The Institute of Transport Administration (IOTA), Nigeria has called on government agencies in the maritime and aviation sectors to encourage old and retired captains and master mariners to train upcoming ratings and cadets to fill the vacuum that are already opening in the two strategic sectors.
IOTA also lamented that lack of professionals in seafaring and ship operation needs urgent attention to be addressed by federal government, noting that the demise of the old professionals in both sectors will lead to foreign dominance.
The Institute of Transport Administration (IOTA), Nigeria has called on government agencies in the maritime and aviation sectors to encourage old and retired captains and master mariners to train upcoming ratings and cadets to fill the vacuum that are already opening in the two strategic sectors.
IOTA also lamented that lack of professionals in seafaring and ship operation needs urgent attention to be addressed by federal government, noting that the demise of the old professionals in both sectors will lead to foreign dominance.
The transport institute also said that development of institutions in the maritime and aviation sectors will lead to transformation of the country’s economy.
President of IOTA; Professor Innocent Ogwude in a chat with Shipping Position Daily during a programme organised by the foremost transport institution last week, lamented that the shipping sub sector is purely dominated by foreigners, but added that training of Nigerians in the sector will change the game.
“There is the need for NIMASA, NPA, NCAA and even FAAN to encourage the existing master mariners and air captains to train junior cadets and ratings and officers to fill the vacuum, in order for the younger ones to continue from where they stop".
"The old professionals are dying off and there is no replacement for them yet, so I will advise NIMASA and others to encourage and empower the old ones so that they can train the younger ones before we experience extinction.
However the former adviser to the President on transportation also called on government agencies in the aviation sector to do same because according to him, there is a shortage of air captains due to old age.
According to him, when the national carrier is revamped, it will face some major challenges if seafarers and ship owners are not trained.
Ogwude stressed the need for NIMASA to train officers who might become officers on board ships on both local and international waters, pointing out that there is shortage of master mariners.
He noted that gradually there is no replacement for master mariners and captains in Nigeria but training younger officers by the agency will fill in the gap for the aged masters.
"We need indigenous ship owners , we need indigenous enterprise and we also need indigenous talents in shipping industry and shipping industry needs money or funding ,because the private sector in Nigeria is not very rich which is the reason for foreigners to dominate the sector", he observed.
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