As CFVV becomes Political and Technical

*Contributes Over N60b to Consolidated Revenue Fund in two years

*Floating Dock is given to Private Operator to Manage

Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General, NIMASA

Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has reiterated resolve by the Agency to implement and actualize the vision of the present management to make the maritime industry safer, more profitable with higher competencies by operational personnel working in every department of the industry.

Speaking during a media parley to review the agency’s activities in the previous years, Jamoh said the amount is higher than what obtained previously.

“In 2020, NIMASA deposited N31.8 into the federation account. Notwithstanding the pandemic, we were able to increase the amount we paid to the Federal Government in 2021 with a total amount of N37.6b

Jamoh said NIMASA was striving to strengthen its maritime safety and security enforcement mechanism, while enhancing revenue collection for increased contribution to the consolidated revenue fund.

Speaking on the controversial N50billion floating dock, which has been lying idle since June 11, 2018, Jamoh assured that it would be operational before the end of the first quarter of 2022, noting that plans are in place for the privatization of the floating dock, which will be handled through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement.

According to him, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) gave NIMASA the approval to privatize the floating dock owing to the fact that it is bankable, doable and profitable.

“We do not want  NIMASA or the government to operate the floating dock. We have handed  the floating dock to a private operator to manage. As we speak, some of our staff are in Dubai to inspect some facilities handled by the operator to ascertain his level of competence”.

“The ICRC has assured us that the Floating Dock under a PPP is doable, achievable and profitable.  The issue of privatization of any government property is  a process not like buying a product”.

“We have been on this process. The Director General of the ICRC was here to give us the first certificate, telling us that privatizing the modular floating dock is bankable, doable and very profitable. We have gone enter into  negotiations with the Managing partners, that is the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), that they are going to provide us with continental shipyard.

“As we speak, some of our officials are in Dubai to inspect the facilities of the managing partner and we expect that in no distant time, maximum by the middle of February, we should be able to get the final no-objection,” he said.

The NIMASA DG stressed that the cost implication cannot be borne by the government alone noting that when the floating dock is privatised, the managing partners can decide and move it to the proper position it should be to aid its operations.

Speaking on some of the successes recorded by the agency in terms of flag state control which has to do with survey and inspection of vessels in accordance with the safety requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007, Jamoh said 489 vessels were surveyed in 2021 which is 43.6 percent higher than the total number of condition survey carried out in 2020 at 276 vessels.

He said that this is an indication of the maritime administration’s seriousness in terms of flag state survey.

For the port state control functions of NIMASA, he said 429 foreign vessels were boarded to ensure that each vessel-maintained safety, pollution standards while at our ports and waters.

He said the 2021 figure as recorded was 675 vessels which is 24.2 % higher than the number of inspections carried out in 2020 of 510 vessels.

On the delay in the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) which is estimated at over N136billion, the NIMASA DG admitted that there are political and technical issues hindering the disbursement of the fund but assured that the agency would ensure that all the issues are resolved before the end of the year.

“There are  political and technical issues affecting the disbursement of the CVFF but I believe we will overcome it.  From 2003 to date, a lot has happened, developments have been much and things are not what they use to be. There is need for a review and reappraisal if we are to get things done right and properly”

“There are issues that  have impacted the Act and guidelines  of the CVFF which must be looked into and reviewed before any disbursement can be done. In the area of politics, in everything we do and everywhere we go, there is politics but that does not mean you can’t survive. So let us not put sentiment in the disbursement of the fund,” he said.