IWD: 60 per cent of NIMASA’s Directors are women - NIMASA DG

Abiola Seun |

The Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh has disclosed that 60 percent of the agency’s directors are female.

He said this while playing host to Female Directors and Assistant Directors of the agency at a dinner party to commemorate International Women’s Day and as part of events to mark his first year in office.

In attendance were female cadets of the NIMASA National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), a former Director-General of the agency, Mr. Temisan Omatseye, and Barrister Mrs. Margaret Orakwusi.

In her address, Barrister Orakwusi appreciated the Director-General for being the first in the maritime domain to recognize and celebrate women of the agency. She further admonished the cadets in line with the theme of the 2021 international women’s day #choosetochallenge to be strong, confident and charged them to conquer their world.
In his remarks, Dr. Bashir Jamoh expressed his delight that the majority of the female directors got their promotion under his administration. He observed that in the past, women got positions based on gender but now are getting positions based on their qualifications and competencies.

“In today’s maritime world, you have to be up to the task and have the capacity to deliver otherwise you will be shown the way out. So I have no regret whatsoever and can beat my chest to say that more than 60% of my Directors are women.” he noted.

Jamoh referred to women in significant positions like Ngozi Okonjo-iweala of the World Trade Organization, Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Hadiza Bala-Usman of the Nigerian Ports Authority, amongst others, to show that time has come for the men to beef up their capacities or watch the women take over both at work and the home front.

He also buttressed his submission with the recent selection and attachment of Chioma Mgbemena, a staff of the agency, to the Canadian ambassador for mentorship. The mentor-mentee program introduced by the International Law Institute (ILI) is to select young women and attach them to ambassadors so that they can be mentored for leadership.

“To you, the young cadets, be steadfast, resolute, and continue to remain focused,” Jamoh added. He assured that the female cadets will be attached to the Directors for mentoring and grooming for leadership positions.
He encouraged the Directors to help younger females to grow by mentoring them.

In her remark, Director of Internal Audit, Mrs. Olamide Odusanya reinstated their commitment to the success of the agency. The Human Resource Director of the agency, Mrs. Ronke Thomas while delivering the vote of thanks congratulated the DG on his first year in office and thanked him for giving women the environment to thrive.