The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has decried the lack of implementation of the Corrective Action Plan of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) by maritime administrations in Nigeria and other African Member States.
IMSAS commenced as a voluntary Scheme in 2006 and became a treaty obligation in January 2016. It aims to promote the consistent and effective implementation of applicable IMO instruments and to assist Member States to improve their capabilities, whilst contributing to the enhancement of global and individual member state’s overall performance in compliance with the requirements of the instruments to which it is a party.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a 3-Day workshop for Heads of Maritime Administrations in West and Central Africa facilitated by IMO and the Abuja MoU in Lagos on Monday, IMO representative, Head Africa Section, Subdivision for Maritime Development Technical Cooperation Division, Williams Azuh, noted that while nearly 100 percent of the maritime administrations in the region have been audited, not one of the audited African Member States had completed, terminated or effectively implemented the agreed Corrective Action Plan.
He listed the audited African Member States since the commencement of the audit scheme in January 2016 to include Cape Verde; Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d’Ivoire; Djibouti; Equatorial Guinea; Gabon; Ghana; Guinea; Kenya; Madagascar; Mauritania; Nigeria; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Tanzania, The Gambia; The Sudan and Togo.
According to Azuh, all the audited Member States were provided with an Audit Final Report that reflects the Agreed Corrective Action Plan to be effectively implemented after three to four years following the audit.
“I would also like to use this opportunity of high-level presence and participation in the workshop to draw your attention to an important work of IMO, especially in this region, which is the International Maritime Organization Member States Audit, generally referred to as IMSAS. Nearly 100 percent of the maritime administrations in the region have been audited and that is a fantastic result. However, actions on the Corrective Action Plans (CAP) have been dismal, to say the least.
“If there is no feedback from the audit, you would then wonder why your administrations were audited in the first place. IMO has been literally ‘begging’ the audited maritime administrations to report back to it on the Corrective Actions implemented or lack thereof which were part of the audit recommendations. IMO is willing and able to assist the countries to implement those corrective actions, but the initiation would have to come from you.
“We believe that more could be done within the region. One thing is to audit an administration, another thing is to follow up with the corrective action plan and see what you are doing to address the gaps identified,” he told the heads of maritime agencies present at the workshop.
Continuing, Azuh said, “Member States are encouraged to provide IMO, periodically, with comments on the effective implementation of the corrective action plan (CPICAP). To assist Member States, a CPICAP model form has been developed by IMO and sent to the Member State to be used when communicating to IMO.
“As a fact, and after the period of the follow-up audit, not one of the audited African Member States had completed, terminated/effectively implemented the agreed CAP. So far, IMO has finalized 10 Audit Follow-up reports which reflect the CAP situation. This means that for the upcoming audit in the second cycle, the auditors will start the audit with a heritage on non-addressed findings from the first cycle, so the observed gaps would still be there.
“With regards to provided CPICAs, the same scenario is recorded, with very low engagement/involvement of the Member States in providing regular updates in the implementation of the CAP (only 6 Member States out of the 20 provided some CPICAPs).
“I decided to deal with this matter in some details and engage the attention of high-level management within the African Maritime Administration on this situation and on the potential benefit derivable from IMSAS. With my colleagues in our Member State Audit Department, we are planning a dedicated high-level forum to specifically discuss the IMSAS and provide practical guidance, boost response, and find desired solutions.”
The IMO representative added that since the beginning of the mandatory phase of the audit, not a single training for auditors has been conducted in the African region with the last being the one conducted in Togo in 2015 for 23 participants from 9 African Member States.
“Only, three auditors among the 23 trained were nominated by their respective administrations. This needs to be addressed by encouraging beneficiary Member States to nominate auditors as that is the essence of the training,” he said.
Speaking on the essence of the workshop, Azuh said it is aimed at bringing the current leadership of Maritime administrations in the region up to speed on their responsibilities under the port State Control regime from the perspective of IMO.
“There have been several changes in the leadership of the Maritime Administrations in the region especially under the Abuja MoU membership. Port State Control is a critical element in trade facilitation and by extension the quality of shipping and shipping services in the region with direct implications or if you may, consequences to the national economies. Awareness at the very top of governance in the maritime administrations is therefore crucial,” he said.
Picture caption:
Bottom row (from 4h left): International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Regional Coordinator for West and Central Africa, Captain Dallas Laryea; Representative of the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Shehu Ahmed; Secretary General, Abuja MoU, Captain Sunday Umoren; Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko; Former Director General NIMASA, Mrs. Mfon Usoro; Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Babatunde Bombata; Head, Maritime Safety Department NIMASA, Engr. Olu Aladenusi; Head, Africa Section, IMO, Mr. William Azu and other delegates during the opening ceremony of the IMO/Abuja MoU Workshop for Heads of Maritime Administrations in the West and Central Africa Region in Lagos on Monday.
