No plan to withdraw 296 cadets from overseas training – NIMASA

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has denied claims that it was planning to withdraw 296 cadets under the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme from their training at Centurion University, India.

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

He described media reports claiming that the agency planned to withdraw the NSDP cadets from Centurion University India as false, adding that the agency was only carrying out due diligence on the existing Memorandum of Understanding to align the processes in the best interest of the Nigerian students.

“We are not recalling any NSDP beneficiaries from Centurion University. We are only working to close out all identified gaps in the existing Memorandum of Understanding before proceeding to the next stage,” Mobereola stated.

According to him, a situation where the agency entered into a contractual agreement with Springdale Academy of Maritime Education and Training, with agreed courses and timelines only to be faced with additional course duration and an alien programme by the agent, unilaterally converting the programme without the consent of the NIMASA as prescribed by the MoU, may not be in the best interest of the students.

He added that there were issues of non-accreditation for one of the institutions as of the time of the execution of the MoU.

He explained that the agent changed the students’ course from marine engineering to mechanical engineering without recourse to the NIMASA, “preparing the grounds for additional years of studies and uncertainties for the students, raising issues related to funding, and the various third-party arrangements without duly informing the agency”.

The NIMASA DG noted that the management of NIMASA was aware of a sponsored media campaign of calumny against the agency, stating that it would not deter it from doing the right thing.

“We are aware of orchestrated media campaigns and petitions against the agency reviewing the existing arrangement.  We will not give in to blackmail, as the safety and wellbeing of our students are paramount,” he maintained.

The Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme was introduced in 2009 to develop capacity by training young Nigerians as seafarers and bridging the dearth of seafarers globally.

Through the program, Nigerian youths receive training in specialised courses such as Marine Engineering, Nautical Sciences, and Nautical Surveys to ensure they qualify as seafarers and are globally employable.