Peterside Vows To Digitalise Cabotage Vessel Registration To Eliminate Bottlenecks

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has assured stakeholders in its Eastern Zonal Operations that the era of being tossed between the Zonal Office and the Head Office is over as the Agency has concluded plans digitalize its operations, especially registration of cabotage vessels. The Director General, who was addressing stakeholders in Port Harcourt as part of his working visit to the operational offices of the Agency said: “we are automating all our processes. You don’t need the Head Office, you don’t need anybody once we conclude the automation of our processes.
“If you want to register a Cabotage vessel, you simply go online, provide all the documents you need, make your payment online and of course you get an interim certificate or a provisional certificate. With your provisional certificate, after sometime you can walk into any NIMASA Zonal Office and get your original certificate. That’s our dream for NIMASA and by the special grace of God after one month, we hope that that process will be in place.”
Dr. Peterside promised the stakeholders that the automation process will be holistic, adding that things like discharge book and certificates of competency can be verified online ones the system is up and running.
He said that the new structure being put in place, will grant the Zonal Offices greater autonomy to initiate, process and conclude critical transactions like ship registration, sailing clearance and other associated operations in the Zones without recourse to the Head Office.
He said that the restructuring going on is meant to reposition and reorganise the Agency for greater productivity and efficiency, adding that it is also expected to give the Zonal offices more powers to execute the mandate of the Agency effectively and eliminate the bottlenecks currently associated with the processes.
According to Peterside, stakeholders would not have any need to worry again about bureaucratic bottlenecks in the operations of the Agency as all of these are being taken care of.
“Most of our operations now are going to reside in the zones. And that you don’t need to come to Lagos now for anything at all. Apart from the fact that we are devolving more powers to the Zones.”
On the issue of sea time training for Nigerian cadets, Dr. Peterside said that the Agency is committed to growing human capacity in the industry and has already devised a number of initiatives where the cadets of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) will get sea time experience to enable them get gainful employment.
Dr. Peterside assured the stakeholders that there is a new spirit in NIMASA that is determined to return the Agency to the performance of its core mandate. He observed that the new Management of the Agency is conversant with the fact that the Nigerian maritime industry cannot get the required development if NIMASA does not get its act together.
The engagement with the stakeholders which held at the Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt is one of the high points of the Executive Management’s visit to the Eastern Zonal operations of the Agency.
Dr. Dakuku Peterside gave assurance that the Agency will provide platforms for the enforcement of its mandate especially the Cabotage Act.
The Agency’s boss told staff of the Bayelsa Enforcement Office in Yenagoa while on a working visit of the operational offices of the Agency in the Eastern Zone that the Cabotage Act is an important pillar for home grown capacity for the sustainable development of the Nigerian maritime industry.
Dr. Peterside said that the Agency is committed to the full implementation of the Act for the benefit of the Nigerian economy.
“In this era of government emphasizing the diversification of the economy, one area the government is focusing on is the maritime sector because it has the potential to contribute to the growth of the nation, creation of jobs, wealth for our teeming youths, and put us permanently on the path of sustainable development.
“And if the government is looking up to the maritime sector, NIMASA must take its rightful place in the new order and to do this, the centres of the Agency’s operations must be alive to their responsibilities.”
The Director General commended the staff of the Yenagoa office for discharging their duties creditably even with visible challenges including the lack of associated platforms for enforcement and assured them of the commitment of the Management, to provide all the necessary facilities for the successful discharge of their duties.
He said that the Management of the Agency is addressing all other issues regarding the welfare of staff and insufficient work tools in a holistic manner  in order to increase efficiency and productivity.
While calling on staff to redouble their efforts to make NIMASA and the maritime industry take its rightful place in the Nation’s economic diversification process.