Nigerian Newspapers
Manpower crisis looms in maritime sector
•Stakeholders warn of foreign domination
THEY are in their thousands. The exact figure is not known. Some of them studied abroad through the Federal Government’s scholarship. Others were trained by accredited institutions in the country.
However, unlike what prevails in other countries, where trainees are exposed to quality sea time onboard vessels, cadets in Nigeria are mostly exposed to classroom stimulators.
The crisis took an embarrassing dimension in the United Kingdom (UK) recently when some Nigerian students at the Liverpool John Moores University reportedly protested against their condition, pointing out that they risked not qualifying for a “certificate of competency” in view of challenges faced in securing sea time onboard ships.
Retired, serving ship captains and other experts who spoke with The Guardian blamed the Federal Government and its agencies such as the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for the unfolding crisis.
They likened the situation to graduating from a driving school without any direct encounter with any vehicle.
But the Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Maritime Services, Olugbenga Leke Oyewole, who also spoke with The Guardian, explained that a sustainable way to tackle the problem was to empower private companies, adding that a major decision in that regard may be taken next month.
“We (Federal Government) are operating with the prevailing situation. The government is doing everything possible to address the situation”, Oyewole added.
He also used the opportunity to advise affected cadets to approach NIMASA for assistance, pointing out that there was the need to involve indigenous ship owners.
In an interview with The Guardian, a seasoned ship captain and former President of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Ezekiel Adewale Ishola, said there was the need to boost indigenous capacity in the interest of maritime sector.
While advising the Federal Government to act fast in the interest of the cadets and the nation’s economy, Ishola said a training ship should be made available to the Maritime Academy at Oroh, Akwa Ibom State.
“Our legislators travel abroad and they see how things are done. Without sea time, no professional certification for the cadets. Without certifications, who will take over from the present set of professionals in the sector? We lack enough vessels. There is the need for more vessels”, Ishola said.
Another captain who is currently a director in one of the firms operating in the maritime sector said: “It’s a worrisome situation. It was not like this in our days. The Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL) was there. We benefited from that era. The only way forward now is for the Federal Government to encourage the private sector, especially indigenous ship owners. Foreigners are gradually taking over the maritime sector in Nigeria. The government should act before it’s too late.”
A source at NIMASA told The Guardian that a department within the agency was doing everything possible to support cadets in this regard.
The source admitted that the number of cadets was high, pointing out that “everybody will be attended to.”
Lamenting the demise of NNSL, Ishola said the shipping line played a crucial role in the training of personnel during its era.
According to experts, human capital development in the maritime sector is another viable avenue through which the government can generate numerous jobs as some countries are in dire need of qualified personnel to occupy sensitive positions.
The demise of NNSL in 1995 is believed to have created a huge gap in human capital development in the sector, as qualified personnel are either now retired or now actively involved in other sectors of the nation’s economy.
Established by the Federal Government in 1959, NNSL was liquidated in 1995 and all its 21 vessels sold, making it almost impossible to train fresh hands to meet future challenges.
Affirming government’s resolve to tackle the challenges of human capital development, Oyewole said the existing administration was determined to support local participation in the sector.
According to Oyewole, the current administration has resolved to “train numerous Nigerians” while plans are underway to encourage indigenous ship owners to participate actively in the sector.
While pledging to facilitate sea time training for cadets, the Federal Government through NIMASA said it had concluded plans to bridge the projected vacancies of 250,000 seafarers by the year 2015.
While explaining in details the benefits of the training programme to the nation’s economy in an interview with The Guardian recently, the Director-General of NIMASA, Patrick Akpobolokemi, also appealed to universities and other institutions of higher learning across the country to give adequate priority to entrepreneurship studies.
Akpobolokemi explained at the end of a reception for 41 students sponsored to Indian by the agency under its seafarers’ development programme that entrepreneurship studies would play a crucial role in the economic development of the nation.
According to him, the 41 students form part of the agency’s first batch, adding that they would be on their way to the UK later this year for a three-year further studies.
Akpobolokemi had explained recently that apart from meeting local requirement for seafarers, Nigeria also intended to commence the export of seafarers to other parts of the world like the Philippines.
“The desire to fast-track the creation of a large pool of Nigerian seafarers by the year 2015, to meet local demand and contribute to the manpower needs of the international shipping community, informed the agency’s decision to start a ‘fully- sponsored scheme ‘whereby NIMASA fully sponsors qualified students.
“Under the scheme, about 1,500 students were examined and screened for the 201213 academic session. Admissions have been secured for the successful ones in various maritime training institutions abroad, to be trained up to degree level in the nautical sciences, marine engineering and naval architecture.”
Meanwhile, lack of vessels owned by Nigerians plying international waterways and need for capacity building were some of the issues discussed at the presidential retreat on maritime held last year in Abuja.
Minister of Finance and Co-ordinator of the Economy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who was at the presidential retreat, said increasing Nigeria’s participation in the maritime sector would not only ensure that most of the incomes were retained locally, but would lead to increased jobs for Nigerians.
She said: “The Philippines for example has been able to position itself as a global supplier of seafarers, creating a lot of jobs and significant foreign income for the country. Why can’t we replicate this in Nigeria?”
Oyewole, who spoke in a similar vein, said: “Every other country in the world keeps to their cargoes. They carry them by themselves and they are coming to scrabble for the ones we (Nigeria) have here also. We may not have the capacity but the capacity may not come without government support.”
He said the proposed package is structured in a way that indigenous ship owners will be able to acquire vessels. “These vessels will fly Nigerian flag and would be used as training platforms for our people,” he said.
Oyewole said the purpose of the proposed bailout package was to empower Nigerian ship owners, adding that the larger economy would benefit from the proposed gesture.
Apart from full sponsorship and collaboration with some state governments, NIMASA is also encouraging agencies, especially higher institutions, to key into the capacity building scheme.
For example, NIMASA said plans were underway to commence maritime studies in four selected Nigerian universities: Niger Delta University, Amasoma; University of Lagos (UNILAG); University of Nigeria, Nsukka; and the Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, Niger State.
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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.
Source: Guardian Newspaper
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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