PHOTO:AFP
Notwithstanding the spate of pirate assaults on its territorial waters, the Federal Government has declared that the Nigerian Constitution forbids using armed private guards on board vessels.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who made this identified on the 3th version of Lagos International Maritime Week in Lagos, referred to as on maritime stakeholders to develop a technique to cope with the challenges inside the permissible scope of security companies to enhance maritime security.
Malami, in a presentation entitled: “Armed Guards Aboard Merchant Vessels in NigeriaLegal or Illegal,” mentioned maritime security has turn into an essential requirement for retailers’ vessels over the past decade. This, he mentioned, is because of the rising threats from pirates internationally, including that the difficulty of maritime security within the Nigerian territorial waters ought to be taken critically.
The Minister, who was represented by the Special Assistant to the President on Financial Crimes, Abiodun Aikomo, mentioned: “Even though Nigerian-flagged vessels cannot make use of armed private guards as the law stands today. The reality is that there must be a dynamic strategy of dealing with security challenges facing merchant vessels in Nigerian waters.”
He also said that: “Human beings have the liable for self-preservation of their life and limbs and by extension, private properties and investments.
“As to the legality and illegality of armed guards on service provider vessels in Nigeria, the talk ought to now not be centered on whether or not armed guards ought to be employed. Rather, how they'll successfully, legally and safely be engaged with emphasis on accreditation and accountability.
“In this regard, the United Kingdom, and Norway have provided regulations on the use of private guards onboard. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), has also announced its change of stance on armed guards.”
According to him, it may very well be essential to amend the related legal guidelines in the long run, including that there was a want for stakeholders to develop a technique inside the scope of energy of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), in collaboration with different sister companies.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Ladi Lawanson, sued for large ficing within the sector, particularly within the face of rising improvements and advances in know-how.
Lawanson, who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Mrs Olufadeke Immanuel, mentioned scarcity of maritime infrastructure in Nigeria has largely decreased the nation’s potential to harness the complete potential inherent within the business.
“In order to leverage the inherent wealth of the maritime sector, it behoves on us as authorities and other people, to commit our assets in direction of the event of requisite supporting infrastructure for the sector.
The Consul-General of France, Laurent Polonceaux, famous that Nigeria was surrounded by French-speaking neighbours in addition to being the biggest buying and selling companion of France in West Africa.
Polonceaux mentioned the enterprise curiosity of each international locations pervaded all segments of economic system worth chain starting from oil and gasoline, meals and diet, prescribed drugs, security, transportation, to logistics and Africa meals manufacturing.
The Founder, Lagos International Maritime Week, Mrs Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore, mentioned this 12 months’s convention, themed “Developing Maritime Infrastructure in Africa,” argued that Africa’s improvement ought to outline the imaginative and prescient for the business by searching for worldwide cooperation to actualise it.
According to her, Nigeria ought to benefit from the worldwide scarcity of expert maritime manpower by growing maritime schooling and coaching establishments, to supply expert manpower for continental and world markets.