President Goodluck Jonathan has re-appointed Mr. Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director general/chief executive officer of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), for another four year term.
The re-appointment, which was conveyed in a letter dated October 13, 2014 and signed by Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, secretary to the Government of the Federation, becomes effective December 23, 2014.
Akpobolokemi’s re-appointment has been widely acclaimed as recognition of his outstanding performance as the DG/CEO of NIMASA in the past four years.
In his first term, Akpobolokemi repositioned the maritime sector and made it an important pillar in the nation’s economy.
His activities resulted in a new wave of improved maritime safety and security, creating an enabling environment for maritime business as a great contributor to the nation’s economy to thrive, a remarkable development that has been widely acknowledged by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
Under his leadership, NIMASA achieved full maritime domain awareness through enhanced surveillance of the maritime environment with the introduction of a satellite surveillance system which covers the entire Gulf of Guinea and beyond.
The Agency has also procured various platforms and electronic surveillance equipment through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for a round-the-clock monitoring of the Nigerian maritime domain.
As the nodal Agency for the implementation of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code, NIMASA has successfully ensured adequate compliance towards safe and secure port facilities in the country.
Akpobolokemi’s zeal to create a safe and secure shipping environment, led to the working agreements with the Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force towards ridding the maritime domain of all forms of piracy and related crimes.
He has driven the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), designed by the Agency to grow capacity to fill existing gaps for qualified manpower in the maritime sector.
Under NSDP, NIMASA has sponsored over 2,500 Nigerian youths to training in recognized maritime universities in the United Kingdom, Philippines, India, Egypt, Romania and Malaysia.
The capacity building initiatives of Akpobolokemi’s leadership have also resulted in the setting up of Institutes of Maritime Studies in the University of Lagos, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University Lapai, Niger State and Niger Delta University, Amasoma, Bayelsa State as a way of boosting manpower training in the long run. This is in addition to the establishment of a Nigerian Maritime University and NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard, in Okerenkoko, NIMASA Science and Technical College, Okoloba, Delta State.
NIMASA under Akpobolokemi also launched several creative programmes, including the online verification of seafarers’ certificates, online sailing certificate and ship manifest as well as automating the process of ship registration in Nigeria.