Skip to main content

NIMASA DG Hails Navy As Agency Hosts FOC Western Naval Command

By Anne Ejuka

 … Sets Up Standing Committee For Blue Economy 


 The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA Dr Bashir Jamoh OFR says collaboration with the Nigerian Navy has played a key role in the achievements of his Administration in terms of maritime security in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea. 


The NIMASA DG stated this  when he received the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hasssan and a delegation of senior Naval officers in Lagos, Nigeria.


Jamoh noted that the Nigerian model is now being adopted in other countries, adding that the change in narratives about security in Nigerian waters from the era of over 26 Piracy incidents and negative media exposure, to no single piracy incident in Nigerian waters for almost two years now, is a direct product of effective collaboration of the Maritime Administration with the Nigerian Navy,  a relationship he hopes to deepen.



 In his words "Collaboration with the Nigerian Navy is largely responsible for the confidence of stakeholders in the current Management of the agency; I was in Brazil last week, the South Americans and even  our neighbors like Ghana are eager to learn how we arrived at this MARAD-NAVY collaboration yielding successes. Just imagine that the negative media exposure in  2019-2020 about prevalent piracy and criminal activities in Nigerian waters had continued, you can only imagine where Nigeria would have been by now. I am glad we sought and got collaboration with the Navy”.



The NIMASA Helmsman noted that the NIMASA is eager to ensure policy that will make Nigerians enjoy benefits accruable from the Blue Economy. “The time has come for us to implement our Crude to Blue campaign since 2021. Maritime stakeholders in Nigeria should be ready  to repay President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for creating the Marine and Blue Economy Ministry. If we must make headway in Tourism and fishing, security is priority. We will make a case for the designation of Marine Protected Areas particularly for fishing and the Nigerian Navy definitely will play a major role”. The DG stated.


The constitution of an eight-man committee, comprising four each from the Navy and NIMASA was also announced to serve as catalyst for Shift from Crude to Blue, now that Nigeria has a Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The FOC West, Rear Admiral Mustapha Hassan, noted the need to sustain information sharing between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy. He commended NIMASA Management for the non-kinetic support to the Western Naval Command. 

He also requested NIMASA to support 'Operation Water Guard' to combat smuggling around the Badagry channel.

The FOC West, who had the Commander Deep Blue Commodore  OA Akinbami on his entourage, noted that the Deep Blue assets are fully functional and requested for further deepening of information sharing between the Western Naval Command and the NIMASA C4i center.

He also urged NIMASA to bring to the notice of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the need for Nigeria to take possession of a border island in Badagry, the  oil rich Tongeji Island between Nigeria and Benin Republic for maritime tourism in particular. Dr Jamoh described the oil rich island as a low hanging fruit for the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, with an assurance that the Agency will relate with the supervising Ministry for further actions, particularly as regards maritime tourism.

The closest village to the Tongeji Island in Nigeria is Badagry and it is about 55 minutes by water, while just 5 minutes from Porto Novo. The residents speak French and English and they do their daily shopping from Porto Novo. 

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NCS Medical Team Trains Apapa Area Command Officers On First Aid

By Anne Ejuka
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) medical team yesterday trained officers and men of the Apapa Area Command on basic first aid training. ‎ ‎The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Emmanuel Oshoba according to a press release issued by the public relations officer of the command, Superintendent of Customs SC JT Ayagbalo described the initiative as a crucial investment in workplace safety and operational readiness. ‎ ‎In his welcome address, Comptroller Oshoba emphasized that the programme reflects the priority placed on staff welfare by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR. ‎ ‎He described first aid knowledge as a universal life skill that every adult should possess, especially officers as they are frequently exposed to high-risk operational environments. ‎ ‎ Oshoba noted that simple but timely interventions such as; CPR, bleeding control, choking relief and stroke recognition often determine whether a victim survives, fully recov...
Post a Comment
Read more

NIMASA Reshuffles Management Team For Enhanced Efficiency And Inter-departmental Collaboration

By Anne Ejuka
I n an exercise aimed  at strengthening  inter-departmental collaboration and inject new energy into the system to further improve performance and enhance efficiency across the maritime sector, The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced a strategic redeployment of its management staff as part of efforts to enhance operational efficiency and service delivery in line with its core mandate.   Under the new structure, according to a press statement issued by Mr. Edward Osagie FNIPR,  Head, Public Relations Officer of the agency, a total of 56 management staff were affected in the exercise. Notable amongst those redeployed are; Hajia Moji Jimoh who becomes Director, Administration and Human Resources; Aishatu Jidda, Director, Planning, Research and Data Management Services; Barr. Heaky Dimowo, Director, Legal Services/Board Secretary; Isichei Osamgbi, Director, SERVICOM; and Mrs. Olubusola Obasanjo-Akande, Director, Western Zone. Othe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Comptroller Otunla Gives Insights On Strategies Adopted In Achieving Mandate At Ogun1 Command

By Anne Ejuka
Comptroller Godwin Aderounmu Otunla, who assumed duties as Customs Area Controller of Ogun 1 Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service Idiroko, Ogun State on Thursday 24th of April 2025 has continued to build on existing successes, strengthening the fight against smuggling and emphasizing his commitment to professionalism and integrity in customs operations. The Comptroller, in an exclusive interview with a group of selected journalists at the command's headquarters in Idiroko last Friday in the presence of the Public Relations Officers of the Command, CSC Chado Zakari revealed strategies he has adopted in achieving his mandate of trade facilitation, anti smuggling and revenue generation not leaving out officers welfare at the command. Excerpts : Question : Sir, having served for upward of 34 years now and reaching the pinnacle rank of Comptroller of Customs, and Customs Area Controller, how would you describe the feelings sir?‎ Response: Yes, am very, very elated with good ...
Post a Comment
Read more