Vincent Toritseju
Lagos — The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMMASA, has stated that contrary to media reports, its promotion exercise was based on merit.
The Head of Public Relations department of the agency, Mr. Edward Osagie said that under the leadership of the Director General of the NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh competence has been his reason for promotion and deployment.
“Our attention has been drawn to a publication in an online medium “Ships and Ports” with allegations of nepotism against the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA under the leadership of Dr. Bashir Jamoh OFR.
“I wish to state categorically that this publication is subjective, smirking mischief, skewed to achieve the goals of the fabricator, and meant to mislead Nigerians.
“It is worthy of note that the Agency’s approved organogram has 9 directorates and 11 autonomous units. At present NIMASA has 12 Directors with all but one of them promoted under Jamoh’s administration. The breakdown shows that 5 are from Southsouth, 3 from Southwest, 2 from Southeast and 1 each from Northeast and Northwest. We wish to put on record that the two Directors promoted this year were both from Southern Nigeria. This implies that the ratio of the Agency’s Director from South to North is 10:2, representing over 83% Southern Directors, as against less than 17% Northern Directors.
“The Directors of Marine Environment Management Department, Special Duties, Data Management Services, Deep Blue and Secretary General of Abuja MoU are all from the Southsouth geopolitical zone. The Southwest has Directors of Internal Audit, SERVICOM, and Maritime Labour Services Western Zone, while the Directors of Cabotage and Planning and Research Departments are from the Southeast. The Northeast and Northwest have one Director each, heading the Western Zonal Region and the Reform Coordination Unit respectively.
“It is imperative to note that competent professionals from Southern Nigeria are heading seven (7) out of the eleven (11) autonomous Units of the Agency including the Agency’s spokesperson who is from South-South geopolitical Zone.
“While we urge media practitioners to always cross check their facts before going to press, the allusion by Messrs. Ships and Ports that the Agency has an office in Jos, Plateau State is misleading. This is a misrepresentation of facts, which is capable of misinforming the public, as the Agency has never operated an office in Plateau State,” He said.
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