Africa Moves Against Dumping Of Nuclear, Toxic Waste At Sea
In a concerted effort to ensure that African Oceans are not over exploited and also not seen as a dumping ground for dangerous materials, participating countries at the just concluded Conference of the Association of Heads of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) have agreed on the need for Population, assets and critical infrastructure protection from maritime pollution by prevention of dumping of toxic and nuclear wastes.
This was contained in the communique of the association released at the weekend at the end of the conference which held in Abuja, Nigeria.
The body of all administrators of maritime regulatory bodies came up with the position as one of the major ways to safeguard the future of maritime wealth in the continent alongside other pertinent positions.
Members of the Association consequently agreed to devote concerted efforts and planning to pursue the enhancement of wealth creation and regional and international trade performance through maritime-centric capacity and capability building while ensuring the minimization of environmental damage and expedited recovery from catastrophic events.
These they observed should be taken into cognisance as well as prevention of hostile and criminal acts at sea, by coordination/harmonization of the prosecution of offenders and improvement of Integrated Coastal Zone/Area Management in Africa, if the continent is to grow maritime trade.
The Conference which had in attendance representatives from Mauritania, South Sudan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, United Republic of Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Comoros, Cape Verde, Djibouti, Benin, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Kenya, Guinea, Libya and Nigeria as well as other non-African countries and International Associations such as Jamaica, Netherlands, Malaysia, IMO, Abuja MOU, PMAWCA, SOAN, NPA, NSC, NITT, NIWA, ASA, WIMA, FAO also witnessed the election of the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside as the Chairman of the Association.
