TheCable

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has shut a jetty of Obat Oil and Petroleum Limited, in the Apapa area of Lagos.

Lami Tumaka, the agency’s spokeswoman, confirmed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, saying the sanction was taken as a result of the failure of the company to comply with the provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code.

Tumaka said Obat Oil refused to heed the warnings issued to it at different periods in the last one year, adding that the agency will not hesitate to clampdown on any facility that flouts required regulations.

“The facility was adjudged to be non-compliant despite repeated warnings and extension of time graciously granted its management over the past year,” the statement read.

“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.

“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 formally 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 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.”