Demola Irinyemi (Maritime lecturer)
Demola Irinyemi (Maritime lecturer)
We have maritime academies in Nigeria, this is the same in other parts of the world, what most nations do however is to create a standard, let NIMASA concentrate efforts on how to upgrade the standard at our existing institutions, bring in quality people and ensure that the academic services they are being provided to groom seafarers and other professionals in the maritime industry align with global standard. We don't need to be pumping money here and there, at the end of the day we cannot fund these institutions, why can't NIMASA fund the existing institutions and upgrade their standard; bring in quality people and pay the money that would have been spent in other institutions. Maritime Academy in Ghana is not doing what we are doing, they are making progress, my position is that I don't support the moves by NIMASA, let them be focused, let them be committed to standard, let them upgrade MAN Oron and turn it to global institution, let them put aside politics that? would not advance the course of the nation.
Ugochukwu Nnadi (Deputy President, NAGAFF)
Obviously what NIMASA is doing is the right thing, they also need to be encouraged by the government, there is also a need for government to float a shipping line so that, as these cadets are being trained academically they will have practical experience, it's not every private company that will like to employ these cadets, but if the government has a shipping line, they can easily go for industrial attachment, learn what obtains in the industry. NIMASA is in order and its efforts are commendable.
Israel Mcjerry (Seafarer)
The setting up of the Maritime University at Okerenkoko is a good and welcomed development? because if you look at most of our seafarers, they go to Ghana for training, and those institutions are well recognized, but if you look at the Maritime Academy in Oron, it is inadequate in terms of providing training for our seafarers. In terms of professional and international training for our seafarers it think MAN is still lagging behind. So the coming of NIMASA Maritime University, well equipped will be an added value to the development of manpower in the maritime sector, the university should be well equipped with all the gadgets and a vessel for the practical training of seafarers, most of the seafarers still go out there to seek practical experience.
Owolabi Omotayo (Water Transporter)
MAN Oron is there, but there is nothing bad in having a Maritime University elsewhere, this will help NIMASA and especially the Niger Delta region, it will help to train the youths there that are so conversant with seafaring jobs, instead of taking them to Phillipines or South Africa to train, the university will complement the effort of MAN Oron, if we have four or five Maritime Universities in Nigeria, I don't think it is too much, at least there should be one in each geo-political zone.
Engineer Mathew Alalade (President Merchant Navy)
My believe that in the next five years of the establishment of that school without any form ships in place for training of seafarers, then I will say it’s a failure on the part of NIMASA. Without the national carrier which will also serve the purpose of training and even add value to the nation's economy, I don't think it is ideal to float a maritime university at this point in time, because if we don't have vessels on ground, it will not bridge the gap faced in the industry.
Chris Sadoh (Stars Maritime Academy)
My opinion on the issue is that it is not all about establishing a maritime university that matters, rather it is the duty of the government through NIMASA to empower the existing schools on ground. What is of importance at the moment is to look inward on how to uplift the existing maritime institutions on ground instead of establishing maritime university like the new one in Delta State. As far as manpower development is concerned in Nigeria, there is need to empower the existing schools to a certain level before such a university.
Barrister Osuala Nwagbara (Maritime lawyer)
The Maritime university is one of the specialised institutions we need in a maritime nation like Nigeria to train manpower. Training of manpower is a continuous process and it is good that Nigeria is appreciating the maritime sector, to take care of the specialised professionals we need in the sector. Surely, if this university is well equipped and properly managed, it will reduce the dearth of manpower in the maritime sector. It will not only provide manpower for the local shipping industry, but also increase Nigeria’s potentials to command a very large percentage of seafarers that would be required worldwide. This same university should not be treated like one of those universities because it is a specialised institution, it must be seen as such, funded as such, equipped as such and in equipping the university itself, it need to have platforms for sea time training for seafarers and not just the academy curricula that conventional schools dish out rather practical. However the school needs all sea going and seafaring experiences for it to thrive.
Comrade Julius Efokpor (Sec Gen Merchant Navy)
What NIMASA is doing at the moment is training junior cadets which is not the solution in bridging the gap of manpower shortage that we have in the industry, in which case, after graduation they still appear to be half baked. What the agency is doing is to give out BSc which is not what we need at the moment, because we need practical orientation to empower these students from all over -whether the new university, NSDP, MAN Oron, School of Oceangraphy etc, there is need for a carrier to boost sea time experience.
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