The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Zaria, on research and training towards enhancing maritime safety and security in Nigeria.
Dr Bashir Jamoh, the Director-General of NIMASA, said on Saturday in Zaria that the MoU was hinged on research and training with a view to enhance local content and boost the quality assurance of the institute.
The director-general noted that NITT and NIMASA have been together for over three decades.
“The MoU signing ceremony was to formalise and strengthen the relationship in terms of research, training and development,” Jamoh said.
According to him, activities of sea pirates had negatively impacted the sector in 2020 and dented the image of our country.
He however noted that the attacks by sea pirates subsided by 2021 and from January 2022 to date Nigeria did not record any attack by the pirates.
He said NIMASA achieved the success through strategic collaborations and partnerships with key stakeholders in the sector.
He added that collaboration with the NITT would further support NIMASA with research to sustain the gains and strengthen the sector.
Jamoh said with the signing of the MoU, the NITT would assist NIMASA with either research or training in wherever it observed gaps.
“If it is gaps on individuals that drive the transport industry then the gaps would be bridged in terms of training.
“If it is in terms of infrastructure, the institute will conduct research to determine the type of infrastructure that would address the identified gaps.
“If the gaps were identified in terms of the general progress of the industry, the institute would also come-in,’’ he said.
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He stated that NITT was established to develop not only the maritime industry but the whole transport and logistics sector, stressing that NIMASA will sustain its support to the institute towards enhancing growth and development in the transport and logistics sector.
The Director-General of NITT, Dr Bayero Farah, said the MoU was aimed at strengthening the relationship between NITT and NIMASA so that NITT can provide more training to the staff of NIMASA.
Farah said the MoU was also hinged on collaborative research between the two agencies on critical and dynamic issues that affect the maritime industry in Nigeria.
He said:“At any time we had issues in the Maritime Sector, NITT and NIMASA would conduct a research and proffer solution based on international best practice.
“With the signing of this MoU the training of NIMASA’s managers’ cadre by the NITT towards enhancing the growth of the sector would commence with immediate effect.’’
(NAN)
