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Following the dangers of piracy on the West African waterways, Nigeria and Ghana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to combat piracy and terrorism.
Also, the two countries agreed to enhance regional integration to develop capacity, and enforce cabotage initiative.
Speaking after the signing of the MoU, the Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside noted that intra-African collaboration is a vital requirement for Africans to effectively harness the natural potentials that the blue economy represents for the continent.
“African countries must cooperate to solve challenges peculiar to the continent. All maritime nations on the African continent have comparative advantage in different areas, and only collaboration will ensure that we complement each other, thus ensuring that the maritime sector contributes effectively to the growth of the continent” he said.
Peterside noted that Nigeria and Ghana have a historical link in the maritime sector, adding that the African maritime sector is richly endowed to the extent that coastal and aquatic ecosystems within the continent are treasures that provide diverse and vibrant natural resources.
The NIMASA DG who is also the chairman of the Association of Heads of African Maritime Administrations commended the management of Ghana Maritime Authority for seeking the collaboration and noted that the move will go a long way to strengthen efforts in the areas of promotion of scientific and technical cooperation; trade and movement facilitation; exchange of information, data, knowledge and experience.
“The importance of bilateral cooperation to solve maritime environmental challenges that transcend international boundaries in our coastal and aquatic ecosystem cannot be over-emphasised. We are ready, and will give our support to tackle all associated maritime challenges that have over time impeded and slowed the region’s maritime sectoral progress. We are ready to work with Ghana in all fronts within our defined and enabling capacities. NIMASA will not relent or derelict its duties and responsibilities within the contemplation of this MoU”, the DG said.
Also speaking, the Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority Mr. Kwama Owusu commended NIMASA and its management for the role of championing the growth of the maritime sector in the sub-region in particular and in Africa in general. Kwame noted that the MoU would bring about constructive and healthy competition within the West African sub-region, as Ghana would continue to cross-fertilise ideas with Nigeria in the needed areas and at the same time learn from NIMASA as regards critical functional areas of maritime operations as encapsulated in the MoU.
The highlights of the renewable MoU, which has a lifespan of four years, include knowledge transfer and sharing initiative between both agencies; joint capacity building initiative; cabotage enforcement joint study initiative; joint comparative research initiative and joint efforts to combat piracy and terrorism initiative. ENDS
Recall that the management of the Ghana Maritime Authority had early in the year visited the NIMASA on a fact-finding mission with the aim of ascertaining areas of possible collaboration and cooperation.
