Concerns for Seafarers Welfare Dominate World Maritime Day Celebration
rotimi amaechi
By Our Reporter
The welfare of seafarers and training programme to create opportunity for better job offerings dominated this year’s World Maritime Day celebrated in the country.
At the event on Thursday, the federal government stressed its readiness to ensure that Nigerian cadets go for adequate sea time training to enable them gain better employment in the shipping industry.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who spoke on the occasion to mark this year’s World Maritime Day (WMD) celebration, under the theme, ‘Seafarers: At the Core of Shipping’s Future”, said more strength would be given to the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) so as to engage reputable shipping companies for the sake of Nigerian seafarers.
Amaechi disclosed that under the NSDP programme, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has so far sponsored over 7,000 seafarers for specialized training programmes.
He assured that more seafarers would continue to be trained to be able to perform tasks in their areas of specialization.
According to the Minister, “Seafaring has evolved over the years from apprenticeship to specialised and rigorous nautical education, necessitated by digitalisation and the development of modern, technologically advanced vessels.
“The world is in short supply of qualified seafarers today and the rapid rise in digital technology and automation mean that one of the world’s oldest professions is set to change more in the next couple of years”
The Director General of NIMSAS, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, in his speech during the celebration assured that the apex maritime agency would continue to give priority to the capacity building of Nigerian seafarers
Jamoh said that it was for this reason that the agency introduced Seafarers Identity Documents (SID) registration portal and e-platform for dockworkers and their employers to ensure ease in registration and verification process which according to him was in line with global best practices.
He added that the seafarers would remain the focus of attention as far as policy and decision making was concerned in the shipping industry.
Jamoh also said that his agency as the apex regulatory agency would ensure that Nigerian seafarers get the best treatment from shipowners and other employers through enforcement of approved conditions of service.
Master mariners and shipowners at the event called on the government to ensure the disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds (CVFF) , adding that this was the only way to improve the capacity of Nigerian shipowners to engage more seafarers.
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