Warri, Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Calabar Get Pilotage Boards

AS  IDPs in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Rivers, Yobe and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja get relief materials from NIMASA

The Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Hadiza Bala Usman has charged members of the newly inaugurated pilotage boards to see their appointments as a “call to serve the nation in the national interest”.

She therefore implored the appointees to use their high professional skills and knowledge to improve pilotage services in the nation’s seaports within the areas of their jurisdiction.

The Pilotage Board inaugurated were those of Lagos, Warri, Bonny / Port Harcourt and Calabar Port pilotage districts, as provided for by the Port Act, with a life span of three years.

While appreciating the appointees for accepting to serve on the boards, Hadiza reiterated that their functions and responsibilities, as provided for in the Port Act, are crucial to the overall operation of the nation’s seaports in ensuring navigational safety and protection of the marine environment.

She assured that theNPA would provide all the necessary support and enabling environment members of the boards will require to succeed in their assignments.

She told members of the boards that their recommendations and submissions shall always guide Management in ensuring navigational safety of the nation’s water channels in accordance with international best practice.

Earlier while inaugurating the board, the Minister of Transportation, represented by the Director of Maritime Services, Alhaji Sani Galadanchi had said the members of the boards were carefully selected on the basis of their professional qualifications and requisite experience in the nation’s maritime industry, adding that much was expected from them.

Recalling that the tenure of the last Pilotage Board elapsed in 2016, the Minister reasoned that it could be imagined that some of its responsibilities may have suffered lack of attention, expressing the hope that with their inauguration, quick steps will be taken to address all such matters.

NIMASA Fetes IDPs

“We must share in the grief of our fellow citizens, as no one wishes to find his or her self in any camp, knowing fully well that the comfort there is minimal. Let me also assure you that in no distant time from now, you will all return to your abodes as the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that your safety is paramount. For us in NIMASA we are not just concerned about the well-being of the maritime sector, but as a corporate socially responsible Agency, we are concerned about your welfare; this is why we are here to support you the best way we can,”

Those were the words of the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,  NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside as the Agency donated relief materials to some Internal Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps across some affected states in Nigeria.

Making the donations Dakuku said,  “We understand your circumstances, we feel your pains, we know your needs; therefore, we as an Agency of government will continue to extend our hands of fellowship to support you. We share in the pains you are passing through, hence this efforts which is aimed at reducing such pains. We are indeed touched by your situation and it is in the spirit of love that we make this donation. We hope that the gesture is taken in the spirit in which it is given”.

Receiving the materials in the various States, Local Governments and Communities visited, the representatives of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA and some of the local Chiefs in the visited areas were on ground to receive the items that were bought by the Agency. They unanimously expressed gratitude to the Agency and noted that the materials donated will be used appropriately.