Maritime Lawyer; Nwagbara: Harps For More Maritime Private Colleges

A maritime lawyer; Barrister Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara has called on entrepreneurs in the country to invest in maritime institutions, saying that establishment of more maritime schools will help increase the number of professionals in the industry.

Nwagbara made the appeal at an event held in Lagos last week, when he won the best maritime lawyer of the year organised by National Evergreen Maritime Award.

According to him, there is the need for investors to participate in the creation of marine colleges will help to build capacity in the sector.

A maritime lawyer; Barrister Osuala Emmanuel Nwagbara has called on entrepreneurs in the country to invest in maritime institutions, saying that establishment of more maritime schools will help increase the number of professionals in the industry.

Nwagbara made the appeal at an event held in Lagos last week, when he won the best maritime lawyer of the year organised by National Evergreen Maritime Award.

According to him, there is the need for investors to participate in the creation of marine colleges will help to build capacity in the sector.

He also urged maritime schools without website to do so, because, according to him, it is an advantage to them and the country at large.

The maritime lawyer also said lack of active website by some of the existing schools is the problem behind the lack of recognition by the government and some parastatals under the ministry of transport.

"Whether we like it or not, we need to train seafarers because it is not in one day that we can train masters, deck officers, chief officers and chief engineers, rather it is a gradual thing "

"We can train able seamen, we can also train people on survivor tactics and first aids and these are some the services rendered on board vessels and schools can specialise on these courses for the purpose of the sector's growth”, he added.

Speaking further with the media, he stressed that establishment of more private maritime academies will discourage Nigerians from partake in foreign maritime education.

Nwagbara noted that for seafarers to get recognition from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), there is the need for them to get the requisite training from maritime schools that are of quality and have standard.