By Dipo Olowookere
Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, has said he would strengthen the agency’s Zonal operations to give them more autonomy and authority to handle the agency’s statutory mandate without recourse to the head office.
He said with this, the Zonal operations will provide improved services, thereby removing the huge pressure on the centre.
Mr Peterside made this known when he met with staff and stakeholders in Warri as part of his working visit to the Central Zone in continuation of his familiarisation tour of the agency’s offices and facilities.
He assured stakeholders that NIMASA would automate its processes to enhance efficiency in the discharge of its duties.
Mr Peterside noted that staff are the most valuable resource of the agency and assured them of management’s commitment to the enhancement of their welfare to engender greater productivity at all times.
He promised that management will do all that is necessary to provide the right working tools for staff who he charged to redouble their efforts towards making the agency a performance driven organisation that all Nigerians will be proud of.
Responding to questions from stakeholders, the DG said that peace remains the panacea for the development of the Niger Delta region.
He decried incessant militancy and youth restiveness in the region and urged opinion leaders and elders to call the restive youths to order so as to engender the development of the Niger Delta region.
According to the DG, “We have a problem, the level of insecurity in the Niger Delta cannot be an incentive to economic growth. And so when you say everything moves to Lagos, they are reacting to the forces of demand and supply, economic factors.”
Mr Peterside observed that the level of insecurity in the region has rather scared away genuine investors who think that the region is not safe to do business.