The secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha has said that the country is eyeing to be part of the top 70 compliance country on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index.
Mustapha, who also commended the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) for helping the country to move from its initial position of 170 to 131, disclosed this at the third Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Corporate Dinner and Merit Awards in Lagos at the weekend.
According to Mustapha, since President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) in July 2016, the initiative has helped the ease of doing business in the country.
He said: “In our bid to improve efficiency and productivity in the industry and country, the council was created to ensure an enabling environment for port efficiency. Government will continue to support the maritime sector because on it rests opportunities for wealth creation and economic growth.”
Mustapha also commended the director-general of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside for the progress made so far by the agency, adding that the success was due to the commitment drive of its staff and stakeholders in the industry and so, they need to be appreciated.
Speaking earlier, the host of the event, Dr. Peterside, stated that since the introduction of the NIMASA annual staff commendation awards three years ago, the image and perception of the agency has been transformed.
Dakuku listed some of the key achievements of the agency to include: introduction of final billing system, annual maritime forecast, improved ship registry, increased ship tonnage, among others.
He attributed the achievements to the commitment of the members of staff at the agency adding that the agency wasn’t under any illusion as there was still work to be done in order to build on the modest achievements.
About 181 members of staff of NIMASA received awards at the events. Other awards winners include Total E&P as the most compliant ISPS offshore facility, Tin Can Island Container Terminal as the best Terminal/Jetty operator, while MAN Oron bagged the best Maritime training institution. Several other stakeholders received awards for their contribution to the industry.
