FG Commissions NIMASA Search and Rescue Clinic, Patrol Boats, and Other Projects

Joy Mmereole Okoli

The Hon. Minister of Transportation Mu’azu Jaji Sambo has commissioned the NIMASA Search and Rescue Base Clinic situated at azare crescent apapa, five (5) state-of-the-art patrol boats, (5) refurbished boats and four (4) 35-seater boats,

The clinic is one among many projects by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which was commissioned by the Minister of Transportation Mu’azu Jaji Sambo in Lagos on Sunday, May 21, 2023.

Other projects commissioned are the renovated administrative block, NIMASA Multipurpose Hall, and communication gadgets for enhanced maritime security.

The Hon. Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Sambo who was amazed by the commissioned projects said that this shows relentless commitment to the delivery of good governance through deliberate and concentrated efforts at institutionalising policies and structures that will lead to Nigeria’s economic renaissance.

Sambo while commissioning the clinic commended NIMASA DG, Dr. Bashir Jamoh for the successful delivery of these projects which according to him will serve the good people of Nigeria.

"I must say that I am short for words with what I am seeing here, all i can say is Dr. Bashir Jamoh please keep it up.

"Most importantly i don't think he alone can achieve all this. Am sure he has a number of staff dedicated, working day and night supporting him. To this category of staff I say keep it up.

"This Search and Rescue Clinics will enable the agency to fulfil its obligations to seafarers and the general public by providing top-notch medical care facilities, and the newly acquired Communication Gadgets will enable the agency’s enforcement and search and rescue operators communicate in real-time without any hindrance or interference while conducting their operations at sea.

"NIMASA is already the number one maritime administration agency in Africa. Please keep the flag flying. Continue to work together to keep achieving this," he said.

The minister also commend the DG on the successful delivery of the five newly acquired patrol boats, says it will ensure strict compliance and adherence with the extant laws governing the operations of the maritime domain.

“These five state-of-the-art enforcement platforms will ensure strict compliance and adherence with the extant laws governing the operations of our Maritime Domain.

" These platforms will give NIMASA the much-needed tools required to function as a Maritime Administration in line with the protocols and conventions of the International Maritime Organization and International Labour Organization to which NIMASA represents Nigeria as its contracting government.

“These Ferries were acquired to increase the overall efficiency and productivity of the staff of the agency, by creating a more conducive means of transportation to and from official assignments, thereby bypassing the hassles that are associated with the operational terrain of the ports.

“The completion of the just mentioned projects by NIMASA shows the agency’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of Nigerian waters, as the newly renovated Administrative block will create a conducive work environment, thereby increasing the productivity of the staff.

“As the supervisory Ministry, we will continue to give our support to NIMASA as she continues down this commendable path to ensuring the growth of maritime in Nigeria," he said.

While delivering his speech, Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh cites purpose to have the search and rescue clinic is to provide good health Care for seafarers coming into the country and also for the benefits of communities in apapa as there are not much standard medical clinic within the environment.

"One month ago, this place was a dilapidated one storey building, the only hospital around here is the lagoon hospital which is a little bit distant from here.

On this particular project, the dilapidated storey building was demolished and within the last four (4) months we built this one, it is a three storey building with state of art medical equipment that you are going to commission in a short while from now.

"We wish to be the best maritime agency in africa. I started having a thought, Apart from the mandate we have, that we put In place is to build a brand name for NIMASA and Nigeria. The brand names In terms of diplomental aspect internationally, it went wide long the issue of education and health care are too prompt in terms of diplomental aspect world wide .

"On the issue of education, we came up with a policy to build a maritime training institution so that we can gradually remove ourselves from national seafarers development programs where we are spending millions of dollars every year sending Nigerians to go and study abroad.

"We now strategise to build six (6) maritime training institution in every geo polital zone. , Enugu, Anambra, Lagos, university of Lagos where you have already done the ground breaking," he said.

Jamoh also spoke on the need to collaborate with National Health Insurance Scheme to make it easy for the community to use the health care so as to get good medical when needed.

"We introduced a wide range of policy and this legacy, we are going to discuss with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) so that we can remove the burden of the payment of whatever we are going to spend here we now transfer some part of that cause to the insurance company.

"We now have a standard hospital in the entire apapa. So within the community, with the health insurance scheme, this place can be utilize by the community to come and enjoy the health care services.

"The seafarers that are coming to Nigeria, You can imagine somebody who has been sick for 40 days from America to Nigeria with all kinds of ailments and other problems.

"They will have to go to a substandard hospital. If they come to this hospital and receive the best services they can get in terms of health care needs, they will transmit the good information they have of Nigeria, that will take us to the position of the no one maritime agency in Africa," he stated.

Jamoh urge stakeholders to not hesitate to reach out and tell them when they go wrong and they will listen to make amends.

"To the stakeholders, this is for you to know that we are not relenting on our efforts. Day in day out we are building on infrastructure. The maritime industry is a domain for everyone of us to come and play his own and leave for another one to follow.

Within the ambit of our own mandate we will do everything possible to provide platform to build Nigeria to a greater height which is why we are here," he said.