Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has said that the Federal Government is working hard through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to reposition the Nigerian maritime industry for the nation’s economic growth.
Mustapha said that this development had also made the maritime sector an attraction for investors.
The SGF, who spoke on Saturday at the NIMASA Corporate Dinner and Merit Awards held in Lagos, said that the nation was beginning to see another opportunity through which it could harness its vast resources.
Mustapha, who was represented by Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget, noted that the current management of NIMASA had in about three years of President Buhari’s Administration turned around the Agency and placed it on a good position to contribute to the growth of the economy.
He urged the awardees and the industry stakeholders to remain focused in supporting the Federal Government’s drive to take Nigeria’s economy to greater height.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dakuku Peterside, director general of NIMASA, said that the maritime industry remains the backbone of international trade and it has made remarkable achievements in the last two years.
He also noted that despite the challenges being faced in the sector, the stakeholders’ commitment, professionalism and resilience are the reasons the Agency is doing well.
“The Nigerian maritime sector is on a journey, we are not where we are going yet, hence we need the continuous support of our stakeholders in our quest to realise a robust maritime sector, so that we can compete favourably with our counterparts in other maritime climes,” Peterside said.
Peterside, who used the opportunity to congratulate the awardees, charged them to redouble their efforts in the discharge of their duties and functions in the maritime sector to enable them record greater successes in the coming years.
In recognition of the numerous contributions of stakeholders to the growth and development of the maritime sector in Nigeria, the Agency bestowed awards on outstanding maritime companies; Maersk Nigeria Limited, Gulf Agency Company (GAC) Nigeria Ltd, Charkins Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre among others, alongside some Staff of the Agency who have demonstrated commitment to the sector over the years.
The categories of awards bestowed includes; Shipping Company of the Year 2018 Vessel Traffic (Foreign), Shipping Company of the Year 2018, Cargo Throughput (Foreign), Maritime Education and Training Institute of the Year 2018, Manning Agent of the Year 2018, Seafarers’ Employer of the Year 2018 as well as the Agency’s best staff for the year and some others who have meritoriously served the agency for numerous years among others.
The high point of the event was the presentation of a plaque and cheque of N1 million to the best staff of the year, 2018; Abraham Iseghohi from the Western Zone Office of the Agency.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
