The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dayo Mobereola, has described beneficiaries of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP), who recently obtained their Certificates of Competency (CoC), as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria, noting their commendable character and professionalism.
Receiving a delegation of the newly certified seafarers, who paid him an appreciation visit in Lagos, Mobereola commended their resilience and determination, having successfully navigated years of uncertainty to achieve professional certification.
He observed that, while challenges can be perceived as obstacles, they can also serve as opportunities for growth, emphasising that the officers chose the latter path. ‘You have weathered the storm; the future will be easier for you. We are proud of you’, the DG said.
He further charged the seafarers to remain disciplined and committed to excellence, urging them to serve as mentors to upcoming cadets within the maritime sector.
He stressed that the Nigerian maritime industry requires their expertise and reaffirmed that the country’s seafarers possess the capacity to compete favourably on the global stage, provided they remain consistent and professional.
On behalf of his colleagues, one of the officers, Utibe Michael Edet, expressed profound appreciation to the NIMASA management for addressing their prolonged challenges. He recounted that, after graduating from maritime institutions in Romania, the team had remained without sea-time training and certification for about eight years.
According to him, the intervention of the current NIMASA management restored their hope and enabled them to realise their professional aspirations. He described the DG as a compassionate and visionary leader who took decisive steps to resolve a longstanding issue that predated his tenure.
‘We came to express our sincere appreciation for your magnanimity. You gave us hope and made our dreams come true’, Edet said.
Recently, NIMASA initiated strategic interventions to address the sea-time and CoC challenges for the NSDP beneficiaries.
The programme commenced in 2024 with the first batch of 40 cadets sent to Tyne Coast College, South Shields Marine School in the United Kingdom, marking a significant milestone in resolving the longstanding challenge.
Out of that number, 34 cadets passed.
