Navy to review MoU with NIMASA, calls for more collaboration

•As Minister of Defense advocates integration

In a bid to strengthen its collaborative effort in combating insecurity in the maritime sector, Nigerian Navy has commenced moves to review the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.

Speaking in Lagos during a working visit to the headquarters of NIMASA, Chief of Naval Staff, CNS,Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, said the Navy recognises NIMASA as the nation’s maritime administration and the agency will get the support of the Navy whenever the need arises.

Ogalla also said that the Navy’s collaboration with NIMASA is to ensure complete security of the Nigerian maritime domain.

He said: “We appreciate the collaboration between the NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy. The essence is to ensure complete security of the maritime domain for the good of the country and boost the Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

“As much as the Navy plays a significant role, the Navy recognizes that NIMASA is the maritime administration for Nigeria and the agency is doing well in the discharge of its responsibilities.

In a related development, the Minister of State for Defense, Bello Matawalle, has advocated for integration of the operations of the Command Control Computer Communication Information, CCCi, System of the NIMASA and the surveillance facility of the Nigerian Navy known as the Falcon eye system for the security of the Nigerian Maritime space to engender economic prosperity.

Matawalle who stated this shortly after a working visit to the NIMASA C4i center in Kirikiri to inspect the operational model of the facility said that Nigeria will benefit much more if all agencies of the government can synergize seamlessly and improve information sharing amongst one another for the benefit of Nigeria.

Reacting to the development, Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola who was represented by the Agency’s Executive Director Operations Engineer Fatai Adeyemi said: “This is simply a show of commitment of this administration to effective collaboration amongst all organs of government to achieve a common goal and in this instance, maritime security. I believe that’s a step in the right direction. And I’m sure by the time that is done, you know, it’s going to give us a more secured marine environment.”