The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said on Monday that the agency would strengthen partnership between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea to enhance the maritime industry.
The Head, Public Relations Department in NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, said this in a statement in Lagos.
The statement said that the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, stressed the need to enhance the maritime industry, while receiving the Korean Consul-General to Nigeria, Mr Lee Younghoan, at the agency’s headquarters.
According to him, the two countries stand to derive mutual benefits from such relationship.
Peterside recognised the strategic position of Korea as a great ship building nation.
He advised the Consul-General on the need for qualified Nigerian seafarers to be placed on-board Korean vessels operating in Nigerian maritime domain.
The NIMASA chief said that Nigeria had a pool of qualified seafarers and other competent maritime personnel, who could adequately serve the global maritime industry.
Peterside said the agency was committed toward tackling the menace of piracy and other forms of crimes at sea.
“Nigeria is poised to tackle the menace of piracy and we have recorded great successes in the past three months.
“Our vision is to have a safe and secured ocean with zero piracy in the next one year,’’ the director-general said.
Younghoan, commended NIMASA for its efforts in fighting piracy on the nation’s waterways.
The consul-general appealed for more surveillance and security in safeguarding lives and property on the nation’s waterways.
He assured the director-general of the readiness of the Korean Government to support Nigeria in the area of maritime safety and security.
Huhuonline.com gathered that Peterside, at a recent forum, expressed the desire of the agency to work with other stakeholders and expedite action on the passage of the Anti-Piracy and Other related Crimes at Sea into law.