By Godfrey Bivbere, Godwin Oritse & Ifeyinwa Obi
LAGOS — Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, weekend, charged the management of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to work together, respect constituted authorities or face the consequences.

The Minister also stressed the importance of the maritime industry to the development of the economy, noting that NIMASA has a role to play in developing the sector to meet the aspiration of government.

Umar who gave the charge in Lagos when he visited the apex maritime regulatory agency as part of his tour of parastatals under his Ministry said the management must stop all form of bickering and internal squabbles.

He said the present administration under President Goodluck Jonathan and indeed Nigerians were clamouring for a charge and development, noting that NIMASA must work to achieve this goal because of the important role it played in the nation’s economy.

Speaking earlier, the Director General of NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokimi, assured the minister that the agency’s management would give the minister all the support he needed to ensure that the goals of government for the sector was achieved.