- NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh (left), Head, Library, Aisha Askira, and Executive Director, Operations, Shehu Ahmed, during the opening of the NIMASA Knowledge Centre and e-Library at the Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre in Lagos
Poised to enhance the maritime industry’s knowledge capacity through research-based initiatives to position it for a greater role in the national economy, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has launched an e-library.
Unveiling the facility at the Nigerian Maritime Resource Development Centre (NMRDC) in Lagos, the NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said that as a knowledge-based industry with huge opportunities, there was need to encourage research to enable the sector reach its full potential.
“You would agree with me that maritime is knowledge-based and we cannot afford to be left behind,” Jamoh said. “This is why we have upgraded this library beyond physical books to the electronic ones.
“The virtual nature of the library makes accessibility of reading materials seamless from any part of the world just with a touch of the button on your phone. We believe this would help Nigeria to diversify its economy and reduce tremendously the oil dependency, as this library is equipped to bridge the knowledge gap in our industry.”
According to him, “by the official opening of the NIMASA Knowledge Centre E-library, we have once again shown beyond rhetoric that the agency is committed to bequeathing treasured assets to Nigeria, Africa, and the global maritime community.”
The facility, he noted, would help preserve the country’s maritime history and advance the industry with its many reference materials. Jamoh added: “As you know, libraries are not just facilities for warehousing books and periodicals, they are also important cornerstones of a healthy community.”
“More than just storage spaces for books, libraries are important community hubs that serve as centres of learning, professional development and healthcare, among other benefits.”
Meanwhile, he likened the NMRDC, which he said was designed as a training institution for the maritime industry, to the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, in Kaduna State, which serves as a training facility for the security services.
“It is our hope that the purpose of this centre would be realised,” he said. You can see it is designed to harbour students with a 44-apartment guesthouse where faculties and students can reside comfortably for a training period.
“It also has a world-class training centre and other facilities that can compete with the best in the world.”
