The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, FMMBE, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, Director, Maritime Safety and Security, FMMBE, Makoji Musa (6th from left) when the delegation from Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association paid a courtesy call on the Permanent Secretary in her office in Abuja.
By Victoria Onehi
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mrs. Fatima Sugra Tabi’a Mahmood, has called on Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA), Nigeria to champion strategic capacity building and innovative ideas that will drive progress in the maritime industry.
Mrs. Mahmood who indicated this during a recent engagement with members of the association, emphasised that while the Ministry remains committed to providing institutional support within its available resources, the association must take proactive ownership of its growth and professional agenda.
Speaking further, She highlighted the need for women to move beyond sentimental appeals for representation, adding that the path to true inclusivity lies in proving professional worth and delivering tangible value to the sector.
”Women shouldn’t be asking for space based on sentiment, but instead should prove their worth through excellence and expertise,” she said.
This is even as she urged members to leverage global platforms like the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to amplify their impact.
In a statement signed by Director, Information and PR,Anastasia Ogbonna,the Permanent Secretary said to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving blue economy, WISTA Nigeria should utilise webinars and online initiatives to consistently build the professional capacity of members.
While still urging them to move beyond seeking sponsorships for small gatherings and focus on large-scale, impactful projects that attract investment to the country, she enjoined them to develop robust data sets to identify gaps and create strategies that increase the active engagement of women across maritime value chains.
Mahmood, further advised the association to utilise media spaces more effectively to showcase their achievements and capacity-building efforts.
By forming specialised sub-committees to organise strategic events and leveraging professional networks, she noted that WISTA can better position itself as a key player in the nation’s maritime revitalization.
The WISTA Coordinator, Abuja Branch, Edith Osuji Obi, who spoke earlier, informed the Permanent Secretary that the visit was to formally welcome her and to brief her on the role and objectives of WISTA, Nigeria in advancing the ideals of the Marine and Blue Economy.
She informed the Permanent Secretary, of the forthcoming 8th WISTA, Africa Regional Conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos, and extended a formal invitation to her to attend the event.
