The Nigerian Navy has accused the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) of going beyond its mandate and delving into maritime security which is not its responsibility.
Chief of Training and Operations, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Solomon Agada, said this in Abuja Tuesday at a public hearing on a bill to repeal the NIMASA Act 2007 and re-enact NIMASA Act 2021.
The hearing was organised by the House Committee on Maritime Education Safety, Education and Administration.
Admiral Agada said “the Navy observed that the “word ‘security’ was used without conceptual clarification. It’s essential that the word ‘security’ is replaced with administration in the preamble of the bill and subsequent sections.
“This is necessary to ensure NIMASA focuses on the core mandate of regulatory safety agency in order to avoid conflict with the Nigerian Navy’s constitutional responsibility of maritime security of the nation.”
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, represented by Director, Legal Services, Pius Oteh, said the ministry aligned itself with the bill to repeal the NIMASA Act 2007 and reenact the new Act.
He said the bill would make NIMASA become more efficient and responsive in discharging its responsibilities.
NIMASA Executive Director Cabotage, Victor Ochei, who represented the Director-General, said: “I want to start first by aligning ourselves completely with the position of our parent Ministry because we work closely. It’s in this line that I stand to adopt any submission made by the Federal Ministry of Transportation with regards to these bills”.
Earlier, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, stressed the need to strengthen the maritime sector as it is one of the fulcra of the nation’s economy.
He said the bills sought to reform and reorganize the nation’s maritime transportation industry fundamentally.