By Adedapo Adesanya
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Dayo Mobereola, has called for the review of the 2007 NIMASA Act to tackle piracy on the nation’s territorial waters.
Speaking at a media conference in Lagos on Monday, Mr Mobereola said that the bill, when reviewed, would give the agency the right to control and monitor all kinds of vessel operations in the nation’s territorial waters.
“The menace that has been carried out in the maritime domain is not done by the biggest vessels but the smaller vessels.
“We will ensure all boats operating on our waters are well regulated to stop piracy,” Mr Mobereola said, promising to meet with the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) to agree on how the smaller boats would be properly regulated.
NIMASA Act 2007 also known as the Merchant Shipping Act makes provision for shipping and the registration, licensing, and marking of ships in Nigeria.
The 2007 NIMASA Act also contains provisions relative to the carriage of dangerous goods by ships and the prevention of pollution from ships.
Mr Mobereola also promised that his administration would do all it could to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime sector.
Modupe Gbadeyanka