Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, was on Friday, April 12, 2019, unanimously elected as Vice chairperson of the Facilitation Committee (FAL) of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the one-year period of 2019-2020.

Jatto Adams, General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications at NPA, disclosed this in a statement, a copy of which was made available to News Express.

IMO is the United Nations agency responsible for the safety and security of shipping and the prevention of pollution by ships.

Bala Usman, who is also Vice President, African Region of the International Association of Harbour and Ports (IAPH), was formally elected and inaugurated at the end of the week-long 43rd Session of the FAL Committee in London.

The Facilitation Committee, which is currently chaired by Mrs. Marina Angsell from Sweden, works together with the 173-member states of the organisation to ensure the observance of all the conventions and protocols that ensure the safety and security in the shipping business as well as the environment.

Jatto Adams said that Ms Bala Usman thanked members of the organisation for their confidence and promised to work with other members of the committee to sustain the IMO ideals.

•Photo shows Alternate Permanent Representative to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Dikko Bala, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the UK,vJustice George Adesola Oguntade (rtd.), Secretary General (IMO), Kitack Lim, and Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Hadiza Bala Usman, at the 43rd Session of the Facilitation Committee of the IMO . . . Friday in London.