Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Bashir Jamoh has been named winner of the 2020 Zik Prize in Public Policy. Making the announcement in Lagos, the Chairman, Selection Committee Zik Prize 2020, Professor Pat Utomi said the capacity of the Director General to have extensively managed the restructuring, reformation and repositioning of NIMASA earned him the prestigious award. Prof Utomi stated that the Deep Blue Project and the Blue Economy initiatives Dr Jamoh “continues to champion have brought massive gains to the Agency and the nation’s economic diversification goals.”
The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) in its second quarter 2021 report had disclosed that piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which had in recent times become the global epicentre for sea piracy, fell to the lowest since Q2 2019 after the Dr Jamoh started enforcing the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, also known as the Deep Blue Project.
Aside Dr Jamoh, two other illustrious Nigerian technocrats that also won the 2020 Zik Prize in Public Policy include; Dr Akinwunmi Ayodeji Adesina, the 8th elected President of the African Development Bank Group. A 1st class scholar and bold reformer. Dr Adesina was also a former Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria, who the innovative electronic wallet system that he introduced ended 40 years of corruption in the fertiliser sector. The High 5s and the Africa Investment Forum initiatives that he has introduced as AFDB President have been a massive success.
Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari, the Group Managing Director of NNPC will also join, Dr Jamoh and Dr Adesina to receive the 2020 Zik Prize in Public Policy. In the political leadership category, former Secretary to the Federal Government and former Senate President, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; and Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora were announced winners. The 2020 Zik Prize for Professional Leadership went to Mr. U.K. Eke MFR, the Group Managing Director of FBN Holdings Plc; and Mr. Uche Orji is the pioneer MD/CEO of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). The 2020 Zik Prize for Humanitarian Leadership went to Her Excellency, Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, a former 1st lady of Akwa Ibom State, who the Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI) that continues to provide succour to the vulnerable in Akwa Ibom State. H.E Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, Executive Governor of Lagos State and H.E Engineer Abdullahi Sule, Governor of Nasarawa State won the 2020 Zik Prize in Good Governance.
