IMO Council Election: Nigeria can win Category C seat, it has done it before—Dominguez
Maureen Aguta
The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), His Excellency Arsenio Dominguez has tacitly thrown his behind Nigeria’s quest for a seat on the 20 member Category C of IMO Council, saying the country has been elected to mount that seat before, hence it can repeat the feat in the forthcoming IMO Council election in November.
The IMO Secretary General spoke Friday night during a lavish dinner party held in his honour at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suits, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Dominguez, who was clearly fascinated by the outlandish Nigerian hospitality rolled out for him that night to mark the end of his two days official visit to the country, praised Nigeria for what it has been doing to achieve uninterrupted three years of zero piracy in Nigerian waters and the Gulf of Guinea.
His words: “I thank you so much for the hospitality and show of love towards me. It is a short visit. You have shown me how much you are doing for shipping. Establishing a maritime institute at the University of Lagos, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) Oron which though I could not visit on this short visit but their display at this event has shown me that it has improved greatly than before, the zero piracy for three years consecutively. What we need now is its sustenance.
“As regards to your quest for Category C in the coming IMO Council election in November, I wish you luck. You have done it before, you can do it again.”
In a remark, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, His Excellency Adegboyega Oyetola, stated that Nigeria is a proud member of the 176 member United Nations maritime regulatory organ. He said Nigeria will continue in its commitment to harness the country’s rich marine and blue economy potentials. An effort he said is anchored on safety, security and capacity development.
According to him, Nigeria’s bid for the IMO Category C Council seat exemplifies the nation’s determination to enhance the maritime industry in the region. He added that the country considers the Category C seat as a platform to leapfrog to a higher position in the council in the near future.
He lauded the contribution of Dominguez to the international maritime industry, saying Nigeria’s partnership with the IMO Scribe is yielding result in the transformation of the country’s blue economy industry.
Also speaking, the Chairman Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Wasiu Sanni said the report of zero piracy in the Nigerian waters for a straight three years, is a great achievement that shows the tremendous work the Nigerian government has done in the industry in the last three years.
He stated that Nigeria hopes to secure the IMO Category C Seat in November, saying the country will use that platform to aim to reach Category B.
Earlier, the Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dayo Moboraola had said that in the last two years, Nigeria has recorded tremendous improvement in the Nigerian shipping industry not only in the Gulf of Guinea. He said the zero piracy for three years gives comfort to the ship-owners in the Nigerian waters.
He commended the Secretary General for his interest in maritime security, safety, capacity and energy transition, the adoption of biofuels, and financing mechanisms to support training of seafarers, infrastructure development and the adoption of future fuels.
He also said that the IMO Scribe is ever willing to help member states, “for us, that will help replace us oil/gas with the marine and blue economy.”
He further thanked the IMO chief servant for putting the Nigerian maritime domain in the international arena,” he said.
The dinner, which was another opportunity to showcase the country’s rich culture in dance and music, had most of Nigeria’s big players in the maritime industry, heads of agencies in the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, and representatives from the Nigerian Navy in attendance.
Also in attendance were the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping and Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria represented by Mrs Jean Chiazo SAN.