The election, last week Friday, of Dr Dakuku Adol Peterside, Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), as the new Chairman and President of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) is well deserved, the Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said.

The party congratulated Dr. Peterside in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt, describing his election, which was one of the highlights of the Third AAMA Conference, held in Abuja, the Nigeria capital, as a testimony to his exceptional leadership qualities.

“Dr. Peterside, who was the APC governorship candidate during the 2015 polls, is an astute and seasoned administrator with a Midas touch who has repositioned and turned around the fortunes of NIMASA within one year of his appointment as the DG of the Agency. We are, therefore, not surprised that Maritime Administrators from 32 countries in Africa have found him worthy of piloting the affairs of AAMA for the next one year,” Rivers APC said in a statement signed by the State Chairman, Chief (Dr.) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya.

The party noted that Dr. Peterside, a former ranking member of the Federal House of Representatives, has as NIMASA DG demonstrated sterling leadership qualities acknowledged by African and world leaders. “He has in so short a time made NIMASA an institutionalised institution with the right structure, the right work ethics; an institution which Nigerians are proud of. Today, NIMASA is a model of reference on the continent of Africa, an agency that understands that it is set up to serve the Nigerian people,” the statement said. It further noted that Dr. Peterside has within one year ensured the full implementation and enforcement of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security (ISPS) code in the nation’s ports, and shut three jetties and port facilities for non-compliance with the provisions of the ISPS Code.

“NIMASA under Peterside’s watch has commenced the full implementation of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003, also known as the Cabotage Act, and forged strategic partnerships with the Nigerian Air Force as well as other naval assets to patrol and monitor the country’s waterways with a view to enhancing maritime security by decisively tackling piracy and criminality on the high seas,” the statement said.

The party went further to state that, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria captured the mood and minds of Nigerians in his congratulatory message to the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside. The President notes that “Peterside’s unanimous election is not only a personal honour and affirmation of confidence in his ability to lead AAMA, but also places Nigeria in a pivotal position to rally other maritime administrations in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) towards safer global maritime activities”.

We stand with our beloved President that given NIMASA’s encouraging performance under Dr. Peterside especially in the fight against sea piracy through inter-agency cooperation, we have no doubt that his new position provides him with even bigger platform to forge ahead in doing the nation proud by meeting the objectives of AAMA.

“We thank President Buahri and Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi the Minister of Transportation for their support to this gem and revolutionary leader that have made us all proud by becoming the first Nigerian to head such an international organisation”, the party stated.

Finally, Rivers APC commended Dr. Peterside for proving himself a worthy ambassador of the party and Rivers State, expressing confidence that he will equally acquit himself well in his new position as Africa’s Number One Maritime Administrator.

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