Lagos – The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has lauded the decision of the European Union (EU) to invest over 20 million Euros on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea.
Peterside stated this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos by the Head, Public Relations Unit of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka.
The director-general received a delegation of EU consultants led by Mr Chris Hedley in his office on Monday.
Peterside commended the EU for the initiative and also called on other partners to collaborate with the agency and Nigeria to eradicate piracy and other criminal activities in the Gulf of Guinea.
He said, “More than ever, Nigeria is better positioned to take advantage of strategic partnerships to make the country the hub of maritime activities in West and Central Africa.’’
The director-general said that the Gulf of Guinea was very strategic to world trade and assured the delegation of the agency’s determination to tackle crime at sea in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
Earlier in his address, Hedley said the EU planned to use the funds in developing and strengthening legislations, building capacity in maritime security and developing the necessary Information Technology (IT) for member nations.
“This is with a view to eradicating piracy and other related crimes in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes him as saying.