The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has offered the country a three-year plan to work with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the removal of the Condition of Entry (CoE) placed on American-bound vessels from Nigeria.

Edward Osagie, assistant director, public relations, NIMASA, said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

Mr Osagie said that Cdr. Juliet Hudson, at the USCG Headquarters in Washington DC, disclosed this during a peer review visit by NIMASA delegates.

Ms Hudson said a bi-annual assessment of compliance level with ISPS implementation at Nigerian ports working with NIMASA.

“We will work with NIMASA to review the compliance level of ports in Nigeria with the provisions of the International Ships and Ports Security (ISPS) Code.

“This will be done twice a year to enable us to update the Port Advisory Security Portal in the White House, after which a decision will be taken to completely lift the Condition of Entry.

“We commend NIMASA for ISPS implementation,” Ms Hudson said.

Meanwhile, the director general of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, on Friday, received in the audience USCG Advisor Lt. Benjamin Montz, who led a delegation to NIMASA.

Mr Jamoh said that the agency would continue to prioritise safety and security on the Nigerian waterways to realise the mandate of the blue economy.

He acknowledged the support from the American government in seeing to the implementation of ISPC in Nigeria, suggesting that such support should be extended to other countries in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).

Mr Jamoh said that Nigeria plays a vital role in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), hence the need for the USCG to extend its support to countries in the region.

He noted that would help to consolidate the gains of the Deep Blue Project in the region and boost the existing ties in the region.

“Nigeria is a major stakeholder in the Gulf of Guinea; you will agree with me that most of the activities in the region revolve around Nigeria.

“We acknowledge the support you have been giving us; we request that you extend it to other countries in the GoG, as a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and all credit goes to the United States Government.

“The NIMASA management also calls on USCG to assist in the area of training the agency’s personnel because a gap analysis will be done, and then synchronise with the USCG in order to give the right training to the right personnel,” Mr Jamoh said.

Earlier in his remarks, the leader of the delegation from the USCG, Lt. Benjamin Montz, said that they were in Nigeria as part of their plans to support the agency in the area of training.

Mr Montz said that the delegation came purposely to collaborate with NIMASA to improve safety and security in the country’s maritime sector, with particular reference to port operations in Nigeria.

According to him,  NIMASA is the designated authority responsible for the implementation of the ISPS facility code in Nigeria.

“Over the years, the agency has continued to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve its mandate with the United States Coast Guard.

“It provides the required support and assistance toward the realisation of safer and more secured waterways in Nigeria, and by extension, the Gulf of Guinea,” Mr Montz said.

(NAN)