Society rallies maritime agencies to tackle sectoral challenges

The Admiralty Society of Nigeria (ASN) has called on all maritime agencies to curb the challenges affecting the sector.It also called for safety in the maritime environment and in all maritime operations.

The group in a statement lamented that the coastlines are bedevilled with plastic wastes which constitute poisons to aquatic animals, eventually transferred to human consumers; breeding illnesses like cancer and untimely death.

In the statement signed by its president, Angus Obinna Chukwuka, the group alleged that toxic wastes are still being dumped into our inland waters and territorial waters destroying aquatic lives, and ecosystems.

“Our waterways have inadequate droughts and buoys; these signify danger to both vessels cargos, passengers and seafarers. Maritime operations and businesses are obstructed with resulting unquantifiable economic losses. Many vessels still play our waters, unchecked, polluting our waters with oil,” the group lamented.

ASN urged the Nigerian Navy, the National Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to rise to the challenge of curbing oil theft along the waterways which cause pollution and endanger lives and property.

“The National Inland Waterways Authority must effect proper dredging of our waterways for easy passage of vessels and eliminate life-threatening wrecks, and wastes therein.

“The country should also invest in the research for a possible recycling of all the wastes, and toxic materials now clustering or littering our coastlines and waterways. Our waste management’s efforts must apply zero waste strategies in recycling or reclamation efforts.

“There must also be implemented immediate and regular training and retraining of our maritime safety personnel to ensure that they employ international best practices in ensuring safety in the maritime environment. Adequate equipment and facilities must be provided to properly carry out their assignments. And erring officers in their midst who due to bribes and corrupt practices undermine ethical standards should be punished irrespective of their tribes or religion,” the group said.