The Nigeria Association of Masters Mariners (NAMM) has berated the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), saying it was an unnecessary adventure by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The association’s President; Capt Tajudeen Alao, in a chat with our correspondent highlighted what he described as fundamental flaws in the NSDP’s design and execution. He said “despite its lofty ambitions, the programme has stumbled and faltered, failing to live up to expectations set at its establishment”.
Capt Alao further criticized what he called the programme’s structural deficiencies and mismanagement, which have led to a dearth of proper training, infrastructure and inadequate support for cadets. “The selection process for cadets has been marred by rampant favoritism and nepotism,” he alleged.
Moreover, Capt Alao raised concerns about the quality of training imparted under the NSDP, citing deficiencies in curriculum development and instructor qualifications. “Without a robust and standardized training framework, Nigerian seafarers will continue to lag behind their international counterparts in terms of skills and competencies,” he warned.
He also stressed the need for more lecturers for the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN) in Oron, Akwa Ibom state. “We need to get more lecturers for Oron; from different grades of university, including grade 1, grade 2 lecturers, student lecturers, people with masters degrees, and professors. That’s what makes a good teacher,” he emphasized.
In the light of these damning shortcomings, Alao called for a comprehensive review of the NSDP and advocated for alternative approaches to seafarer training and development. “Policy makers should prioritize merit-based selection criteria and invest in state-of-the-art training facilities,” he advised.
He added that: “The programme has stumbled and faltered, failing to live up to expectations set forth at its establishment.”
“The selection process for cadets has been marred by rampant favoritism and nepotism. Without a robust and standardized training framework, Nigerian seafarers will continue to lag behind their international counterparts in terms of skills and competencies.”
“Policy makers should prioritize merit-based selection criteria and invest in state-of-the-art training facilities.”
