The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has recently elevated  41 per cent of females to management status in recognition of their immense value addition to the maritime community.

Dr Dayo Mobereore, Director General of NIMASA, disclosed during International Day for Women in Maritime 2024 in Lagos on Friday.

The Theme of the 2024 International Day for Women in Maritime celebration is “Safe Horizon: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety”.

Morebeola, who was represented by the Executive Director, Labour Cabotage and Services, Alhaji Jubril Abba, said that the agency was committed to fostering a culture of diversity and empowerment. 

“Through targeted initiatives, mentorship programmes, and advocacy, we will continue to work towards levelling the playing field and ensuring equal opportunities for all. 

“The International Day for Women in Maritime 2024, the IMO has chosen the theme “Safe Horizons: Women Shaping the Future of Maritime Safety”, to celebrate the invaluable contributions of women in the maritime industry and to highlight the importance of ensuring safe and inclusive horizons for all maritime professionals.

“Yet, for too long, the voices and contributions of women in this sector have been overlooked and undervalued. 

“Today, as we come together to celebrate the achievements of women in maritime, we also reaffirm our commitment to creating a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive maritime sector for all.

“Let me seize this opportunity to recognize and applaud the incredible achievements of women in maritime.

” From seafarers and ship captains to engineers and port operators, as well as maritime professionals and trailblazers.

“Women have played a pivotal role in shaping the maritime industry and driving innovation and progress.

” Their dedication, resilience, and expertise have not only enriched our industry but also inspired a future generation of women to pursue careers in maritime,” Mobereola said.

He acknowledged challenges faced by women in maritime such as gender inequality, discrimination, harassment, and lack of opportunities for career advancement were all too common in our industry.

 The NIMASA boss said that as the agency strove to build a more inclusive and diverse maritime sector, it would address these challenges head-on and create a safe and enabling environment for all maritime professionals.

He also acknowledged the vital contributions of women in the industry adding that their voices were heard, and their achievements inspire them.

Mobereola called on the women in the maritime to collaborate in harnessing the nation’s blue economy to build a more sustainable and prosperous maritime industry that benefits everyone.

The Director Finance Service, NIMASA, Mrs Olamide Odunsanya, said in her opening remarks that closing the gender gap had been the eternal quest of womenfolk since the industrial revolution adding that significant achievements had been recorded.

She noted that although there was still a long way to go towards achieving relative parity, the agency was proud to note that the Maritime industry was where great institutions like the IMO had taken formal steps to recognise the uniqueness and potentials of women in shipping. 

According to her, Nigerian women had been admirably and successfully held and were holding positions of leadership, and influence in shipping as well as maritime and had displayed innovation and strategic thinking in discharging their duties.

“Why are women special and deserving of the extra protection and encouragement that we have fought for in the past century and more? The simple answer is that they are the cornerstone of the family and for the first decade of their lives, the survival and development of children are intrinsically tied to their mothers. 

“It goes without saying therefore that we must constantly remind ourselves that we must find a way to balance our work-life relationship and ensure that professional development never equates to the destruction of family values.

“We must also create more space, nurture, motivate and develop the younger women in the Agency so that they can continue and indeed advance this cause that we have proudly led during our time.

“May I use this opportunity to congratulate all women appointed as Heads and Directors of Departments,  units, and zones. (My humble self, Miss Obasanjo, Dr Mrs Odunayo Ani, Mrs Fatade, Mrs Jidda, Mrs Gloria Anyasodo etc ). 

“To our male counterparts, thank you for lending your support and amplifying your voices. We remain committed to your success too and prosperity because without you there is no us,” Odusanya said.

The President, Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) Nigeria, Dr Mrs Odunayo Ani, commended IMO’s effort to reserve this day and commended the support and contributions of NIMASA’s management to diversity and inclusivity.

Ani said that the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) is a global organisation of female executives and decision-makers from all sectors of the maritime industry around the world which will be turning 50 years old in 2024.

