The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has expressed satisfaction at the compliance level of Nigeria with the International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) facility Code at the nation’s ports.
A delegation from the USCG led by Lt. Commander Jacob Hopper of the International Port Security (IPS) Liaison for USCG in West and Central Africa and Europe who were on a two-day visit to ports in Lagos stated that there has been a lot of improvements in the nation’s port as a result of the security architecture put in place.
In his remarks, Hopper commended the feat achieved by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which is the Designated Authority (DA) for the code in Nigeria and also noted that he was elated by the level of expertise and knowledge demonstrated by the NIMASA personnel during the visit.
While describing the NIMASA team as very resourceful, he charged the Agency not to rest on its oars in ensuring total compliance to the issues relating to safety and security at the nation’s ports.
In his address, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside thanked the USCG for their continuous support and noted that the Agency remains committed to the ideals of international best practices in carrying out its mandates.
The DG, represented by the Executive Director, Operations, of the Agency, Rotimi Fashakin noted that the goal of NIMASA is to attain 100 per cent compliance with the ISPS Code as the agency remains open to all forms of collaboration with Stakeholders both locally and internationally.