Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh (middle) receiving his nomination letter as the Vanguard Public Sector Icon, Maritime 2021 from Vanguard Editor, Eze Anaba (right) and Vanguard Saturday Editor, Onochie Anibeze during a visit by the Vanguard Editorial team to the NIMASA headquarters.
Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh (middle) receives his nomination letter as the Vanguard Public Sector Icon, Maritime 2021 from Vanguard Editor, Eze Anaba and Vanguard Saturday Editor, Onochie Anibeze during a visit by the Vanguard Editorial team to the NIMASA headquarters.

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh has been named winner of the Vanguard Public Sector Icon, Maritime, 2021.

The Editor of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba  who announced this while presenting a conveyance letter to Dr Jamoh in Lagos said other awardees are President of the African Development Bank,  ADB, Akinwunmi Adesina, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State among others.

Anaba noted that, the screening committee of the Vanguard Awards reviewed Dr. Jamoh’s nomination critically and all indices in good corporate governance pointed at the NIMASA DG as an outstanding public sector official in year 2021.

He praised the consistency of the Jamoh- led management of NIMASA in growing capacity for the Nigerian maritime industry, adding that despite not being a revenue generating agency of Government, NIMASA management under his watch has effectively blocked leakages and increased contributions to the consolidated revenue fund exponentially in 2021, reaching an all-time high of over N37 billion.

Recall that the International Maritime Bureau IMB on March 3, 2022 announced the removal of Nigeria from the global piracy list as a result of sustained decline in piracy activities in Nigerian maritime domain. The Secretary General of the International Maritime Organisation, IMO, Kitack Lim during the Marine Protection Committee meeting last week also recognised Nigeria for the steady progress in the fight against piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and commended collaboration among regional bodies in the quest to achieved improved safety and security of commercial shipping.

Shortly after receiving the notification of award, Dr. Jamoh appreciated the organisers for the recognition noting that it’s a call to serve more.

“This recognition coming from a reputable organisation such as the Vanguard Newspaper is a call to serve more. Since March 3, when Nigeria was delisted from the global piracy list by the IMB, our new challenge now is that of sustenance.  We will continue in our collaboration with all relevant stakeholders locally and internationally to ensure a sustainable development of the Nigerian maritime industry”, he said.