Against the backdrop of unemployment plaguing the country, especially among Nigerian youths, former Registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFF) Mr Ademola Irinyemi has called for awareness among Nigerian youths to the abundant job opportunities in the maritime sector.
Irinyemi who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos last week also recommended that the inclusion of maritime studies into Nigerian university and Secondary school curriculum must be pursued with renewed vigor.
Against the backdrop of unemployment plaguing the country, especially among Nigerian youths, former Registrar of the Nigerian Institute of Freight Forwarders (NIFF) Mr Ademola Irinyemi has called for awareness among Nigerian youths to the abundant job opportunities in the maritime sector.
Irinyemi who spoke with our correspondent in Lagos last week also recommended that the inclusion of maritime studies into Nigerian university and Secondary school curriculum must be pursued with renewed vigor.
Apart from this, Irinyemi said that government support for professional maritime institutions that are doing well, adding that it will also assist in sensitizing Nigerian youths about shipping, thereby reducing unemployment rate and generating revenue for government.
He stressed that the maritime industry is a major player in the economy of Nigeria, and as such should be given a voice.
According to him, "maritime studies can only be developed among the youths if the government should take it from the grassroots, whereby there would be enlightenment both from the maritime aspect of the economy and Nigeria as a whole”.
He told Shipping Position Daily that someone should invest in creating awareness from the grassroots by encouraging the youth especially by including courses that are maritime-centered.
He also added that the government should also work towards the inclusion of maritime studies in curriculums particularly at secondary institutions, since the students from there would be looking forward to moving over to tertiary institutions.
"The government should create platforms where the existing Institutions are to be supported at which they wouldn’t confine themselves to maritime academies alone; they should also assist those professional institutions who are doing so well on the training of maritime personnel”.
“Maritime studies should be encouraged because it will definitely give to the economy so much more than we can imagine, the government should empower existing institutions to create other platforms through awareness to assist and educate these young ones”.
“Apparently, they would have the capability at which they will help to create their own jobs, and they will create more hopes for other Nigerian youths”, he said.
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