The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, on Monday charged maritime lawyers to be abreast with the newest advocacy on maritime laws to remain relevant in the sector.
The D-G, in a statement by Mr Isichei Osamgbi, the agency’s Head, Corporate Communications, said that because of the dynamism in the sector, it had become imperative for lawyers to regularly update themselves with the newest advocacy trend.
Peterside, who gave the advice at the Annual General Meeting of Nigeria Maritime Law Association (NMLA) dinner in Uyo, deacribed maritime “driven by international laws as a pillar of the economy” and noted that issues regarding the sector should be taken seriously.
According to the DG, “Maritime is driven by international and municipal laws with an infusion of technology which makes the sector always re-evolving.
“Maritime law is a specialised branch of law, so practitioners must update their knowledge to meet up with the pace of the change in the sector.
“The law is an important aspect in the operations of NIMASA concerned with commercial aspects of shipping as well as the navigation which are core functions of the agency, to ensure that Nigeria’s maritime domain remains safe and secure for maritime business to thrive.
“The responsibility of enforcing the ground norm of maritime; the Merchant Shipping Act is the sole responsibility of the Agency.
“NMLA is our major ally as we continue to strive to ensure the development of maritime for the economic benefit of our great country.
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“I will like to commend this special association for being our worthy partner and we will continue to show our support for NMLA.” Peterside said.
President of NMLA, Mr Chidi Ilogu, SAN, said that NIMASA, being the maritime safety administrator in Nigeria, had a great role to play in the development of the maritime sector.
Ilogu commended NIMASA’s management team for ushering in a new direction for the maritime industry through its re-positioning drive.
The Nigerian Maritime Law Association is a body of lawyers and related professionals in the maritime industry.
The body was established in 1977. It is the Nigerian Chapter of the Comite Maritime International (CMI), the first known international organisation concerned with maritime law and related commercial practices.