The Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi has assured the Nigerian Navy of the Authority’s maximum cooperation and support in its efforts to curtail piracy and other maritime crimes in the nation’s waterways.
Mallam Abdullahi gave this assurance while receiving the new Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral JKZ Ango, who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lagos on Tuesday.
Abdullahi said that although NPA is not the designated authority responsible for security at the nation’s ports, it has the responsibility of collaborating with the Nigerian Navy, Marine Police and other security agencies in order to ensure the safety of the channels for smooth navigation in compliance with International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) Code.
He noted that by assisting the Nigerian Navy, NPA is assisting itself since such assistance is always mutually beneficial to both parties as this collaboration will further boost the contributions of the maritime industry to the nation’s economy.
On the request for assistance in the training of tug masters for the Nigerian Navy earlier made by the FOC, the NPA Managing Director told his guest that the Authority is prepared to enter into partnership with the Navy after all required consultations must have made.
Earlier, Rear Admiral Ango had thanked the NPA boss for his assistance to the Nigerian Navy over the years. He said his visit was part of a familiarization tour of maritime agencies within the Western Naval Command.
Ango particularly expressed the gratitude of the Nigerian Navy for the donation of patrol boats to the Navy last year and solicited NPA’s support for regular maintenance of the boats.
Rear Admiral Ango assumed duty as the Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy in December 2014. Before then, he was the Chief of Staff of the Command.
He was accompanied on the visit by the Command Operations Officer, Commodore Amo Sunmola, Command Intelligence officer, Captain PE Meteke and other Naval officers.
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