NIMASA Shuts Obat Oil Jetty Over Safety Rules Violation

By Alex Akao

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has shut down Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited Jetty at Ibafon, Lagos, alleging that the prominent oil and gas facility owned by a first class traditional ruler from the South West Nigeria, violated certain safety standards.

Specifically, the apex maritime regulatory body in Nigeria which Tuesday moved to enforce the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code is accusing the organization of non-compliance with the provisions of the international safety order.
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The regulatory agency said this was in exercise of its powers in line with provisions of Part VIII of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations 2014.

According to NIMASA, the jetty failed to be compliant despite repeated warnings and extension of time graciously granted its management over the past year.

In a statement, the Deputy Director, Public Relations, Hajia Lami Tumaka, said, “going by the saying that a chain is as strong as its weakest link, Management of the Agency has commenced the shutting of port facilities that have persistently failed to comply with the ISPS code so as to forestall a situation where security breaches in such facilities will negatively impact the compliant ones”.

The statement added, “Any shut facility will remain closed until the managers of such a facility correct the identified deficiencies and pay a prescribed fine before they will be reopened for business”.

NIMASA became the designated authority for the implementation of the code in May 2013 when compliant facilities were less than 10, has progressively grown the number to over 80% of the nation’s 129 facilities.

The goal of the agency, the statement said “is to achieve 100% compliance which will guarantee the security of ships and port facilities especially in this period when terrorist activities have been heightened. This exercise is a continuous one”.