The maritime sector is vital to the growth and development of the African economy, was the key message of Dakuku Peterside, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), on the sidelines of a meeting in Lagos with Ambassador Alain Michel Luvambano, the Secretary General in Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA).
Mr. Peterside, who is also Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA), noted that regional co-operation is required in order to achieve all the goals of the Lome Charter, and the African Integrated Maritime (AIM) Strategy, to reposition maritime in Africa, in order to compete with its counterparts globally.
Further, he assured MOWCA that AAMA on its part will continue to champion the course of revitalizing the African maritime sector through several forms of collaboration, according to local media reports. The Guardian quoted him as saying:
Promotion of the sector is based on performance and Nigeria is seen to be taking the lead in the region, hence the need to co-operate and partner together. Also, every other continent is getting united and it is good for Africa to also get united so that we can be a formidable force to be reckoned with in the comity of maritime nations.
