Blue economy: NIMASA to honour maritime stakeholders …Dakuku Says initiative will enhance investments inflow

Blue economy: NIMASA to honour maritime stakeholders

.Dakuku Says initiative will enhance investments inflow

 By Udeme Clement

 The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is set to honour stakeholders at the annual dinner and awards night, scheduled to take place in Lagos, on Saturday, January 18, 2020.

This is as the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside extolled the role of stakeholders in assisting the Agency to achieve its mandate over the years.

Speaking ahead of the event, the NIMASA DG disclosed that the annual programme is to encourage industry players in striving to ensure global best practice is imbibed in their various activities, attract more investors to open up blue economy and to also ensure compliance to maritime regulations, thereby making Nigeria a force to reckon with in the comity of maritime nations.

“Over the years, our stakeholders have made us proud and put us on our toes, as there will be no NIMASA without the shipping community and vice versa. There have been times of criticisms, sanctions and enforcement; all these were geared towards ensuring the right thing is done and laid down rules and regulations are adhered to. We must therefore reward hard work and encourage more investments in the maritime sector by appreciating those who have done well, hence we are organising this auspicious event”, the DG said.

Dr. Dakuku added that this year’s award will focus on various categories to include; Most Compliant ISPS Offshore and Onshore Facility; Best Terminal and Jetty Operator; Best Maritime Training Institution; Best Shipping Company (Marine Environment Management). Others are; Overall Shipping Company; Best Cabotage Operator; Company with Largest Combined Tonnages and Best Maritime Financing Banks among other categories of awards.

He also said that the event will provide opportunities to expose both local and international stakeholders to inherent opportunities abound in the nation’s maritime sector.

In order to ensure transparency in the process of selection for the various award categories, the Management of the Agency engaged an independent panel of judges, headed by a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Chief Adebayo Sarumi.

The NIMASA DG who inaugurated the panel in Lagos a few months ago disclosed that the independent panel was composed, in order to instill confidence in the selection process for the awards. He also described members of the independent panel of judges as persons of proven integrity.

The terms of reference of the committee include; to identify various categories of awards for the industry; invite applications from industry stakeholders and the public for various categories of the award; set criteria and benchmark for the selection process; and finalise the list of awardees in the different categories for submission to the Agency. In pursuance of this, the Agency has already put out a notice for nomination from companies and individuals for the various categories.

The award ceremony will also be an opportunity to reward staff who have contributed meritoriously to the Agency, ranging from fifteen to thirty years.