As He Bags Maritime Man of the year Award

Maritime stakeholders last week (Wednesday) celebrated the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, on account of his efforts, achievements and contributions to the development of Nigeria’s maritime industry in recent years.

Dr. Jamoh flanked by maritime stakeholders at the event

Crowned as ‘Maritime Man of the Year’ 2023 in Lagos by the Maritime Media Ltd, publishers of the Shipping World Magazine, private and public sector maritime operators within and outside Nigeria converged to celebrate the NIMASA Boss as a man who came ahead of his time by the MD/CEO of the Maritime Media group, Elder Asu Beks.

Welcoming guests and dignitaries to the event, Elder Asu recounted Jamoh’s records in office within a short period.

According to him, “From day one of assuming office, Jamoh made no ambiguity over the fact that he was going to prioritize  three critical areas which also represent the core mandate of NIMASA”.

Dr. Jamoh flanked by maritime stakeholders at the event

“It therefore did not take long before this commitment became manifest. One of his major accomplishments was ridding the Nigerian maritime space of criminality for which he has received a lot of commendation including the IMO. Dr. Kitack Lim, the then Secretary General of the IMO had penned a letter to Jamoh commending him for turning around the near pariah status which the Nigerian Maritime space and indeed the Gulf of Guinea had become”.

“These achievements can be better appreciated when viewed against the background that in the preceding years, hardly did a day go by without an incidence of piracy, sea robbery and kidnapping for ransom, which  led to insurers to charge ‘war risk premium” on Nigeria bound cargo, a development which Dr. Jamoh and his team worked hard to bring to nil”.

“Using the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure otherwise known as the Deep Blue Project, Jamoh has successfully reduced the incidence of piracy, kidnapping, armed robbery at sea and other such incidences to the barest minimum. It is on record that for the first time in many years, Nigeria did not record any piracy incident for more than one calendar year since March 2022″.

“The Deep Blue Project, a comprehensive approach to tackling maritime insecurity combines technology, water, air and land arsenals with trained professionals on a round the clock basis to ensure that the success achieved so far is sustained . Platforms have also been provided to enhance flag administration and Port State Control as well as effective enforcement of relevant maritime conventions and protocols”. Asu Beks said

Speaking further the Maritime Media CEO said “The  Jamoh administration has also made a bold step towards improving vessel navigation by embarking on an ambitious project of wreck removal which is still ongoing. Dr. Jamoh’s administration has also gone ahead to put in place all the components that make a maritime administration effective”.

“These include strengthening the agency’s capacity for Search and Rescue operations including construction of befitting Search and Rescue Base clinics at all the agency’s operational zones. On the way to achieving this feat, Dr. Jamoh sought and extensively engaged stakeholders on this and many other issues plaguing the industry”.

Goodwill Messages

In his goodwill message at the event, representative of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Phillip Heyl, said Jamoh’s performance in the maritime sector has brought immense benefits to Nigeria before maritime nations. he said the NIMASA DG has done so much for the country, adding that this has helped in promoting the good image of Nigeria among maritime nations.

Another member of the IMO delegation who attended the event, Patricia Davies, of the British High Commission in congratulating Jamoh said the team has worked closely with the NIMASA DG.

The Minister of the Marine and Blue Economy ministry,  Adegboyega Oyetola also congratulated the NIMASA DG for being selected for the award.  Represented by a Director in the Ministry, Hon Babatunde Bombata, Oyetola said the award was an indication of the efforts by Jamoh to deliver for the progress of the sector.

According to him, the award shows that his contributions in the maritime sector are of immense value.
President General of the Maritime Workers Union (MWUN), Comrade Adeyanju said members of the Union were proud of Jamoh for his contributions in the sector.

Describing Jamoh as a man of wisdom, Adeyanju said the NIMASA DG believes so much in the welfare of the maritime workers.

The labour leader said all the promises made by Jamoh to the maritime workers were all delivered, adding that  this showed how much he loved the workers.

Other guests at the occasion, including the Chief Host, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, former Director, NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, top maritime layers, heads of agencies, associations/unions.

In his speech acceptance speech as Maritime Man of the year 2023, Jamoh thanked the organisers for the honour and acknowledged that he could not have achieved much without the staff and his management team.

Jamoh dedicated the award to the staff and management team of the agency, saying this was in consideration of their collaboration in the achievements he has so far recorded in NIMASA.