Wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Yemi Osinbajo, the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside joined other personalities to celebrate the 2019 Day of the Seafarer.
Dolapo represented her husband, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who is in New York to meet with the US Vice President Mike Pence and the Nigerians in the diaspora.
Speaking at the event, the NIMASA boss said this ninth edition seeks to appreciate the roles of women in the industry.
According to him, the 2019 International Seafarers Day seeks to address issues of women empowerment, eliminate discrimination among women and help them to progress in their chosen career.
“As the world marks the ninth edition of this global celebration, there is a very strong emphasis in the maritime community on the watch and importance of women within the industry.
“This is with the intention of not only highlighting and appreciating the contributions that they are already making within the industry but also to encourage more women to take up careers in seafaring and in other sub-sectors of the maritime industry.
“In addition, to draw attention to the issues of women empowerment, the need to erase various forms of discrimination against women in terms of employment as well as career progression,” he said.
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Dignities at the event include the Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Transportation, Sabiu Zakari; Chairman, Governing Board of NIMASA, General Jonathan Garba; the Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ekwe Ibas.
Others include the Chief Executive Officer of the Shippers Council, Bello Hassan; Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Hadiza Usman, the wife of immediate past Transportation Minister, Judith Amaechi; the Rector of Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Commodore Ifedua among others.
June 25 is a day set annually by the International Maritime Organisation to mark the International Day of the Seafarers.
This year, the IMO has placed a strong emphasis in the maritime world on the importance and value of women within the professional ranks.
The theme for this year’s celebration is Empowering Women in the Maritime Community.
