Maritime
Gender equality: President Buhari wants more women professionals for economic devt
Modupe ASUDO
THE First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Aisha Buhari, has disclosed that President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to provide platforms that will encourage more women’s participation in maritime to boost economic development. The President’s wife stated this on Tuesday in Lagos at an event to mark the 2019 Day of the Seafarer, with the theme, “On board with gender equality.”
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) chose the theme, which resonates with its theme for this year’s World Maritime Day, to highlight the contributions of women in the maritime industry and encourage more women to go into the profession of sea transportation.
R-L: Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside; Wife of the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Sabiu Zakari and NIMASA Board Chairman, General, Jonathan India Garba (Rtd.) during the 2019 celebration of the Day of the Seafarer held in Lagos.
Dr. Buhari said there was need to promote gender balancing in the seafaring career, adding that the President is aware of the economic benefits that come with encouraging the female gender in the maritime sector.
The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, spoke in a similar vein, saying the men should support women, especially in maritime, “towards reaching their potential and navigating work place challenges.” This was just as President of the World Maritime University (WMU), Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, applauded Nigeria’s effort to encourage more female professionals in the maritime industry.
The First Lady, who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, commended NIMASA’s efforts to promote and encourage women in the maritime sector. She noted that such was in line with the President’s aspirations for the sector.
According to her, “Under the current leadership of NIMASA, we have seen significant strides aimed at making women active players in the blue economy industry. Mr. President is desirous of seeing more women play active role in the maritime industry. This celebration focusing on women seafarers is, therefore, apt.”
She called on “all government agencies, especially those in the maritime sector, to ensure the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5, which is aimed at attaining gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”
The NIMASA DG, speaking further, called on men to provide the needed support for women to participate actively in the maritime sector. “We hope to sensitise the industry operators and players on the significance as well as economic importance of bridging gender inequality and the need for men to support women towards reaching their potential and navigating workplace challenges For us to have more women at sea and onshore, the men have a major role to play in terms of providing the needed support.”
He further added that the Agency will continue to pursue policies and programmes that will accelerate gender equality and empowerment of women in the maritime sector. “In addition to the 304 female cadets we have trained in seafaring since the inception of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), greater attention will now be given to the training of female seafarers in specialised courses and areas to enable them take up professional responsibilities in specialised vessels and offshore operations, and maritime sector generally,” Dakuku said.
On the New Cabotage Compliance Strategy (NCCS) that suspends waivers on Cabotage manning, Dakuku disclosed that placement of women on board vessels will be given high priority, with greater attention also given to providing an enabling environment for female seafarers. He disclosed that the Agency had already recorded success through the NCCS initiative with about 7,000 Nigerians employed by ship-owners between 2018 and the first quarter of 2019. He said the Agency was doing everything in its powers to resolve the issue of armed robbery and piracy at sea.
In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari, said the Federal Government had initiated policy reviews aimed at promoting gender equality, empowering women in the maritime sector, and creating conducive work environment for them in line with the SDGs.
The WMU President, in his goodwill message to Nigeria on the occasion of the Day of Seafarers, said, “Nigeria is one of our long-standing partners that has provided funds for our fellowships and we want to encourage them to continue. Under the MoU with NIMASA, as well as the support provided by the Nigerian Ports Authority, today, we have 199 WMU alumni from Nigeria, of which 31 are women. About half of these Nigerian female graduates were funded by the government. The rest received funding from other sources and other WMU partners.”
The event was attended by many stakeholders, including Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Alhaji Hassan Bello; Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, who was represented by NPA’s Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr. Sokonte Davies; Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Commodore Duja Effedua; Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Danjuma Dauda; and renowned maritime lawyer, Mr. Emeka Akabogu.
Prominent Nigerian women in maritime also graced the occasion. They included Director-General of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NSC), Mrs. Obiageli Obi, and Chairperson, Nigerian Shipownwers Forum, Mrs. Margret Orakwusi, all of who called for more support for the female gender in the maritime career.
