The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside at the weekend approved a minor shake-up in the agency, which saw the redeployment of some senior management staff of the agency.

A statement signed by the immediate past head of the Corporate Communications Unit, Hajia Lami Tumaka yesterday, says Mr. Isichei Osamgbi has been appointed to head the Unit while Tumaka is now Director in charge of Special Duties in the office of the DG.

Osamgbi, who is a one time Deputy Director in charge of the Public Relations Unit, was until yesterday, Deputy Director in charge of Maritime Guard Command DDMGC.

The Director General says that this minor shake-up had become necessary to enable the agency meet its statutory mandate as enshrined in the NIMASA Act 2007 and other enabling instruments.

Also affected in the redeployment exercise is Mr. Ibrahim Jibril, who is now the Director, Strategic Management in the Office of the Director General while Mr. Abiodun Akinyosoye takes over from him as the Director of Administration and Human Resources even as Mrs. Aishatu Jumai Musa is now the Director, Planning Research & Data Management Services Department.

Mr. Audu Abdulsalam is now the Director, Legal Services.  

Others include, Mr. Hassan El-Yakub Director, NIMASA Eastern Zone and Mr. Olayemi Abass Director, Western Zone, Mr. Anthony Ogadi now heads Shipping Development while Engr. Abel Femowei as the Coordinator, Central Zone, Warri.

The statement also says that Captain Sunday Umoren is now Head, Maritime Safety and Seafarers Standards Department of the agency.

The redeployment exercise comes on the heels of the recent promotion which saw to the elevation of eight Deputy Directors as Directors, 15 Assistant Directors to Deputy Directors while 56 grade level 14 officers were promoted to their next grade of Assistant Directors.

Recall that the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside had at several fora reiterated the commitment of the agency to the repositioning and restructuring of the Agency for greater efficiency and productivity. 

The agency had recently promoted of a total of 311 members of staff, out of which eight were promoted to full directors from their former positions of deputy directors of a total of 76 management staff promoted by the agency.

This promotion was sequel to the approval of the Governing Board of the agency, which approved the promotion of the 76 management staff, who were deputy and assistant directors during its 34th meeting, which took place in Lagos between December 20- 21, 2016 under the chairmanship of General Jonathan India Garba (rtd).

The Executive Management of the agency had also promoted of a total number of 222 non-management staff between grade levels 4-14, bringing to a total of 290 members of staff of the agency consisting of top, medium and lower cadres to be promoted.

Details of the promotion exercise show that Hajia Lami Tumaka, Head of Corporate Communications of the agency was among the eight Deputy Directors promoted to the level of full directors, even as 15 other Assistant Directors were promoted to Deputy Directors while 56 grade level 14 officers were promoted to their next grade of Assistant Directors.

Others promoted to full directors include head of Procurement Department, Mr. Sani Mohammed, Head of Financial Services Department, Mr. Olayemi Abbas and his counterpart at the Cabotage Services Department, Mr. Hassan el-Yakub.

Others are the Coordinator of Western Zonal Operations, Hajia Aisha Jummai Musa, Head of Marine Environment Management Department, Mrs. Susan Asagwara, head of Shipping Development Department, Mr. Akin Akinyosoye and his counterpart at the Legal Services Department, Mr. Suleman Abdulsalam, among several others.