Nigeria in Diaspora Philippines seals deal to train Nigerian sea farers with sea time
As part of their nationalist efforts in driving home development from their base outside Nigeria, the leadership of Nigeria in Diaspora Philippines (NiDP) and John McGregor Institute of Technology Nigeria has signed a joint cooperation agreement with International Maritime Welding Society (IMWS) during the just concluded Maritime Welding Convention in the Philippines.
In an email sent to Business Hilights from the Philippines on Wednesday, NiDP President, Dr Darlington Odeshile signed on behalf of the organization in the presence of delegates from United States, UK, Netherlands, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Kuwait, Guyana e.t.c.
The statement revealed that the agreement will help facilitate Young Nigerians who are aspiring to become Sea farers, Marine Fitters, Underwater Welders to be Certified in Maritime Welding. International Maritime Welding Society is the only body that will soon work alongside with International Maritime Organization IMO to certify all Maritime Welders.
While commending John McGregor Institute of Technology Nigeria for the initiative to collaborate with School Solutions and Youth Exchange International (SS&YEI) Inc. Philippines, Dr. Darlington noted that SS&YEI remains the only organization in the Philippines who has a means of a training foreign cadets to accomplish the mandatory sea time training as required by IMO.
“With this new development John McGregor Institute of Technology (JMIT) is fully set to begin admitting every interested individual who is a graduate of Marine Engineering, Marine Transportation or any field of study including Secondary School O/Level Certificate holders with a minimum of 5 Credits for cadetship training in Nigeria and Sea Time going in the Philippines. “All cadets will be trained on-board sea going vessel for 12 months, a rigorous training that will make Nigerian Cadets to be highly competitive with Filipino Seamen who have dominated the maritime industry or any other seaman in the world.
“STCW Certificates of Competency (CoC) and STCW Certificates of Proficiency (CoP) among other Certifications will be issued to all Nigerian cadets that are trained by JMIT with the possibility of employment by foreign shipping companies.
“NIMASA have been able to send only 286 cadets for sea time ocean going vessel out of over 2500 cadets that have graduated from the NSDP program which is significantly small while the remaining cadets are still waiting indefinitely including the Amnesty program who have trained thousands of Niger Delta youths in an outdated STCW maritime courses in various institution across the globe.
“The new requirements of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers, as amended by the 2010 Manila conference (STCW Manila 2010) that every STCW Certificate is only valid for 5 Years.
In his remarks, Mr. John Agarry, an International Consultant for SS&YEI Philippines, who was part of the Maritime Welding Convention advised on emerging NSDP graduates who are yet to have Sea Time training, Amnesty Program Trainee and all individuals who are aspiring to become sea farer to take this golden opportunity to register with JMIT.
