NIMAASA sends 235 NSDP beneficiaries to India, Greece

-- The Nigerian

Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has sent forth 235 Nigerians to India and Greece as batch B of the 435 young Nigerians to be trained as licenced deck and engine officers as well as naval architects under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme, NSDP.

The Minister of Transportation Engineer Muazu Jaji Sambo, who was the special guest of honour during the sent-forth ceremony christened “NSDP Phase 3, TERRA II” in Lagos, noted that the Federal Government’s decision to continue with the project is based on the role it Is playing in developing capacity for the Nigerian maritime industry.

In his words: “The success of this laudable policy cannot be overemphasised, therefore the Federal Ministry of Transportation will continue to encourage and partner with NIMASA on NSDP and other policies on the development of a sustainable maritime-based economy (Blue Economy).

“Hence, the Ministry explicitly gave its nod on the expansion of the programme by another set of 435 new students to be recruited into the NSDP. The flag off of the 3rd phase of NSDP, christened “NSDP-TERRA” marks another milestone in the development of manpower in line with the Federal Government’s policy on youth empowerment.”

On his part, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, noted that the agency was working with countries which are committed to an understanding for mutual recognition of Certificate of Competency, CoC, in selecting the institutes to train the beneficiaries.

While acknowledging some teething challenges experienced by the NSDP scholarship scheme in the earlier phases, the NIMASA director general noted that all grey areas have been addressed to ensure a better deal for both beneficiaries and the Nigerian government.

He said: “We have taken measures to ensure that all encumbrances experienced in previous phases of the programme are avoided in this new phase. These include improved recruitment process spread across the six (6) geopolitical zones, introduction of a code of conduct for the beneficiaries and most importantly, engaging Maritime Training Institutions (MTIs) that offer shore-based training, shipboard training and the Certificate of Competency licencing to eliminate the long delay in securing sea time training berths that was experienced with the previous set of students.

“NIMASA comparatively got the most reasonable cost for the training and in countries with mutual recognition of CoC with Nigeria.”

Giving a breakdown of the number of seafarers enrolment, agos graduates and those already employed, Jamoh said: “It is important to note that from inception to 2020, the programme has enrolled 2,041

Lagos -- Seventeen years after the creation of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, students, while 892 are now licensed deck and engine officers including Naval Architects, the rest are in their final stage of the programme.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has finally approved the disbursement of the Fund.