An Online headline in Nigerian Tribune of 22nd November 2023, captioned “why NASS should disregard proposed bill to establish Coast Guard”, credited to Operator (s) of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard Security and Safety Corps (NMNCGSSC), drew the attention of the Provisionary Committee of the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard, particularly, coming days after Punch Newspaper reported that “FG plans to establish Coast Guard” – credited to the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
The Provisionary Committee wishes to inform relevant Authorities, Stakeholders and the General Public that the story is a reflex tears of emotional cry; coming with the usual rhetoric of Operatives of NMNCGSSC, going by their deep-rooted proclivity and antecedents.
Why establishing Nigerian Coast Guard is a matter of utmost priority and huge benefits are:
(a) Coast Guard is a Sea Military Security Service Provider that carry out an array of specialized multi-mission duties of enforcement of maritime laws, ensuring the security of the open maritime commercial businesses, management of the security of the waterway transportation, among other functions and services;
b) The title Coast Guard, satisfies the standard features of a Bill, which include clear heading, defined caption, precise enacting clause, shared national interest, rationalized objectives, friction-free, satisfying introductory language, among others;
c) In contrast, the title of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Coast Guard Security and Safety Corps, fell short of standard features of a Bill, because of its overstretched nature in its title. NMNCGSSC Bill started with descriptive reason for Merchant Navy, followed by organizational name and occupational nature of Sea Military Security, and ended with the logical inclusiveness of privately registered maritime security outfits and Merchant Navy Business in Nigeria;
d) By interpretation and implication, the NMNCGSSC Bill title is a causality of a syndrome of weak motive, mindset and cramming four vast Agencies together;
e) Coast Guard has clear jurisdictional identity, globally recognized occupational name, organizationally recognized nomenclature, meets the requirements for Nigeria’s internal maritime workings and her membership of International Coast
Guard Associations. It has unique career advantages and capable of providing direct and indirect jobs thereby creating prospects for qualified, available and willing Nigerians;
f) Coast Guard is a child of necessity, national asset and the crown of Nigeria at International front, that its duties, services and protocols are different, distinct and definite from the duties of any existing Statutory Establishment, being the right Maritime Security Agency that would earn national and global recognition/support that would enable it effectively harness the natural resources for the development and growth of the nation’s maritime economic activities, nation building, the tranquility of the country and her international image;
g) Absence of Coast Guard Agency has made Nigeria’s Maritime Activities to lag behind, due to lack of optimal performance in a Sector that contains about twenty vital different industries and professions, thus, leading to yearly loss of hundreds
of Billions of Dollars and job opportunities;
h) Absence of Coast Guard Agency has adversely affected Nigeria not minding that she is a signatory to a number of international maritime instruments, as Nigeria has lost chances of being elected to certain seats on the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
because of the dimension of international politics and diplomacy arising from the absence of this Maritime Security Pillar. Establishing Coast Guard would restore Nigeria’s loss of glory, prestige, chances and full voting right;
i) Absence of Coast Guard has earned Nigeria undeserved derogatory name, dented image, smeared reputation, plundered fortune and trappings of enslavement. Same has filtered away hope of maritime law enforcement, gainful employment, career satisfaction, dignity
in labour, enhanced specialization, functional title holding, increase quantum of value, positive contribution coastal security needs of the industry, collaboration with sister Security Agencies and the attestation of Nigeria’s open maritime commercial Business and services;
j) Establishing Coast Guard would enhance Nigeria’s chances with other nations, partners and stakeholders positively and would strengthen better relationships. Major Global Organizations like IMO, WTO, UNCTAD, International Association for Ports & Harbours
and various African Trade Corridors would step up sincere maritime alliance with Nigeria. Thus, Nigeria’s national image and international prestige would be laundered;
k) Establishing Coast Guard would witness accelerated increase and development of the 54 sovereign countries on the Continent, thereby leading to boom in the economies of these countries;
l) Where the bulk of maritime security infractions occur mostly is predominantly within the 12 nautical miles, inland waters and such other locations where Coast Guard has jurisdiction;
m) National interest has to be separated from private individuals’ interest, as establishing Coast Guard would correct long exiting error, mistake, oversight and intentional inaction;
n) Operators of NMNCGSSC have toyed with this important heritage of Nigeria over the years, and have continued to foster disservice and confusion to the nation, colossal damage to the Maritime Sector, and are determined through the recent publication, to elevate futuristic agony for all of us in the country;
o) NMNCGSSC publication is a direct affront to the Provisionary Committee, the constitutional right of the Parliament and Federal Government for planning to establish Coast Guard – for enforcement of maritime laws, revenue generation, job creation, management of the security of waterway transportation and much more;
p) Relevant Authorities and the General Public is hereby informed that NMNCGSSC still remain under FGN’s hammer by virtue of the Dissolution and Proscription Order of 2013, published in FG Official Gazette No. 58 vol 100, with specific attention to Section 2, which prohibited them from coming up with a new Business Name;
q) The claim that NMNCGSSC is “a well-established institution with registration number NG/MT/0/2022/86868” is an action against that Order, as it has not been vacated. Again, the action of the Operators of NMNCGSSC, resulting from the water-tight defence against their law suit – in 2022 – seeking non-separation of Coast Guard from Merchant Navy. The Statement of Defence has it that their
Business Name is not known to Law. In addition, a strict demand was made, for documentary evidence to prove NMNCGSSC is a registered Private Business Name; Owing to this, NMNCGSSC Operators rushed and registered this Business Name this year – 2023;
r) Relevant Authorities and members of the public are to note that NMNCGSSC has not produce any form of certified evidence from an appropriate Authority to show that the judgment delivered by Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo that Nigerian Merchant Navy being
operated by the Operators was not illegal and that the Proscription Order of 2013 which forbade them from forming another Association in a new Name or Title, has been vacated;
s) It is a known fact that “Law does not allow a Party to benefit from his own wrong”. Party that comes to equity must do so with clean hands. Information on NMNCGSSC at the disposal of the Provisionary Committee has it that NMNCGSSC remains illegal. The
Authorities and the Public are informed to dismiss the claim that establishment of the Coast Guard would cause confusion, waste of resources, duplication and scuttle legislative process, as reported in the Nigerian Tribune. That claim was nothing but a wild
statement lacking reality and admissibility; as such, it holds no water, moisture or root, such remains as an evidence of the deep-rooted proclivity and antecedents of Operators of NMNCGSSC.
NOAH ICHABA, is the Captain of the Chaplaincy Corps and CE & AO of the Provisionary Committee
