By Stephen Ubanna
When Bashir Jamoh assumed office as the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, on March 10, 2020, following the expiration and non -renewal of Dakuku Peterside’s first term in office, by President Muhammadu Buhari, he had promised to ensure that that ‘‘staff are promoted as at when do a way to motivate them to do their work to make maritime key element in the country’s economic diversification agenda’’.
Between July 2010 and July 2022, the Kaduna state born technocrat and his management team were said to have kept to their promise by carrying out three distinct promotion exercises in the maritime regulatory agency resulting in the promotion of 1365 staff including both serving retired Directors in less than three years. This clearly shows that there is member of staff the ornanisation who have not benefited from Jamoh led management promotion exercise in the last two and half years and more are still going to benefit from next year being the last lap of the Buhari’s Administration.
Jamoh and his Management Team, were said to have done what Patrick Akponolokemi and Peterside, both former Director General of the agency , and their management team could not do in their years in office as they may not not have paid attention to staff welfare.
Take for instance in the first promotion interview that was carried out in July 2020, barely four months in office, no fewer than 586 staff, including nine Directors were said to have been promoted including nine Directors. One of the Deputy Directors that was promoted to rank of Director was HajiaLami Tumaka, the then agency spokeson who has retired.
In 2021, an additional 295 staff and three Directors , including, Isichei Osamgbi, who had succeeded Hajia Tumaka as spokesperson spokesperson of the agency, were elated to the enviable rank of Directors.
For the 2022, promotion exercise that was said to have been approved the agency Governing Board, under the close watch of Honourable Osita based on the recommendations of Jamoh led management Team, no fewer than three Deputy Directors and 469 other staff elevated to the next rank. The three newly promoted Directors were Otonye Obom, Captain Umoren Sunday Michael, and Mr. Kazir Abubakar Musa.
Osagie Edward, an Assistant Director, and the agency spokesperson had said that‘‘the promotions were ratified at a meeting of the Governing Board of the Agency held at the NIMASA headquarters in Lagos recently. The Board members were said to have enjoined the newly promoted staff ‘‘to be more dedicated to their duties, saying that promotions come with added responsibilities’’, noting that to whom much is given, much is expected of him
On his part, Jamoh, who could not hide his feelings had congratulated the promoted members of staff and charged them ‘’to remain committed to the Agency’s vision of making Nigeria great through sustainable harnessing of its huge maritime potential’’.
He had repeatedly told those that cares to listen that the implementation of the promotion exercise in the agency as at when do is intended ‘’to reinvigorate the attitude of staff to work and bring about more commitment towards transforming the fortunes of the nation’s maritime sector. ‘‘It is my expectations that this development will serve as a morale booster as you collectively rededicate yourselves to the delivery of the agency core mandates’’ which according to an inside include regulations related to Nigerian shipping, maritime Labour and coastal waters. This is in addition to inspections of ships and Search and Rescue operations.
.The NIMASA Chief Executive Officer, CEO, was said to have also assured the staff that the management would remain committed ‘‘to their improved welfare in order to encourage hard work and dedication that the agency staff have been known for over the years and built upon going forward’’.
Although, the 2022, promotional exercise that was conducted in the agency this year was very rigorous, the NIMASA, boss disclosed that it was so ‘‘to ensure that the high standards that have been achieved in such promotion exercises are maintained’’.
Jamoh led NIMASA management may have maintained the International standards in their promotion exercises since he assumed office in 2010, to ensure that its staff would be the best in the African Continent andcan compete anywhere in the world with staff from other countries maritime Authorities, particular, from the developed nations.
Given Jamoh and his management team’ fulfillment of their promise to promote staff as at when do may have won their heart that they have reassure the NIMASA helmsman of their loyalty and ‘’to ensure that his three-point agenda: Maritime Safety, Maritime Security and Shipping Development that will move the nation’s maritime industry forward is properly executed in line with the agency’s mandate’’.
