The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has restated that the agency is capable of carrying out its regulatory functions and will not abdicate its mandate to anybody.
Peterside made this known while receiving members of the National Association of Stevedoring Companies led by the President, Bolaji Sunmola at the agency’s headquarters in Lagos.
“It is NIMASA’s responsibility to oversight stevedoring functions in our ports, terminals and jetties and we will not abdicate that function to anybody. In the exercise of this function, we will interphase with terminal operators and the National Association of Stevedoring Companies to make sure maritime operations are not hampered,” he said.
He also noted that NIMASA understands the challenges faced by stevedoring companies and the terminal operators noting that the agency will consult further with all parties to ensure that there is an amicable resolution of the issues.
He ghlighted the importance of stevedoring companies to include facilitating economic growth, ensuring industrial harmony and also serving as a security shield in the ports.
“The Management of NIMASA has approved a comprehensive stevedoring guideline sensitization which would soon commence,” he said.
Earlier in his address, President of the association, Bolaji Sunmola had called on NIMASA to come to their rescue in respect of negotiations as it has become a norm for jetties and offshore/onshore operators to refuse federal government appointed stevedoring contractors to operate in their premises.
He pointed out that the appointment of stevedoring companies to these facilities was a deliberate attempt by government to avoid security breaches. He also appealed to the agency to activate the 2014 NIMASA Stevedoring Regulations which he thinks will go a long way in resolving the issues.