By Stephen Ubanna
The monthly meetings of all the Heads of the nation’s naritime agencies appear to have fostered a good working relationships among all the Chief Executives as they forgOt about T their differences to work as a tem in the International Maritime Organisation , IMO, Conferences and Committee meetings.
This is evident going by the recent International Maritime Organisation, IMO, an Agency of the United Nations, UN, Facilitation Committee meeting to elect its officials for another one year –term in office in its Headquarters in London, United Kingdom. The election was said to have taken place between Monday, September 28, 2020 and Friday, October 2, 2020.
Hajia Hadiza Bala Usman, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority , NPA, who was first elected as Vice Chairperson of the Facilitation Committee, FAL, IN 2019 , which elapsed this year had presented herself for the office this year.
Recall that in 2019, with the backing of Daku Peteside, the then Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and other African delegates, She was unanimously elected into the office. The gain of the NPA Managing Director at the IMO Facilitation meeting was the loss of NIMASA , at the UN Agency Council meeting as Nigeria failed to clinch the Coveted Category C Seat.
Having taking Nigeria to the center stage of the IMO politics , by being elected the Vice Chairpeson of the UN, Maritime agency, in 2019, on the first attempt for the exalted position, Hajia Usman may have considered necessary to seek a re-election into the office after the expiration of the first term .
Bashir Jamoh, Director General, NIMASA, an agency which had domesticated over 15 Conventions of the agency including the Ballast Water Management Convention, was said to have mobilised support to see to the re-election of Hajia Usman, his Nigerian Counterpart for the exalted IMO Facilitation Committee Vice Chairperson Seat. She got it.
The Committee which has Marina Angell, as the elected Chairperson from the European country of Sweden, is expected to work together with the 173 -member states of the Organisation. The Committee, The Value News learnt was set up to address the efficiency of shipping by dealing with matters related to enabling International maritime traffic., including the arrival, stay and departure of ships , persons and cargo from ports of member countries.
The Committee, The Magazine gathered also ensures that electronic business, including the Single Window Concept and aims struck the right balance between International Maritime trade. The Committee’s additional responsibility was to ensure the Observance of all the Conventions and Protocols of the IMO, to ensure the security of global shipping business as well as the port environment in the respective member countries. The Committee, an insider informed The Magazine also takes care of updating the FAL Convention.
Note that that in order to forster better understanding of the implications and impact of IMO Regulations on the port environment and vice versa, the Committee ensures that that the ports ‘’provide efficient and environmentally sound facilities and procedures for disposal of ship wrecks , waste in order , to develop procedures for complying with the need to verify Containers’ weight.
Jatto Adams, a General Manager and NPA Head of Corporate and Strategic Communications in a Statement said the IMO Facilitation Committee election the led to the emergence of Hajia Usman , who incidentally is the Vice President , African region of the International Association of Harbour and Ports, IAPH, took place during the closing of the 44 session of the IMO Facilitation Committee, FAL 44 between Monday, September 28 and Friday October 2, 2020.
Hajia Usman, who could not her feelings over her re-election into the exalted IMO Facilitation Committee office had thanked other member nations of the IMO, describing her reelection ‘’ as an honour to Nigeria’’. An elated Hajia Usman , was said to have given her words to work closely with M. Marina Angsell, the Chair person and the IMO Secretariat in the realization of the lofty objectives of the Committe. and the IMO. She was said to have also extended her appreciation to Kitak Lim, of the Asian country of the Republic of Korea and the Secretary General of the IMO, for throwing his weight behind her re-election bid .
Meanwhile , Hajia Usman , had continued to receive letters of Congratulations from friends and Colleagues both within and outside the country as Facebook is filled with messages. The NPA Staff are not left out as they see her as a source of pride. This is because no Nigerian had ever occupied the position in any of the IMO Committees.