The Lagos state Coordinator of the Nigerian Indigenous Ship Owners Association, Captain Akinpelumi Taiwo has described the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the World Maritime University (WMU) as a misplaced priority.
This reaction is coming few days after NIMASA signed the MoU which the agency said will help to build capacity in the Nigerian maritime sector.
Speaking in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week, Captain Taiwo, also charged the NIMASA to work towards ensuring that the Certificate of Competency given to Nigerian seafarers enjoys international recognition.
"We are in a situation whereby no one recognises our Certificate of Competency and you’re talking about signing an MoU with WMU, that is a misplaced priority to say the least. Where will we be hoping at foreign vessels to develop our own seafarers, why can't we develop our own to meet international standard"
Capt Taiwo also urged NIMASA to focus more on developing our maritime domain and streamline training and certification of the nation’s seafarers.
"They should come and develop our maritime institutions in Nigeria instead of signing MoU with World Maritime University. It is not a move in the right direction at all. They should show how they will develop our own maritime institution, streamline the training, examination and certification, so that our Certificate of Competency will be acceptable worldwide", he stressed.
He also advised NIMASA to do more in the area of developing Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.
"They should focus on how to develop MAN, Oron and other institutions where they will issue certificates and it will be recognized worldwide", he advised.
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