NIWA Lagos Area Manager Sarat Braimah Honoured with Nelson Mandela Pan-African Leadership Award

The Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Engineer Sarat Braimah, has been conferred with the prestigious Nelson Mandela Pan-African Leadership Award in recognition of her dedication and transformative contributions to national service.

The Accra-based Stay Africa Youth Development Initiative presented the award to Braimah during a formal ceremony held in Lagos on Wednesday. The organisation's President, Dominic Mensah, led the delegation to Nigeria for the presentation.

Mensah explained that the Nigerian chapter of SAYDI nominated Braimah following what he described as the positive transformation recorded at the NIWA Lagos Area Office since she assumed leadership. He highlighted several key achievements that distinguished her stewardship, including her promotion of student and youth empowerment initiatives, unwavering support for the Executive Governor of Lagos State, and her firm stance against nepotism and favouritism in office operations.

The organisation also recognised her commitment to teamwork and her selfless leadership style, which Mensah noted reflects core African moral values. He emphasised that her career progression serves as an inspiration to young Africans, particularly women seeking to build careers in the maritime sector.

Mensah stated that SAYDI's core objective is to identify tomorrow's leaders today by inspiring and educating young people in Africa to remain on the continent and contribute to its sustainable development. He noted that mentorship is essential to this mission, and the organisation seeks achievers who have risen through the ranks to inspire other young Africans to stay and contribute to the continent's growth.

During the ceremony, Mensah also presented Braimah with a certificate of excellence and announced her automatic induction into the Pan-African Leadership Hall of Fame as an amazon of nation-building in Africa.

In her acceptance remarks, Braimah expressed gratitude to the organisers, noting that she strongly identifies with their vision of developing African youth. She stressed that the continent can only achieve meaningful growth and prosperity when young people commit themselves to hard work and selfless service.

Braimah stated that she does not take the award for granted and that it will inspire her to do more for her organisation, Nigeria, and Africa's maritime development. She dedicated the recognition to her superiors in Abuja and to all those who work tirelessly, sacrificing time with family and friends, to support her as Area Manager.

She called upon young people across the continent to remain focused and give their best to Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

The Nelson Mandela Pan-African Leadership Award is a continental honour presented to individuals and organisations demonstrating exceptional leadership, humanitarianism, and commitment to African unity. Named after the former South African President and anti-apartheid icon, the award celebrates those upholding Mandela's enduring ideals of peace, justice, and transformative governance across the African continent.