The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said that there can be no real growth for the maritime sector if the women are excluded.

This is contained in a statement on Friday in Lagos by the Head, Corporate Communications Team of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka.

Peterside said this while receiving the President and members of the Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA, Nigeria) who were on familiarisation visit to NIMASA Headquarters in Lagos

He commended women in the industry for coming under a common umbrella.

The director-general further commended the contributions of women to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry.

According to him, we cannot talk about growth in the maritime industry, if we exclude over 50 per cent of those who should drive growth.

“By the latest statistics, women constitute over 50 per cent of the world population, The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Peterside as saying.

The director-general thanked the women for organising themselves into a strong voice and urged them to continue to contribute their quota to the development of the Nigerian maritime industry.

Peterside pledged the agency’s commitment to partner with WISTA, Nigeria, for the growth and development of the industry.

He observed that the Nigerian maritime industry “is set for a historic growth that will be globally acknowledged.”

“The maritime industry is the next big thing that will happen to Nigeria.

“We are a littoral state and we have all it takes to excel in the industry and if we have our women on board, we can sail to the top of the mountain.”

Earlier in her address, the President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs. Mary Hamman, acknowledged the efforts of the director-general in repositioning NIMASA and the maritime industry.

She pledged the support of the association for the NIMASA’s Management.

Hamman sought the cooperation of the agency for some of the association’s empowerment programmes for women and children impacted by the activities of shipping and related businesses.

WISTA Nigeria is an international association of women professionals involved in the maritime industry and the logistics chain.

Its main aim is to foster unity among members and act as an advocacy group for the sustainable development of the maritime industry. (NAN)

•Photo shows Dakuku Peterside.

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