The Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has urged the media, especially the maritime media to support the government’s drive to diversify the economy for growth and create alternative opportunities for investments
A statement on Sunday in Lagos by the Head, Corporate Communications of NIMASA, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, noted that Peterside made the plea while receiving in his office, the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) led by its National President, Mr Abdulwaheed Odusile.
The director-general described the media as the interface between the public and the government.
He urged the media to be professional in their reporting as people looked up to them as the major source of information, especially as the government sought ways to diversify the economy from oil.
“We urge you to support the government as it diversifies the economy for a better future for the entire Nigerian populace.
“You have to be fair and professional while reporting government activities in order not to create unnecessary panic among the public”, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes preside as saying.
He said the maritime industry was ready to take over from oil as the leading revenue earner in the country and called on all stakeholders to look into the opportunity that abound in the sector.
Peterside said, “The ocean is a resource a country can leverage on to grow its economy and blessed with a coastline of about 853 km and 250 nautical mile Exclusive Economic zone.’’
According to him, we must begin to take advantage of the maritime opportunities available to us to grow our economy.
Earlier in his address, Odusile, who had on his entourage the Chairman, Lagos Council of the NUJ, Mr Deji Elumoye, said that his colleagues would do more to focus on government activities geared toward revamping the economy, especially at agencies such as NIMASA that are in the frontline of driving the diversification process.
The NUJ president said that this would help ensure a virile maritime industry and by extension, a greater Nigerian economy.
Being the Designated Authority (DA) for the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code in Nigeria, NIMASA has implemented policies which has led to enhanced security awareness in the ports, terminals and jetties.
The policies have improved economic activities in these facilities.
NAN learnt that NIMASA has received commendations from national and international bodies including the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) for its progress in the ISPS code implementation. (NAN)
AIC/AJA