The maiden edition of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN’s) annual lecture is set to focus on maritime safety.
Earlier scheduled for 21st November, the MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL) will now take place on Wednesday, 29th November 2023.
According to a statement by the association’s President, Mr. Godfrey Bivbiere, the lecture, whose theme is ‘Maritime Security: Emerging Threats and Actionable Steps’ aims at proffering long-term sustainable solutions to emerging threats to realising sustainable maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG).
MARAN explained that the event, as well as the theme became necessary in view of the rising wave of crime and criminality occurrences across the nations frontier waterfronts.
Bivbiere said that views expected to be canvassed by experts who have agreed to attend the event would specially contribute to effectively address maritime crimes in the GoG region, and offer and protect seafaring and fishing communities in the affected countries.
“MARAN, as the foremost umbrella body of journalists covering the Nigerian maritime sector, has identified and commends the collaborative initiatives and efforts of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and other maritime agencies, which led to a significant reduction in piracy incidents in Nigerian waters and the GoG throughout 2022.
“To a large extent, the establishment of the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Collaboration Forum for the Shared Awareness and Deconfliction has enabled stakeholders within and outside the region to connect and discuss frequently how best to tackle piracy in the area and this had yielded verifiable results”.
Bivbiere further said that the Special Guest of Honour is the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, while the Keynote Speaker is the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh.
Other speakers will include former NIMASA DG, Barrister Temisan Omatseye; President of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, Alhaji Aminu Umar, President, Maritime Security Providers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Emmanuel Maiguwa, and former Director of Shipping Development at NIMASA, Captain Warredi Eniosuo.
