Ultimate magazine theme for WordPress.

Maritime Safety: Nigeria domesticates IMO Laws

Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative to International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida handing over the instruments of Accession to the IMO Secretary General, Mr Koji Sekimizu.


L-R: Executive Director Maritime Safety and Shipping Development,
Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Capt. Bala Agaba,
Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Permanent Representative
to IMO,  Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida,
Secretary General International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Koji
Sekimizu,  Director of Legal IMO, Mr
Friedrick Kenny during Nigeria’s handing over of the instruments of Accession
at the IMO Headquarters in London.
Nigeria
has taken a major step towards concluding the process of domesticating five
International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulatory instruments with the
submission of the instruments of assent to five protocols of the IMO in London.

This
feat was achieved through the collaboration of Nigerian Maritime Administration
and Safety Agency (NIMASA) being the focal point of all IMO conventions in
Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) in a bid to ensure that
Nigeria continues to implement the various safety measures and practices as
endorsed by the IMO.

A
statement signed by the Deputy Director, Head of Public Relations of NIMASA, Mr
Isichei Osamgbi, said that the Nigerian High Commissioner and Permanent
Representative to the IMO, Dr Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, who presented the
instruments to the IMO Secretary-General, Koji Sekimizu on behalf of the
Nigerian Government listed the instruments to include the Safety of Lives at
Sea Protocol 1988 (as amended) and the Marine Pollution MARPOL Protocol of
1997.
Others
are the Protocol of 2005 to the Suppression of Unlawful Acts (SUA) Convention
1988, Protocol of 1988 to the SUA Convention Against Fixed Platforms on the
Continental Shelf, and the Protocol of 1988 to the International Convention on
Load Lines.
Dr
Tafida noted that “this submission is borne out of the desire of the Nigerian
Government to curb the menace of piracy and promote shipping activities in
Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea in line with international best practices’’
Responding,
the IMO Secretary-General expressed the organisation’s pleasure on the
submission of these core instruments, particularly three of which border on
Ships Standard, SUA Convention and SUA Protocol, which are significant towards
prevention of piracy.
Mr
Sekimizu therefore urged the Nigerian government not to relent in its war
against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
On his
part, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA), Dr Ziakede  Akpobolokemi who was represented by the
Executive Director Maritime Safety and Shipping Development Capt. Bala Agaba, noted
that with the deposition of the instruments of assent, the Agency was obliged
to enforce the provisions of the conventions to the letter, not only on Flag
Ships but also Port State Administration.
Nigeria
will now domesticate and gazetted these instruments, which will provide the
basis to develop guidelines on the implementation of the conventions and
protocols.
Nigeria
is not only highly placed but also occupies a strategic position in world
shipping trade in the Gulf of Guinea. The signing of these instruments will therefore
mark a turning point in the fight against ship piracy, pollution prevention and
control as well as load line convention on the ship standards.

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.