In attendance also were members of the NIMASA Governing Board, led by the Chairman, Gen. Jonathan India Garba, and members of the Executive Management.
The Day of the Seafarer is celebrated all over the world on June 25 every year following the resolution adopted by the 2010 diplomatic conference in Manila, Philippines, in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention).
The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted “On Board with Gender Equality” as the main campaign theme to celebrate the 2019 Day of the Seafarer, which echoes IMO’s theme for the 2019 World Maritime Day, and coincides with the disposition of NIMASA as a gender-sensitive organisation.
It is expected that throughout 2019 there should be a strong emphasis in the maritime space on the importance and value of women within the professional ranks, a campaign driven and targeted at empowering women in the maritime community with the hope of having a strong and far-reaching resonance.
The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has called for a comprehensive action in Nigeria’s bid to be elected into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council, as he inaugurated an Inter-Ministerial Committee to promote the campaign.
Speaking at the inauguration held at the Boardroom of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy (FMMBE) in Abuja on Tuesday, Oyetola said the campaign must be all-inclusive, taking into consideration diplomatic and operational strategies in soliciting votes to yield good dividends.
He explained that, having lost out three times between 2011 and 2019 after its successful stints in 1975, 2001, and 2005, Nigeria is due to return to the Council to cement its relevance as a strategic Maritime domain and a strong voice in West Africa.
On his part, the Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), said, “The need for Nigeria’s return to Council is imperative given our strategic location and significance as a hub of Maritime activities and as a voice for the sub-region on the IMO Council, where crucial decisions regarding international maritime shipping and trade are made.”
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He added that membership in the Council comes with such benefits as “technical assistance, manpower and institutional development, as well as political influence in the maritime sector of the global economy.”
The inter-ministerial committee for Nigeria’s election to the IMO Executive Council at the 34th Regular Session in 2025 comprises high-level officials led by the Permanent Secretary of the FMMBE, Olufemi Oloruntola.
The committee is tasked with identifying activities and actions that will promote Nigeria’s standing in the IMO community by articulating and showcasing the country’s maritime achievements.
Members of the committee include the Director of Maritime Security and Safety from the FMMBE and the Director-General of the NIMASA, who will serve as alternate chairpersons.
Other members are; the Directors of Legal Services and Maritime Services from the FMMBE, the Director of International Organisations Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), the Managing Director of the Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority, and the Rector of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.
Others include the former Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Ade Dosunmu (stakeholder); the representative of the Office of the Honourable Minister of the FMMBE, Dr. Charles Akinola; and the Assistant Director, Maritime Pollution Control at the FMMBE, Mr. Paschal Ogah, who will serve as Secretary to the Committee.
Meanwhile, the Direvtor-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has officially presented the six IMO instruments assented to by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, GCFR, to the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy.
He thanked the Minister for facilitating the signing of the IMO Conventions, noting that, ‘these six conventions have been pending within the Ministry and government for the last 6 to 8 years. With the efforts of the Honourable Minister, they have now been assented to by Mr. President and will be delivered and showcased with the IMO.’
Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has signed the instruments of accession for six Conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
This action paves the way for Nigeria to officially deposit these instruments of accession at the IMO headquarters, which serves as the repository for such conventions. This move is expected to enhance Nigeria’s maritime governance and align its practices with international standards, promoting maritime safety, security, and environmental protection.
It was gathered that the six instruments signed by President Tinubu are the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol of 2005 to the 1988 Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Fixed Platforms on the Continental Shelf, the Instrument of Accession of the International Convention of Standards of Training, Certification, and Watch-keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel 1995; and the Instrument of Accession of the Protocol Relating to Intervention on the High Seas in cases of Pollution by Substances other than Oil, 1973 as Amended (INTERVENTION PROTOCOL).
