Capt Tajudee Alao
I think they have performed above average, in the sense that they set out three goals, that is, Safety, Security, and Shipping Development. In terms of shipping development, in terms of disbursement, there is news about the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund. The fact that anti-piracy law was not only promulgated, but also executed because they’ve arrested so many pirates and they’ve been prosecuted. There is a process on the floating dock that has been lying idle for years; they have gone through all processes to get the dock working. Whether we like or not, during the COVID crisis, NIMASA was at the forefront to support seafarers, joining and leaving ship, putting proper procedures in place so that our maritime industry is not shut down and they give support to many stakeholders under the Corporate Social Responsibility.
Matthew Alalade (Former President,NMNOWTSSA)
They are above average in the sense that they are trying their best. I’m speaking on the side of security. I think they met the stakeholders on the security issue, but we did not know the outcome, it was not made public. For the past few months; on a daily basis, we hear of kidnapping and attacks, but for the past two weeks now, it has subsided a bit. So we don’t know whether when it subsides, it will resurrect again. But I believe the agency with this new man is doing well. That is why I said they are above average.
Comrade Bob Yousou (President, NMNOWTSSA)
As the national president of the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association and as a core seafarer, I would say NIMASA has done fairly well, not much; but fairly well. If you say I should grade them, I’ll award them an average mark and not 100 percent, but they have done fairly well. This is how I would rate them because there are a lot of issues that they should look into. The DG might have a good intention, but it’s not just to have the intention but also executing what you have in mind.
Even though you want to execute it, you make sure what you planned to do and what you are executing gets to the grassroots. As a seafarer, most of our seafarers are complaining and they are not happy.
They are bitterly complaining. In that point, I will say that NIMASA should brace up and the next quarter of this year, they should think of how they will do more, especially to the seafarers. But in other aspects, I think they are trying. In terms of security they are trying. I’ve seen that they have bought some vessels and other things. I think they are trying in those areas. But for seafarers, most of us have lost our jobs. I may say 50 percent of our officers have no job and the seafarers are complaining that the expatriates have taken their jobs. So we have to look at who and who you’re giving waiver to. I as a seafarer want them to get back their job. NIMASA should look into this.
Aminu Umar (Ship Owner)
The DG has done a lot within this period especially in terms of one of the major issues we are having which is security, so he has been able to tackle he security with his partners, so we can say that insecurity has reduced . In my opinion, they have done tremendously well under this COVID-19 condition.
Kayode Farinto (Freight Forwarder)
I have not seen anything the agency has done in the last one year, the agency has not performed well at all, we still have wrecks littering our waters, the agency ought to get these wrecks off our waters, they are potential hazard. In terms of security, they don’t have a good grade.
John Okpono (Merchant Navy)
COVID- 19 affected a lot of agencies, and you know he came in at the peak of the COVID 19 pandemic and you will agree with me that 80% of what we do now is virtual but I think they’ve done well, they have been able to train about 250 cadets, but I think economy is not too good generally, and NIMASA is part of Nigeria. As an agency, they are trying the best they can; for the seafaring, it’s not the way we want it, and if you talk about security generally, security in Nigeria is nothing to write home about. So we shouldn’t just look at the security of our waters alone, there is room for improvement and I believe the agency will work towards improving that.
