Frankly, it was the printer’s devil that was at work last week. Only three paragraphs of this comment were published and this elicited divergent reactions from different interest groups. While all were unhappy that the comment was cut, some were unhappy that we could even attempt to (in their words) ridicule the DG, yet majority commended our gut and analytical disposition. We assured all those who called that we would reproduce the comment (in full) this week. So here it is.
NIMASA: CAN THIS DG REALLY DELIVER?
Frankly, it was the printer’s devil that was at work last week. Only three paragraphs of this comment were published and this elicited divergent reactions from different interest groups. While all were unhappy that the comment was cut, some were unhappy that we could even attempt to (in their words) ridicule the DG, yet majority commended our gut and analytical disposition. We assured all those who called that we would reproduce the comment (in full) this week. So here it is.
NIMASA: CAN THIS DG REALLY DELIVER?
He was appointed late in December 2010 as a replacement for Mr Temisan Omatseye as the fourth director general, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) since it was created by an Act of National Assembly in 2003.
Although his appointment has been criticized as having allegedly violated the Act, the fact is: Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi is the substantive director general of NIMASA, having been appointed by a competent Authourity – the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Those who queried his qualification for the plum job probably have a point. This is because the Act itself stipulates that whoever would be so appointed must possess “relevant experience and capacity applicable to maritime administration, recognized expert knowledge, qualification and experience in one or more of the following fields: Maritime Safety, Maritime Security, Maritime Pollution, Nautical Sciences and Hydrography, Marine Engineering, Marine Law, Transport Logistics, Administration; and Marine Labour”.
It is apparent that this may not be important again, because obviously (and typical of Nigerians) all those stakeholders who coalesced under different amorphous names to kick against the appointment have all chickened out so as not to be seen as opposing the government and also not to offend the new DG and subsequently be denied patronage?
As for the new DG, he has eventually started settling down and learning the ropes (as they say). He has however refused to move into office of the DG, preferring to operate from the conference room! That appears like a phobia of sort.
He has also spent a large chunk of his time in the last couple of weeks to tell the media how strong-willed he is and how he would withstand any attempt to force him to put his signature on any contract that has not passed due process.
He has also rhetorically spent time on issues like Cabotage and how to assist indigenous ship owners to regain their pride of place, ensure safety of navigation.
Sounding ecclesiastic, Akpobolokemi told maritime journalists recently that: “God has sent me to go and revamp this industry, go and build capacity, make sure our national carrier come on board, make sure you create jobs for the teaming youths, providing Cabotage; not in theory, but in practice, make sure piracy is curtailed, make sure that armed robbery does not happen and to make sure that we are internationally respected and IMO standards are complied with”.
He had also added that: “I have given a promise that we are going to take over this industry from foreigners, this is a covenant that I have entered with God, Nigerians are going to take over the jobs, particularly the Cabotage”.
When asked about the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, Mr Akpobolokemi had this to say: “….. the fund is actually being improved upon, and it is not meant for foreigners, it is for Nigerians, so we are studying the situation because Nigerians are terrible people!, if you give loan to 10 men, nine of them will go and marry more wives, it is supposed to be a very soft loan that is revolving in nature so that others will benefit, when they come with their sugar coated mouth, there is nothing that they will not say to convince you, but as soon as the loan is given, you will not see them again…..”.
To be able to do what he has promised to do, Mr Akpobolokemi needs to be more than just a home boy from the Niger Delta, whose only credential ( at least, so it appears) is that he is a lecturer and above all , he is from Bayelsa; the home state of Mr President.
One maritime reporter once observed (perhaps rightly) that the new DG s fields questions like someone who still reads text books and related journals on maritime before appearing at public functions!
One is yet to see any sign that Mr Akpobolokemi is the messiah that the maritime sector so badly needs at this time, to justify his appointment. This probably explains his ‘oath of secrecy’ about his pedigree.
For anyone who is in doubt as to why the industry is stunted or why NIMASA is a theatre where a new script is acted out every one and half year, the answer is simple: For as long the helmsman is seen by stakeholders as incompetent, he will not earn their respect even though they will sycophantically assure him of their support. And for as long as NIMASA staff (including management) sees him as not qualified, they will undermine him and sell dummies to him as prototypes for success.
The utterances of Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi so far do not show any in-depth knowledge of the challenges of the Nigerian maritime industry. He appears not to know more than what the ordinary man knows. His educational background does not offer much either. With first degree in Business Administration (Marketing) at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology and a part degree in the same course, Mr Akpobolokemi has a lot of work to do.
It is not so much about his alleged non-possession of requisite qualification (as stipulated in the Act) for the highly-demanding office of DG, NIMASA, it is more about him. After all, one of the best DGs that NMA or even NMASA has ever had is Architect Ferdinand Agu who ensured the passage of Cabotage Act and also conceptualized the Resource Centre at Kirikiri as one- stop facility for the Nigerian maritime industry; he is also reputed as having turned the internal workings of the agency around.
So, over to you, Mr Akpobolokemi, let’s see what you can do, proof your critics wrong!
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