The agency’s Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, stated this in Lagos at the 10th meeting of the National Taskforce (NTF) on implementation of Ballast Water Management (BWM) Convention, 2004.xJamoh said, being an oil-producing country, Nigeria was prone to the effects of harmful aquatic organisms transported across regions by tankers. The Director-General, who was represented by the Director, Marine Accident Investigation Unit, Mrs Rita Egbuche, said: “All ships, especially tankers, carry ballast water while on a voyage to maintain stability and operate effectively and safely. But ballast water has also been identified as one of the major vectors for the introduction of invasive alien species in the marine environment. x“As an oil-producing country, we recognise the country’s susceptibility to the danger of ballast water and we have put processes and actions in place to deal with the threat in line with the resolutions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). He said there are also plans to designate Ballast Water Management Exchange Areas in Nigerian waters, and organise sensitisation programmes on BWM for stakeholders on the provisions of the regulations, as well as enforcement and compliance.

Source: The Guardian September 23, 2021 03:00 UTC