The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA has sent forth 235 Nigerians to Indiaand Greece as batch B of the 435 young Nigerians to be trained as Licenced Deck and Engine Officers including Naval Architects under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, NSDP
According to a statement by Osagie Edwards, an Assistant Director, Public Relations in NIMASA, the Minister of Transportation Engineer Muazu Jaji Sambo,said this during the sent-forth ceremony christened NSDP Phase 3, TERRA II over the weekend in Lagos.
The statement noted that the Federal Government’s decision to continue with the project is based on the role its playing in developing capacity for the Nigerian maritime industry.
He said:“The success of this laudable policy cannot be overemphasised, therefore the Federal Ministry of Transportation will continue to encourage and partner with NIMASA on NSDP and other policies on the development of a sustainable maritime-based economy
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, noted that the agency is working with countries who are committed to an understanding for mutual recognition of Certificate of Competency, CoC, in selecting the Institutes to train the beneficiaries.
Acknowledging some challenges experienced by the NSDP scholarship scheme in the earlier phases, Jamoh noted that all grey areas have been addressed to ensure a better deal for both beneficiaries and the Nigerian government.
He added:“We have taken measures to ensure that all encumbrances experienced in previous phases of the programme are avoided in this new phase. These include improved recruitment process spread across the six (6) geo-political zones, introduction of a code of conduct for the beneficiaries and most importantly, engaging Maritime Training Institutions (MTIs) that offer shore-based training, shipboard training and the Certificate of Competency licencing to eliminate the long delay in securing sea time training berths that was experienced with the previous set of students. NIMASA comparatively got the most reasonable cost for the training and in countries with mutual recognition of CoC with Nigeria.
On the number of seafarer enrolment, graduates and those already employed, Jamoh said: “It is important to note that from inception to 2020, the programme has enrolled 2,041 students, while 892 are now licensed deck and engine officers including Naval architects, the rest are in their final stage of the programme.
“It may please the Minister to know that about 486 of the graduates are now gainfully employed and sailing in both coastal and ocean going vessels, adding that the NLNG Ship Management Limited is the leading employer of NSDP beneficiaries in the country, with over 40 on their pay roll already”
