By Eromosele Abiodun
The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, over the weekend in Lagos announced that the agency will partner with the Alumni of Maritime Academy of Nigeria Oron (AMANO) to ensure that all stumbling blocks for the growth and development of the maritime sector are removed.
Peterside, who stated this while speaking at the second National Convention of AMANO, said the agency has over the years put measures in place to ensure that the maritime sector’s potential are harnessed for the benefit of Nigerians.
Peterside, who was represented by Ekong Umo Otong of the safety department of NIMASA, said maritime education was critical to the repositioning of the country and the economy, hence the need to partner with AMANO being a critical stakeholder.
According to him, “NIMASA is proud to be associated with AMANO and to name you as one of our top most stakeholders and thus we remain open to any invaluable contributions and business enhancement suggestions from your highly reputable association knowing that it will also be beneficial to the maritime world and the current drive and focus on Blue economy.”
In his welcome address, President of AMANO, Austin Umezurike, decried the problems faced by cadets concerning sea time training, stressing the need for comprehensive approach to finding solution to the problem.
Umezurike, noted that the need to focus on maritime education and training to fill the present gaps in the industry, even as he called for the right policies to be put in place to ensure development in the shipping sector.
The AMANO president pointed out that the alumni on its part was working to ensure quality training for cadets at the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN Oron, through its members going there to give lectures in their areas of specialisation.
He also disclosed that AMANO had also helped to upgrade the library of the institution with ICT.
He therefore called on all former cadets to help in ensuring the MAN, Oron gets to the required standard, as well as assist young cadets to get sea time training.
