According to Nigerian local media, more than 24,000 seafarers who have graduated, in the past 16 years, from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Oron in Akwa Ibom state haven’t been deployed; Thus, unemployment leads them to menial jobs and to illegal seafaring activities. There are accusations that pirate attacks in the area are caused by this category of cadets.
Specifically, it has been also reported that due to this unemployment the Nigerian Government abolished seafarers’ overseas training.
The Rector of the Academy, Commodore Duja Effedua, who resumed duties at the academy last year has indicated that there would be a massive cut in the number of student admissions going forward, and commented
We used to admit between 1,200 and 2000 cadets per stream. That won’t happen anymore. In our next admission, we are taking only 88 cadets for the National Diploma level and about 160 for the Higher National Diploma level.
In light of the above, the Vice President of the Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association, Reginald Onyenobi expressed his concerns on unemployment and the situation of the cadets, highlighting that the Federal Government should take action and address their needs.
Mr Reginald Onyenobi stated
We have been engaging stakeholders, we have also been engaging shipping companies, ship owners, NIMASA and also even the National Assembly. We have been doing a lot; probably they cannot give what they do not have.
Yet, in a bid to enhance the quality of training at MAN, the rector appointed that the admission for the year 2017-2018 academic session was put on hold, earlier that usual, due to restructuring and creating a conducive environment for the cadets.
The Rector of the Academy, Commodore Duja Effedua, noted that the Academy should ‘produce’ quality and not quantity; Therefore, MAN should manage what it can handle.
Concluding, former Minister of Interior, Emmanuel Ihenacho, called for aligning of the MAN’s training program with IMO, prescribed Standards of Training and Watch-keeping for Seafarers, STWC ‘78, as he stated that is the only way for Nigerian cadets to be recognised.
