The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on Friday charged the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to consider the country’s maritime training institutes when sending cadets for sea time.
Amaechi said this at the flag off ceremony of the Third Phase of Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) in Lagos.
He noted that there were some institutes in the country with such training capacity.
The NSDP is the special purpose vehicle, through which NIMASA has used to create channels to bridge knowledge gaps to ensure qualified, competent and certified seafarers.
The programme is used in training Nigerian youths between the ages of 17 and 22 to acquire theoretical skills and practicals, hands-on knowledge from renowned maritime training institutions across the world.
“As they proceed in the assignment, NIMASA should always remember the training institutions in the country.
“Some cadets should be sent to Charkin Maritime Academy, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron and overseas and we will see how it goes.
“For the young men and women graduating, congratulations and I pray you get jobs. I said this because we are still battling with a lot of people that have not been given sea time. I hope that DG NIMASA will arrange sea time for people that are waiting.
“For those leaving, let me give you this experience that I have, we sent about 150 students to China about four are back to the country and this is because they were caught with drugs,” he said.
He pleaded with the cadets not to embarrass the country. You are now ambassadors of Nigeria not just NIMASA. You have to be of utmost behaviour, study and pass your exams.
“We have more than 50 million youths in the country and you can imagine the number of youths that want this opportunity that you have, so it means that you must show NIMASA that they did not make any mistake in choosing you.
“After trainin, some of you will be hired overseas, these ones, I wish you luck. Those that were not hired, please come back to the country, the country is changing with time, it will not be easy but the changes are coming,” he said.
Also, Mr Charles Wami, Chief Executive Officer, Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety, reiterated the minister’s words by urging NIMASA to look inwards and extend some cadets to them.
Wami said that the academy had the infrastructure that would qualify them to meet international standards.
He urged the cadets to be disciplined, stressing that onboard a vessel, cadets were not meant to be heard but seen.
“As long as the sea never dries, there must be job opportunities for them,” he said
Earlier, NIMASA Director-General, Dr Bashir Jamoh, noted that the agency would make concerted efforts to sign bi-lateral agreements of mutual recognition of Certificate of Competency to open opportunities for Nigerian seafarers to work abroad.
Jamoh added that NIMASA was working with industry experts to ensure that the maritime education and training meets international standards.
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He added that the agency had engaged two institutions with specially structured curriculum and solid track record in terms of provision of berth spaces for sea time training.
“The journey to self-discovery and pursuit of excellence in seafaring has begun for 200 Nigerian youths about to set sail as a group and as distinct individuals for the fulfilment of dreams of academic and professional excellence.
“This journey, however, did not start today for NIMASA. It started 10 years ago when we embarked on a first of its kind, high-risk venture to launch out and invest heavily in building human capacity and development,” he said.
Jamoh said that NIMASA believed in the resilience and verve of Nigerian youths, adding that like past batches had done, they expect nothing less.
“Like Nigeria youths have excelled in other fields, we expect you to surpass them. From nothing, Nigerian youths have taken over the creative industry, from music to acting, and ICT, your voices are being heard.
“We want to be known as a seafaring nation. We expect you to learn your craft, make friends and think beyond yourselves but your country.
“Someday, the international friends you make in the course of learning will bring business to Nigeria; people in India and Greece will see Nigeria through your eyes, excellence should be your watchword,” he said.
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