…Supports ban on barge operation at Marina
A former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye has called for the reorganization of the barging business in Nigeria so as to reposition the sector for optimal operation.
Omatseye who stated this in an interview with our correspondent in Lagos on Monday lamented the issue of safety associated with the barging business adding that a situation where young boys without requisite knowledge is handed a barge to operate was not healthy for the industry.
In his words, “I believe that the barges should operate but it should be more organized. I understand that one of the issues that they have is the issue of safety, young boys who don’t know how to drive will just mount the barge and start pulling. So, the issue of safety which falls back on NIMASA again because the issue of the captains’ certification and everything is NIMASA, so, for you to be there in the first place, you must be certified.
“Secondly, what are the maritime safety requirements for the barges? Are they inspecting them? Who is issuing them certificates because we know there can be false certificate? Who is policing these certificates, confirming that they actually meet the standards, checking the load line, checking the leakage? That is what NIMASA is supposed to do.
“First of all, you are supposed to have your load line certificate for barge which is renewed almost every year. So, in renewing your load line certificate, it means that a surveyor from NIMASA is supposed to go and inspect and take the wall thickness of your barge, check your drilling point and make sure the barge is not leaking; he will go under and check everything before he issues the certificate.”
On the suspension of barging operation at the Lagos Marina by the Minster of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi recently, Mr. Omatseye who is also former President of the African Ship-owners’ Association said he was in full support of the ban as according to him, Marina was not built to accommodate such operation.
He said, “The movement of barges from Marina, I am totally against it because the Marina is not built for that kind of barge evacuation. So, you could see the amount of trucks going there and destroying the place and creating other environmental hazards.
“By the virtue of the requirements of the ISPS Code, doing anything out of the Marina has broken down the issue of port security because you have not created the environment for such business. There is a procedure for you to have places like that. So, moving barges, who are the ones inspecting it? Who are the ones checking the security nature of those barges? I believe very much in the barging business, I support it fully, I don’t believe so much in the trucking side of it because I have always shouted against the trucking side of it which is now affecting Apapa.
“However, you cannot be blaming those people, how are they getting their certificates? Is it the real certificate or is that a fake certificate. These are the questions we need to ask. It is not about stopping barge operation, the question is, if you are having issue of safety, then somebody should be held responsible. Why are those equipment still sailing and who is issuing them the certificates that they are using? So, those are the questions that need to be asked rather than you doing a blanket ban because doing a blanket ban is going to create more problems.
“But from my own understanding, the blanket banning is only for loading out of the Marina; it does not have to do with other locations. But I hear that where they even load over is in total state of confusion. I believe the issue of barging should be done but I don’t know what is happening down rivers. Where are they even discharging it in Epe or all those places? I don’t even know what it looks like. Is it that because NPA MD can see the one in Marina that she is making noise or what? The issue is what is happening at other destination points? Are they suitable to receive this? I heard that they don’t want to issue licenses; that does not solve the problem. Not issuing licenses will not solve the problem because Apapa is still going to be a mess.”
Photo: Former Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Temisan Omatseye.
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