Australia, Norway partner NIMASA on technical, human capacity development

The Australian government is perfecting plans to partner the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the provision of technical support and human capacity development.

Angela Tierney, Australian deputy high commissioner to Nigeria, who said this during a courtesy visit to NIMASA headquarters in Lagos recently, commended the human capacity building drive of the agency and conveyed the willingness of her country to work with the agency to further consolidate in the drive of building the requisite capacity for the industry.

In a related development, the Norwegian ambassador to Nigeria, Rolf Ree, who earlier visited the agency, also stated his country’s readiness to provide technical support to NIMASA towards realising the full potentials of the Nigerian maritime industry.

A statement signed by Isichei Osamgbi, deputy director and head, public relations of NIMASA, Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, director-general of NIMASA, said while receiving the Australian high commissioner and the Norwegian ambassador separately, that the agency would appreciate partnership with major maritime nations such as Australia and Norway, particularly in the area of capacity building.

“Australia is a nation that enjoys high respect among the comity of maritime nations, and partnership with your country will surely help us realise the potentials of building a competent workforce that is poised to take the Nigerian maritime sector to greater heights,” Akpobolokemi said.

While meeting with the Norwegian ambassador, the NIMASA boss said “Norway has given the agency support that has been of immense benefit to Nigerian maritime sector,” and however urged Norway to not relent in their support, as such would continue to help the growth of maritime nation like Nigeria.

Akpobolokemi assured both envoys of an improvement in monitoring Nigeria’s maritime domain in real time “using a satellite surveillance system that covers the whole of Nigeria’s coast and that of Gulf of Guinea.” This progress, he said, would attract more commercial activity from around the world.

UZOAMAKA ANAGOR