By Stephen Ubanna
Barely two months after the inaugurations of the Yusuf Abubakar led governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, which held its first Board meeting in Lagos, the nation’s commercial nerve centre, with a commitment ‘to supporting the agency’s Executive Management under the Leadership of Dayo Mobereola, who incidentally was a former Commissioner of Transportation in Lagos state during the first term in of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in 2015, in delivering its mandate, he has kept to his words.
This is evident going by the board recent approval of the elevation of nine Deputy Directors to the enviable position of Directors’, a senior Management role as obtained in the ministry of marine and blue economy, under the close watch of Adegboyga Oyetola, and other ministries’ ranking structure both at the state and Federal levels. The promoted NIMASA staff members were said to have been based on their performance on the written examination and recommendation of Mobereola led Executive Management. This in addition to the promotion of 234 other staff members from one grade level to the next grade level.
Among the Deputy Directors who were said to have been promoted to Directors’ and their portfolios were Mrs. Jimoh, the agency Coordinator of the Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, office, Odunayo Ani, Special Adviser to Mobereola, the agency’ Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Mrs. Nneka, Obianyor, Director, Procurement, Mrs. Biodun Fatade, Oma Ofodile, Ms. Gloria Anyasodo, Abdullahi Yelwa, Umar Buba and Umar Ibrahim Sidi.
Also promoted was Edward Osagie, and 29 other Assistant Directors to the next position of DD. Osagie, the agency spokesperson who had occupied the position in an acting capacity over the last couple of years as an AD, was said to have performed brilliantly well that past and present Management had recognized his professional qualities.
. Many had hailed the Osagie’s elevation to the next grade level of DD, as well deserved to separate him as the Head of agency’s Head of Public Relations and the other staff who were on the same Assistant Director’s position in the Department to give him the desired respect of the office as obtained in the ministries, and other agencies and Departments.
Osagie’s promotion to the DD, position, appears to have given him an edge to effectively control and give directives to the ADs, holding strategic positions in the Department who were on the same grade level prior to his promotion which must be carried out with little or no delay, let alone wait to be reminded, particular, on official matters.
This is a message to all the staff of the agency Public Relations Department that it is no longer going to business as usual as Osagie gives the lead for others to follow.
The NIMASA, CEO, appears to have sounded it categorically that the newly promoted Directors and DDs, and the other beneficiaries of the promotion exercise have no reason not to deliver on their schedules of duty’’ to enhance the agency service delivery’’.
While congratulating the newly promoted 35 Directors, 30 DDs, 35 ADs, and the ratified 169 other staff members with their grade levels, the NIMASA boss, who could not hide his feelings had reaffirmed his management’s commitment ‘’to staff welfare and transparent, merit -based career progression system’’. He may have given the beneficiaries a food for thought when he charged them ‘’to rededicate themselves to excellence in service delivery’’.
The NIMASA, Director General, described as a workaholic in maritime circles was open why speaking to the newly promoted staff to sit up, when he reassured that the current Executive Management under his Leadership is committed to the staff improved welfare, urging them to redouble their efforts ‘’to increase productivity’’.
He was emphatic: Our Administration is committed to improved staff welfare’’, noting that the current promotion exercise of the of the agency is ‘’strictly merit-based’’ and not based on man-man- know- man’’ as was confirmed by some staff wo spoke the Value News on condition of anonymity.
The former Commissioner of Transportation in Lagos state may have gladdened the heart Staff members when he reassured them that the Administration will continue to prioritize staff welfare. This may have informed why he has solicited for their commitment ‘’to the ideals of the agency in helping the present Management team under his Leadership to actualize its mandate’’. The newly promoted staff members, from the Directors to the Junior staff members were unanimous in assuring Mobereola of ‘’their loyalty and commitment to the ideals of the agency’’.
In a related development, Ade Dosumu, a one-time, DG, of NIMASA, who would want Nigeria to fully benefit from the blue economy, had reiterated the urgent need for the maritime regulatory agency, and other maritime agencies including maritime -related agencies across the country as well as other Nigerian businessmen and women to harness the opportunities in the blue economy, described as a strategic pathway ‘’to diversify the nation’s economy’’.
The former DG, NIMASA, who gave a lecture on ‘’the Blue Economy and Economic Diversification: Opportunities and Challenges, to the participants of the senior course of 2025, at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos, Plateau state, had outlined the concept of the Blue Economy, highlighting its potential ‘’to drive economic growth, job creation and sustainable development’’.
He was said to stressed the capacity of the Blue Economy to reduce the country’s over -reliance on hydrocarbons. It was not surprising why he had suggested the urgency of the Nigerian Government ‘’tackling the key challenges, including regulatory gaps, environment threats and capacity constraints’’. Although, NIMASA, have been fully involved in addressing these key challenges in the nation’s maritime sector over the years but still need to do.
Given his knowledge of the nation’s industry as a former CEO, of NIMASA, Dosumu, had declared that ‘’the Blue Economy offers a unique and timely solution to Nigeria’s potential dependence on hydrocarbon resources’’.
He was optimistic that ‘’with strategic reforms, robust policies, stronger collaboration among agencies of government and stakeholders, the country’s Blue Economy sector can significantly boost national revenue and secure a prosperous future for the country.
