As part of the Federal Government’s ongoing moves to optimize the economic potential of the nation’s maritime industry for national development, President Bola Tinubu has signed the instruments of accession for six Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The signing of the instruments will create opportunity for Nigeria to deposit these instruments of accession at the IMO headquarters, which serves as the repository for such conventions and by so doing, improve Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international best standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
The Assistant Director, Public Relations at Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Osagie Edward, in a statement issued on the deal, listed the six instruments signed by President Tinubu as including, the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol of 2005 to the 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf, and the Instrument of Accession of the International Convention of Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch-keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel 1995.
Others are the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973 as Amended (INTERVENTION PROTOCOL); the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol of 1996 to Amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC) 1976; the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol to the 1974 Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by Sea, 2002; and the Instrument of Accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
While presenting the instruments to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, thanked the Minister for facilitating the signing of the IMO conventions by the President after pending for years in the ministry.
The NIMASA boss enthused: “These six instruments have been lying within the Ministry for the last 6 to 8 years, and thanks to the efforts of the Honorable Minister, they have now been assented to by the President. This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria, as the IMO will soon update our records to recognize these instruments.”
In his remarks, the Minister reassured the nation’s maritime industry stakeholders of the President’s commitment to developing the industry in line with global best practices.
The deposit of the six instruments of ratification will be carried out by the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy in collaboration with NIMASA.
Industry experts believe that by signing these instruments of accession, Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to position Nigeria among the comity of maritime nations committed to exploring economic benefits for sustainable development of their economies.
