The director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh has assured that the agency will redouble its efforts in ensuring the continuous development of the nation’s maritime sector.
Jamoh, speaking in Lagos after the agency scooped Vanguard Newspaper’s Selfless Humanitarian Service award in Lagos recently assured that whatever was being done to attract the flurry of awards would be redoubled.
A statement made available to the media by NIMASA’s assistant director, public relations, Osagie Edward quoted Jamoh to have hailed inter-agency and international collaborations against piracy and other maritime offences as one of the tonics for the success the agency has enjoyed. This, he said, resulted in an all-time reduction in vessel and crew attacks will be redoubled.
“Thanks [to] members of the NIMASA board, executive management team and all staff of the agency for their contributions to the success stories the nation’s foremost maritime administration has been associated with.”
He assured that in months to come, NIMASA in the performance of its statutory functions would scale up its activities to achieve more for investors, professionals and all stakeholders in the nation’s maritime industry.
Jamoh commended Vanguard Media Limited, publishers of Vanguard Newspaper, for finding him worthy of the award. He said it was a recognition beyond honour and a call to increase the level of service.
“This calls for more work, tasks and more sustainable success. We have so many things in place and God-willing, within the coming months, we have to double up our efforts to justify this award.
“It is a challenge and whatever we did before that impressed the selection committee. Now we have to double our efforts. For me, I don’t see the award as just an award in name, but as a challenge.
“The essence of leadership wherever you go is to make a difference to the people and the society. So, if your position of leadership cannot change dimensions, then the essence of leadership is far from achieved.
“The Vanguard Newspaper recognised our efforts because there are some impacts and changes, but there are so many areas in which we need to do more in the coming months,” he said shortly after receiving his award plaque and certificate.
Notable maritime stakeholders who witnessed the ceremony agreed that the NIMASA DG has worked hard within a short period to justify the honour.
Prominent shipowner, Mrs. Margaret Orakwusi, described Jamoh as a NIMASA DG who came with three decades of experience in the sector and sound maritime academic background which he has productively deployed for the benefit of the Nigerian maritime sector.
Other stakeholders who identified with and commended Jamoh for the honour include the managing director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko; two former directors general of NIMASA, Dr. Ade Dosunmu and Dr. Dakuku Peterside; president, Nigerian Shipowners Association, Dr. M. K Gorge Onyung; president, alumni association, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (AMANO) Emmanuel Maiguwa and president-general, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Comrade Adewale Adeyanju.
Since he assumed office Dr. Jamoh has won several awards, including the 2020 Zik Prize in Public Policy.
The chairman of the selection committee of the Zik Prize 2020, Professor Pat Utomi, said the capacity of Dr. Jamoh to have extensively managed the restructuring, reformation and repositioning of NIMASA earned him the prestigious award.
“The ‘Deep Blue’ project and the ‘Blue Economy’ initiative Dr. Jamoh continues to champion have brought massive gains to the agency and the nation’s economic diversification goals.”
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in its recent report disclosed that piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which had become the global epicentre for sea piracy in recent times, fell to the lowest since Q2 2019 after the agency enforced the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the ‘Deep Blue’ project.
