22 February 2015, Lagos – A marine engineer, Mr Alex Peters, says there is the need for more trained master mariners and marine engineers in the country.
“Since the shutdown of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) in 1995, there has been a structured maritime education, training and certification for Nigerians, to suit the country’s requirements and conditions,’’ Peters, who is the Secretary, Institute of Marine, Science and Technology, said in Lagos.
He explained that the various types of maritime training being undertaken in the country were not particularly organised or structured for the country.
“At the end of the day, we will have a glut of poorly and partly-trained, grossly-inexperienced and ill-practised people.
“What needs to be done very quickly is to put together some eggheads to work out a structure for Nigeria’s maritime education and training programme.
“A national shipping line should be set up, among other things, to provide berths for the training of engineers and other marine personnel,’’ Peters said.
He said the intention of the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) concerning the existence of the National Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) was purposeful.
On the NSDP, Peters said it was necessary to have a Nigerian body which should be able to evaluate the marine education and training acquired by locally-trained seafarers.
