The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has welcomed a plan by the European Union to invest over €20million on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Peterside stated this when he received a delegation of EU consultants led by Chris Hedley visited him on Monday.
He commended the EU for the initiative and also called on other partners to collaborate with the NIMASA and Nigeria to eradicate piracy and other criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
He said, “More than ever, Nigeria is better positioned to take advantage of strategic partnerships to make the country the hub of maritime activities in West and Central Africa.”
The NIMASA DG, who observed that the Gulf of Guinea is very strategic to world trade, also assured the delegation of the agency’s determination to tackle the menace of crime at sea in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Earlier in his address, Hedley said the EU planned to use the funds in developing and strengthening legislations, building capacity in maritime security and developing the necessary information technology for member nations with a view to eradicating piracy and other related crimes in the Gulf of Guinea.
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