Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh, says inter-agency collaboration is key to avoidable loss of lives and property on Nigerian inland waterways. 

This assertion was made Jamoh made at an awareness forum in Lagos organised by NIMASA in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), and Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA). The NIMASA Director General was represented by the Head of Marine Accident Investigation Unit, Captain Abayomi Coker. 

“NIMASA established the Marine Accident investigation Unit to conduct investigations to establish the circumstances, and causes of accidents in the Nigerian maritime domain. We then identify the inadequacies in maintenance of vessel and their equipment, the competence of all shipboard staff and their operational practices and procedures. We seek measures which can be implemented to avoid reoccurrence of such accidents in future and inter Agency collaboration has been identified to play a major role”. He said

NIMASA DG, Dr Bashir Jamoh stated that majority of accidents in the maritime sector were caused as a result of human errors. He said it is necessary to understand that the basic factors concerning the human element was an essential step toward forestalling or mitigating such accidents. 

“As the Maritime Safety Administration for Nigeria and in line with its mandate to ensure safety of navigation and the protection of the Nigerian marine environment and its resources, NIMASA has continued to initiate and promote safety culture to reduce or possibly prevent accidents in our water ways. You would all agree with me that prevention is better and cheaper than cure.

“Various issues caused accidents within our marine environment, and as an Agency, we have taken note and have a history of them. We are not only being reactive, but are poised to continue to take proactive measures in addressing them. Therefore, it is our intention to build on our efforts to ensure sustainability in this regard because NIMASA believes that this will enhance and promote safety culture in our work environment and guard against re-occurrence", he said. 

The International Maritime Organization IMO’s casualty Investigation Code of 2008 which seeks to promote a common approach to safety investigation of marine casualties and incidents has placed obligation on all member states to carry out an impartial investigation with the sole purpose of learning safety lessons from marine accidents without apportioning blames or liabilities.

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