NIMASA under Dakuku has recorded laudable achievements – Eze

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside has been described as an energetic man whose tenure at NIMASA has recorded countless laudable achievements.

Former spokesman of the defunct New Peoples’ Democratic Party (nPDP), Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, gave the commendation on Wednesday, describing Dr. Peterside as one of the best representatives of the Niger Delta region in contemporary Nigerian politics who has added value to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Since Dakuku’s appointment as Director-General of NIMASA in March 2016, a lot of reforms have been initiated, including the new Cabotage Compliance Strategy, which has created more employment for Nigerians in the maritime sector and significantly grown the maritime sector’s contribution to both the Federation Account and the Gross Domestic Production (GDP).

“NIMASA has, since the last three years, engaged in deliberate efforts to protect the country’s maritime assets and environment by building up response capabilities under the Deep Blue Sea project. The Agency has acquired special mission aircraft, special mission telecommunications gadgets, and 17 interceptor special mission vessels. It has also, in conjunction with the country’s security services, set up a Command and Control Centre, with a complement of armoured vehicles to patrol littoral states, and a standing military force to deal with criminal activities at sea”, Eze revealed.

Eze commended Dr. Peterside and his team for following the international requirement for countries by inspecting and surveying over 600 vessels calling at Nigerian ports, describing the fear as “an unprecedented feat, showing the country is alive to its port state and flag state responsibilities.

“The increased inspection and survey has ensured that substandard vessels no longer call at Nigerian ports. It has improved safety on Nigerian waters and led to a reduction of vessels with deficiency from 18.99 % in 2015 to barely 14 % in 2018.

He also said a recent positive assessment of Dakuku’s performance by the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, as “a vibrant young man who has brought a lot of reforms to the maritime industry” as spot on.

Eze describes Petetside as the pride of Rivers State and one of the most articulated and educated political leader from the State, an extraordinary and innovative administrator whose absence from the governance of the State have resulted to the present catastrophic and sorrow state of Rivers State.

He, however, regretted that political conspiracy and prevalent electoral malpractices, as witnessed in 2015 had robbed Rivers State of being led by such a young, vibrant and visionary leader as Peterside, adding that the misrule and retrogression of positive development, currently being witnessed in the state are the fruits the elite and political conspiracy that robbed Peterside and the APC of their mandate in the State in 2015.

“The Rivers State loss of this ingenious man is the gain of Nigeria and Africa as he has proved that he has the Midas-touch that can change the fortunes of any Organisation or assignment he gets himself involved,” he added.

The APC chieftain stated that Dakuku is a terror to undemocratic principles particularly to Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his untoward manner of governance and dreads Peterside like a plague and mere mention of his name alone sends shivers down his spine.

Dakuku who wears humility and loyalty as a cloth is one of the finest disciples from the political family of Rt. Hon. Dr. Chibuike Rotimi  Amaechi and one of the emerging powers in the Nigerian politics and most importantly an emerging force in the Maritime Industry in the entire world who became the first Nigerian to be elected by 34 countries as the President, Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA).