The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr Bashir Jamoh, has said that his administration is working towards ensuring that the certificate of competency issued by the agency meets international standards.
In a statement the Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA, Osagie Edward, Jamoh said this recently when NIMASA hosted the management of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas led by its Managing Director, Dr Philip Mshelbila, at its headquarters in Apapa, Lagos.
According to the statement, the visit was for the two agencies to set up a working committee for a better working synergy.
Jamoh commended the NLNG for providing platforms for sea time to train Nigerian seafarers, noting that he was committed to attaining best global practices to ensure that certificates issued by Nigeria were recognised globally.
“We are working to ensure that the Certificates of Competency issued by the Nigerian Maritime Administration are of international standards.”
This, he said, would make it easy for the NLNG and other international organisations to accept them.”
The NIMASA DG said that the committee would be meeting regularly to ensure improved liaison between both organisations in the interest of Nigeria.
The NIMASA and the NLNG agreed to urgently look into port charges and how best to make Nigerian ports competitive; effective implementation of the Cabotage Law; stevedoring charges; certificates of competency recognition, and registration of NLNG vessels on the Nigerian ship registry, amongst others.
The statement also quoted Jamoh as saying that a better working relationship between NIMASA and the NLNG would greatly enhance operations in the maritime sector of the country.
He assured the NLNG management that NIMASA would extend the already existing working relationship it had with the NLNG Ship Management Limited to the parent body, while also urging NLNG to consider the Nigerian flag as the first option for her vessels.
“This is a new beginning; our focus should be what is best for Nigeria and not just for the NLNG or NIMASA.”
Jamoh said that the agency needed the NLNG to boost the nation’s tonnage.
“NIMASA needs the NLNG. We desire to have vessels of the NLNG fly the Nigerian flag. Just imagine that vessels of the NLNG are on the Nigerian Registry, our tonnage will increase exponentially, the Nigerian flag will earn much more respect globally and we will get better recognition,” he said.
Earlier, Mshelbila had noted that the management of the NLNG was committed to the deliberate indigenisation of the human component of its operation, adding that NLNG was ready to partner NIMASA to enhance safety and security of lives and assets in the Nigerian maritime domain.
He noted that the company was on the same page with NIMASA in terms of capacity development and the quest to ensure Nigeria attained internationally acceptable standards in her operations in the maritime sector.
“We at NLNG have realized that for us to fulfill one of our key vision elements, which is helping to build a better Nigeria, it is important for us to work with all our stakeholders, including NIMASA. We are aware that NIMASA and our subsidiary, NMSL are working hand in hand for the progress of this country and we desire that the same spirit of partnership and collaboration should be extended to the NLNG. I believe that for NLNG to fulfill its mission as a business it needs to partner with NIMASA.”
