Lagos – Nigeria is taking steps to ensure the security of its waterways, maritime facilities and train personnel.
The country’s Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed on Monday that the government has contracted an Israeli firm for three years to adequately train Nigerian personnel on the security of the sector, after which it would hand over the operation to Nigerians.
The minister who said this at the 2017 World Maritime Day in Lagos, disclosed that Nigeria would spend $195m on the exercise, expected to commence in December.
Amaechi stressed the importance of security in the nation’s maritime sector against the backdrop of the activities of pirates and the huge amount of money firms operating in the shipping sector were currently spending on escort services.
He said, “We have mandated a consulting firm to do a study of the maritime sector and they will round off in nine months. They have already done between three and four months, and we are expecting them to submit an interim report on their findings.
“One of the burning issues in the maritime sector is security. The Federal Government has contracted an Israeli firm, which is going to train our security men. They will buy equipment and dominate Nigeria’s waterways for the next three years.
“Within that three years, the Israeli firm will train our security operatives for them to take over after the expiration of the contract. They are yet to launch because they are still buying the equipment. When you see the equipment on the waterways, people will know they are safe and secure.”
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The minister noted that the shipping firms were paying on the private security of their vessels, which he put at as much as $18m spent annually on those escorting their vessels from one point to another on Nigeria’s waterways.
Amaechi announced that from the middle of next year, such escort services would cease as the Israelis had promised that there would be no more harassment of firms on the nation’s waterways.
