Vincent Toritseju
17 September 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — THE Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has commenced moves to secure the marine operating environment to checkmate criminal activities in the nation’s territorial waters.
Speaking in Lagos recently when a Federal Government team for the implementation of the Harmonized Standard Operating Procedure on the arrest, detention, and prosecution of offenders in the maritime environment, paid a working visit to the corporate headquarters of the NPA in Marina, the authority’s Managing Director, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman said that the authority was to synergize with the Committee to holistically harmonize issues from Stakeholders towards covering all areas of concern in respect of the subject on the front burner.
She stated that the NPA management is paying premium attention towards contributing effectively in the area of providing arrested vessels location on the nation’s waters while calling for swift action to be taken to evacuate such vessels, an activity she said would create an enabling environment for greater operational efficiency.
Bala admitted that a safe and secure environment will restore sanity at the anchorages just as more revenue will be generated for the nation.
She further stated that the NPA is soliciting support from stakeholders on the subject adding that the place of information sharing in attaining a successful task in this respect cannot be over emphasized.
Earlier, the chairman of the committee, Rear Admiral Felix Bobai informed the NPA Management that the Committee came as part of her sensitization efforts at parleying with Stakeholders to ensure adequate collaboration and cooperation in efforts aimed at coordinating the agenda and targets set before them.
This he said would engender safe Maritime Harbours in line with best practices.
Rear Admiral Bobai told Stakeholders that the major agenda facing the committee is to partner with regional and sub-regional governance on maritime safety and security for the nation to harness plausible natural endowment accruable to her by nature and consequently join the comity of successful of Maritime nations.
