Performance Monitoring: Jamoh, Bello-Koko sign bond for Minister

Maureen Aguta

 

Both the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh and, the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mohammed Bello-Koko have signed Performance Bonds, for Ministerial Deliverables from 2023-2027, with the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who personally supervised the Bond signing ceremony in Lagos, during a  Ministerial retreat in Lagos, urged the Signees and their managements to key into the vision of the Ministry in achieving its mandate as set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While the content of the document remained a closely guided secret, a reliable source who had a glimpse of what Bello-Koko signed said it unambiguously mandates the Minister to sack every signee, who deviates from the overall vision of the Minister or his Boss, President Bola Tinubu, without any recourse to court.

*The Monitoring may have begun! The Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh signing the Performance Bond for 2023-2027 while the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, like a Principal on supervision, looks on during the Performance Bond signing in Lagos.

It requires that each signee identifies areas of focus, and the expected ends to achieve and deliver…in terms of short terms (low hanging fruits) and in the long runs.

“The document tries to encourage them to work harder, on the understanding that if you deviate or if the Minister suddenly perceives you are seemingly working at cross purposes with the vision of the President’s mandate, then you can be fired, without the fear of any litigation whatsoever”, the source which insists on anonymity, told the Maritime First.

Asked if it doesn’t sound like a mild death warrant, he said it was milder than that; only that it emphasizes the Minister’s capacity to hire and fire.

But another source which tried to shed more light said the Minister adopted the measure to ensure he remains in control while he oversees the new Ministry. Particularly, after being told that some of the ‘Heads’ in the maritime terrain are ‘so powerful‘that none of his predecessors could control them.

In his Minister’s word: “This document will drive our carefully thought out strategies and robust policies in line with the renewed hope Agenda of Mr President H. E. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. Our mandate is to institutionalise Blue Economy as an important pillar for economic sustenance and growth diversification”.

On his part the NIMASA DG, Bashir Jamoh assured of steady and measurable progress within the period covered by the Bond.

He made a presentation on how to deploy effective security architecture for the Exclusive Economic Zone to sustain harnessing the Blue Economy potentials of the country.

Jamoh said, “Now all hands must be on deck to deliver. We have a clearer understanding of the direction of the Ministry and we will ensure Nigerians benefit from Mr President’s vision in creating the Ministry”.

Other areas the DG presented to the Minister for effective monitoring include; NIMASA’s efforts in implementing the Cabotage Act, expansion of the domestic fleet, sustaining the Deep Blue Project and developing a national policy on marine and blue economy. Others include promoting Maritime Safety through effective capacity development, and enhanced Safety, Security and compliance to global acceptable standards amongst others.

But for the NPA, Mohammed Bello-Koko assured that the Ports would get infrastructural uplift and the access roads would get greater attention.