By Yemi Olakitan
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jimoh has revealed that the organisation plans to reopen its Lokoja office as part of its efforts to promote research and development while leveraging the Blue Economy.
Jimoh noted that investment in research would play a significant role in ensuring the exploitation of Nigeria’s maritime potentials when he hosted Mal. Usman Hayatu Mazadu, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA), at the Agency’s head office in Lagos.
“Improving on Research and Development is the key cardinal principle of opening the NIMASA Lokoja office,” he said. With the arrival of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, our aim is to create a nexus in order to maximise the use of the nation’s inland waterways and the deep blue waters within 28 states, spanning more than 4000 kilometres of inland waters and more than 200 nautical miles of ocean resources.
“The Blue Economy is here to stay, and very soon you will notice its effects in terms of the gains and benefits to increase our GDP while enhancing the health of our own economy.”
In his earlier remarks, Mallam Usman praised the Agency for the accomplishments made thus far, which span all of Nigeria.