…As IMO Audit Report provides the ‘Few Sins’ of NIMASA***

Following the stiff argument between some industry stakeholders and pro-NIMASA pundits who reasoned on the fairness or otherwise of the nation’s failure to clinch the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Category ‘C’ Council Seat in the London’s election, the Maritime First decided to bring to the public, the independent view of the IMO, via its Audit on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), which essentially noted few things the agency failed to do. The IMO Audit report painfully noted, amongst others that, while NIMASA’s Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards Department has a whopping 156 staff who handles IMO related issues, only just about 40 had any professional maritime expertise.

1. Besides: We consistently failed to provide IMO with all the reports as required by the mandatory IMO instruments. (III Code, paragraph 8.3; SOLAS 1974, article III; LL 1966, article 26; MARPOL, article 11; TONNAGE 1969, article 15.) See Form  A, FD-4.

Root cause:

2. There were no overall or sub level (Flag, coastal or port State) continuous performance monitoring and development systems to formally and periodically  evaluate  and  improve  the  effectiveness  of  State.  (III  Code, paragraph  11;  III  Code,  paragraph  13;  III  Code,  paragraph  14;  III  Code,paragraph  42;  III  Code,  paragraph  43;  III  Code,  paragraph  44;  III  Code, paragraph 51; III Code, paragraph 63.) See Form A, FD-2.

Root cause:

.3 Many of the mandatory IMO instruments and their amendments were not transposed into domestic legislation.  Furthermore, there were no detailed implementation regulations for the majority of IMO instruments and the few available  ones  were  not  updated  at  least  during  last  4  years.  (III  Code, Paragraph  4;  III  Code,  paragraph  8.1;  SOLAS  1974,  article  I;  MARPOL, article        1;      LL       1966,        article        1.)      See        Form         A,       FD-1.

Root cause:

1. The State did not have or implement an overall strategy to ensure that its international obligations and responsibilities as a flag, port and coastal State are met. (III Code, paragraph 3.) See Form A, OB-1.

Root cause:

8  Flag State activities:

8.1 “Flag State activities in the Federal Republic of Nigeria are carried out by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which was established by the “NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY ACT”, 2007. NIMASA is a Federal Agency, working under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transportation. It has a Governing Board of Directors which membership comprises of seasoned personalities with relevant qualifications, experience and Capacity applicable to Maritime Administration.

”The Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards Department has 156 staff who handles IMO related issues and about 40 of this staff have professional maritime expertise. The Marine Environment Management Department had 115 staff who handles IMO related issues”.

…To be Continued!