NSC boss, Akutah emerges Maritime Man of the Year 2024

The Editorial Board of Maritime Media Ltd, organizers of the Maritime Industry Merit Awards MIMA and Publishers of Nigeria’s flagship Maritime Journal Shipping World, has announced winners for the 2024 Maritime Man of the Year Awards.

In a statement released on Thursday by the Chief Executive Officer of Maritime Media Ltd, Elder Asu Beks, the winners emerged after a careful appraisal of activities of critical stakeholders and their overall effect on the operations of the Maritime Sector.

Accordingly, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Pius Akutah was named as the Maritime Man of the Year 2024.

Barr Akutah was voted for his outstanding and innovative leadership skills which he has brought to bear at the Council.

Barr Akutah is also been honoured for his pioneering role in pushing for the legislation and recognition of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council as the Ports and Shipping Economic Regulator.

In the same vein, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, was named the Most Promising Maritime CEO.

“Dr Dantsoho since his assumption of duty as helmsman of Nigerian Ports Authority, has left no one in doubt about his transformational agenda at Nigerian Ports.

“He was recently elected as the Chairman of the Port Management Association of West and Central African, the first Nigerian to be so elected in the history of the regional body, ” the statement said.

In other categories, Mr Sylvester Egede, the former Port Manager at Tin Can Island Port emerged as the Best Port Manager.

The Prince Olayiwola Shittu Prize for Most Outstanding Customs Brokers Award was won by Prince Segun Oduntan, Vice President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, while the Comrade Adewale Adeyanju Prize For Most Outstanding Dockworker went to Comrade Francis Bunu, Deputy President General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria.

The statement further revealed that the Pius AKUTAH Prize for Best Maritime Reporter was picked by Mr Tola Adenubi, a reporter with the Nigerian Tribune .

Others include MOST OUTSTANDING CUSTOMS AREA CONTROLLER, REVENUE COLLECTION ( Dr Babatunde Olomu),; MOST OUTSTANDING CUSTOMS AREA CONTROLLER, ANTI SMUGGLING( Compt M. Babande),; MOST OUTSTANDING CUSTOMS AREA CONTROLLER, ANTI DRUG CAMPAIGN ( Compt Dera Nnadi); MOST OUTSTANDING SHIPPING COY, ( SIFAX); MOST INNOVATIVE SOUTH EAST ENTREPRENEUR( Chief Michael Onuoha); MOST OUTSTANDING NIGER DELTA PERSONALITY, ( Capt Enesuoh Warredi) ; BEST DUTY COLLECTING BANK;( Zenith Bank); MOST OUTSTANDING TERMINAL OPERATOR,( West African Container Terminal, Ph) .

A statement by Elder Asu Beks explained that the investiture ceremony of the winners will hold at the Eko Hotel and Suites , Victoria Island, Lagos in February, 2025.