PROMOTION: NIMASA MAKES IMO REPRESENTATIVE DIRECTOR

The Governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has approved the promotion of the Nigerian Alternate Permanent Representative at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr. Dikko Bala, to Director. Also elevated to the position of Director in the Agency was the Deputy Director, Maritime Labour Services, Mrs. Rita Uruakpa.

Other beneficiaries of the promotion exercise were Mr Kazir Musa, who was promoted to Deputy Director, and 18 officers, who were elevated to Assistant Directors. Two hundred and thirty six other staff across all grade levels also benefited from the exercise. 

Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the IMO Mr. Dikko Bala

The promotions were ratified at a meeting of the Governing Board of the Agency held in Lagos under the chairmanship of Major General Jonathan India Garba (rtd).

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, congratulated the promoted members of staff and charged them to continue to be committed to the Agency’s vision of taking the Nigerian maritime sector to an enviable height.

Dakuku stated, “Our determination to continue to motivate the Agency’s workforce remains unwavering. This was a rigorous but fair process, and in this wise, I will like to congratulate the newly promoted staff of the Agency and to say to them that the reward for hard work is more work.

“On our part as Executive Management, we will continue to ensure that staff are promoted as and when due so that they can remain motivated to give their best in the Agency’s drive to reposition the maritime industry.”

In their comments, the promoted staff said before now, staff of the Agency stayed very long on one grade level without promotion, but that story changed with the coming of the Dakuku-led Management.

According to one of the promoted officers, who craved anonymity, “More than ever, NIMASA staff have remained committed to the Agency’s course, knowing full well that every hard work is rewarded by the Agency’s Management. This promotion exercise has clearly shown that the Dr. Dakuku Peterside-led Management is determined to actualise its promise to take the Nigerian maritime sector to the next level by encouraging professionalism.”

Chairman, Governing Board of the Agency enjoined the newly promoted staff to be more dedicated to their duties, saying the promotions will come with more responsibilities.

This promotion exercise is the third under the Dakuku management since assuming office about three years ago.

NIMASA EXTENDS AID TO ONDO STATE

… As Agency Continues Donation of Relief Materials

…Ondo State Government Hails Agency

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has continued its donation of relief materials to victims affected by flood and other disasters across the country. The Agency took the exercise to Akure in Ondo state where various items were donated to the Ondo State Government for onward distribution to affected citizens.

The Director, Western Zonal Office of NIMASA Mr. Olayemi Abass handing over some of the relief materials donated to Ondo state by the Agency to the Permanent Secretary, Deputy Governor’s office Mrs Desola Alabi in Akure on thursday.

Speaking during the presentation of the materials in Akure, the Director General of NIMASA Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated that in line with the Agency’s policy on Corporate Social Responsibility, NIMASA would continue to provide support for victims of natural and man-made disasters across the country.

The Director General who was represented by the Agency’s Director, Western Zonal Office, Mr. Olayemi Abass said that the Agency will continue to vigorously pursue the improvement of the welfare of Nigerians and the economy as a whole.

In his words” We are here to comply with the Federal Government’s directive for all government organizations to use their powers and resources to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians affected by flood and other disasters. We therefore call on other corporate bodies to partner with us in this drive”, he said.

While receiving the materials, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State Hon. Agboola Ajayi commended NIMASA for reaching out to Ondo State. He said that the materials could not have come at a better time especially because the Ondo State Government is currently handling the devastating effect of the rain storm that ravaged the Supare and Ikare Akoko areas of the state.

The Deputy Governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Desola Alabi, said that the Ondo State Government would continue to partner with agencies such as NIMASA in various areas for the common good of Nigeria.

It will be recalled that NIMASA commenced the second phase of the donation of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) nationwide last week with the presentation of household items to IDPs in Lagos and Niger States.

Twenty states across the nation’s six geopolitical zones that have been ravaged by flood and other disasters will benefit from this segment of the exercise.

AAMA REITERATES COMMITMENT TO BUILDING COMPETITIVE AFRICAN MARITIME SECTOR

…Dakuku Hails Participants Commitment    

The Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administration (AAMA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has reiterated the commitment of the African body to build a competitive maritime sector in Africa through continuous engagements and sharing of ideas. 

