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International Maritime Organisation’s Building NIMASA, Now Families’ Company Plc
- Akpobolokemi Employs 14 Relations
Nigeria, again will not be of the 43 countries that will be contesting election in the fort coming International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council election in November, 2015 in London.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) which is the government agency with the responsibility of maritime administration and spearheading the participation of Nigeria in the global maritime activities has kept quiet over the election.
Meanwhile, there are strong indications that NIMASA has been turned from an agency of the government to a centre for families’ activities, by its leadership, prompting an analyst to describe it as “NIMASA Families and Company Plc”.
MMS Plus gathered that civil service recruitment procedures have been abandoned for selectivity such that executive directors, directors and director-generals, each have as many as 14 relations, including wives, sisters, daughters, sons and daughter-in-laws.
As at 15th September, 2015, a total of 43 member countries of IMO have indicated interest to contest the organsation’s council election where 40 member Executive Council election will be elected to serve for the next two years being 2016 to 2017.
The 29th session of IMO General Assembly is scheduled to hold from 23th November to December 2nd, 2015.
The Executive council is elected by 171 member countries of the organization, while Nigeria is an old member state of IMO having become a full fledged member in 1962. There are three categories of the council membership: 10 in category ‘A’, 10 in category ‘B’ and 20 in category ‘C’. Nigeria has always been in category ‘C’ and the last time she was a member of the Executive Council of IMO was four years ago.
According to analysts, serious minded maritime countries strive to become members of the executive council as important decisions regarding maritime and shipping industries are taken by the council.
A NIMASA management source told MMS Plus that “NIMASA will not participate or contest the forth coming election. The Acting Director – General has not shown interest in the election as a crucial international event, beside, NIMASA has not paid workers’ salary because of the problems associated with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy, and because of this, we can’t fund any election or participation.”
Speaking with a diplomat who did not want his name in print, he said: “With the current management in NIMASA it will be impossible for Nigeria to regain its rightful place in the comity of maritime nations. The sooner Mr. President confirms or appoints a well versed technocrat who is familiar with workings of the international maritime environment and has the contacts, the better for the maritime development and aspirations of Nigeria. Maritime is an important foreign exchange earner for the country. No reasonable and serious minded administration can afford to ignore the International Maritime Organisation”.
However, in a reaction to our report last week, on how the Acting Director-General of NIMASA, Mr. Haruna Jauro employed his daughter and son-in-law and transferred them to Abuja without schedule of duty, an aggrieved senior NIMASA official told MMS Plus thus: “Patrick Akpobolokemi former DG has 14 of his relations in NIMASA. After you did that report on Jauro, we decided to dig into other people (Directors) who equally have their relations, daughters and wives here. Tari is Akpo’s relations. There are two Akpobolokemi’s here – Clement and Veronica; among other relations. I have their list.
“The Director of SERVICOM, Engr. Felix Bob – Nabena, after he became a director, employed his wife, niece and nephew. Barr. Callistus Obi, Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage; has his biological sister, his wife’s sister and another relation. He has three of them.
“Capt. Ezekiel Agaba, ED, Shipping Development and Marine Environment, has his biological daughter and five other relations. Mrs. Musa has her daughter. And many other people if we count. So if Jauro has a daughter that was employed two years ago by Akpobolokemi, what is the big deal? And the guy they said was her husband, it was after they came to NIMASA that they met and got married. And the report that they paid them transfer allowance of N5million is not true. If the directors and EDs have three family members and more in NIMASA, why is it a big deal for Jauro, the Ag. DG to have just one person, his daughter? The source queried.
When contacted, Hajia Lami Tumaka, the Head, Public Relations of NIMASA simply confirmed the claims, adding that it can be proven with documents.
