The Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh has enjoined women in the Nigerian maritime subsector not to leave the various opportunities that abound in the subsector to men.
Speaking at the celebration of the International Women’s Day (IWD 2023) which was commemorated at the agency’s headquarters in Apapa Lagos on Wednesday, Dr. Jamoh urged women to take full advantage of the potentials in the sector to better their lives.
He stressed that gender equality is non-negotiable, as it ensures increase in productivity and economic growth.
He noted that there is still a gender imbalance in the maritime industry because as at today, only two percent of women are onboard vessels out there at sea.
The NIMASA DG urged Nigerian women in maritime sector to take advantage of various opportunities including the $350 million Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) disbursement, ship ownership, jetty ownership, among others.
According to him, NIMASA has levelled the playing field and has made sure that its women are not push overs.
“Today, there are not less than 10 female Directors and head of units in NIMASA.
“Women must empower themselves through collaboration and support for one another, and take full advantage of the opportunities within the sector.
Take for example, the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) where we have so many men today struggling to be part of the few resources given us and to appropriate portions of it to themselves, women can equally be part of the shipowners by venturing into the issue of the CVFF Fund,” he said.
Dr. Jamoh tasked women not to be shy to explore participation in major projects in the maritime industry like establishment of jetties, purchase of vessels and other associated services related to the industry.
He assured NIMASA women of management’s commitment to their career growth and development.
He stated that the agency wants its women to excel in their careers and use technology to advance the maritime sector.
He charged the NIMASA head of training to come with various capacity building recommendations, tailored towards helping the women in other areas and field within the limit of the agency’s resources.
In his words: “NIMASA has gone far in creating a level playing ground for women, the agency is very sensitive about gender balancing in sending cadets to trainings abroad.
“I would like to state that from today, NIMASA would ensure that whatever number we are sending on international long term training, women must have not less than two slots minimum.
“On the issue of NSDP scholarship, we would never dare send NSDP students without taking consideration of one quarter of women into the sponsorship program.”
He directed the Administration and Personnel Services Department to seat down and structure a concept on mentorship and the cost implication for approval.
Earlier in her speech, President of Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA Nigeria), Mrs Eunice Ezeoke called for innovative solutions to help women and girls to establish and become enterpreneurs and agents of positive change for resilient, sustainable, inclusive development.
She noted that the strategic development of women and girls is key to ending child marriages and other negative vices, biasses and stereotypes.
Former Director of Special Duties at NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, who joined the meeting online, said that embracing equality can only be achievable through training and retraining of women and creation of gender policies.
She called for inclusiveness for women and was happy that the DG of NIMASA has created an environment of inclusiveness for the women.
“We want to see more women in leadership positions and politics, like I always say, it would not just be given to you freely, we have to grab it and be part of them,” Hajia Tumaka stated.
President of Women in Maritime (WIMA Nigeria), Mrs Rollens Mcfoy urged women to strive harder to work up the ladder.
“In anything you do, try to be the best, be studios, be eager to learn, be humble and come out with a good professional attitude and integrity, without this you cannot excel. We need to work up the ladder,” she stated.
The Secretary General of African Shipowners Association, Mrs. Funmi Folorunso, commended Dr. Jamoh for ensuring promotion of four female Directors in NIMASA.
Mrs Folorunsho encouraged the NIMASA DG to groom new faces to take over from the older women who are aging.
According to her, the world is no longer analogue, let’s embrace technology, it’s not until documents are sent hardcopy to NIMASA before it can be treated. If the present women don’t do the right thing, the door will close against future women in maritime, we must mentor younger women”.
The Chairman of Morbod Group, Barr Margaret Orakwusi also commended the NIMASA DG for supporting women in the maritime sector, especially as it concerns individual and collective projects.
She advocated for the creation of a “NIMASA Mentor Day” in order to encourage the young professionals coming up in the Sector, both men and Women.
NIMASA’s Director of Internal Audit, Mrs Olamide Odusanya delivered the seminar paper titled; Women Embracing Technology in the 21st Century”
She stated that there are billions of girls who are waiting to change the world but they need access to proper education and opportunities.
Urging women in the industry to embrace technology in all they do in the workplace, she called on the management of NIMASA to also adopt technology by automating its administrative and operational processes.
She called on NIMASA management to think of allowing flexible working condition that allows workers including male and female to work from home rather than spending quality man-hour on traffic congestion.