Maritime expert decries leadership instability in NIMASA

The Chief Executive Officer of Ships and Ports Communication Company, Mr Bolaji Akinola, on Monday said the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has had 10 director-generals since May 1999.

Akiola, who stated this in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said NIMASA "is at the heart of the growth and development of the nation’s maritime industry’’.

According to him, NIMASA is responsible for not only regulating shipping activities and dock labour but also for developing Nigeria’s tonnage.

"Unfortunately, the agency has consistently failed to deliver on its mandate since inception. The failure of NIMASA is the failure of the maritime industry and a disservice to the Nigerian economy.

"Two factors stand out strongly for the failure of NIMASA over the years. One is leadership instability while the other is the undue politicisation of appointments into the Board and top Management positions of the agency,’’ he said.

Akinola said that the offices of the director-general and those of the executive directors had been most hit by politics.

The maritime expert noted that before the appointment of Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi as Head of the agency in December 2010, there had been too frequent changes in the leadership of NIMASA.

"In the history of the nation’s apex maritime regulatory body, only two people were appointed from within the organisation as substantive chief executive officers.

"The first was Mr John Egesi. Unfortunately, Egesi spent barely three months in office before he was replaced in 1999 as a result of series of political intrigues.

"The second was Dr Ade Dosunmu from May 2007 to July 2009.

"Mr George Eneh took over from Egesi. He was in office for less than a year before his replacement by Mr Ferdinand Agu.

"Agu had the fortune of heading the agency for over four years. The Cabotage Act was passed during his tenure and he was replaced by Mr Festus Ugwu of blessed memory,’’ Akinola said.

He said that, "After Ugwu, came the creation of NIMASA and the appointment of Mrs Mfon Usoro in 2006, as the first female Director-General.’’

Akinola said that Usoro’s tenure lasted for barely nine months before the appointment of Dosunmu in May 2007.

"By July 2009, Dosumu was replaced by Mr Temisan Omatseye. Eighteen months into Omatseye’s four-year tenure, he was kicked out,
paving the way for Akpobolokemi, who completed his first four-year term and reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan but removed on August 2015.

"The leadership instability at NIMASA has led to underdevelopment of the maritime industry.

"NIMASA is struggling because there has been undue over-politicisation of appointments into its Board and Executive Management at the expense of professionals.

"Appointments in NIMASA in the past have been to the detriment of proper policy formulation, growth and development of the shipping sector, ‘’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Akinola saying.

It was reported that NIMASA was formerly known as the National Maritime Authority (NMA) but its creation came upon the fusion of the NMA with the defunct Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC) on Aug. 1, 2006 

(NAN)

Patrice Talon, opposition candidate won Benin Republic presidential elections

Patrice Talon (centre) Flanked by supporters (Photo: Yahoo)

Talon, who competed against Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou in a second-round run-off vote after neither won an outright majority in the first round of voting on March 6, won 64.8 per cent of the vote, against 35.2 for Zinsou.

Reports from Cotonu say Zinsou, on Monday called the winner Patrice Talon to congratulate him on his victory and wish him luck.

Talon, 57,  former ally turned political rival of outgoing President Thomas Boni Yayi defeated Yayi’s hand-picked successor  Lionel Zinsou on Sunday’s run-off election.

By relinquishing power after serving two terms in office, Boni Yayi stands in contrast to leaders in other African nations, including Burundi, Rwanda and Congo Republic, who have altered their constitutions in order to extend their rule.

The President-elect Talon attacked his main opponent  Zinsou dual French citizenship, presenting himself as the real Beninese.

Benin Republic Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou and Presidential Candidate in the election

Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou, a former economist and investment banker backed by both Boni Yayi and the main opposition Democratic Renewal Party.

Buhari plans to improve power supply with additional 10,000 megawatts in next three years

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday that his administration would ensure steady power supply before the expiration of his tenure through the provision of additional 10,000 megawatts.

The President gave the assurance at the National Economic Council Retreat holding at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja.

According to him, 2,000 of the anticipated 10,000 megawatts will be added to the national grid in 2016.

"Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, it is no longer a laughing matter.

"We must and by the grace of God we will put things right.

"In the three years left for this administration we have given ourselves the target of 10,000 megawatts distributable power.

"In 2016 alone, we intend to add 2,000 megawatts to the national grid.

