Lagos — A joint committee has been set up by management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy to combat piracy and robbery on the country's territorial waters.

Director General of NIMASA, Dr Ade Dosunmu disclosed this at the weekend while speaking with journalists on programmes of the agency in the coming year.

Dr Dosunmu, who decried the country's rating as regards piracy and robbery on ships also disclosed of plans by the maritime regulatory agency to step up search and rescue operations in the maritime industry.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), it would be recalled recently expressed concern over attack on ship at Nigerian ports, calling for a probe into the recently reported attack on a tanker vessel by armed men at anchorage off Lagos.

The global maritime watch dog which described the attack as totally unacceptable" urged officials of the navy to investigate the incident to ensure that all those involved are brought to book.

But the NIMASA boss who per cent that plans are being made to confront the various challenges facing the industry, piracy and robbery inclusive, maintained that the agency will work towards sustaining progress so far made in the sector.

On search and rescue measures being put in place by NIMASA, Dr Dosunmu disclosed that a helicopter that will enhance search and rescue operations is expected to arrive the country before the end of January 2008, adding that the Maritime Regional Cordination Centre (MRCC) in Lagos, would be commissioned before the end of first quarter of 2008.

He however decried shortage of patrol boats for effective patrol of the country's territorial waters.

According to him, "a patrol boast costs about $15 million and about 10 are needed to effectively patrol Nigerian territorial waters and ensure that our waters are no longer abused".

On criticisms trailing the establishment of a second maritime academy in Badagry, Lagos State, Dr Dosunmu said that there was nothing wrong with such project as the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron can not provide the needed manpower for the nation's maritime sector alone.

"People are trying to play politics with the establishment of a maritime academy in Badagry. The former president and Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the academy to train skilled manpower for the industry.

"Oron gets admission request of about 3000 yearly but it only admits about 500. But because of the five per cent income of NIMASA, which should go to the maritime academy, people are looking at the case parochially. It is obvious that Oron can not provide the manpower need of the industry", he added.

Explaining that the NIMASA Act did not state that five per cent of the agency's income should go to the Maritime Academy, Oron, Dr Dosunmu advised those alone, kicking against the Badagry maritime Academy to shun parochial interest.

"Because Nigeria is a maritime nation, there is need for more than one academy, so that the country could meet other countries such as Philippines. The five per cent from NIMASA is just an intervention fund, the academy still gets money from the federal government," Dr Dosunmu noted, describing as untrue allegation that NIMASA has spent N2 billion on the Badagry academy.

According to him, only N250 million has been spent so far on the project as approved by the Presidential Implementation Committee, even as N49 million was equally released for the academy at Oron recently for on-going projects at the school.

On the agency's projections for 2008, the NIMASA Director-General said that the agency is looking into the coming year with high hope, especially in area of consolidating what it has achieved as regards maritime safety and administration.