By Seun Ibiyemi
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative in Delta state have resolved to adopt Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in a claim as on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) by NIMASA in the community.
The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions had earlier commenced investigating a petition brought against NIMASA where the Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative alleged that NIMASA failed to establish educational and skills acquisition projects in the coastal communities as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
In the latest development however when the matter was called up on Wednesday, both parties agreed to seek peaceful settlement through Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Speaking during the occasion, the Chairman of the committee, Mike Etaba, said NIMASA team led by Director, Administration and Human Resources, Isichei Osamgbi, had reached out to the Committee earlier seeking to resolve the matter through ADR, stressing that the move is well appreciated and encouraged by his Public Petitions Committee.
“NIMASA team met me before the sitting and we have agreed that this matter be handled through ADR for proper implementation. If there is anything we encourage it is ADR. And if parties agree with ADR they will go into it” he said .
Hon. Etaba noted that delight over the harmonious agreement between both parties, stressing ‘there is nothing like harmony’.
Also speaking George Wilcox Noah, the Chairman, Abade-Toru Manga Community Development Initiative, said he was satisfied with the resolution, adding that the harmonious agreement goes to show that the community is not at any loggerhead with NIMASA.
“I am very much satisfied with the resolution since it goes in line with the plea from the agency, just to show that we are not in any loggerhead with the agency. We are not antagonizing the agency” he added.
The Community leader assured that going forward there would be peaceful coexistence between the community and NIMASA, and that sea piracy that affects both the Niger Delta region and the Gulf of Guinea would be mitigated.