Dr Dakuku Peterside, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), says the agency is ready to partner with the Federal Government to meet development challenges in the Niger Delta.
Peterside disclosed this to newsmen on the sidelines of the visit of the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo`s visit to Port Harcourt for the on-going dialogue with niger delta stakeholders.
Peterside stated that NIMASA was already pursuing one of the visions of President Buhari-led government in the region.
According to him, NIMASA is already working with relevant security agencies to arrest sea piracy, thus enabling vessels and ships coming to the region to feel safe and by extension, helping to promote economic activities.
He said that the Agency was consistently reviewing its operations to meet with the challenges of modern maritime activities.
He also said that several Nigerian youths would soon start making dollars from sea faring.
Peterside said that the Agency had made provisions for the beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers’ Development Programme (NSDP) to obtain their Certificate of Competency (CoC) by undergoing requisite sea time training to qualify them for global shipping.
He said that budgetary provisions had been made while youths from Niger Delta region are part the beneficiaries who would get the best of training across the globe.
He called on Rivers people to support efforts of the Buhari administration to revamp the economy and bring development to Niger Delta region.
He said that appointees from the region are united in their desire to bring home democratic dividends.(NAN)