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B Stephen Ubanna
Bashir Jamoh, Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and President, Chartered Institute of Transportation, CIOTA, who was recently , honoured by President Muhammadu Buhari , with the OFR, award, in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, over his outstanding performance in transforming the nation’s maritime sector, has every reason to be happy.
This because of the support, he has continued to receive from Heads of other government agencies, to partner with HIM in the agency anti-piracy war. His Leadership of CIOTA, was said to have also attracted the attention of Lt. General Yahaya Farouk, led Nigerian Army.
Lt. General Farouq, the Army Chief, may have taken advantage of the Institute, fourth National Summit, at the FCT, to pour accolades on Jamoh, the CIOTA, President, promising ‘’to support the growth and improvement of the country’s transportation sector to international standards’’.
The Army General, who was said to have been represented at the CIOTA summit by Maj.Gen. E. Akerejola, had expressed the army willingness ‘’to collaborate with the Institute to achieve its feat in repositioning the nation’s transportation sector. Giving the many sectors of the nation’s economy which the CIOTA activities touches on ranging from facilitating International Trade, supporting food security, enabling industrial and infrastructural development , may have informed why Lt. Gen. Farouq, through Maj. Gen. Akerejola, his Representative at the summit , had ‘’commended’’ Jamoh, the CIOTA president and his team for their good job.
Lt. Gen. Farouq, who was said to have alluded to the theme of the 2022, summit of the Institute: Transport Safety and Security Administration in Nigeria, described it as timely and an important aspect of the nation’s transportation sector which had been overlooked over the years by many including the transport Professionals and the academia.
Giving an insight of what he knows about the nation’s Transportation sector, he had said that ‘’over the years , it has witnessed series of issues and challenges ranging from poor infrastructure, poor regulations, limited specialized Professional training institutions, lack of effective and efficient transport policies, intra industry squabbles, among transport Professionals, ethical behaviours to poor working condition. This may have informed why he has assured the Jamoh and his team of the Army’s resolve’’ to support the Institute wherever necessary’’.
In apparent response to the Army Chief glowing tribute to Jamoh, the CIOTA president Samuel Adewumi, who had read his prepared speech at the summit, had told the Army Chief that the team could achieve that much in the Institute within the short period in office because of ‘’the renewed advocacy, vigorous membership drive and Certification’’.
Adewumi, had said that the theme for the 202, summit was carefully chosen as’’ it focuses on Safety and Security on all modes of transportation’’. The CIOTA, boss had stressed’’ the need for all industry stakeholders and custodians of the nation’s transportation sector to work together’’. He was emphatic that ‘’Safety and Security are paramount to achieving robust and intermodal transport regime in Nigeria’’.
He was said to have also made the Army Chief to know that ‘’the Institute is the only professional association in charge of the transportation industry in Nigeria’’, and thus ,’’deserves to be accorded its rightful place in nomination of members into relevant government agencies and consultations for policy formulations and implementation strategies’’. He insists that ‘’it is the right to do’’. As an insider, he stated that as a Chartered Institute, tour ‘‘focus is very huge with great opportunities and challenges’’.
Emmanuel Jime, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC, who was said to have been represented at the CIOTA summit, by one C.C Agwu, had stated that ‘’without security and safety, the nation’s transportation sector cannot fully develop’’.
Jime, who could not hide his feelings had said that ‘’Transport, itself, is a catalyst to the development of the country’s economy’’. This may have informed why he has charged participants at the CIOTA, summit ‘’to come up with a standard to bring sanity to the country’s transportation systems’’, which include air, road and rail to prevent accidents.
Osagie Edward, an Assistant Director, and the agency spokesperson, had said that there were other notable speakers at the CIOTA summit, who made meaningful contribution. Among them were Bayero Salih Farah, Director General, Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology, NITT, Zaria, Kaduna state, Abdul Abdulkarim, Rector, International Aviation College, Ilorin, Kwara state, Yakubu Okatahi, a retired Army Colonel and Representative of Dapo Abiodun, Ogun state governor, and Prince Olasemi Ogunyemi, Commandant , Ogun state, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps, TRACE.
