Staff of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have expressed happiness at the change of baton in the agency.
News that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Dr. Bashir Jamoh as the new Director General of the agency broke on Wednesday.
Jamoh is to replace Mr. Dakuku Peterside whose tenure ends on March 10 and which was not approved for a second tenure by the President.
According to reports by Ships & Ports, Peterside’s appointment was not renewed as a result of his “inability to develop indigenous shipping, losing industry operators’ goodwill; failure to curb piracy and armed robbery at sea; and failure to maintain a harmonious relationship with federal lawmakers.”
The paper quoting a Presidency source said Buhari was not satisfied with the academic, rather than pragmatic approach, adopted by Peterside in running the affairs of NIMASA over the past four years.
“It has all been hot air. You hear a lot of grammar with little or no progress. This is not what the Federal Government wants. The President of Nigeria wants to create jobs for seafarers; he wants Nigerian shipping companies to be meaningfully engaged; he wants them to lift Nigeria’s crude oil and to implement the Cabotage Law.
“President Buhari is keen on developing the Nigerian economy and the shipping sector is important in this regard, so we need to have someone who enjoys the goodwill of the maritime industry players and who can propel the industry forward in practical terms,” the official said.
Meanwhile, staff of the agency have expressed their support and happiness with the President’s decision.
Some of them told the Next Edition they were happy Dakuku was going, saying he did not understand the job.
“We are happy. Dakuku should go. Jamoh understands the job better. Dakuku just came in through politics, a complete outsider. He never cared about workers’ welfare. We are celebrating Jamoh, he is a nice man and a professional,” one of them said.
In a congratulatory letter to the Director General, NIMASA CZ, Isah ThankGod advised Jamoh to thread carefully to avoid the pitfalls of his predecessors.
READ ALSO: Bashir Jamoh To Replace Peterside As NIMASA DG
He also urged the incoming DG to make staff welfare a priority if he wanted to succeed.
The letter read:
“Congratulations to our new Director General – Dr. Bashir Jamoh.
“May God give you the wisdom to run this complex and complicated Organization and may your tenure favour the Staff of the Agency.
“ My advice for the new DG:
1. Remember that you’re the 12th substantive DG of the Agency; and so, walk and work carefully against all the pitfalls of your predecessors.
2. For you to succeed and become an outstanding DG, try as much as possible to prioritise the welfare of the Staff. Put an end to all the previous *Anti Staff* welfare practices by the Agency’s Management.
Note that no reputable organization fails for prioritising its *Staff Welfare*.
3. Beware of profligacy (financial wastage).
The financial recklessness in the previous Administration was too pronounced to the extent that anyone could easily see. This is capable of bringing you to a black book at the end of your tenure.
4. Create the enabling environments for Staff to work. We’re currently not generating up to 10% of the expected IGR; and this is because our subsequent Managements are only concerned with what goes to their pockets.
5. Staff Salary review.
This is long overdue; and as a distinguished DG who grew his public service career in the Agency, do not delay in processing the upward review of the Staff Salary. The review should not be less than 500% considering the current economic squalor as the last review is over a decade now.
6. As an old Staff, be sympathetic and empathetic to the old staff by correcting and clearing their backlog of promotions in view of the 2011 circular on Notional Effective Dates of Promotions which was wrongly implemented in NIMASA.
Note that our Supervising Ministry implemented the circular by promoting the Stagnated Staff accordingly.
7. Be democratic in your administration.
Don’t be so tough to the point that others except the Management staff will be afraid to approach you.
8. Lastly, as a Federal character, avoid nepotism, tribalism, favouritism, sectionalism and religious bigotry in your administration. See yourself a Captain on board a vessel with various cadres of crewmen. Let all of us enjoy your leadership, please.
Once again, congratulations, Sir.
ISAH THANKGOD
NIMASA – CZ
