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FG achieves total monitoring of maritime domain

By on January 10, 2015

The federal government has attained a total monitoring of its maritime domain through the acquisition of satellite systems which uses radar to access movement of vessels and other navigational activities.

With a coastline of over 800 kilometres, an exclusive economic zone of well over 200 nautical miles, navigable inland waterways of 3,000 kilometres, six major seaports, 11 oil terminals, over 170 private jetties and six major inland container depots, monitoring Nigeria’s maritime domain  has often been  a daunting task.

However, with the acquisition of the satellite systems, Nigeria has succeeded in minimizing illegal activities in Nigeria waters.

The  Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Executive Director, Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Callistus Obi dropped the hint on the side lines of the recent  Work Boat Show in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America (USA).

He stated that the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has invested heavily in the maritime sector in recognition of the fact that 90 per cent of global trade is sea borne.

Obi revealed that acquisition of the satellite system is not only helping Nigeria but also other countries in the West and Central Africa Sub-regions as the agency through its radar and high-level intelligence gathering led to the rescue of a Ghanaian vessel from pirates on June 5, 2014.

His words: “The satellite platforms have made policing the Nigerian waters and some parts of the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) quite easier as ship movements are better monitored. NIMASA, with approval of relevant federal government agencies, established a fully digitalised Satellite Surveillance Centre (SSC) with sophisticated cloud penetrating radars. This is because for any sustainable and meaningful growth in the maritime sector, a robust maritime domain awareness system is inevitable. More so, the SSC doubles as a robust Maritime Domain Awareness, needed to effectively cover eight countries under the Regional Maritime Search and Rescue Centre (RMSRC). The countries are Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Benin, Sao Tome and Principe, Congo, Togo, Equatorial Guinea and Congo Democratic Republic.

“Our desire is to provide a safety net for all those doing business within Nigerian waters. With the NIMASA satellite surveillance centre, which was launched recently, the agency is now able to respond to any distress call on Nigerian waters and even beyond. The rescue of the Ghanaian vessel was the first regional cooperation between NIMASA, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and the Ghanaian Authorities in the anti-piracy war in the Gulf of Guinea. It was hinged on the provisions of the bilateral agreement on regional cooperation on anti-piracy in the region. Nigeria, as signatory to the International Safety of Life and Sea (SOLAS) and Search and Rescue (SAR) Conventions, is obliged to intervene and provide co-ordination during safety and security-related incidents in her territorial waters and beyond,” he said.

According to Obi, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) the agency signed with Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force have helped in curbing the incidents of piracy.

“NIMASA’s MoU with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force to enhance water patrol and aerial surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime domain has been very successful,” he said.

On why the agency entered into the MoU, the Executive Director explained that NIMASA staff  are not empowered by law to carry arms.

“We had to sign the agreement with the military since the primary responsibility is to safeguard the territorial integrity of the country. The military has the machinery and manpower and this partnership is working excellently. The Nigerian waters are safe and we are working hard to make it even safer. As we all know, safety of lives and property is a significant prerequisite for the growth and investment in any institution, sector or society. This is why maritime safety and security have become engrained in us in NIMASA. It is a way of life; an aspect that is never compromised,” he  said.

 

[ThisDay]