The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has said that 269 Nigerian seafarers are having their sea time training at United Kingdom, even as it added that some are already on board sea-going vessels.
NIMASA DG, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, disclosed this at a stakeholders meeting held in Calabar recently.
He also reiterated that with the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) being sponsored by the agency, the nation’s seafarers are being equipped to be able to compete with their contemporaries in other parts of the world.
"Let me also inform you at this gathering that in the year under review, we have sent 269 to sea time at the United Kingdom, they are already onboard sea going vessel. Through the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), we are also building capacity, training seafarers who can go on international voyages, who can compete with the rest around the world” he told the gathering.
He maintained that with proper partnership with critical stakeholders the agency can achieve more in terms of development of the sector.
"Of the over 2,500 persons sponsored by NIMASA, we have 1,045, that have graduated and are ready for sea time. We can do more if only we partner more with you. Recently we reconvened the Joint Industry Negotiation Council. We have recently signed a tripartite agreement between the seafarers, ship owners and the industry regulators towards making the working condition of our seafarers better", he disclosed.
He emphasized that the only way to tap the huge potentials in the sector is for proper synergy with everybody in the sector.
"We believe that our industry has a lot of potentials, but the only way we can realise these potentials is when we work together. The regulator cannot do it alone, industry players cannot do it alone without the regulators, our security agencies cannot do it alone, put together all of us can achieve a better result; it is on that basis that we say let us come together, reason together and fashion out a workable road map together and together we will take the industry to the next level", he appealed.
Discussion about this post