Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA , Dr Bashir Jamoh ,has said in Lagos that he is surprised that the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, and NIMASA are not one and the same Agency, given the history of its formation. ” I was involved during the formative years of the PAP in 2001and can say with the benefit of hindsight that the initial plan was to have both agencies integrated . It is either NIMASA was supposed to be part of the PAP or the PAP a part of NIMASA”, Jamoh revealed in Lagos on Tuesday when he hosted the Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Gen Barry Ndiomu retd.
Jamoh who extolled the sterling leadership qualities of the PAP helmsman , Gen Barry Ndiomu described the visit as a wake up call on the need for a robust synergy between the two agencies. Jamoh charged the PAP boss to reactivate the moribund MoU between NIMASA and the Presidential Amnesty Programme and set the tone for a more vibrant collaboration.
Jamoh assured his guest that NIMASA would do all within his powers to partner with the Niger Delta interventionist Agency in the area of training and entrepreneurship and that those who have graduated with specialized skills in maritime related courses would be supported and empowered. Earlier in his opening remarks, Gen Ndiomu had commended Jamoh for drastically reducing the level of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea as well as breaking the 17 year old jinx in the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF. Ndiomu revealed that the PAP was being rebranded for greater efficiency and to properly equip ex agitators for a more rewarding future . In this regard , he announced plans to revive the five vocational centers spread across the Niger Delta region .
He spoke about the planned take off of a rice farm in Bayelsa State to get ex agitators to go into rice farming and that plans have been concluded to launch an education trust fund and a Cooperative scheme that will cater to the need of ex agitators. Ndiomu pleaded with his host support to the PAP and dozens of ex agitators who have graduated in Maritime related fields such as Ship building, under water welding, seafering but are roaming the streets without jobs