NIMASA’ s Heart of Gold — giving succour to the needy.

The  core function of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA)  is to ensure that Nigerian waters are safe and secured.

It is also expected to create an enabling environment for shipping development in the country.

As an apex regulatory agency in the maritime Industry, NIMASA is expected to provide quality leadership and direction that will engender growth and development in the sector.

But the agency recently showed its humanitarian traits with the discharge of its corporate social responsibility.

Every organization worth its name is morally expected to give back to the society.

It is not by compulsion but by conviction that you need to touch the lives of the people whose environment you ply your trade.

So , the management of NIMASA led by the Director General, Dakuku Peterside, took the fabled CSR dictum to a higher notch recently when he mobilised resources of the agency to cater for the needs of several millions of Nigerians affected by flood across the country.

In 2018, some states in Nigeria were ravaged by flood, leaving millions of Nigerians homeless and hungry.

Despite efforts taken by the States Government affected, the efforts were like a drop in the ocean.
As a result of this natural disaster, several people were rendered homeless and became refugees in their own country.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were in need of emergency shelters, food, clothing, even as several of them became sick.

Even though its major mandates by design centres only on maritime administration and safety in Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) driven by compassion for helpless communities of the flood ravaged areas has taken its mandates a notch higher by intervening in the living conditions of these helpless Nigerians.

Twenty major states in Nigeria that were affected by the flood which  include Lagos,Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Kogi, Ondo, Edo, Ogun, Delta, Anambra and Rivers were mapped out by NIMASA.

So far, NIMASA has succeeded in donating relief items to eighteen states so affected.

Some of the items distributed included sewing and grinding machines, mattresses, blankets, diapers, palm and groundnuts oil, detergents, noodles, bags of rice, maize, flour, beans, salt, sugar and table water, among others.

The latest of the exercise took place recently in Awka, Anambra State.

Presenting the items in Awka, Dakuku, who was represented by the Director, Internal Audit in the agency, Mr Victor Onuzuruike, said the distribution was targeted at 20 states, and were meant to cushion the effects of the disaster on the victims.

He said the donation had taken place in 18 states including Kano, Kaduna, Niger, Benue, Kogi, Ondo, Edo, Ogun, Delta and now, Anambra.

As at last year alone, NIMASA had donated relief materials to victims of floods and insurgency in 11 states of the federation. This  year NIMASA says the number has increased to 18 states.

At a flag off   exercise  which began with Lagos State in April, the  agency  donated food items, clothing materials, beddings, toiletries, wheel chairs, and baby food, among other household items to flood victims.

 The   Director General of the Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside,  explained  that the   gesture was in line with NIMASA’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme. Dakuku said the programme was designed to  touch the lives of people, especially the indigent and displaced persons, and change  their stories.

The DG who  was represented by the Director, Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation), Hajia Lami Tumaka, further explained that  NIMASA had decided to identify with victims of natural and other disasters living in the camp in Lagos as a way of giving  them a sense of belonging.

He told the displaced persons during the visit, “We have come here to identify with you and to share in your trying moments. Let me assure you that it will not be for long, as the government is aware of the challenges you are going through and is doing everything possible to get you properly resettled in order to lead normal lives again.

“As a socially responsible corporate entity, we are concerned with your wellbeing and we remain committed to partnering with the Lagos State Government to ameliorate your challenges.”

The General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Mr. Adesina Tiamiyu, apparently happy  about the donation commended the agency for being  consistent   and a worthy partner in the effort to support IDPs in the state.

Tiamiyu  said,  “NIMASA has remained a worthy partner and we call on other agencies, corporate bodies, and individuals to emulate this gesture so that in no distant time , the IDPs can be resettled in their homes and continue with their normal lives and activities.
“I recall that last year, NIMASA also brought a lot of relief materials to victims of flood disaster. So on behalf of the government of Lagos State and, indeed, the displaced Lagosians, I say, thank you to Dr. Dakuku Peterside and the Management of NIMASA.”

Tiamiyu said  the  Lagos State Government  will  continue to partner with the agency in the attempt to assist and resettle all victims of disaster in the state.

In Kano State, the donation was for the victims of the 2018 flood disaster that submerged some parts of the State.  The  DG  who was   represented by   the Deputy Director and Head of Financial Services, Mrs Olamide Odusanya  said NIMASA  has always been interested in the pursuit of improvement of welfare of Nigerians.

The    Kano State Executive Secretary of the state Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Ali Bashir Nikkel,  who received the materials on behalf of the state government commended the agency for the good gesture.  Nikkel said the items were timely for the welfare of the  victims.

