Dakuku re-elected AAMA Chairman

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…Says
Africans deserve better share of world maritime trade

Dr. Dakuku Peterside

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside has been re-elected the Chairman of the
Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) for another term.

Dr. Dakuku who is the incumbent
Chairman of the Association was unanimously elected to continue to lead the
body by the member states present at the 4th conference of the continental body
which recently met at the El-Sharm sheik in Egypt.

According to the Chief Operating
Officer and Acting CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA),
Mr. Sobantu Tilayi, the leadership style of the NIMASA DG has brought better
relationship amongst the leaders of the maritime administrations on the
continent. He added that there is no better way to sustain the tempo than to
re-elect Dr. Dakuku to continue to lead the charge.

In Mr. Tilayi’s words “under Dr.
Dakuku’s leadership we have witnessed unprecedented level of cooperation
amongst African nations especially as it concerns maritime. African regions are
now willing to collaborate to grow the sector and address the security
challenges bedeviling the continent’s maritime industry. So there is no better
way than to re-elect our chairman to continue to lead this charge” he said.

In the same vein, the Director
General of the Ghana maritime Administration, Mr. Kwame Owusu said that AAMA
under the leadership of Dr. Dakuku Peterside has promoted collaborations
amongst African Nations in order to tackle the issues that are hindering the
development of maritime on the continent.

According to him, “Nigerians are
blessed to have Dr. Dakuku Peterside as the head of her maritime administration
because AAMA has witnessed his leadership style. More than ever Africans are
willing to collaborate to tackle issues of piracy and other maritime crimes. I
am sure after his second tenure we will push for him to have another term.”

Speaking shortly after his
re-election, Dr Dakuku said that there was the need for African nations to
cooperate in order to reap the benefits of the African maritime sector.

He noted that the volume of cargo
generated from Africa and those that head to African must be commensurate with
the developments of the continent’s maritime industry.

Commenting further he said the laid
down policies such as the African Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS), the Lome
Charter and other strategies that have been developed to proffer solutions to
the challenges that the African maritime sector faces must be collaboratively
implemented by African Nations.

He further stressed that Africa must
remain a bloc at international level when maritime decisions are being taken
especially at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), as well as other
forums where relevant decisions may be taken.

AAMA was established with backing of
article 5 of the African Maritime Transport Charter (AMTC). With the aim of
drawing up a master plan on measures necessary to progress the maritime agenda
as envisaged in the African Maritime Transport Charter; strengthen cooperation
at the regional, continental and international levels in harmonizing policies
and goals necessary for the growth of the African Maritime Sector and
enhancement of continental collaboration amongst others.

The association elected the DG of
NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside at its 3rd conference which was held in Abuja in
2017 and he has been re-elected to lead the body for another one year.