LAGOS (Sundiata Post) – In line with its restructuring programme, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced its readiness to automate its payment collection processes to engender greater efficiency and eliminate revenue leakages.
The director-general of the agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said this when he hosted representatives of major shipping companies operating in Nigeria under the auspices of the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) in his office in Apapa, Lagos.
Dr. Peterside, who said that the current practice was being reviewed to ensure greater efficiency, also assured the delegation that NIMASA would institute more transparent ways of calculating the three percent levy charged on all inbound and outbound cargo.
“We are automating our payment platform in line with our strategic growth plan to ensure greater efficiency in the payment process. The new process will be integrated with similar platforms of sister Agencies in order to correctly ascertain levies chargeable per freight and eliminate the bottlenecks currently being experienced”, the DG said.
He told the delegation that NIMASA’s commitment to the elimination of piracy and other criminal activities on the waterways was unwavering and that the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser would soon launch a high capacity satellite system that would assist the military in dealing with maritime crimes.
Dr. Peterside also urged the shipping companies to support the agency’s capacity building programme by providing sea time experience for cadets sponsored under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).
Representatives of the Shipping Companies who had earlier raised the issue of maritime security and payment procedures, also commended the director-general for his commitment in dealing with the issues raised.
While promising to support the capacity building initiatives of NIMASA by providing the requisite sea time experience for the NSDP cadets, the Shipping Association also expressed their commitment to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry.
Some of the shipping companies represented at the meeting include; Grimaldi, Maersk, GAC, Hull Blyth, Mediterranean, PIL and Comet Shipping.
