The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has began talks with the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) on meteorological data with a view to ensuring safety at the Nigerian territorial waters.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside made this disclosure when the Director General of NIMET, Dr. Anthony Anuforom and his Management team paid a working visit to the Head Quarters of NIMASA in Lagos.
Dr. Peterside further disclosed that the Agency is interested in studying meteorological data for ships by way of giving them information, analyzing data for ships, dissemination of information and in any other way that meteorological data can aid navigation for safety of lives and vessels on sea.
“In pursuit of that mandate, we are ever ready to collaborate with anybody who can be of assistance to us. Without a doubt, by reason of the technical capacity you have in the study of weather analysis of meteorological data, you are definitely useful to us. It is in realization of that piece of fact that a relationship was initiated sometimes in 2008.
“It is in the same realization that we set out to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between our Agencies in pursuit of common objectives of securing lives and assets at sea, in line with the provisions of SOLAS, particularly Chapter 5, which is an instrument of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)”, the DG said.
While also appreciating the importance of climate observation and meteorological data to safety of lives at sea, the NIMASA boss reiterated the Agency’s commitment in ensuring safety and security of lives and assets on the sea, stating that, “as an Agency concerned with the safety of our people, we cannot ignore that. Because of the evolution around climate change, it makes it imperative and compelling that we consummate this relationship which we initiated earlier. NIMASA is totally committed to the relationship and I can say to you that whatever we need to do to ensure that we sign the dotted lines by way of an MoU, at most by first quarter of next year will be done.
“We are not signing the MoU for signing sake; there is a mutually beneficial relationship for NIMET, for NIMASA and for those who need our services, especially mariners. They need this meteorological data and weather information to assure them that their safety is guaranteed, that they are on course and that they are doing the right thing.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) Dr. Anthony Anuforom who acknowledged the role of the maritime industry to economic development expressed willingness to collaborate with NIMASA in its quest to ensure protection of lives and assets at sea.
“We are so active and vibrant in aviation and we believe that we should be even more vibrant considering the contribution of the maritime sector to this economy. With the number of ships that come in, issues of safety and security are paramount,” the NIMET boss stated.