The AAMA Chair who spoke during the 3^rd session of the Executive Council (EXCO) of the Association held at the Farah Hotel Casablanca, Morocco, disclosed that there is the need for concerted efforts by the various maritime administrations in Africa to be put in place to be able to compete favourably with its counterparts in other continents.

The AAMA Chairman who is also the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) noted that the choice of the various countries in the EXCO was to ensure geographical spread, thereby making sure every region is well represented.  

“Accordingly, he said, “I beckon on you all to note that our primary aim of coming here is to continue to uphold the tenets of the African Maritime Transport Charter (AMTC) to improve among others, the capacity, capability and performance of Africa’s Maritime Administrations and the maritime/shipping sector with great emphasis on human resources development, technology and information sharing”.

Speaking further, he enjoined the participants to make valuable contributions to the course of promoting the African maritime administration, as this will help to achieve set goals for the body in African. “Let me assure you that, we will not relent in our efforts to build competitive and vibrant maritime and shipping sector and to give Africa a voice among comity of maritime nations as Africa is our hope for sustainable growth”, the AMAA Chair said.

Dr. Peterside also expressed delight and optimism that the meeting will yield results and profound way forward to actualizing the African Maritime Transport Charter (AMTC).

The AAMA Executive Council is made up of representatives of Central Africa (Cameroun, Cape Verde), West Africa (Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana), East Africa (Tanzania and Comoros), Southern Africa (Mozambique and South Africa), North Africa (Egypt and Sudan) and Uganda representing land-locked countries. The meeting had in attendance Executive Council members from Cape Verde, Ghana, Tanzania, Comoros, Mozambique, South Africa, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Nigeria.  

It may be recalled that in 2017, Dr. Dakuku Peterside was elected as the Chairman of AAMA during the 3^rd conference of the body held in Nigeria. In 2018 Dr. Peterside was elected to continue his tenure as Chairman during the 4th AAMA Conference in Egypt because of the visibility his leadership has given AAMA globally.  The 3rd Session of EXCO will focus on several issues that will continue to drive AAMA's vision, ambition and strategy for the sustainable development of Africa's Maritime Domain.

NIMASA DONATES RELIEF MATERIALS TO FLOOD VICTIMS IN NIGER

• As Gov. Abubakar Bello Lauds Initiative

• Our Efforts is to Support Affected People - Dakuku

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in continuation of its nationwide donation of relief items to victims affected by flood in some 20 states of the country has made presentation to the people so affected in Niger State.

Hajia Lami Tumaka, Director Special Duties representing Dr. Dakuku Peterside, Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA)  presenting relief materials donated by NIMASA to the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso in Minna.

Deputy Governor of Niger State, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso (5^thfrom left) Representative of DG, NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka (4^thfrom left), Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA, Mr. Kyanet, Philip (5^th from right) and some members of the Niger State Executive Council during the presentation of relief materials by NIMASA to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Minna, Niger State.

Presenting the items, the Director General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said this was the Agency's humble effort towards alleviating the suffering of the people who were displaced by floods in the state last year.

Represented by Hajia Lami Tumaka, Director Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation), the NIMASA DG commiserated with the families of those who lost loved ones and property and assured of the Agency's preparedness to extend support to Nigerians in distress.

According to the DG, “we are here to extend our hand of fellowship to you and to let you know that NIMASA cares. The fact that you are here today, does not make you any less Nigerian, but for the circumstances that brought you here. As a socially responsible corporate entity, NIMASA remains committed to supporting all Nigerians in distress, no matter how little.

"This exercise will take us to 20 states covering the six Geo-Political Zones where Nigerians have been displaced through natural disasters, insurgency and other forms of conflict. This is just our way of supporting the Federal and State governments in catering for the needs of the displaced so that they do not feel abandoned in their times of need".

The NIMASA DG further called on other well-meaning organisations and individuals to also lend their hand of support to the displaced citizens as government cannot do it alone.

Receiving the relief materials on behalf of the government, the Niger State Governor, Dr. Abubakar Sani Bello who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso thanked NIMASA for the gesture and stated that the items would go a long way in ameliorating the suffering of the victims.

The Governor who lauded NIMASA's initiative of always bringing succor to distressed Nigerians was also quoted as saying "we want to appreciate the kind gesture of the relief materials sent by the Director General and Management of NIMASA to the government and people of Niger State to cushion the effect of the flood impacted victims”.

