NASS Summons: Lawmakers Threaten NIMASA Boss

• Agency explains Peterside’s Absence

BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says the inability of its Director General, Dr Dakuku Peterside to personally appear before a National Assembly (NASS) Joint Committee session in Abuja cannot be misconstrue as disrespect for the lawmakers.

Irked by the NIMASA boss’ failure to honour their invitation, the joint committee members had threatened to wield the big stick on him for his assumed disrespect.

But excusing his boss’ absence in a statement on Wednesday, Head, Public Relations, NIMASA, Mr Isichei Osamgbi, said the Director General was in Lagos, leading other management staff to receive members of the House Committee on Maritime Safety Education and Administration who were on oversight visit.

The explanation is also coming on heels on insiders’ strong hints that having gotten wind of the impending baton change in the Agency, the general feeling remains that of buying time since March 10 is just few days away for the new Director General to resume work.

However, Osamgbi’s statement, in putting a lie to such claims, further explained thus; “This was the reason the DG could not personally be in Abuja to honor the invitation by the NASS joint committee investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in the country.”

According to him; “It is noteworthy that due to the clash of both schedules, NIMASA management communicated same to the national assembly joint committee, requesting for a change of date.

”However, a member of the executive management, the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Gambo Ahmed, led the high powered team to represent the agency.”

Osamgbi assured the lawmakers of NIMASA management’s respect for the National Assembly, saying the Agency will always respond to invitations from them as a responsible corporate citizen of Nigeria.

The NASS joint committee investigating activities of foreign vessel owners in the country had invited Peterside to appear before it on the issue.

The lawmakers were however angry that instead of putting up a physical appearance, the Director General rather sent a member of the Executive management, Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Gambo Ahmed, to lead NIMASA’s team to the session