Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — In a bid to enhance maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, GoG, six African countries namely Ghana, Benin Republic, Cameroon, Angola, and Cote d’Ivoire met in Lagos, Nigeria to find solution to menace of piracy in the region.
The meeting which was hosted by Nigeria through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA in collaboration with the Kofi Annan International Center for Peacekeeping.
The meeting was a follow up to the technical working group of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Integrated Maritime Security Strategies to enhance maritime security in the region.
The meeting was also a fall out of the Younde agreement which led to the creation of three multi-national centers with a regional Center in Cote D’ Voire.
Speaking newsmen on the development, NIMASA’s Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh said that the meeting will bring members of the regional body together under one platform so as work out modalities in tackling the challenges posed by the activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
Similarly, an official of the Nigerian Navy, Vincent Aligbe who was also in attendance said that there have been solution adding that implementing these solution was the major challenges facing the regional body.
Aligbe also said that the political will of what is needed by members states to implement the solutions proffered..
He stated; ‘‘the biggest challenges is not finding solution but implementing the solutions. We need the political will to implement the solution.
Recall that NIMASA has been at the Vanguard of the fight against pirate attacks against vessel sailing through the Gulf of Guinea.
