DG. NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that maritime laws and instruments are dynamic in nature and therefore requires legal practitioners in the industry to update their knowledge of these laws and legal instruments regularly.

He also said that this dynamic nature of laws and conventions regulating the industry is crucial to the growth and development of the industry.

The DG, who spoke at the dinner event of the yearly general meeting of Nigeria Maritime Law Association NMLA, held at Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital at the weekend, described the maritime industry, which is driven by international laws and conventions as a pillar of the economy and therefore insists that issues regarding the industry must be taken seriously.

The NMLA is a body of lawyers and related professionals in the maritime industry established in 1977. It is the Nigerian Chapter of the Comity Maritime International CMI, which was the first known international organisation concerned with maritime law and related commercial practices.

“The maritime industry is driven by international and municipal laws with an infusion of technology which makes the industry always evolving. Maritime law practice is a specialised branch of law so practitioners must update their knowledge to meet up with the pace of the change of the industry”

“The responsibility of enforcing the ground norm of maritime; the Merchant Shipping Act is the sole responsibility of NIMASA. NMLA is our major ally as we continue to strive to ensure the development of maritime industry for the economic benefit of our great country. I will like to commend this special association for being our worthy partners and we will continue to show our support for NMLA”, he said.

The DG, who described the maritime laws as very important to the agency, added that majority of such laws govern commercial aspects of shipping as well as navigation, which are core functions of NIMASA in line with its commitment to ensure that Nigeria’s maritime domain remains safe and secure for maritime business to thrive.

Meanwhile, President of the association, Mr Chidi Ilogu  SAN said that  NIMASA as the maritime safety administration of Nigeria has a great role to play in the development of the maritime industry.

He however commended the management of the agency for ushering in a new direction for the maritime industry reforming and repositioning the agency.