Nigeria re-elected, glows at international maritime assembly
From David Ogah, London
NIGERIA has confirmed her growing influence within the comity of maritime nations and would continue to join the industrialised and advanced maritime countries to take decision and make policies for the advancement of global d maritime transport. This is because of her election into the prestigious council of the world maritime regulatory body, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
As a member of the council, she would be seating with United States, United Kingdom, Italy, and Russia. Canada, Greece and a host of others to determine the direction of the world maritime trade in the next two years.
The country became victorious at the keenly contested election in the category C of the council membership after week -long manoeuvres by delegates to the 26th session of the organisation's General Assembly, which started last Monday. Transport Minister, Alhaji Ibrahim Bio, led the Nigerian delegation to the Assembly. Nigeria scored a total of 121 of the 169-vote cast to clinch the 8th position and the second African countries that joined the prestigious IMO council
Nigeria contested in the same election two years ago and was placed 19th position, although she also won the election then with 87 votes.
In all, 26 member states of the 169 member states of the organisation competed for the 20 vacant seats, but at the end only Kuwait, United Arab Emirate (UAE), Marshal Island, and Cook Island. Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan were not voted for.
The countries including Nigeria were elected because of their special interest in maritime transport and navigation and whose election would ensure geographical representation at the council of the international maritime regulatory body.
The Nigerian Transport minister who took the floor of the IMO Assembly shortly before the election to convince delegates on the need to elect the country into the council enumerated in oratory manner the various efforts by Nigeria to join the rest of the maritime countries of the world to improve maritime transport and navigation by ensuring safe and secure navigation in clean oceans.
According to him, Nigeria remains a significant maritime player in the West and Central African sub-region, adding that the country in partnership with her neighbours have continued to ensure that issues that are core to IMO such as safety of life at sea, maritime security, maritime environment protection, issues of human element in shipping, Green House Gas emission, piracy and armed robbery against ships on international voyage and a handful of others were coordinated and implemented in an effective manner.
"Why does Nigeria want to be re-elected into the council of IMO? The reason is simple. Nigeria is a significant maritime player in the West and Central Africa sub-region. Nigeria, in partnership with its neighbours has significant responsibilities to ensure that the key issues that are core of IMO responsibilities such as safety of life at sea, maritime security, marine environment protection, issues in human element in shipping, Green House Gas Emission, Goal based new ship construction. Piracy against ships on international trade and a host of others are coordinated and implemented in an effective manner. No one country can go it alone. Nigeria's membership of the council will ensure that it's on going contributions to the work of the august body will continue and indeed re-invigorated at the highest level of policy making and decision".
On the voluntary member states audit scheme, the minister said as a developing country, Nigeria strongly believes that the voluntary IMO member state audit scheme is an important diagnostic tool for the industry for all countries adding, health check gives one the opportunity to take corrective measures. Nigeria supports the scheme...
As part of his campaign for votes, Bio said Nigeria was one of the first countries to accede to the international convention on the environmentally sound recycling of ships. "We believe that by acceding to this important convention, we are directly accelerating the coming into force of the convention."
Besides, he said, Nigeria has since signed the LRIT public service agreement with the international Mobile Satellite Organisation, adding that the country was now proceeding to the developmental, testing and integration stage of the Nigeria National Data Centre to enhance safety and security of ships in the region.
Continuing, he said Nigeria had also established, in accordance with IMO directive, a regional maritime search and rescue centre which according to him, continue to serve nine countries in the sub region. "Since its establishment, the centre has coordinated the rescue of Greek master who too ill onboard his ship off the coast of Nigeria. Recently, the centre was actively involved in the rescue of over 300 passengers who were stranded onboard a passenger ship drifting dangerously off the coast of Nigeria. Without the MRCC, these rescues would not have been possible.''
The elated Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Barrister Temisan Omatseye told The Guardian in London that he was relieved and happy going by the previous presidential directory that the country must not fail in the election
"It is a big relieve. One good thing about life is that everybody wants to associate with success. For us to go up from position 19 to eight shows a lot of support. I want to thank God for promoting us and make us succeed. I want to thank Mr. president for given us the support. I also want to thank the minister for being with us from preparatory stage to the time of victory. It would have been tough for us if it were a minister who does not share our vision and mission."
Besides Nigeria and 19 others that were elected into category C of the council, there were 20 other countries that were also elected into category A and B depending on their interest in either providing shipping services worldwide or their special interest in international sea borne trade.
