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Seafarers’ training:Nigerian emerges best student in India
Newsdiaryonline Tues April 19,2011
DG NIMASA MR. ZIAKADE PATRICK AKPOBOLOKEMI EXCHANGING
PLEASANTRIES WITH DR BALBAA AHMED OF ARAB ACADEMY FOR SCIENCE
AND MARINE TRANSPORT WHILE NIMASA DEP. DIR. MARITIME CAPACITY
BUILDING, ALHAJI IBRAHIM JIBRIL LOOKS ON
One of the beneficiariies of the Nigerian Seafarers Development
Programme(NSDP) Miss Shaapara
Mimi Nissi from Benue state has
won the best student award from Amet University India.
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and
Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi who
disclosed this while addressing participants at the NSDP
awareness campaign programme in Bayelsa State said that the
Agency brought the campaign to Yenagoa to ensure that youths in
the State were given the opportunity to live their potentials to
the fullest.
The DG who was represented by the Agency’s Executive Director
Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services Hon Ibrahim Zailani
appealed to the Bayelsa state Government and other State
Governments in the South South Zone to team up with NIMASA to
provide what he called a life changing opportunity for youths in
the Zone.
In his words “The
NSDP is changing the life of youths in the States that have
subscribed to the programme. Young girls and boys who ordinarily
may have been roaming the streets of Ondo, Ekiti, Benue Niger
are now studying to become Cadets in diferent Institutions
across the world courtesy of this Programme.”
He noted that the Students have been good Ambassodors for
Nigeria as the
first batch of beneficiaries have concluded the first phase of
their training in India and are now in Southern Tynside
Unversity Newcastle, United Kingdom studying Marine Engineering.
Speaking further, Mr Ziakede restated the Agency’s commitment to
human capital development for the Nigerian Maritime industry.
“We
are looking at investing heavily in human capital development.
NIMASA now has a fully functional Maritime Capacity Building
Unit which is charged with the function of developing both human
and infrastructural development for the industry.In the near
future, the ship building industry in Nigeria will be a major
catalyst for economic development for the country”He said.
While encouraging Nigerian Universities to consider including
maritime related courses in their corriculla,
the NIMASA helmsman said that the Agency is ready to
assist them get all nesserary accreditation to ensure that their
graduates get international recognition
THE Permananent Secretary, Ministry of Special Duties Bayelsa
State, Mrs Gloria Iziafor who represented the State Government
expressed the desire of Bayelsa State to key into the
NSDP programme.
While describing the Programme as a unique job creating venture,
Mrs Iziafor said that partnership with NIMASA will serve as part
of Governor Timipriye Silva’s Commitment to human capacity
development. She noted that Bayelsa state has commenced the
nomination process and is working out the modalities for
payment.
The NIMASA sensitization team also carried out awareness
campaign in Lafia Nasarawa state, and Bauchi in Bauchi state.The
Agency is also working at collaborating with the Niger Delta
Ex-militant programme to train ratings.
At the moment,
Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna,
Benue and Ebnonyi States have partnered with NIMASA,
while States like
Bauchi, Bayelsa and the Federal Capital Territory
are about to conclude
the nomination process. Similarly, about 150 students are on the
NSDP programme in various institutions in Europe, Egypt and
India undertaking courses in Marine Engineering and Nautical
Sciences.
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