Dr Bashir Jamoh, Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has taken the agency’s drive for maritime capacity building to schools.
Jamoh made this known in a statement made available to journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
According to him, the agency has visited Premier Academy School, Lugbe, in Abuja, to mark this year’s Children’s Day.
The Agency also donated educational materials including books, computers, and T-shirts to the school as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.
Jamoh, who reiterated NIMASA’s commitment to capacity building in the maritime industry, added that secondary schools in the country were good avenues to begin the awareness.
He said that students, especially those in the sciences, should show interest in maritime activities by choosing maritime related careers, especially given the increasing role of maritime in Nigeria’s economic diversification effort.
He said that the current Cabotage regime had opened up many opportunities in the maritime industry for indigenous investors and professionals.
The Director-General announced the setting up of an endowment seat and scholarships for best students from the school willing to study maritime related courses in tertiary institutions.
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He said the Agency was willing to train such students in Nigeria and abroad.
“In pursuit of NIMASA’s mandate to build capacity in the maritime industry, it was necessary to let students know the careers in the sector.
“From time to time, we do visit schools and, as you are aware, we have a number of tertiary institutions in the six geo-political zones we are funding in terms of maritime education.
“When it comes to capacity building it is very important to have a very good foundation from secondary schools before you go to tertiary institution,” he said.
Jamoh also said that the Children’s Day celebrations presented a good opportunity to talk to students on the opportunities in the maritime industry.
