…As Dakuku urges Men to ensure Women Achieve Objective***

President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Dr. Aisha highlighted on Tuesday the great importance her husband attaches to women’s participation in maritime, sending the right signals to parastatals heads on the need to encourage economic development through women’s commitment.

The nation’s First Lady, Dr. Aisha Buhari indicated this in Lagos at an event to mark the 2019 Day of the Seafarer, with the theme, “On board with gender equality.”

Also read:  DAY OF SEAFARER: Aisha Buhari ignites celebration with presence

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) chosed the theme, to resonate with its desire to highlight the contributions of women in the maritime industry, as well as encourage more women to go into the seafaring as professional career.

Dr. Aisha Buhari stressed the need to promote gender balancing in the seafaring career, adding that the President is aware of the economic benefits that come with encouraging the female gender in the maritime sector.

She also praised the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) management’s efforts in this regard, noting that “Under the current leadership of NIMASA, we have seen significant strides aimed at making women active players in the blue economy industry.

“Mr. President is desirous of seeing more women play active role in the maritime industry. This celebration focusing on women seafarers is, therefore, apt”, Dr. Aisha Buhari who was represented by the wife of the Vice President, Pastor Dolapo Osinbajo indicated further.

She called on “all government agencies, especially those in the maritime sector, to ensure the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 5, which is aimed at attaining gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”

Echoing similar view, the NIMASA Director General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, emphasized the need for men to support women, especially in maritime, “towards reaching their potential and navigating work place challenges.”

The NIMASA DG urged the men to provide the needed support for women to participate actively in the maritime sector, saying he would personally champion the women’s cause in this regard.

“We hope to sensitise the industry operators and players on the significance as well as economic importance of bridging gender inequality and the need for men to support women towards reaching their potential and navigating workplace challenges For us to have more women at sea and onshore, the men have a major role to play in terms of providing the needed support.”

He assured that the Agency would continue to pursue policies and programmes that will accelerate gender equality and empowerment of women in the maritime sector.

“In addition to the 304 female cadets we have trained in seafaring since the inception of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), greater attention will now be given to the training of female seafarers in specialised courses and areas to enable them take up professional responsibilities in specialised vessels and offshore operations, and maritime sector generally,” Dakuku said.

On the New Cabotage Compliance Strategy (NCCS) that suspends waivers on Cabotage manning, Dakuku disclosed that placement of women on board vessels will be given high priority, with greater attention also given to providing an enabling environment for female seafarers.

He disclosed that the Agency had already recorded success through the NCCS initiative with about 7,000 Nigerians employed by ship-owners between 2018 and the first quarter of 2019, adding that the Agency was doing everything in its powers to resolve the issue of armed robbery and piracy at sea.

Meanwhile, the President of the World Maritime University (WMU), Dr. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, has applauded Nigeria’s effort to encourage more female professionals in the maritime industry.

The WMU President, in her goodwill message to Nigeria on the occasion of the Day of Seafarers, noted that “Nigeria is one of our long-standing partners that has provided funds for our fellowships and we want to encourage them to continue.

“Under the MoU with NIMASA, as well as the support provided by the Nigerian Ports Authority, today, we have 199 WMU alumni from Nigeria, of which 31 are women. About half of these Nigerian female graduates were funded by the government. The rest received funding from other sources and other WMU partners.”

In his address, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari, said the Federal Government had initiated policy reviews aimed at promoting gender equality, empowering women in the maritime sector, and creating conducive work environment for them in line with the SDGs.

The event was attended by many stakeholders, including Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council, Alhaji Hassan Bello; Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, who was represented by NPA’s Executive Director, Marine and Operations, Dr. Sokonte Davies; Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Commodore Duja Effedua; Director, Maritime Safety and Security, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Danjuma Dauda; and renowned maritime lawyer, Mr. Emeka Akabogu.

Prominent Nigerian women in maritime also graced the occasion. They included Director-General of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping (NSC), Mrs. Obiageli Obi, and Chairperson, Nigerian Shipownwers Forum, Mrs. Margret Orakwusi, and a former NIMASA Director, Ego Nwokocha; all of who called for more support for the female gender in the maritime career.

In attendance also were members of the NIMASA Governing Board, led by the Chairman, Gen. Jonathan India Garba, and members of the Executive Management.

The Day of the Seafarer is celebrated all over the world on June 25 every year following the resolution adopted by the 2010 diplomatic conference in Manila, Philippines, in line with the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention).

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted “On Board with Gender Equality” as the main campaign theme to celebrate the 2019 Day of the Seafarer, which echoes IMO’s theme for the 2019 World Maritime Day, and coincides with the disposition of NIMASA as a gender-sensitive organisation.