From left: Senator Barry Mpigi of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, DG NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR; Chairman of the committee Senator Wasiu Eshinlokun; Senator Ashiru  Yisa, Senate Abdul Ningi, both members of the committee, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority NPA Mohammed Bello- Koko, and Senator Oluranti Adebule during an interactive session and oversight visit to agencies under the supervision of the committee in Lagos, Monday.

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, OFR has said that the country’s maritime sector is one of the fastest growing on the African continent.

Dr Jamoh, who stated this during an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Marine Transport with Chief Executive Officers of agencies of government in the nation’s maritime sector, noted that the agency has embraced collaboration and peer review exercises with other MARADs on the African continent and globally.

“We regularly undertake peer review exercises amongst maritime Administrations not just on the African continent, but globally. We have learnt a lot from reviews with the South African Maritime Administration SAMSA, and Maritime Port Authority of Singapore MPA. We have also provided mentorship for maritime administrations on the African continent. Countries like Gambia, Sierra Leone and Ghana amongst others have come for mentorship on various issues such as Port and Flag State Administration and the SPOMO Act”, he said.

Speaking earlier, Chairman Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Sanni Eshinlokun noted that the interactive session is to ensure that the legislature and the implementing organs of government are on the same page to ensure Nigerians enjoy benefits accruable from the blue economy.

“With the determination and commitment of the Federal Government under the able leadership of President Bola Tinubu towards reviving the economy, I believe that better days are ahead and the current difficulty will surely come to pass.  It is in this regard that the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was created with the mandate of coordinating and supervising the activities and operations in the maritime sector. The creation of the Ministry is born out of the enormous opportunities that are in the marine and blue economy and the desire to fully harness them”, the Chairman said.

On his part, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN Oron, Commodore Emmanuel Duja Effedua during his presentation acknowledged the role NIMASA played in transforming the academy to be one of the best globally.

“Today, MAN Oron has the state- of –the- art equipment in training seafarers comparable to the best globally, and NIMASA’S commitment to funding the academy played a major role in the achievements recorded in the academy,” Effedua said.

The Senate Committee on Marine Transport was in Lagos, as part of their oversight functions, to receive briefings from the Parastatals under the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy Ministry. They are; NIMASA, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC); Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). Others are Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN) and Maritime Academy of Nigeria MAN, Oron.