Government moves against marine pollution

The management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has lauded the management of African Circle Pollution Management Limited (ACPML) for fulfilling the agreement it

signed with the Federal Government on the control of marine pollution in Nigeria ’s territorial waters.

The agency, which has the mandate to enforce the global maritime watchdog, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) conventions and guidelines in the country, also commended the management of ACPML on its level of compliance with the provisions of the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) Act.

The provisions of the Act, signed into law last year by President Goodluck Jonathan, seek to empower indigenous operators and boost the economy as it made it mandatory for operators in the oil and gas industry to ensure the use of local content to execute contracts in the country. Hitherto, it was not mandatory for operators in the oil and gas industry, as well as other sectors to use indigenous resources in the execution of projects in the country. This led to huge capital flight and the domination of the oil and gas industry by foreign operators.

NIMASA Director General, Mr. Zikiade Patrick Akpobolokemi, spoke when he led top officials of the agency on a facility tour of the operations of ACPML located in the Free Zone, Snake Island, Lagos.

Akpobolokemi was at the facility as part of the efforts to ensure that the provisions of the IMO MARPOL 1973/78 Conventions as it relates to adequacy of port reception facilities in the country are complied with.

He disclosed that the management of the agency would support public-private- partnership (PPP) model to facilitate effective management of ship-generated waste within the Nigerian marine and coastal environment.-Vanguard