He noted that the State Government already had a data base of all the affected victims and the support they have received from well spirited individuals so far, assuring that the items would be judiciously distributed to the victims.

It will be recalled that NIMASA was in Niger State in June last year with relief materials for victims who were affected by flood in the Suleja axis of the state.

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, NIMASA has commenced the distribution of relief materials to victims of natural and man-made disasters in 20 states of the Federation covering the six Geo-Political zones. The exercise was flagged off in Lagos at the Lagos State Emergency Resettlement and Relief camp in Igando on Tuesday April 9, 2019.

NIGERIAN WATERS NOW SAFER, SAYS PIRACY REPORTING BODY

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB), a specialised department of the International Chamber of Commerce, has released its report for the first quarter of 2019 showing an increased level of safety in the Nigerian Maritime Domain.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre said no vessel was reported hijacked in the period under review, marking the first time Nigeria had such record since the first quarter of 1994. The report noted that in the first quarter of 2019, Nigeria experienced a decrease in reported piracy incidents, compared to the same period in 2018.

The report further stated that there was a great improvement in the efforts to actively respond to incidents in the Nigerian Maritime Domain.

The IMB Director, Pottengal Mukundan, disclosed that Nigeria was gaining advantage from coordinated responses to incidents via its maritime regulatory agency, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy.  The Director called for sustenance of the collaborative effort. 

Pottengall stated, “These latest statistics from the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre are encouraging. However, first quarter statistics should not be a basis to anticipate trends through the rest of the year, as it’s too short a period. It, nonetheless, confirms the importance of information sharing and coordinated action between the industry and response agencies. Going forward, it is critical to continue to build a more effective reporting structure to enable a strong, unified response when dealing with piracy incidents.”

Reacting to the report, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, stated that the Agency would continue to do all in its powers, within the ambit of the law, to ensure that piracy in Nigerian territorial waters was drastically reduced, if not eradicated. Dakuku said the Federal Executive Council’s recent approval of the Deep Blue Project, which is an all-encompassing maritime security architecture, was a clear demonstration of the fact that the President Muhammadu Buhari Government was leaving no stone unturned in its determination to tackle the menace of piracy.

The DG stated, “This report by IMB is not a surprise because if you consider how seriously the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is paying attention to maritime safety and security, which led to the approval of the Deep Blue Project geared towards tackling all illegalities in the maritime sector, you would understand that these are the best times to invest in maritime in Nigeria.”

Dakuku said the Agency will continue to collaborate with the Nigerian Armed Forces, the Police and other relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that Nigeria became a hub of maritime business in Africa.

The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre, which is a 24-hour free service offered by the IMB, enables shipmasters to report any incidents of piracy, armed robbery or stowaway.

Since 1992, the IMB Piracy Reporting Centre has provided the maritime industry, government bodies and response agencies with timely data on the location of piracy and armed robbery incidents at sea.

NIMASA FLAGS OFF NATIONWIDE DONATION OF RELIEF MATERIALS

… 20 States to Benefit

…We’re Committed to Touching Lives – Dakuku

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Tuesday commenced the donation of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) nationwide with the presentation of household items to IDPs in Lagos. The exercise, which took place at the Lagos State Emergency Resettlement and Relief Camp at Igando, in Alimosho Local Government Area, involved relief materials worth millions of naira. Twenty states of the federation are billed to benefit from the scheme.

Twenty States across the Nation’s Six Geopolitical Zones are set to benefit, beginning from Lagos State. Others are, Rivers, Niger, Benue, Kastina, Plateau, Kaduna, Edo, Yobe, and Kogi states respectively. 


Also, other States ravaged by floods lined up to benefit include; Kano, Sokoto, Anambra, Taraba, Osun, Delta, Cross River, Ogun, Bayelsa and Ondo States.

 While presenting the materials to the IDPs, in Lagos, the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, said the gesture was in line with NIMASA's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, which is partly focused on touching the lives of people, especially the indigent and displaced persons, and changing their stories.  

Dakuku, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation), Hajia Lami Tumaka, said NIMASA had decided to identify with victims of natural and other disasters living in the camp in Lagos to try to give them a sense of belonging.

