The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety
Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has urged players in the maritime
sector especially enforcement officers to comply with safety rules that
would eliminate marine accidents and other related issues that may arise
from marine operational mishandling.
The DG made this known at the opening of the Annual Maritime
Administration and Safety Enforcement (MASE) HSE Workshop with the theme:
Maritime Enforcement Safety: Current Global Benchmarks organised by the
Agency in conjunction with Heritage Bank which held in Lagos.
According to him “ I am happy that we are focusing on Health Safety and
Environment most importantly the safety of those who enforce rules and
regulations. As a safety administration we are not going to be held by
local standards because operational safety especially when it comes to the
maritime sector has to conform to global standards and this is what we are
preaching in NIMASA”
Speaking further Dr. Dakuku said that as part of the Agency’s mandate to
ensure safety and security of vessels visiting and leaving the nation’s
territorial waters, it is also the responsibility of the Agency to ensure
the safety of those who work on board vessels and offshore platforms as
well as those who create support services from the shore to for maritime
activities thrive.
In his words, “Our goal is to see a maritime sector devoid of avoidable
accidents due to lack of professional enforcement. This is why we have
reviewed our enforcement drive to give proper attention to Health Safety
and Environmental guidelines for the benefit of everyone participating in
the sector”
He charged enforcement officers to be safety conscious whenever they are
carrying out their routine inspections adding that they must ensure that
inspections and enforcement are done in such a manner that no life is put
at risk.
Dr. Dakuku further stated that the training will provide hands-on safety
procedures, which aid the maritime enforcement team carry out their
responsibilities under the NIMASA Act 2007 and related instruments with
compliance with HSE regulations, solely for identification, assessment and
control of hazards prone to enforcement operations in onshore and offshore
facilities.
In his remarks the Head of Health Safety and Environment Unit of NIMASA,
Engr. Fred Ugo said that the Agency through the HSE Unit has set out basic
guidelines of officers responsible for ensuring health and safety in
maritime especially as it conforms to the environmental standards which
are achievable during enforcement operations.
It is important to note that Maritime Administration and Safety
Enforcement HSE Workshop is an annual event which brings maritime
enforcement officers up to speed with the latest details in risk
assessment. The event is also designed to boost hazard awareness in
maritime enforcement towards a coherent application of safe practices.