NIMASA opens new Abuja zonal office and maritime training institute at UNIPORT
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) had a busy weekend with the opening of its new Abuja zone office, the commissioning of its eastern zonal office, and the commissioning of its maritime training centre at the University of Port Harcourt.
The minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, spoke at the function on Tuesday to emphasise the importance of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency in the delivery of Nigeria’s economic potential. He continued by saying that there is a critical need to establish strategic, material structures that would pay off in the long run with both quantifiable and intangible benefits. He flagged off the commissioning of all completed projects by the NIMASA Abuja Zonal Office, showing the intentionality, commitment, and focus of the federal government of Nigeria to ensure that the proper foundation is put in place so that, as a people, we can continuously build towards a greater tomorrow.
The acquisition of an office in Abuja, where there is no ocean, is not to fulfil another bureaucratic justification but due to the responsibilities and functions that the zonal office plays in discharging NIMASA’s mandate.
The office serves as the nexus point between the NIMASA and the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the National Assembly, and all other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as critical stakeholders like the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL). Bashir Jamoh, the NIMASA director-general, said that the intention is to build a solid foundation for NIMASA, and the building will likely house the regional maritime bank.
In keeping with the commission galore, the Federal Government on Sunday commissioned the maritime training facility at the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State, called the Centre for Logistics and Transport Studies, and the eastern zone headquarters of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Speaking at the projects’ commissioning in Port Harcourt in the person of the Permanent Secretary, Dr Magdalene Ajani, the Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, said that the projects were proof of the Federal Government’s unwavering dedication to erecting structures with long-term socioeconomic benefits.
“I dare say that NIMASA has demonstrated to Nigerians and indeed the entire world that the Agency is a socially responsible organisation, playing its part in poverty alleviation through the development of projects targeted at human capacity development, over the course of the past few weeks as we travelled across the country to commission ambitious projects by NIMASA.
“We shall officially launch the Maritime Training Institute at the University of Port Harcourt today. According to best global practises, this institute will work as a hub for the development of maritime capabilities, assisting students in gaining the crucial skills they need to compete with their overseas rivals.
The NIMASA Director General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, stated that the eastern zonal office is the second-largest zonal office of the organisation and that the NIMASA has been working in a rented flat in Port Harcourt for more than 50 years, which is uninhabitable for personnel.
“The agency now has an office that will enhance staff performances and bring them together as a team to think about how to move the industry forward from a rented flat to a well-established office that stands the test of time and complies with international best practises.” As a result, all of my questions about how the staff performs their duties diligently and as a team are now history.
Regarding the building that was given to UNIPORT, he expressed his joy at marking the beginning of NIMASA’s infrastructure growth in terms of educational development. He said that the Centre would assist in addressing the problem of young people engaging in vices that contribute to maritime insecurity.
“The marine industry is currently in a state of chaos, but we have made significant progress towards establishing effective governance, which involves policy intervention, and this is one of the areas that this specific Centre will aim to solve. Policy that can grow the maritime sector, put the country’s maritime sector on the international stage, and make it harder for our own youth to commit crimes.
“As the Minister dedicated the structure today, he stated, “We are now developing this kind of Centre to address the menace of these youths. The edifice is expected to address the issue of maritime training, producing skilled and knowledgeable workers that can lead the maritime industry into the global