“Currently, we have National WISTA Associations (NWA) spread in 59 countries with a total strength of over 5,100 members including WISTA Nigeria. WISTA enjoys consultative status with the IMO and we are indeed delighted to share that WISTA International has recently launched an online learning platform in partnership with Ocean Technologies Group, a leading provider of Human Capital Management solutions for the maritime sector. 

“WISTA Nigeria is the 1st and remains the oldest maritime women association in Nigeria. WISTA provides regional, continental, and global networking, business and skill-building opportunities, and corporate visibility, as well as facilitates relationships within the industry.

” WISTA members lead through their unique perspectives and competencies. For instance, notable amongst them at WISTA Nigeria are: Mrs Mfon Ekong Usoro, Mrs Olufunmilayo Folorunso: Mrs Jean Chiazor Anishere, SAN-a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and one of Nigeria’s (SAN), Mrs Funke Agbor, SAN, Mrs Dabney Shall-Holma-Chairperson, Mrs Ifeyinwa  Akerele

“Also Vicky Haastrup, Mrs Oritsematosan Edodo-Emore –Admiralty Mrs Rollens Macfoy Mrs Nneka Obianyor, a distinguished maritime administrator and, An innumerable number of other members here at NIMASA and all members of WISTA Nigeria,” Ani said.

Ani said that WISTA Nigeria looked forward to partnering with NIMASA to provide a sustainable future for the Nigerian shipping industry and worldwide.

The President, Women in Maritime Africa (WIMAfrica), Nigeria, Mrs Rollens Macfoy, described NIMASA as a polygamist- being, supporting the growth of all the women’s associations in the Maritime industry.

Macfoy urged the agency to decide a budget for all the women’s associations and disbursed equally to enable them to have access to funds to achieve their aims and objectives in mentoring and empowering women in the industry.

The Chief Executive Officer, Ocean Ambassadors Foundation, “Catch them Young Advocacy for the GIRL CHILD” Mrs Olaitan Williams, said over 10,000 children mostly girls child had benefited so far from having exposure to water and shipping.

Williams said she got sponsored by interested Nigerian children you too interested as a result of the exposure to studied Maritime courses in Ghana and India and pleaded with NIMASA and other agencies to do more.

The President of Women in Logistics and Transport, (WILAT), Mrs Khadijat Sheidu-Shabi, who was represented by Princess Margaret Inan, said the association had spread in 38 countries starting in Nigeria by Hajia Aisha Ibrahim, former General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Sheidu-Sabi said that the association had a robust programme for training adding that they believed in mentoring and networking with members and university studies who would like to choose a career in Maritime.

The President, Women in Maritime West and Central Africa, Mrs Tosan Edodo-Emore, said the association was established in 2021 by the regional body and was inaugurated by IMO President Kitwck Lim in Ghana the eight newest IMO women in Maritime.

Edodo-Emore said that they pledged support to NIMASA and IMO as well as the Marine and Blue economy community would be significant and relevant in actualising the objectives of IMO, regarding the development of women in the industry.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on Sunday accused INEC of undue interference and taking sides in the party’s internal leadership crisis 

The party also advised INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu to look into the alleged attendance of its splinter group convention by the commission’s staff, even when they were served with court notice challenging the illegal convention 

In a statement signed by the NNPP National Secretary, Comrade Oginni Olaposi on Sunday, the party insisted that the INEC chairman must fish out the colluding staff and ensure he or she is punished. 

It noted that INEC must remain neutral in the NNPP internal crisis as required by law.

“Without prejudice to the integrity, honour and leadership of the INEC chairman, we are using this medium to remind him that the successes and otherwise of electoral processes in Nigeria largely depend on the level of quality leadership of the commission under his watch.

“It is trite to note that INEC as a commission has the mandate to regulate and control electoral processes in Nigeria under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Electoral Guidelines. 

“This shall be without prejudice to the partial autonomy and independence of political parties to regulate and control themselves in accordance with the party constitution.”

The NNPP pointed out that the courts including the Supreme Court of Nigeria had made several pronouncements concerning the liberty and authority of political parties on matters of self-regulation and control of its affairs, administration and management. 

