The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has been elected as the new Chairman of the Association of African Maritime Administrators (AAMA).
This is one of the decisions reached at the just concluded third conference of the association with the theme: ‘Sustainable Use of Africa’s Oceans and Seas, attended by 34 African countries in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.
Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, Mr. Bashir Jamoh, who addressed media shortly after the event, said that the NIMASA Director General would pilot the affairs of AAMA for a period of one year while South Africa retains the position of secretary.
Peterside, took over from Mr. Sobantu Tilayi, the acting Chief Executive Officer of South African Maritime and Safety Agency (SAMSA), who has been the acting Chair of the association since 2013.
At a closing session, Tilayi, the outgoing Chairman described Peterside as a committed and dedicated technocrat that will, no doubt, take maritime administration to a higher level.
Many other participants expressed optimism in Peterside’s leadership ability to improve on the fortunes of the continent through concerted maritime collaboration that will attract interest of African states through their various Maritime Administrations (MARADs).
Within the last one year, Peterside has been able to improve on inter agency and inter government cooperation in the fight against piracy resulting to a reduction in incidences of piracy and sea robberies.
NIMASA under his watch has broaden the scope of maritime administration in Nigeria with an approval for regional headquarters to be sited in strategic maritime locations in the country including Port Harcourt. [myad]
