The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will undergo major reforms in the next one year to boast its capacity to drive the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime industry.
The Agency’s Director General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside stated this recently as he asserted that the reforms are in line with the ‘change’ agenda of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration which is committed to the diversification of the nation’s economy.
During an audience with a delegation of the Oxford Business Group led by its Country Director, Izabela Kruk, Dr. Peterside emphasized that the Agency had the requisite knowledgeable human capital but he stressed that what was required to refocus and re-position the Agency was a committed leadership which the present Management is willing to provide.
He added that the Agency is developing a medium term strategic growth plan which will aid the Management to focus on its core mandate of promoting the development of indigenous capacity in international and coastal shipping as well as effectively regulating the maritime industry in Nigeria.
On the public perception of NIMASA, Dr. Peterside said that under his leadership the Agency would change the narrative from the negative perception of corruption, inefficiency and abandonment of its core mandate to that of a Maritime Administration that is alive to its responsibility intent on making Nigeria the preferred destination for maritime activities in Africa.
He emphasized that the Agency will leave no stone un-turned, including seeking legislative amendment if need be, to ensure full compliance with the Cabotage Act 2003, which according to him is necessary to fast track the desired growth in the maritime sector.
The Country Director of the Oxford Business Group, Izabela Kruk had earlier expressed the readiness of the Group to partner the Agency in documenting and publicizing NIMASA activities in its widely read journal.
Ms Kruk highlighted the benefits of the Group’s partnership with some Nigerian agencies to include the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC) and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and he said the collaboration has yielded a lot of positive results for Nigeria pledging that they intend to do same for NIMASA.
