President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday, October 31, appointed Patrick Akpobolokemi for a second term of four years as the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
It confirmed the story published in TheNiche on October 26.
A statement issued by NIMASA Deputy Director/ Head of Public Relations (Lagos), Isichei Osamgbi, confirmed that the re-appointment, which takes effect from December 23, 2014, was conveyed in a letter dated October 13, 2014, signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.
Osamgbi said Akpobolokemi’s re-appointment is “widely acclaimed as a recognition of his outstanding performance” in the past four years, during which he “repositioned the maritime sector and made it an important pillar” in the economy.
According to him, Akpobolokemi has improved maritime safety and security, creating an enabling environment for maritime business to thrive, a development 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,” the statement added.
“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.
“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.”
According to the statement, NIMASA has sponsored over 2,500 Nigerian youths to training in universities in the United Kingdom, Philippines, India, Egypt, Romania and Malaysia.
It has also set up 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.
However, when Akpobolokemi was first appointed in December 2010, it led to controversy, with allegation that he was not qualified to occupy the highly technical position as stated in the NIMASA Act.
The Act requires the DG to have spent a number of years as a maritime operator. Akpobolokemi was a university lecturer at the time of his appointment.
Maritime experts expressed surprise when Jonathan insisted that Akpobolokemi should remain in post, against the wishes of the Indigenous Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (ISAN), which has been in the forefront of the fight to remove him since 2011.
Akpobolokemi took over from Temisan Omatseye, a lawyer, who was suspended over alleged misappropriation of 300,000 euros.
Akpobolokemi is said to have the ear of Jonathan because he is a protege of former Niger Delta militant, Tompolo, who reportedly facilitated his appointment.
Since 2007 when the National Maritime Authority (NMA) and Joint Maritime Industrial Council (JOMALIC) were merged to form NIMASA, Akpobolokeni is the only DG who has completed the statutory tenure of four years, which is renewable for another four years.
Its first DG, Mfon Usoro, spent one year in office. Her two successors, Ade Dosunmu and Omatseye, also did not finish their terms because of constant friction.