A Customs licensed agent, Maxwell Obi has urged Nigerian youths, particularly those of the Niger Delta region to build careers in shipping.
He said such a career at sea would earn the youth a decent living like was the case in the other developed economies such as the Philippines.
Obi, a former Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Rivers Seaport chapter disclosed this on Friday during an interaction in Port Harcourt.
He said that Filipinos are known to earn huge foreign exchange by exporting seafarers to other parts of the world. According to him, seafaring could be a major foreign exchange earner for the country, if all states of the federation and other maritime stakeholders key into the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
“This is by investing in our seafarers and reaping the benefits in the future.
“Let is not lose sight also as a nation of the challenges ahead in terms of providing a good welfare package for the seafarers in line with the provisions of the Maritime Labour Convention of 2006”, he stated.
Obi also maintained that there should be provision for protecting seafarers’ lives from sea pirates and robbers. He therefore urged maritime unions to join hands with NIMASA in promoting decent work agenda in line with the policies of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Meanwhile, NIMASA has urged members of the public to disregard a purported sale of its scholarship form on the social media.
The agency’s Public Affairs Head, Hajia Lami Tumaka in a statement in Lagos last week stated: “The attention of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has been drawn to recent publications in the social media entitled “2014/2015 NIMASA scholarship form finally out” with contact numbers as 08052873989, 07064847811.
“The agency has also been inundated with calls by well-meaning Nigerians on their authenticity.
“It has therefore become imperative to state that this information is NOT from NIMASA.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to disregard such information concerning any scholarship by NIMASA, which is clearly the handiwork of scammers.
“Indeed authentic information about the agency and its activities can always be obtained on the NIMASA website at www.nimasa.gov.ng on twitter @nimasaofficialor visit and “like” its facebook page atwww.facebook.com/NIMASAOFFICIAL.“
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