By Godfrey Bivbere

Maritime operators  have lamented the high turnover of Director-Generals of  the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), and appointment of non professionals to head the agency.

It would be recalled that the Federal government  recently  apponted Mr Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, a lecturer as new boss of  NIMASA. The previous D-G, Mr Temisan Omatseyi was relieved of duties  less than two years in office

This is coming on the heels of a round table meeting by stakeholders which deliberated on the causes for constant charges at the agency.
On of the decisions at the meet was to work against the appointment of people from outside the industry to take up leadership positions and a body known as Maritime Advocacy Group (MAG) was inaugurated for that purpose.

The spokesman of the body Mr. Va Usifo told Vanguard that the group which is newly constituted can not do anything about the appointment of the new DG but noted that its responsible for the frequent changes in the agency.

Usifoh observed that what they would be working at presently is ensure that the industry makes the best of the present situation. He stressed the need for the new management to focus on capacity building, as well as provide opportunity for Nigerians to enter into the  industry to compete with their foreign counter parts.

When contacted, Registrar of the Charter Institute of Shipping (CIS), Dr. Alex Okwuashe, told Vanguard that government has not been fair to the maritime industry because policy implementation has not been consistent.
Okwuashe noted that the high turn out of Director Generals’ at NIMASA has made it difficult for any meaningful development to take place since the helmsmen of the agency only stay a little above one year.

The CIS boss stressed that there are  people who are bent on destroying the maritime industry and ensure that Nigerians do not take charge of the shipping business in the country. He pointed out that the advantage of empowering Nigerians to take charge of shipping business in the country is enormous.

He however noted that government has the prerogative to appointment whomever it considers fit for any political position, stressing that with government; the appointee do not have to be a professional.

Both the Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Alhaji Hakeem Olarinwaju and the factional President of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agency (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero, agreed that the appointment of a substantive NIMASA boss is a prerogative and once it has been made, nothing kind be done.

Similarly, some industry watchers have expressed worry about the appointment made by the acting DG before the substantive NIMASA boss took over last week.

They are of the opinion that such appointment are not made in the best interest of the new NIMASA boss because some of the persons are those who have failed before in the position that they have been posted to presently.
They charge the new DG to make proper consultations and reserve such posting if he does not want to go the path of those before him.