Power Tussle In NIMASA, As Jauro Displaces Obi As Acting DG

 

Less than four days after former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Patrick Akpobolokemi handed over the leadership of the agency to one of the executive directors, Mr Calistus Nwabueze Obi, another executive director, Mr Baba Haruna Jauro has claimed the enviable position in Nigeria’s apex maritime regulatory agency in a power tussle that led to a mild drama at the agency’s Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos headquarter yesterday.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on July 16, 2015 sacked Akpobolokemi, directing him to hand over the leadership of NIMASA to the most senior officer in the agency.

Akpobolokemi last Monday handed over to Obi, who was the executive director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services.


It is not clear to maritime stakeholders who is senior between Obi and Jauro, but it was usual to see Obi represent Akpobolokemi at most maritime events when he was the DG.

LEADERSHIP however, gathered yesterday that it turned out that Obi who trained as a lawyer is not the “most senior officer” at the agency and hence should not have taken over from Patrick Akpobolokemi as acting DG.

It was learnt that consequently, the most senior officer, Jauro, who until yesterday was the executive director, Finance and Administration, NIMASA, has displaced Obi and has formally assumed the position of the acting director-general and chief executive officer.

It was gathered that Jauro’s victory did not come easy as he had to formally lodge a protest against the erstwhile DG to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

It was gathered that the trio of Obi, Jauro and the executive director, Maritime Safety and Shipping Development, Captain Bala Agaba were all appointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan same day- 24th July 2012, Jauro claimed his seniority from the fact that he resumed duties at NIMASA a day ahead of Obi and Agaba.