Skip to main content

NIMASA, NCC COLLABORATES ON SUBMARINE CABLE REGULATION IN NIGERIA …As NIMASA Reinstates Commitment To Ease of Doing Business

By Anne Ejuka


The Management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), have agreed to work closely with relevant stakeholders as NIMASA inches closer to developing a regulatory framework to provide operational guidelines for Submarine Cable and Pipeline Operators in Nigeria.


This agreement was reach by the officials of both organs of Government in Lagos at a pre Audit meeting on submarine cable regulation.


The meeting which was chaired by the Director General of NIMASA Dr Bashir Jamoh, OFR, also had the Director General of Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR) Mr Dasuki Arabi and officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and representatives of Submarine Cable operators in Nigeria were present at the meeting.


According to a release by the Assistant Director, Public Relations of the agency, Osagie Edward, the NIMASA DG noted that the Agency is committed to the Ease of doing Business while implementing International Conventions which Nigeria has ratified and domesticated. He also noted that with Nigeria now a destination for global communication players, the time has come to prevent unregulated underwater cable laying, which might become hazardous to shipping.


According to him, “It is worthy to note that marine cable laying has been ongoing for over two decades in Nigerian waters. Our focus is to ensure safety of navigation of shipping in Nigerian waters with all these underwater cables being laid; NIMASA is actually developing the guidelines to regulate submarine cable operators in line with the provisions of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, UNCLOS; which we have ratified and NIMASA is the Agency of Government in Nigeria responsible for its implementation. We do not just implement laws; we consult. Where the responsibility of an Agency stops, that is where the responsibilities of another Agency starts. Collaboration is a key component of ease of doing business in the best interest of the country and we will work closely with the NCC to achieve this”. Jamoh stated.


On his part, the Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta who was represented by the Director, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement, Efosa Idehen noted that the stakeholders’ dialogue strategy adopted by NIMASA in developing the guidelines would ensure a win-win situation urging NIMASA management to include the Ministry of Justice, which the NIMASA DG immediately granted.


Also speaking at the meeting, the Director General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms Mr Dasuki Arabi, commended NIMASA and NCC for adopting effective Inter-Agency collaboration to avert a potential challenge for the country in the future. NIMASA had notified submarine and cable operators in Nigeria of a soon to be implemented regulatory guideline for submarine cables and pipelines in line with the provisions of UNCLOS. 


NIMASA and the NCC agreed to identify and resolve areas of likely regulatory overlaps while ensuring a regulatory framework based on consultation to engender attainment of Nigeria’s digital economy transformation

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eze Uchendu Applauds Compt. Olomu's Outstanding Performance In Apapa

By Anne Ejuka
  ...Berates APMT For Lack  of Capacity & Technicality ...Calls FG to Set Up Committee To Access APMT Operations In Nigeria The remarkable performance of the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Customs command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi has been commended by a renowned freight forwarder, the Chairman of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder( NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Fowdr. Prince Eze Uchendu. Accessing the Apapa Command under the control of Compt. Olomu,  the  chairman applauded the resilience and doggedness of the area controller in all areas of operation, in his words, "I think for now we have a good controller, the person of controller, Babatunde Olomu, since his inception as the CAC Apapa, I can say Apapa Command has never had it so good, so I can score the Nigeria customs high In all fields of endeavour, the controller has been a moving controller,  he's not a controller that stays in office. He comes to the terminals ...
Post a Comment
Read more

KNIGHTS OF ST. JOHN (KSJI) TAKES A SWIPE AT BAD LEADERSHIPS IN NIGERIA

By Anne Ejuka
  Maj. Gen. (Prof) Remy Uche,  KSJI Supreme Subordinate President, Nigeria. As Christians all over the world marked  the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist on August 29 commemoration of his beheading by King Herod for speaking up to the truth, the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) of the Roman Catholic Church has taken a swipe against which it described as obnoxious and draconian leaderships in many spheres of life in Nigeria. The Knights of St. John International (KSJI), a sodality organisation of men and women looked up to in the Roman Catholic Church as people of integrity, is not happy with the current situation in the country where leaders in some places are not serving expectedly. According to a press statement made by the KSJI leader in Nigeria (Supreme Subordinate President), Maj Gen. Remy Uche (Prof), and signed on his behalf, by his Chief of Staff, Sir Abuchi Anueyiagu, to mark the feast of the Passion of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint...
Post a Comment
Read more

Breaking News: CBN Ordered To Immediately Suspend Enforcement Of Cuber-Security Levy

By Anne Ejuka
Hon. Tajudeen Abbass Speaker of the House of Representatives   The House of Representatives has ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to immediately suspend the enforcement of the controversial cybersecurity levy. The House took this decision following a motion raised by Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda on behalf of all members. The House had expressed concern that the circular issued by the CBN could be misunderstood by Nigerians, it however, noted that the directive does not align with the principles outlined in section 44(2a) of the cybercrime Act regarding the recipients responsible for paying the levy. The House urged the CBN to promptly retract its previous circular regarding the levy’s enforcement and instead publish a new circular aligned with the Act’s provisions. The cybersecurity levy was introduced by CBN through a circular to all banks on May 6, 2024, in accordance with the stipulations of the cybercrime Act.
Post a Comment
Read more