NIMASA appoints Obi as acting DG

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) on Tuesday announced Mr Calistus Obi as the Acting Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the agency.

Deputy Director/Head of Public Relations of NIMASA, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, in a statement in Lagos said that the appointment followed the handing-over by Dr Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi to him.

The statement recalled that the Federal Government had last week relieved Akpobolokemi of his appointment as the Chief Executive Officer of the agency’

He was directed to handover the property of the agency to the most senior officer there.

The statement said that Obi was, until this appointment, the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services in the agency.

It said that Obi had acquired over two decades of experience in the law practice as well as in the maritime industry.

The statement said that Obi, born on May 1, 1964, hailed from Ihiala Local Government Area of Imo State and studied Law at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

“After duly completing the mandatory Law School programme, he bagged a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria,” the statement said.

The statement said that Obi, a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) was called to the Bar in 1991.

It said that Obi was also a member of the International Bar Association (IBA), Fellow, Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators as well as other professional associations.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on July 15,2015 terminated the appointment of Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi as Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

The Presidential Spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Thursday said the termination of Akpobolokemi’s appointment took immediate effect.

He was to hand over the management of NIMASA and all government property in his possession to the most senior officer in the agency who will remain in charge until a new Director-General is appointed.

Also President Buhari approved the dissolution of the Governing Boards of Federal Parastatals, Agencies and Institutions with effect from July 16, 2015.

Until the boards are reconstituted, Chief Executive Officers of the affected parastatals, agencies and institutions are to refer all matters requiring the attention of their boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their supervising ministries.

Adesina in a release said while the dissolution did not affect Federal Executive Bodies listed in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it covered administrative or technical committees and other similar organs established by the dissolved boards