Some cadets drawn from private and government owned- maritime institutions have said that the Nigerian is not ripe to be called a maritime nation considering the fact that it lacks a national carrier.
The students who spoke with Shipping Position Daily in separate interviews to mark "World Maritime Day" recently added that the country does not have the wherewithal to be classified as a maritime nation, even as they berated government lacklustre attitude towards maritime manpower development.
Some cadets drawn from private and government owned- maritime institutions have said that the Nigerian is not ripe to be called a maritime nation considering the fact that it lacks a national carrier.
The students who spoke with Shipping Position Daily in separate interviews to mark "World Maritime Day" recently added that the country does not have the wherewithal to be classified as a maritime nation, even as they berated government lacklustre attitude towards maritime manpower development.
Speaking with our correspondent, a student from Stars Maritime Academy; Kanu George Good Friday said that the government has failed to put in place structures that will boost manpower development in the country and the sector, adding that the country does not deserve to be called a maritime state.
He said despite the vast coast line at her disposal, Nigeria is still lacking in areas of technicalities and qualities to enable her being called a maritime nation.
"What we need to put into consideration to give Nigeria the credit it deserves and to be called a maritime nation are not there in the first instance."
" Nigerians can't be proud to say this country is a maritime nation because we don't have what it takes to be called a maritime nation, apart from the gift of nature which is the water. "
"We don't have a national carrier, thus what can we say is the criteria of making this country a maritime nation?"
When you travel to Philippines for example, you find out that everything about them is maritime- inclined, but in Nigeria we don't have what can make people to say that this country is a maritime country and I think the government should be ashamed of itself, knowing full well that we have the natural resources for us to be known as foremost maritime nation in the world, but we are not making good use of it. "
Also speaking as regards the World Maritime Day celebration, a cadet from a government-owned maritime institution(school’s name withheld); Olayode Gabriel stressed the need for the Buhari government revisit the issue of a national carrier, so that cadets can get sea time experience.
Olayode noted that Nigeria is lacking in the area of maritime human capacity adding that the federal government has failed to encourage maritime sector development.
He said "If we say Nigeria is a maritime nation, I will not agree but there are so many aspect that we are lacking in terms of human capacity."
" The federal government has failed to encourage the maritime sector growth by way of capacity building and infrastructure development."
"There is no way we can rate Nigeria as a top maritime nation in Africa and the world in general because for one just simple reason; we don't have a national carrier, our ports are very poor in the area of facilities and infrastructure."
" There is no hope for the young ones in this country that want to pick up a career in the maritime industry."
"However since we have been listed among IMO it is proper to say we are indeed a maritime nation considering the vast coastal line she possesses, but we don't have the wherewithal to make the coastal advantageous to us as Nigerians "he added.
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