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Others are the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol of 1996 to Amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC) 1976; the Instrument of Accession to the Protocol to the 1974 Athens Convention Relating to the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by Sea, 2002; and the Instrument of Accession to the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009.
Presenting the instruments to the Hon Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, the Director-General of NIMASA, expressed his gratitude to the Minister for facilitating the signing of the IMO conventions by the President after several years of being pending in the Ministry.
In his words, “These six instruments have been lying within the Ministry for the last 6 to 8 years, and thanks to the efforts of the Honorable Minister, they have now been assented to by the President. This is a landmark achievement for Nigeria, as the IMO will soon update our records to recognize these instruments.
On his part, the Honorable Minister reassured stakeholders of the President’s commitment to developing the Nigerian maritime industry in line with global best practices.
By signing these instruments of accession, the President has reaffirmed this administration’s determination to take its rightful position among the comity of maritime nations. This development will undoubtedly further reassure member states and stakeholders of Nigeria’s resolve and determination to be a leading member of the decision-making body of the IMO.
The deposit of these six instruments of ratification will be carried out by the supervising Ministry, and NIMASA.
Following the recovery of the Flight Data Recorder FDR and Cockpit Voice Recorder CVR otherwise called the black box, of the Helicopter that crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, Port Harcourt, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) will share details of her findings therefrom with the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Biztellers reports that the black box was recovered last weekend through an inter-Agency collaboration involving NIMASA, the Nigerian Navy (NN), the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), the NNPC Ltd, HydroDive in addition to other local and international search and rescue partners.
On the incident, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, commended all organs of government for the swift, and well-coordinated inter-agency partnership for the search and recovery operations.
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He revealed that NIMASA will share information on the incident with the IMO.
In his words, “In line with international maritime safety standards, NIMASA will report the findings about the helicopter crash into the Atlantic Ocean to the International Maritime Organization IMO via the Global Integrated Shipping Information System GISIS.
“By sharing the findings of the offshore Port Harcourt helicopter crash with the IMO, we at NIMASA demonstrate Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and cooperation within the global maritime community”.
The GISIS is an online platform developed by the IMO to support the timely and accurate reporting of incidents, accidents, and other essential maritime data. This platform enables member states to share information crucial to improving safety protocols, updating best practices, and fostering international cooperation.
According to Mobereola, “NIMASA is committed to working closely with all relevant Agencies to determine the cause of the incident and to take all necessary steps to prevent future occurrences. As we mourn those lost, NIMASA reaffirms its dedication to the safety of Nigeria’s maritime domain and the continued strengthening of inter-agency collaboration.
On October 24th 2024, the Agency had received distress signals at the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) and the C4i center of the Deep Blue project and shared same with the Nigerian Navy who immediately deployed the NIMASA’s specialized search and rescue assets to the crash site to locate the downed aircraft and conduct recovery efforts under challenging conditions.
The helicopter crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, at a distance of 1.4km from the starboard side of the Floating Producing Storage Offloading FPSO, NUIM ANTAN Producing Ltd owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC Limited).
The NIMASA working closely with the NN, the NSIB, the NNPC Ltd, HydroDive and other local and international search and rescue partners recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) from the Sikorsky SK76 helicopter, registration 5N BQG.
It was gathered that with the recovery of the black box, over 80 percent of the helicopter wreck had been recovered. Other items recovered include rotor, three blades, engine, gearbox, windows, cockpit overhead panels, the Electronic Locator, Transmitter (ELT) and the tail. All the recovered wreck is on a dump barge.
Meanwhile, the DG NIMASA has extended the Agency’s heartfelt condolences to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC Limited, the families of the victims, and all those affected by the tragic helicopter crash.
He stated, “Our deepest sympathies are with the NNPC, the families, and loved ones of those affected by this unfortunate incident. Safety is a paramount commitment for us at NIMASA, and we remain resolute in our partnership with the Nigerian Navy and other stakeholders to ensure effective, rapid response in emergencies.”
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