Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi did not submit the name of Dr. Dakuku Peterside for re-appointment as the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), The Nation learnt on Tuesday.
Amaechi was said to have favoured another candidate which sources said the Presidency rejected the choice and decided to pick Dr Bashir Jamoh, who assumed duty on Tuesday with the new Executive Directors of the agency.
Jamoh was last week appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to replace Peterside after the expiration of his four years in office.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony at the NIMASA Head Office in Apapa, Lagos, the new DG said the agency was committed to improving the core mandate of the agency to promote the nation’s maritime industry to international standard.
He thanked the President for finding them worthy to be appointed. Jamoh said he was appointed to reposition the agency and serve the nation and humanity.
”I must acknowledge the great strides we have made in the area of maritime safety, security, particularly the deep blue project and ensuring the enactment of the anti-piracy law
“Our determination to enthrone a worthy Cabotage regime is legendary and so the regulatory activities which saw Nigeria emerging top in port and flag state control in West and Central Africa,” he said.
He expressed his readiness to partner all stakeholders with a view to positively impacting the maritime sector and the Nigerian economy at large.
Jamoh lauded his predecessor for many laudable feats they achieved together in the last four years
“We will follow your foot steps and improve on what you left behind.”
Peterside urged NIMASA staff to cooperate with the new board and executive management of the agency.
He said: “We got on the saddle at a time NIMASA and the industry were at its lowest ebb. There were challenges across all levels of the maritime industry from safety, security, maritime labour relations to structural and cultural issues. My colleagues and I knew we had a task; to restore the dignity of the Agency, get it to work for Nigerians, for the maritime industry and put her back on the path of international respect. We considered the bigger picture and long term need for the industry before committing to our course of actions. We set to work with a broad reform agenda in 2016 to reposition and restructure NIMASA under five pillars, namely: Survey, Inspection and Certification Transformation Programme; Environment, Security, Emergency Search and Rescue Transformation Initiative; Digital Strategy Reforms; Capacity Building and Promotional Initiatives; and Structural and Cultural Reforms. Listening to all of you speak and even industry stakeholders who are not here, I am satisfied that we have made a difference, we have delivered, we have made the country proud and we have laid the most important foundation for the foremost maritime regulatory agency in Africa to thrive and deliver value.
He added that “I am happy today that though my four (4) years tenure as Director-General/CEO NIMASA has come to an end, Mr. President, Commander-in-Chief has appointed one of our own as the new Director-General/CEO NIMASA. What it means is that he and his team will bring in new ideas to sustain and build on our collective achievements while upholding the vision and mission of NIMASA.”
The Executive Directors are: Hon. Chudi Offodile, new Executive Director, Finance and Administration; Shehu Ahmed, new Executive Director, Operations; new Director General, NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh; with Hon. Engr Victor Onyekachi Ochei, new Executive Director, Cabortage Services. The new Board Chairman is Chief Okorie Asita.
By The Nation