Headlines
Buhari set to unveil new face of NIMASA
…approves Nigeria’s bid to return to IMO council.
President Mohammedu Buhari has been scheduled to launch the new face of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in an effort by the management of the agency to reposition the maritime regulatory agency.
The launch, which will coincide with the hosting of Association of heads of African Maritime Administration(AAMA) by NIMASA in Abuja in April, is the grand finale of the reform process put in place by the management of the agency led by Dakuku Peterside, its Director-General.
At a world Press conference held in Lagos last week, Dr Peterside said the unveiling of the new brand of NIMASA by President Buhari will further launch the agency into the mainstream of global maritime administration.
He stated that that agency chose to launch the new NIMASA at a time Nigeria will host the 3rd AAMA conference in Abuja from April 19th to 21st in a bid to showcase to the continental maritime administrators the new depth of change in the agency and the zeal to drive the repositioning of the Nigerian maritime sector that will make the country a strong force to reckon with in the comity of global maritime nations.
Dakuku further disclosed that the hosting of the conference will open a new vista of opportunities and benefits to Nigeria, especially at a time when the Country is bidding to return to the Category C of the International Maritime Organisation(IMO) council.
He disclosed that President Buhahi has since given nod to Nigeria’s efforts to reclaim the council seat it lost in 2011, saying that hosting AAMA conference will boost the chances of the country in this regards.
Dakuku, at the press conference, dwelt extensively on the reform programme of his administration in the last one year when he took over in NIMASA which he declared has led to a paradigm shift from how things were used to be done before.
He disclosed that the reform process has led to increased efficiency and enhanced revenue for the agency.
The renewed interest of Nigeria in the membership of IMO council was sequel to loss of the category C seat in 2011 and the country’s non- participation of the IMO elections in 2013 and 2015.
So for six years, the country has been passive in the politics of the maritime global body, hence to presidential approval for the country to participate in the biannual election that will elect new 20 member states that will seat on the IMO’s category C council from 2017 to 2019.
