will enhance the welfare of our seafarers. I wish to commend the seafarers’ employers in the offshore and coastal sectors for their cooperation and understanding in seeing through the whole process.

“In the same vein, I wish to implore them to also ensure that the CBA, which is meant to guide ship-owners in their bipartite negotiations and the development of all employment agreements, is implemented as endorsed.”

The DG, who was represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Gambo Ahmed, added that the conditions of service of the CBA is a minimum standard in line with the extant national and international regulations and must be met by all employers of seafarers.

From R-L : Ibe Magnus of Bourbon Interoil Nigeria Ltd; Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Gambo Ahmed; Representative of Federal Ministry of Transportation, Hajia Wasilat Adamu; Rear Admiral O.P Ozojiofor (Rtd) of Giant Shipping Services and Chairman Technical Committee of National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC), Mr. Chiroma I.D at the signing ceremony of National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on Minimum Conditions of Service of Nigerian Seafarers  for Coastal and Offshore Sector at the NIMASA Head Quarters in Lagos.

Mr. Gambo who is also the Chairman of the NJIC urged employers to note that the enhancement of welfare of seafarers will in turn enhance productivity and effective job performance.

Some of the stakeholders at the occasion were Mrs. Wasilat Mohammed Adamu, who co-signed the agreement in her capacity as representative of the Federal Ministry of Transportation; Mr. Magnus Ibe of Bourbon International Limited; Mr. Alalade Matthew, representing the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNO/WTSSA); Director, Maritime Labour Services, NIMASA, Mr. Ibrahim Jibril; and Director, Special Duties, NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka.

In attendance to witness the event were key maritime stakeholders from the offshore and coastal maritime sectors, Maritime Workers Union (MWUN), Association of Manning Agents of Nigeria (AMAN), National Seafarers Welfare Board (NSWB), as well as representatives of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, and management staff of NIMASA.

It may be recalled that the CBA for the fishing sector had earlier been signed, and with the signing of the agreement for the coastal and offshore sectors, Nigerian seafarers now have a complete CBA. NIMASA has consistently thrown its weight behind measures aimed at ensuring employers of seafarers fall in line with extant and international regulations.

MARITIME SECURITY: CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL TO DEEP BLUE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION – DAKUKU

·        As NIMASA Graduates 298 Military Personnel in Intelligence Training  

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has graduated another 298 surveillance officers in basic training course for the implementation of the Integrated Security and Waterway Protection Infrastructure also known as the Deep Blue Project.

Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, NIMASA, Mr. Gambo Ahmed (3^rd from left) presenting an award to the best graduating student, Feyeun Emmanuel Michael, with Commander, Maritime Guard Commander, NIMASA, Commodore A.A Ibok, (left) Mr. Micky Gnash of Homeland Security of Israel (HLSI), (2^nd from left) and Commander, Pathfinder Base of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore S.J Bura (2^ndfrom right) who represented the Chief of the Naval staff and Commander 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General V. Okoro (right) who represented the Chief of Army Staff during the graduation ceremony of 298 surveillance officers in basic training course for the implementation of the Integrated Security and Waterway Protection Infrastructure, held at the military base in Elele, Rivers State yesterday, 15-08-19

L-R: Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Gambo Ahmed, Commander, Pathfinder Base of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore S.J Bura, who represented the Chief of the Naval staff and Commander 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General V. Okoro who represented the Chief of Army Staff during the graduation ceremony of298 surveillance officers in basic training course for the implementation of the Integrated Security and Waterway Protection Infrastructure, held at the military base in Elele, Rivers State yesterday, 15-08-19.  

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the military base in Elele in Rivers State, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside noted that the capacity development component of the Deep Blue project is on course as the Agency prepares to receive the land and maritime infrastructure component of the Project.

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The DG who was represented by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services of the Agency, Mr. Gambo Ahmed stated the land based intervention force  is expected to work closely with the command and control center to effectively police the Nigerian maritime domain, thus enhancing security in the Gulf of Guinea.

“Our vision of creating the critical force for intervention which is expected to work closely with the command and control center to effectively police the Nigerian Maritime Domain is becoming a reality as they will bring to bear what they have learnt here,” the DG said.      

The DG used the opportunity to assure Nigerians that the project jointly implemented by the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Defence will greatly curb criminality in the Nigerian maritime domain.

In his words “the present threats posed by insecurity to our maritime economy and the need to support economic renaissance of the nation led to the bi-ministerial collaboration of the Federal Ministries of Defence and Transportation under the supervision of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President to develop a robust maritime security architecture comprising all Military and Security Services that would ensure conducive and enduring maritime environment for the nation”.

In his speech during the ceremony, Mr. Micky Gnash of Homeland Security International (HLSI) who are consultants to the project gave the composition of the graduands as 110 officers and men of the Nigerian Army and 198 officers and men of the Nigerian Navy. “They were trained on combat related courses, ranging from physical training, sharp shooting techniques and ability to use the arm from a range, bare hands fighting in open terrain, built up areas and in the bush”. He also added that the training was tailored towards empowering them for the enormous task of safeguarding the Nigerian territorial water ways”.

With this basic training concluded, the officers will proceed on the advance training in September, 2019, which is expected to last for 8 months. 

Present at the event were; Commander 16 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General V. Okoro who represented the Chief of Army Staff and Commander, Pathfinder Base of the Nigerian Navy, Commodore S.J Bura who represented the Chief of the Naval staff and the Maritime Guard Commander, NIMASA, Commodore Ibok.  

The C4I Integrated Surveillance Systems Operation training is part of the human capacity building towards the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, which is a Federal Government initiative aimed at ensuring comprehensive Nigerian maritime domain surveillance and security.

