Chairman of National Seafarers Welfare Board, Otunba Kunle Folarin has urged private sector partnership with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in the area of providing capacity for the maritime industry.
Speaking recently, Folarin said the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was structured to make the Nigeria maritime industry one of the best in the world.
He commended the cadets who recently graduated from the Arab Maritime Academy in Alexandra, Egypt, where they majored in Marine Engineering and Nautical Science.
Folarin who doubles as Chairman of the Port Consultative Council (PCC) said there would always be jobs for people who had quality training in the industry, pointing out that more than 4,500 vessels berth at the nation’s ports annually.
He said, “With what NIMASA has started, I believe our maritime industry will be one of the best. There will also be jobs for these youths because more than 4,500 vessels call at our ports yearly.”
He advised the graduating cadets, who incidentally are the first batch of graduates under the NSDP to remain focused and dedicated: “Your Certificate of Competency is equivalent to currency which is recognised internationally”.
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