He told the displaced persons, “We have come here to identify with you and to share in your trying moments. Let me assure you that it will not be for long, as the government is aware of the challenges you are going through and is doing everything possible to get you properly resettled in order to lead normal lives again.

“As a socially responsible corporate entity, we are concerned with your wellbeing and we remain committed to partnering with the Lagos State Government to ameliorate your challenges.”

The DG called on other well-meaning organisations and individuals to come forward with relief measures to support the victims of natural and other disasters. He urged the Lagos State Government to remain resolute in its enforcement of the demolition of weak buildings to avert further incidences of building collapse in the state.

Earlier in his welcome address, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, commended NIMASA for consistently being a worthy partner in the effort to support IDPs in the state. Tiamiyu pledged the readiness of the Lagos State Government to continue to partner with the Agency in the attempt to assist and resettle all victims of disaster in the state.

According to him, “NIMASA has remained a worthy partner and we call on other agencies, corporate bodies, and individuals to emulate this gesture so that in no distant time the IDPs can be resettled in their homes and continue with their normal lives and activities.

“I recall that last year, NIMASA also brought a lot of relief materials to victims of flood disaster. So on behalf of the government of Lagos State and, indeed, the displaced Lagosians, I say, thank you to Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Management of NIMASA.”

The materials donated by NIMASA included food items, clothing materials, beddings, toiletries, wheel chairs, and baby food, among other household items.

It would be recalled that NIMASA had in 2018 donated relief materials to victims of floods and insurgency in 11 states of the federation. The Agency is currently donating relief materials to victims of natural and other disasters in 20 states, covering the six geo-political zones in the country.

NIMASA DONATES RELIEF MATERIALS TO VICTIMS OF NATURAL AND OTHER DISASTERS IN LAGOS

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Lagos.

While making the presentation at the Lagos State EmergencyResettlement and Relief Camp in Igando, the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside said that the gesture was in line with NIMASA's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes part of which is anchored on the provision of safety nets  for indigent and displaced persons.

The Director General who was represented by the Director Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation) Hajia Lami Tumaka further said that the Agencyhas decided to identify with victims of natural and other disasters living in the camp in Lagos with the intention of rendering assistanceand giving them a sense of belonging.

Director, Special Duties, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Hajia Lami Tumaka, at the flag off ceremony of the distribution of relief materials to flood victims by NIMASA at the Igando Resettlement Camp in Lagos, April 9, 2019.

Director, Special Duties, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Hajia Lami Tumaka, at the flag off ceremony of the distribution of relief materials to flood victims by NIMASA at the Igando Resettlement Camp in Lagos, April 9, 2019.

Speaking directly to the displaced persons, Dr. Peterside said“we have come here to identify with you and to share in your trying moments. Let me assure you that it will not be for long as the Government is aware of the challenges you are going through and is doing everything possible to get you properly resettled in order to lead normal lives again.

"As a socially responsible corporate entity, we are concerned about yourwell being and we remain committed to partnering with the Lagos State Government to ameliorate your challenges".

He further called on other well meaning organisations and individuals to also come forward with support for the victims of natural and other disasters while urging the Lagos State Government to remain resolute in its enforcement of the demolishing of weak buildings to avert further building disaster in the metropolis.

Earlier in his welcome address, the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyucommended NIMASA for consistently being a worthy partner in catering for the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)in Lagos.

He applauded the kind gesture ofNIMASA and expressed the readiness of the Lagos State Government to continue to partner with the Agency in the effort to properly cater for and resettle all victims of disaster in the state.

According to him, “NIMASA has remained a worthy partner and we call on other agencies, corporate bodies and individuals to emulate this gesture so that in no distant time the IDPs can be resettled in their homes and continue with their normal lives and activities. I recall that last year NIMASA also brought a lot of relief materials to victims of flood disaster. So on behalf of the Government of Lagos State and indeed the displaced Lagosians, I say thank you to Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Management of NIMASA”.

Some of the materials donated by NIMASA include food items, clothing materials, beddings, toiletries, wheel chairs and baby food amongst other household items.

It will be recalled that NIMASA had in 2018 donated relief materials to victims affected by floods and insurgency in 11 states of the country.

The Agency is currently donating relief materials to victims of natural and other disasters in 20 statescovering the six geo-political zones in the country. The exercise was flagged off in Lagos yesterday