Follow Us on Google
By Steve Agbota, [email protected] 08033302331
With a coastline of 852 kilometres bordering the Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Guinea and a maritime area of over 46,000 sqkm, Nigeria is unarguably blessed as a seafaring nation.
Due to its huge economic benefits including foreign currency repatriation and employment creation, Nigeria has produced many seafarers. But these seafarers could not compete favourably with their foreign counterparts due to some challenges. These challenges include, rejection, lack of sea-time and Certificate of Competency (CoC) acceptance among others.
Recognising these challenges, in 2009, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) launched the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), which is an interventionist programme initiated to address the dearth of trained and certified seafarers in the Nigerian maritime industry.
Daily Sun learnt that since inception of the programme, NIMASA has trained over 2,041 Nigerians across different countries including the United Kingdom, India, Egypt, Romania and the Philippines in Marine Engineering and Nautical Sciences, chosen deliberately to gain strategic knowledge from their vast experience in seafaring and Maritime Education and Training.
At the flag off of the third phase of the NSDP involving over 200 cadets for oversea training , NIMASA said it is making concerted efforts to sign bi-lateral agreements of mutual recognition of Certificate of Competency to open opportunities for Nigerian seafarers to work abroad.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, urged the 200 NSDP-3 cadets to be of good behaviour and represent Nigeria well while commending the resilience of NIMASA in ensuring the success and expansion of the programme since its commencement in 2009.
“The doggedness of NIMASA in ensuring the success of this programme is commendable, but I would like the agency to include more local training institutions that meet the standard required for the training,” Amaechi said.
To the cadets, the Minister stated: “For those who are leaving, please, do not embarrass the country. You are not just ambassadors of NIMASA but also the ambassadors of Nigeria. You have to be of utmost good behaviour.
“You have to study and pass your exams. There are so many youths who want this opportunity that you have. It means that you must show NIMASA that they did not make any mistake in choosing you.”
He advised those who might not get the opportunity to be hired overseas at the end of their sea time training to return home and contribute to national development, saying opportunities are gradually opening up for them in Nigeria.
“After training, some of you will be hired overseas. The ones that are not hired overseas, please, come back to the country. This country is changing in time. You will see the changes as you come. It won’t be easy, it’s difficult, but the changes are coming gradually,” he said.
Meanwhile, Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the 3rdphase of NSDP, called NSDP Tera, had addressed many of the challenges encountered in the previous stages of the programme.
Jamoh said with this latest phase, the country was set for a better, more innovative maritime manpower development experience.
He said: “NSDP-3 brings our maritime manpower development strategy to the next level. It is a complete package, which offers the cadets everything they need to qualify as seafarers, from shore-based training, to sea time training, and attainment of Certificate of Competency (CoC).”
On the issue of international recognition of Nigerian CoCs, Jamoh said that the agency was working on signing bilateral agreements with some countries to facilitate greater recognition and acceptance of the country’s seafarers as well as optimisation of the benefits of the programme.
The Director General said: “To prepare ourselves for the coming opportunities, the Agency will make concerted efforts to sign bi-lateral agreements of mutual recognition of Certificate of Competency to open opportunities for Nigerian seafarers to work abroad.
“We are working with industry experts to ensure that our Maritime Education and Training (MET) meets international standards.”
In his goodwill message, former Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, expressed delight at the pace of implementation of NSDP by the Dr. Jamoh led-management. Dosunmu emphasised the huge economic benefits of the programme in terms of foreign currency repatriation and employment creation, among others and called for its sustenance and continued expansion.
The former Director General commended Amaechi “for providing purposeful leadership in the maritime sector. The sector has witnessed unprecedented growth since you became Minister. The removal of wrecks in our waters has commenced, piracy has reduced drastically; I commend this administration.”
However, Managing Director of Charkin Maritime Academy, Sir Charles Wami, called for more partnership among indigenous maritime institutions on sea time training. He advised the cadets to be disciplined while assuring them of success. “On board a ship, cadets are not supposed to be heard but seen. As long as the sea never dries, there will be job for you as mariners. This profession is one that you can be proud of.”
