A Senior Manager in the Corporate and Strategic Communications Division of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Victoria Tawhi-Michael Tarfa, has emerged as a frontrunner in the forthcoming election of a new President of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria.
Several members of WISTA Nigeria at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the private sector who spoke with SHIPS & PORTS expressed support for Tarfa’s candidacy.
The WISTA Nigeria members believe that Tarfa will bring dynamism and her wealth of experience to bear on the affairs of the foremost professional women group.
Tarfa, who is a bilingual communication strategist, has worked in the maritime industry for more than 20 years during which she served as Project Manager of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) for five years. She also served in the review of the African Maritime Charter in 2008 as PMAWCA Maritime Expert and Port Expert for Africa Development Bank (AfDB) in 2009 and 2010 on Statistic Handbook.
She is a member of the NPA committee on Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Trade Facilitation and heads the Industry Associations and Port Promotion Unit (Corporate and Strategic Communications Division) of NPA.
“We need competence, commitment, vibrancy, vision, innovation and determination to keep the boat of WISTA Nigeria sailing. Tarfa is a new breed and possesses key leadership attributes,” a lawyer and prominent member of WISTA Nigeria told SHIPS & PORTS.
Tarfa is vying for the WISTA Nigeria President position with Eunice Ezeoke, Tosan Edodo-Emoren and Obiageli Obi. The election holds on February 20.
The winner will succeeded Mary Hamman who has served the association meritoriously as president for four years.