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The Integrated Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, commonly called the Deep Blue Project, received rave reviews from members of the House of Representatives Committee on Maritime Safety, Education and Administration during an oversight visit to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and tour of some of its facilities under the project in Lagos.
The committee members, led by the Chairman, Lynda Ikpeazu, inspected the Special Mission Vessels (SMVs) under the Deep Blue Project – DB Abuja and DB Lagos – and the C4i Centre, pledging their strong support for the project.
This was as the Commander of DB Lagos, Captain Maksun Mohammed, said the vessels would be a game changer in the fight against piracy and other maritime crimes on the country’s waters, as the criminals could be easily reached and stopped.
Speaking at the occasion, Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, lauded the National Assembly for its continued support for the Agency and the maritime sector in general.
Dakuku also extolled the Nigerian Navy for its leading role in the pursuit of maritime security.
The maritime security assets were funded by NIMASA and run in conjunction with the Navy and other members of the Armed Forces, paramilitary organisations, and agencies under the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Speaking at the event, Ikpeazu said the committee was impressed by the projects the Agency had facilitated in recent times, adding that the Floating Dock acquired by NIMASA remained a viable project that would generate lots of revenue for the country.
“We need to get a permanent berth for this huge platform because when it is fully operational it would become a very huge revenue earner for Nigeria as a lot of vessels would be able to dry-dock in-country,” she said.
On the SMVs and the Command, Control, Computer Communication, and Intelligence Centre (C4i Centre), which the committee also visited, she said she was impressed with the level of coordination at the centre, and especially with the partnership between NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy. But she advised that aside NIMASA working with the Navy, it should also collaborate with other relevant agencies, as that would help in the battle against illegalities in the maritime environment.