He said,   “the State Government is ever grateful by this kind of gesture and would not  be  forgotten in a hurry”. He   called on other government agencies and corporate organizations   to emulate the footsteps of NIMASA by coming to the aid of the state government.
“We call on well-meaning Nigerians also and corporate institutions to emulate NIMASA. We assure that the items donated would be judiciously distributed to the affected persons with the aim of alleviating their suffering”, he said.

Among the items donated to Kano flood victims were   rice, corn, mattresses, sugar, salt, dettol, beans, noodles, soap/ detergents, sanitary pad, dippers, mats, blankets, mosquito nets dairy foods, palm/vegetable oil, grinding machines, pumping and sewing machines amongst others.

In Niger state, the  Niger State Governor, Dr. Abubakar Sani Bello who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji Mohammed Ahmed Ketso lauded NIMASA  for coming to the assistance of the flood victims.

He said, “we want to appreciate the kind gesture of the relief materials sent by the Director General and Management of NIMASA to the government and people of Niger State to cushion the effect of the flood impacted victims”.

The state governor was particularly happy as   NIMASA  had in June  last year  also donated  relief materials to victims who were affected by flood in the Suleja axis of the state.

Represented by Hajia Lami Tumaka, Director Special Duties (External Relations and Technical Cooperation), the NIMASA DG commiserated with the families of those who lost loved ones and properties and assured of the agency’s preparedness to extend support to Nigerians in distress.

In Ondo State, it was the same expression of joy as representatives of the state government received the gift items from NIMASA’s  Director, Western Zonal Office, Mr. Olayemi Abass.

 Abass told the  state government officials that the agency was  complying    with the Federal Government’s directive for all government organizations to use their powers and resources to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians affected by flood and other disasters.

The elated  Deputy Governor of Ondo State Hon. Agboola Ajayi who received the items was full of commendation for the agency  for reaching out to Ondo State.

He said  the materials came at a good time  as the  Ondo State Government was  handling the devastating effect of the rain storm that ravaged the Supare and Ikare Akoko areas of the state.

Similarly, in Cross River State, the relief materials were received by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), The  Special Assistant (SA) to the Governor who  is also   the Ag DG,   Cross River State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Princewil Ayim,  thanked the agency for the donation.

Ayim said,  “We note and understand the circumstances of our people and we feel their pains. We perfectly know their needs and we are doing everything as a state to make life meaningful for them. We call on well-meaning Nigerians and corporate institutions to emulate NIMASA.

” We appreciate and commend them and it is our promise that this gesture has been received in the spirit in which it is given”.

The  leader of the Bakassi IDP Camp, Mr. Etim Ene, also commended  NIMASA for the items donated, adding that the Camp also needed such amenities  as portable water and healthcare services.

Observers in the nation’s maritime sector where NIMASA remains  the apex agency have also commended the organization  for its efforts in reaching out to victims  of natural disaster in many parts of the country.

  Industry stakeholders who spoke on the issue described it as a good development since  the agency is doing this without losing  focus of  its primary statutory responsibility.

A shipping agent, Chief Marcus Akaribo said what NIMASA is doing should be emulated by many other organizations particularly multinational companies and other rich organisations  for the good of the society.  Akaribo said, “CSR  is for all  major organizations to contribute their quota to community development and well being of citizens where they do business. Apart from NIMASA and other agencies of government, other  multinational  agencies who are reaping so much in this country should be part of  the efforts  to salvage  victims of disasters or even  embark on community development projects”.

Speaking recently in Awka , Anambra State, Dakuku Peterside urged individuals, churches and corporate organisations to show concern to the flood victims, noting that government alone cannot care for them.

Receiving the items on behalf of the state government, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Paul Odenigbo, expressed appreciation to NIMASA for the gesture.

While assuring the people of proper distribution of the items to the right persons, Odenigbo said the state was already preparing to manage any flood disaster that may occur this year.

“We expect more from them this year because we have been informed of impending flood which we have already made plans to mitigate.

“Last year, about 18,000 persons were displaced by the flood but the state government has already commenced sensitisation of what was required of people living in the riverine areas.

“We are getting the 28 holding camps in the state ready in the event that people will get to use them during flood. They will be taken care of at the camp until the water recedes,” the executive secretary added.

NIMASA has showed through this humanitarian gesture that its management is full of compassion for the less privileged in the society.

Even though, this may be at the prompting if the Federal government, the agency has clearly surpassed the mandate of government and the expectations of the beneficiaries of this kind gesture.

Certainly, NIMASA remains an agency to beat among its contemporaries in the discharge of corporate social responsibility (CRS).