NIGERIA IS TARGETING A WORLD CLASS SHIP REGISTRY - DAKUKU

·        Receives report of review committee

Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has received the report of the committee on the review of the Nigerian Ship Registry, with a declaration that the Agency’s target is to have a world-class ship registry. Dakuku said the goal was for Nigeria to have a ship registry that will meet international certification standards and compete favourably with the best in the global maritime community.

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Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside receiving the report from the Chairman of Committee for the review of the activities and operations of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office, Engineer Emmanuel Ilori during the submission of the of the report of the Committee in Lagos.

Dakuku spoke yesterday in Lagos, while receiving the report of the committee tasked with reviewing the activities and operations of the Nigerian Ship Registration Office.

“NIMASA is working at giving Nigerians a Ship Registry that is respected across the globe and that will be attractive to ship-owners, so they can fly the Nigerian Flag. In no distant future, our ship registry will be more effective, more efficient and responsive to change, thus, meeting international standards for certification,” he said.

The Director-General noted that the Agency had already commenced the process of automating the Nigerian Ship Registry. He said from the preliminary report earlier submitted to the Agency, the diligent implementation of the findings of the committee would have a beneficial effect on the Nigerian maritime sector.

According to him, “We are putting in place the necessary building blocks for Nigeria to be the first African country to achieve a five star International Standards Certification by 2020. International standard certification for ship registration is our goal at NIMASA.”

Speaking just before submitting the report, the committee chairman, Engr. Emmanuel Ilori, stated that ship registration and the effectiveness of the established processes in a country's maritime sector operations were critical in determining the health of a national maritime administration.

Ilori stated, “All the committee's efforts were geared towards making the Nigerian flag globally acceptable. The committee carried out an extensive review of the Nigerian Ship Registry, took cognizance of stakeholders’ opinions and expectations, and carried out comparative analysis of the ship registration processes of some Global Registries in arriving at the report. “NIMASA Management should consider and implement submissions contained in the report.”

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside with the Managing Director C&I Leasing, Mr. Andrew Otike-Odibi as Engr. Ilori looks on during the submission of the report of the Committee on review of the Nigeria Ship Registration Office in Lagos.

The terms of reference of the nine-man committee, which was set up in February 2018, included to examine the status of the ship registry in line with international best practices and advise and recommend requisite improvements of necessity in the registry.

The committee was inaugurated on February 27, 2018 to establish a strategy to revamp the Nigerian ship registration process in order to raise the profile of the Nigerian flag in the global maritime space.

Nigeria Can Sustain its Greatness through Sports – Dakuku, NOC President

• Target 2020 Japan Olympic gold medals

• Say sports can create millions of jobs 

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, says sports has a big place in the country’s development equation, as the spirit of fairness and unity, which sporting events evoke, is a vital ingredient of nation-building, just as excellence in sports can project a notion more.

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Dakuku said the support of all and sundry, especially corporate Nigeria, was needed to tap the huge benefits that abound in sports for the country’s greatness. He stated these at the weekend in Lagos while receiving members of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) on a courtesy visit, adding that countries like Brazil, Argentina, Germany, England, the United States and even Kenya are using part of the greatness through sports for other benefits, including boosting their economy.

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside presenting a plaque to the President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Mr. Habu Ahmed Gumel when the NOC Officials paid a courtesy visit to the Agency in Lagos.

The NOC members, led by the President, Habu Ahmed Gumel, commended the NIMASA management for its strategic steps in support of the Next Level agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari government, by the changes that has been engineered in the maritime sector, and sought the Agency’s support in bringing about the same spirit towards the country’s participation at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, saying the NOC aims for more gold medals. 

Gumel along with Dakuku, enumerated many benefits Nigeria could reap from sports, to. Include amongst others, huge job creation opportunities in millions that can absorb our teaming youth, as it is in Europe and the Americas. 

The DG, who received the NOC delegation alongside other members of the NIMASA management team, praised the efforts of the committee to ensure Nigeria got gold medals at the upcoming Olympic Games, in Tokyo Japan, 2020.

President, Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) Mr. Habu Ahmed Gumel presenting a Lapel of the Committee to the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside when the NOC Officials paid a courtesy visit to the Agency in Lagos.

He told the NOC team, “We thank you for visiting the Agency and for your kind words in recognition of our modest accomplishments as we endeavour to contribute our own quota to the success of our President, Muhammadu Buhari’s Next Level agenda. 

“In NIMASA, we work as a team, and that is why we have been able to accomplish the things we have done so far. With different persons playing different roles and making sure we keep our eyes on the ball, and in the spirit of sportsmanship, a huge atmosphere of success is created. This atmosphere is a crucial ingredient of nation-building”. 

“Sports play a great social and economic role in our country. It enhances the reputation of the nation, and it can create millions of jobs for our youth, if properly harnessed. Sports can be one of the biggest employers of labour in our country, like it is in America and the United Kingdom. Sports is good for national image and national pride, and it is also good for our own health as individuals. That is why every month in NIMASA we have sporting activities for staff.” 

Gumel, in his remarks, said the committee needed funds to carry out its functions and realise the objectives, calling on NIMASA’ and other Agencies of Government and the private sector in particular to support this national objective for the collective good of the country, as Government cannot go it alone if we are to continue to sustain our greatness. 

He equally held that with effective support, sports could be a huge employment and income creation avenue for the country, providing millions of jobs for young Nigerians.    

The NOC leader commended the Dakuku-led management team for its landmark achievements, including the provision of sea time for many Nigerian cadets under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP). He listed the functions of the committee to include ensuring the representation of Nigeria by the best available athletes at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and other international and continental tournaments.