Stakeholders decry dearth of manpower development in seafaring sector

The stakeholders feared that such gap could be a threat to succession plan in the sector if urgent moves are not made to curtail the identified problem.

Ship owners, Maritime institutions, cadets, maritime law students of universities, representatives of government agencies, private organisations, among others at a one day conference Annual Maritime Students and Youth Conference organised by Platforms, made the recommendation in a communique in Lagos.

The stakeholders enjoined the federal government to intensify capacity building and training in line with local content and Cabotage policies to enable local seafarers’ take advantage of job opportunities.

“Currently, there are more than one hundred and thirty five thousand manpower gap in terms of officers and ratings.

“Federal government should intensify capacity building and training in line with local content and Cabotage policies to enable Nigerians take advantage of these job opportunities.

The stakeholders in several papers, called on the cadets to equip themselves in various areas of skill acquisition in line with modern global realities.

“The cadets should avail themselves of the various areas of specialisation in the maritime industry.

“The federal government should as a matter of fact, bring the certification to the level understandable by the cadets. The certification should be in any language most understood by cadets as long as the essence is achieved in efficient performance of function.

The AMSAY one-day annual conference with the theme: Job Creation for Nigerian Youths Through Maritime Sector was organised to discuss and proffer solutions to critical and contemporary issues affecting the future of Nigerian Maritime industry.