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FG plans training for 25,000 seafarers to cut N1trn annual loss

The Federal Government at the weekend hinted it is targeting to train about 25,000 seafarers over the next 10 years to boost its deplecting manpower base in the maritime industry.

The programme which will be executed through the Nigerian Seafarer Development Programme (NSDP) is expected to cut about N1 trillion annual loss Nigeria suffers due to the dominance of expatriates in the nation’s maritime sector.

According to NIMASA boss, the scope of the training covers marine engineering to sailors and surveyors, where foreigners currently hold sway, carting away trillions of naira annually by way of capital flight.

But maritime stakeholders who visited The Philippines last week to assess the performances of Nigerian cadets undergoing trainings in various disciplines in the Asian nation, said the national hemorrhage could be stopped through human capacity development for the sector.
At present, over 90 percent of the activities in the shipping industry are controlled by foreigners while Nigerian carriers, facing huge debt and other operational challenge, scurry for the remaining 10 percent.

This is largely because Nigeria is yet to benefit from the Cabotage Act she signed in 2003 due to inadequate manpower and obsolete vessels unfit for shipping of cargoes, locally or internationally.

This challenge has made foreign vessels the preferred choice at the detriment of the nation’s economy.

But while evaluating the quantum loss to the economy estimated at about N2 trillion annually largely through capital flight, corruption, unfavourable policies and poor systems, processes and procedures, some observers noted the time for change is now.

According to the Director General/Chief Executive of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi, the argument that Nigeria loses close to N1 trillion cannot be faulted because the maritime industry is the nucleus of most nations in the world.

Against this background, Akpobolokemi said the agency has committed itself to sustaining the NSDP programme in the interest of the nation to ensure that magnitude of loss was reduced.

According to him, the target was to have at least 25,000 qualified seafarers in 10 years time to take over the ageing hands in the industry.

Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Marine Transport, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on his part, said NIMASA will be given all the support it requires to sustain the programme.
He argued that Nigeria should strive and surpass The Philippines record of 333,000 seafarers that are scattered all over the world.

“They just told us they make $19 billion annuals from seafaring. They have a lot of their men in Nigeria and elsewhere. But nothing stops us from achieving that and even surpassing it. NIMASA would be supported because it is doing well in the NSDP. If we need to amend the enabling laws to achieve that, we’ll do that. Our economy will be better for it and it’s good NIMASA expands this programme to accommodate more Nigerians”, he said.

Ugwuanyi, while making a case for Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron said the lean budget of the institution shows Nigeria government was not committed to address the problem of manpower inadequacy in the sector.

“MAN, Oron budget is small, without NIMASA’s assistance. Does that show seriousness? Their vessel was stolen and are yet to get training vessel for sea time experience till now. You can’t be a specialist without sea-time experience.”
Source: The Sun