Stability in the leadership has never been a constance in the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).Rather, the Agency has contended with recurring overdose of politicisation of appointments to key executive management positions.
Though not quite as concentrated as that of NIMASA, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) suffers the same malaise, which have been identified by keen industry watchers as great causative factors of the stunted state of Nigeria’s maritime sector, despite the awesome potentials.
We are glad to note that it is not all gloomy, though. There is a silver lining in the dark clouds when focus is directed at a sister-agency of NIMASA and the NPA – the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC).
The great tradition of stable leadership at the Council affirms the saying that children born of the same womb have their respective destinies, compared to the unfortunate lot of sister-parastatals of the Federal Ministry of Transport – NIMASA, and the NPA.
Since 1978 when the Council was established, the following have been appointed by the Federal Government as Executive Secretaries (at one time Managing Directors)/Chief Executive Officers oversee the administration of the organisation: Mr. R. A. Aigbokhai on protem capacity,1978 – 1980; Dr. Bassey Ekong,1980 –1984; Dr. Kingsley Usoh, 1984 – 1996; Chief Adebayo Babatunde Sarumi,1996 – 2003; and Captain Adamu Audu Biu, 2004 – 2012.
Before the appointment of Biu, who succeeded Sarumi and recently completed two four- year terms, with the Director of Legal Services, Mr. Hassan Bello, appointed Acting Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, the duo of Chief Chris Orode and Mrs. Grace Obiozor had served in the same acting capacity at various times.
We firmly stick with the advisory that “there is no changing a winning formula.” Therefore, we can only wish for continued leadership stability at the NSC, hoping that a wind of change to endow NIMASA and the NPA with same positive attributes of the Council.
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