Michael James
08 August 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has introduced a ‘New NIMASA Cabotage Compliance Strategy’, NCCS, towards the actualisation of a successful coastal and inland trade regime.
This is in continuation of the agency’s quest to ensure full implementation of the Cabotage Act 2003 for the benefits of Nigerians.
Speaking with newsmen, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, the NIMASA Director General, disclosed that the agency came up with NCCS to secure jobs for qualified Nigerians in the maritime sector.
The NIMASA DG stated that with the NCCS, the agency would no longer consider applications for grant of waivers on manning for prescribed categories of officers in vessels engaged in cabotage trade.
In his words, “The era of foreigners taking over jobs that Nigerians are qualified for in the maritime sector is over. The NCCS will point a new direction to our cabotage regime as the agency will no longer consider applications for grant of waivers on manning requirements for vessels engaged in coastal trade with regards to second officer, second engineer and second mate, down to able seamen, ratings and stewards”.
The NIMASA DG also pointed out that special applications for captains, chief engineers, chief officers, first mate in the absence of qualified Nigerians shall be considered on merit, but on the condition that such organisation will make a plan to train a Nigerian and put in place a transition plan to ensure that the Nigerian takes over the job within one year.
He said that the essence of this was to ensure that Nigerians are not deprived of the jobs due them on showing requisite qualifications for the job.