“One begins to wonder why INEC as a commission,  other than being neutral is found to be the contrary and taking sides over an internal matter of NNPP.

“And for the records, the federal high courts seated at Awka in Anambra state and Abuja have said that the crisis in NNPP  should be resolved internally by members.

“We regret to note that Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso Senator and others expelled from our party have been deceiving the general public that the NNPP under the leadership of Major Gilbert Agbo lost in various cases.  

“One begins to wonder how the pronouncements of the courts that the NNPP leadership crisis is an internal matter of the party translate to loss. 

“The Federal High  Court have jurisdiction over the party constitution to give direction. We have approached the Court of Appeal in that regard to demand for a clear statement as to how the internal crisis can be resolved and who does it.”

According to it, under the constitution of the NNPP,  it is the mandate and responsibility of the Founder and Members of the Board as the conscience of the party,  to take responsibility and resolve the internal crisis. 

“The court has to say so to add impetus and the force of the law to it to enable resolutions. Regret that Federal High Courts were not able to do so in the various judgments.

“On the part of INEC as a regulator,  it shall be an oversight function to deploy alternative dispute resolution especially,  when the matter is brought before it formally. 

“Other than that, INEC is found attending and observing an illegal convention of the expelled members. INEC again should have the courage to respond to the letter of the Founder and Members of the Board to facilitate and order the board to take responsibility in resolving the internal crisis.

“And for the avoidance doubts,  it is on record that Kwankwaso and his splinter group and INEC were duly served with court notices against the illegal convention and yet it held and INEC erroneously attended. 

“However, we are meant to understand that most times,  the chairman of INEC may be shielded from facts of issues and sectional heads tend to do things on their own without the knowledge of the chairman.

“We shall therefore advise the chairman INEC to step up his supervisory role in the management and administration of the commission’s  statutory responsibilities and know when to evoke his residual powers to act.”

The party, therefore,  appealed to Yakubu to attend to the letters written to him by the Board of Trustees of  NNPP, requesting that while the cases are ongoing in the courts the life of NNPP  should be preserved in the hands of the Board.

…Says it is crucial to  understand the conditions, and be empowered, to take proactive steps to prevent it

The National President of the Customs Officers’ Wives Association (COWA) and wife of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mrs. Kikelomo Adeniyi, has distributed over 200 upper arm blood pressure monitors to officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and COWA members.

Speaking at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja on Friday, 16 May 2024, during the commemoration of World Hypertension Day 2024, Mrs Adeniyi said, “This initiative is part of COWA’s effort to encourage the wives of Customs officers to keep their families healthy.

“The good news is that hypertension is preventable and manageable with early detection and proper care.”

“Today, as we observe World Hypertension Day with the theme: ‘Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It & Live Longer,’ it is crucial that we recognise the importance of understanding this condition, empowering ourselves with knowledge, and taking proactive steps to prevent it.”

The COWA national president, who described hypertension as a chronic medical condition that contributes to the development of numerous diseases and silently kills people, also stated, “The good news is that hypertension is preventable and manageable with early detection and proper care.”

The CGC’s wife enjoined all Customs officers’ wives to encourage their husbands to embrace the culture of monitoring their health status, whether at home or in the field. “Through simple and accessible methods such as manual or digital blood pressure monitors, individuals can empower themselves to stay informed about their health.”

Represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance and Administration, Festus Okun, the Comptroller-General of Customs applauded the COWA president for ensuring officers’ wives stay informed about their health.

Appreciating COWA for celebrating International Hypertension Day with the distribution of BP monitors, DCG Okun described the gesture as humanitarian while affirming the CGC’s determination to support COWA fully.

DCG Okun acknowledged the crucial role played by COWA in promoting the welfare of customs officers’ families and urged officers and their families to heed the precautionary measures against hypertension advised by health experts.

The event, attended by Deputy Comptroller-Generals of Customs, Assistant Comptroller-Generals of Customs, other officers, their families, and COWA National Executives, aimed to reinforce the collective effort to combat hypertension and promote a healthy society.

The theme of this year’s World Hypertension Day was: “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It and Live Longer.”