"In our determination to change we must and will, Insha Allah, put a stop to power shortages.’’

The President, who stated that the nation was facing the classic dilemma of privatisation of the power sector, noted that no remarkable improvement in the quality of service had been recorded after the exercise.

He, however, stated that the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) must ensure that consumers get value for money and over-all public interest is safe-guarded as government will complete the process of the privatisation.

Buhari further gave assurance that government will hasten the completion of pipelines from gas points to power stations.

He said that more security to protect gas and oil pipelines would be provided while power companies should be encouraged to replace obsolete equipment and improve the quality of service and technicians.

He maintained that the companies must also address the problem of high electricity bills in spite constant power cuts.

On the manufacturing sub-sector, President Buhari expressed regret over the inability of some industries in the country to obtain foreign exchange to import raw materials and spare parts.

"Painful though this is, I believe it is a temporary phase which we shall try to overcome but there are deeper, more structural problems bedevilling local industries which this retreat should identify short and long-term answers to’’.

President Buhari, who also spoke on current state of the nation’s agriculture, noted that for too long government policies on agriculture had been ``half-hearted, suffering from inconsistencies and discontinuities.”

He, therefore, stressed the need for urgent government action to ensure self-sufficiency in food production.

According to him, the nation’s real wealth lies in farming, livestock, hatcheries, fishery, horticulture and forestry.

The President directed the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to convene early meeting of stakeholders and identify problems facing the agricultural sector with a view to addressing them.

He also urged the media to enlighten the public on government’s efforts towards increasing local food production so as to bring down food prices in the markets.

President Buhari called on state governments and commercial banks to provide more incentives to small holder and medium scale farmers to boost agricultural activities.

"Banks should be leaned upon to substantially increase their lending to the agricultural sector.

"Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should bear part of the risk of such loans as a matter of national policy.

"States should increase their financial support through community groups.

"The appropriate approach should be through leaders of community groups such as farmers’ cooperatives.

"Provision of feeder roads by state governments to enable more effective evacuation of produce to markets and processing factories.’’

He recalled the 1950s, when Nigeria’s foreign exchange earners were from the export of groundnuts, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel, rubber and all agro/forest resources.

He further stated that regional banks and development corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses.

"When I was a schoolboy in the 1950’s the country produced one million tons of groundnuts in two successive years.

"The country’s main foreign exchange earners were groundnuts, cotton, cocoa, palm kernels, rubber and all agro/forest resources.

"Regional banks and development corporations in all the three regions were financed from farm surpluses.

"In other words, our capital formation rode on the backs of our farmers.

"Why was farming so successful 60 years ago? The answers are simple:

"Access to small scale credits, inputs (fertilizers, herbicides etc)

"Now we have better tools, better agricultural science and technology, and greater ability to process.

"With determination we can succeed.’’

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, expressed displeasure at the drastic fall in income from the Federal Accounts Allocation.

He, however, stressed the need for the country’s natural resources to be harnessed to address the current economic challenges.

Yari expressed hope that the retreat will come up with practical solutions aimed at growing the nation’s economy.

All the governors except Rivers, Benue and Lagos states (represented by their respective deputies) attended the opening of the two-day retreat being presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, and the Minister of Budget and Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma were among other top government functionaries in attendance. 

(NAN)

Nigerian High School Student builds Himself A Car From Scraps And Drives It To School

Nigerian SS3 student builds car, drives it to school in Kebbi 21-year-old Muzzamil Umar from Kebbi state is a car maker.
He makes engines and cars from scrap materials found around Birnin Kebbi.

The young and hardworking SS3 student said he is using the car he made to go to school.

(africanleadership)

Army Killed Notorious Boko Haram kingpin In Dalore

Elements of 22 Brigade Garrison carried out clearing operation at Dalore camp on Sunday in which they killed 19 Boko Haram terrorists among whom was Ameer of Dalore. The troops also captured 2 AK-47 Rifles, 1 Small Machine Gun and 1 Hand Grenade and recovered 4 pickup vehicles.

The troops also rescued 67 hostages from the terrorists. The freed hostages are undergoing screening at Internally Displaced Persons in Dikwa.

Unfortunately, during the operation the troops Mine Resistant Anti-Personnel (MRAP) vehicle ran into an Improvised Explosive Device and had a damaged tyre.

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