By Aliyu DANLADI
The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), on Thursday in Lagos advised maritime stakeholders on the need to maintain and enforce safety measures in the work place.
the Director-General (DG) of NIMASA Dr Dakuku Peterside, speaking during the agency’s 2018 Annual Maritime Administration and Safety Enforcement Workshop said that it behoves on NIMASA to ensure safety within the nation’s maritime domain.
The theme of the event was “Maritime Enforcement Safety: Current Global Benchmarks.”
The D-G said that creating awareness on safety measure was the first step toward achieving the goals that entailed increase productivity, reduction in potential hazards, fewer accidents and the promotion of safety practices.
“The initiation of Maritime Administration and Safety Enforcement (MASE) is to provide hands-on safety procedures that aid the industry to carry out responsibilities under the NIMASA Act of 2007 and related conventions.
“MASE is devised to be compliant with maritime Health Safety Environment regulations which are solely for identifications, assessment and control of hazards prone to enforcement operations in onshore and offshore facilities.
“MASE is set for officers directly involved in maritime regulatory activity in Nigeria,’’ Peterside said.
The D-G, who listed some of the risk control measures, charged stakeholders drawn from both the public and the private sector to be mindful of the dangers attached to their work place in order for the nation to sustain International Maritime Organisation (IMO) directive.
Regional Administrator, OSH Association, UK Nigeria Region, Mr Emmanuel Uwalaka, guest at the event, who spoke on the topic “Maritime Enforcement Safety, Current Global Benchmarks” said that Nigeria would not lag behind others.
According to him every effort should be made to put the country’s maritime safety at par with other countries since as a player in the global trade the universal benchmark is what is applicable.
“Our attention to such directives determine to a great extent the way and manner the world relates to us,’’ he said.
