The Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Jamoh (OFR) has disclosed that Seventy percent revenue of NIMASA is generated from Lagos. He said this while speaking at the Senate Chambers of the University of Lagos on Saturday during the foundation laying ceremony of a 3 Storey Building donated by the agency for the NIMASA Institute of Maritime Studies.
The DG, who said he was seriously disturbed when he took over the mantle of leadership in 2020 and looked at the Maritime Institutes built by NIMASA across the country and found out that non is yet to be built in Lagos where the agency generates its major revenue from and no budget provision was made for the construction of the institute in south west.
According to him, To correct the injustice and ensure that all the six geopolitical zones in the country benefit from the NIMASA policy of building Maritime Institute in each of the six geopolitical zones, he said, “In 2021, I took the budget to the National Assembly to commence the building of the institute in University of Lagos to ensure justice for all the geopolitical zones so that one area is not left behind”, he stressed.
Jamoh explained that NIMASA introduced the policy to build Institute of Maritime Studies in each of the geopolitical zones in the country in order for Nigeria to conserve foreign exchange used to train seafarers on foreign training, develop capacity, exchange ideas with foreign universities and have partnership with the World Maritime University.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of Transportation, Engr. Mu’azu Jaji Sambo, stated that he had a nostalgia as he had always nursed the ambition of adding University of Lagos degree to his curriculum Vitae having failed on two occasions trying to get post graduate certificates and an MBA but said he is comforted that it would now be on record that he laid the foundation stone of the NIMASA Institute of Maritime Studies in the University which according to him would serve more than a certificate. He also directed the NIMASA DG to promptly make approval and payment available for the project to make sure the contractors handling the project completes the job at the stipulated time frame.
In her welcome remarks, the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Development Services, Prof. Victoria Osenuwa, expressed the appreciation of the University community to the Minister of and NIMASA for finding the University worthy to establish the institute of Maritime Studies and spearing their time to come personally for the foundation laying ceremony.
She promised the university’s cooperation and support to the laudable project.
