The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged to support and work with the Association of Marine Engineers and Surveyors (AMES) to build a virile maritime administration in the country.
Director General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside stated this yesterday when he received members of the association led by its president, Charles Uwadia who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lagos.
Peterside while highlighting the important role of marine engineers said there is need to develop manpower which he described as the greatest asset in the industry.
According to him, the agency cannot achieve its mandate of building a sustainable maritime administration without the support of key stakeholders especially professionals.
“In our attempts to build a maritime administration in the country we cannot achieve that without the support of key stakeholders especially professionals in the industry. That is why we must do everything to earn your support. It is only then we can move the industry forward.
“It is good we have assets in the industry but the greatest asset in the industry you can have is the manpower. Ships without who can man it and certify them safe is worthless,” he said.
He said NIMASA is putting up a new policy for nomination of surveyors and standard operating procedure for boarding of vessels.
Earlier in his address, President of AMES, Engr. Charles Uwadia reiterated the need for the appointment of professionals in policy and decision making in the industry.
He noted that the dearth of technical expertise at the policy level in the federal ministry of transport and its agencies is hindering the drive for the country to attain the intended maritime hub business in West and Central Africa.
He also urge Peterside to address the proliferation of foreign surveyors holding positions in classification societies while qualified Nigeria surveyors are redundant.