Kunle Kalejaye 16 September 2015, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has reiterated its commitment to capacity building, saying it was vital for the growth and development of nation’s maritime sector.
For this reason, NIMASA’s Acting Director General, Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro, said the agency was prepared to partner with the British military.Receiving a delegation from the British Military Advisory and Training Team, BMATT, led by Commander Shaun Quinn of the Royal Navy, during a courtesy visit to the agency head office in Apapa, Lagos, Mr. Jauro said the wiliness was there to partner with the British.
He added that the relationship between the British and the Nigerian government dated back to the pre-colonial era and that NIMASA was willing to consolidate on the already existing relationship between the two countries, especially in the area of training for the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector and the nation at large.
“The Agency is willing and ready to collaborate with the British Military in the area of training of our personnel because training is part of capacity building and capacity building is key to the growth and development of the maritime sector”, the director general said.
Earlier, the leader of the delegation who is also the BMATT Staff Officer Maritime, noted that the reason for the visit was to know some of the functions of the Agency and to also discuss possible areas of collaboration regarding training of its personnel towards enhancing a virile and safer maritime sector.
Commander Quinn also said that the British High Commission was busy refreshing relationships with the country since a new administration took over and that the British Military would always be ready to build a closer working relationship with the Nigerian government.
