MASPAN 2021 AGM: FG Can’t Handle Maritime Security Alone – Experts

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  Emmanuel Maiguwa Emerges MASPAN President

By Kenneth Jukpor

Maritime Security experts have argued that the onus of safeguarding the nation’s territorial waters shouldn’t be seen as an obligation for the government alone as all leading maritime nations have deployed Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to attain safer waters.

Veteran shipping personnel made this postulations at the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN) in Lagos, yesterday, adding that it would be a misnomer for the federal government to assume exclusive right of protecting the waters instead of exploring collaborative approaches with private operators.

The lead paper presenter at the event themed: “Maritime Security Efforts in Nigeria: Government and Private Sector Partnerships,” Capt. Enisuoh Warredi stressed this position in his paper, even as he asserted that maritime insecurity is a problem beyond any singular government.

While commending the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) for their efforts in acquiring assets to enable them see the activities on the nation’s territorial waters, he noted that the new challenge is prompt response to stop activities of piracy, oil spill or other illicit deals on the waters.

His words: “At the Australian Maritime Safety Agency (AMSA), we can see one-tenth of the world’s maritime space and I have been told that Nigerian Navy, NIMASA and NPA have assets that can equally see a large space of Nigerian waters and even the Gulf of Guinea. The problem now is speedy response because it is one thing to see that a crime is being committed on the waters and an entire different thing to be able to respond quickly to tackle the situation and for this you need collaboration with the private operators”

Meanwhile, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral A.Z Gambo, described the theme of the conference, “Maritime Security Efforts in Nigeria: Government and Private Sector Partnerships” as apt.

The CNS, who was represented by Rear Admiral Abraham Adaji, stated that collaboration between public and private stakeholders would improve the maritime security system in the country.

According to the Naval boss, most maritime nations who have achieved tranquility on their waters have done so as a result of robust collaborative efforts between the private sector operators and the government agencies.

He noted that the Nigerian Navy, NIMASA and the NPA have already created a synergy, subsequently, he encouraged MASPAN to deepen the linkage with the private sector.

At the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Bricks Murstern Mattoni Limited, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa was elected as President of Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria (MASPAN).

Maiguwa, who was elected unopposed at the 2021 MASPAN AGM is also the President of the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron, AMANO, served as the MASPAN General Secretary in the previous executive administration of MASPAN.

Speaking with newsmen after the elections, Maiguwa thanked the members of MASPAN for entrusting him and other executives with the onus of leading the association.

He assured that the new executives would deliver quality leadership and display high level professionalism and dedication in the discharge of their duties.

“One of the first things is to understand that the leadership of MASPAN is one that brings people from different organizations with different goals. Our first task would be to ensure that the executive members proceed at the same speed and with rich understanding of the objectives of the association,” Maiguwa said.

He stressed that the new executives would undergo a sort of internal training to enable fully understand the goals and objectives of the body, adding that this strategy would also enable the new leadership develop a roadmap for the administration.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the MASPAN Board of Trustees, Rear Admiral Francis Akpan (Rtd) congratulated the newly elected executives, admonishing them to not only keep the high level professionalism of the body, but also build upon it.

Akpan opined that the crop of leaders as MASPAN executives, which has over 80 percent Managing Directors, boast veterans that could bring their wealth of experience on maritime security and administrative acumen to take the association to greater heights.

Other elected executives elected at the MASPAN 2021 AGM were; Vice President, Commodore Temisan Freedom (Rtd); General Secretary, Mr. Armah Anyebe; Publicity Secretary, Mr. Aligbe Andrew; Financial Secretary, Ms. Oladipo Rebecca Julius; and Welfare Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Bodunrin.