NIMASA: How Well To End A Year By A DG

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BY Stephen Ubanna

The last nine months  have been full of activities  for Bashir Jamoh, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA.  It was climaxed  last  October,  with his appointment  by the University of Por tHarcourt Authorities   as the Chairman of the 10-man Board of the University  Center  For Logistics  and Transport Studies, CELTRAS, and subsequent inauguration this week.

 The appointment had been applauded from several quarters as a well-deserved honor. The UNIPORT Authorities may have seen the leadership qualities in the NIMASA Director General when he was doing his post graduate gragramme at the University Center for Logistics and Transport Studies.  

 Jamoh,  the NIMASA Director General, according to Gladys Emmenike, the CELTRAS acting Director, who was bestored with such an honour  by  the University Authorities  was one of the three  PHD, students that had graduated from the Center  since  it was established in 2012.

 The University Don had said   that the mission  of the Center includes ‘’production  of qualified  Professionals  with adequate knowledge  and practical skills  to understand solve logistics  and transport  problems in the country’’.  

The mission of the Center  appears to have fitted  well into the mandate of the  Maritime Regulatory Agency as enshrined in its  enabling Act which includes’’ maritime education’’.  Indeed, the University Authorities may have been looking for an  opportunity to associate  with the erudite  scholar with such leadership potentials.

 The opportunity came with his appointment as the Director General of NIMASA, by President Muhammadu Buhari, last March. The Presidential appointment may have opened the gate way for the University Authorities to utilise  the services of Gladys Emenike, the Director of the Center to reach out to him . They got it right.

Prof. Okodudu : VIC, UNIPORT Inaugurated A 10-man Jamoh Led CELTRAS Board

 Stephen Okodudu, a professor and the University acting Vice Chancellor, who could not hide his feelings at the  inauguration  of the Board members at  the University recently    had said that  Jamoh was selected as the  Chairman of the 10-man CELTRAS Board  ‘’by virtue  of his position  as the Director General  of NIMASA’’,  stressing  that the appointment ‘’bear eloquent testimony  to his contributions to national development’’ .  

Many believe that the University  of Port Harcourt Authorities took a wise a decision to give  the NIMASA Director General such an appointment as reflected in his support to fully develop the Center  to achieve its mandate of Logistics and Transport studies. That much was confirmed by Okodudu, the University acting Vice Chancellor.

He cited  NIMASA contributions   to the Construction of a befitting  office Complex  for CELTRAS since he was appointed the Chairman of the Board. An elated Okodudu had said that he was  impressed   with the pace  of the Center’s growth  from a humble begging in 2012 to what it is now . When i behold the edifice being being built to house CELTRAS I am very impressed that stressing that we are benefiting from the dividends of creativity’’, the Professor had said.

 Going by the University Calendar, the Jamoh led 10- man CELTRAS Board ought to have been inaugurated  before now  both not for the nine –month old strike  of Academic Staff  Union of University, ASUU, which insiders said  had put it hold. 

It was not surprising why the  University  Authorities which did not want the inauguration of the Board to extend to 2021, had to take advantage of the call off the strike last Wednesday  by the ASUU Leadership after a successful Negotiation with the Chris Ngige, a former governor of Anmbara state and now minister of Labour and Employment to quickly to inaugurate the Board without further delay.

The UNIPORT Authorities may have selected  other  tested hands in the nation’s Logiistics and Transport sector that  had to be in the Jamoh led  Board of CELTRAS .  A Statement by Philip Kaynet, a Deputy Director, and Head of NIMASA, Corporate Communications, who gave out the names of the other members  of the  Board which he said included  a  Representative  of the minister of Transportation,  Representatives of Rivers and Delta states Commissioners of Transport,  and Representative   of the Corps Marshall/CEO, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC.

Others are the Director , Chartered Institute  of Logistics and Transport Nigeria,, Director General, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences , acting Director, CELTRAS, of the University and  the  Managing Director/ CEO,  Delta Marine Lime.  ‘’It was a well studded  team’’, a maritime analyst remarked.

According to an informed source, the CELTRAS Board  have a ‘’responsibility of identifying   and developing strategies for the Center’s growth , ensure effective  and mutually beneficial relationship  with the government and the industry stakeholders.

Aware of the enormous task ahead of the Board,  Jamoh, who is described in maritime circles as a man of action , and who’’ felt honoured by the  appointment’’,  has promised’’ to lead  the great team towards  the accomplishment  of  the noble mission and objectives  of CELTRAS. He may have been encouraged to issue a policy Statement : We will prioritise  maritime education and Professionalism  in the transport sector. He may have given his words that  NIMASA  will work  hand-in hand  with the governing Board  of the UNIPORT CELTRAS  to achieve its  goals. Hear him: we will ensure that we produce Professionals and encourage research works towards development of the transportation sector.

Jamoh’s life, who many believe begins and ends with Logistics and transportation,  had told the dignitaries  who had gathered   at the University Institute  Petroleum Studies Auditorium, who included both Academic and Non –Academic Staff that ‘’transportation is life and life is transportation’’.  

He may have gladdened the heart of Okodudu, the University Vice Chancellor and the Staff when he assured  that the  CELTRAS  Board under his close watch  will do everything within its capacity  ‘’to surpass  the University target and intention of establishing the Center.

With the inauguration  of the CELTRAS Board at a time the Katsina state born Nigerian President   is doing everything possible to improve and expand  the country’s transport infrastructure, may have informed why the CETRAS Board Chairman and  Director General , NIMASA, had said that the Center  had  already had ’’its  work cut out’’.

He posited that without Professional transporters in the  nation’s transport sector,’’ the infrastructure will continue to dillapidate’’.   

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