Edo Poly, NIMASA, Port Of Antwerp Partner On Capacity Building For Dockworkers, Seafarers

The Chairman of the Greg Ogbeifun Institute of Maritime Technology (GOMIT) at the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, has made a case for the creation of an enabling environment for the training of internationally-certified dockworkers and sea fears in Nigeria to bridge the skill gap in the maritime industry.

Ogbeifun made the submission during an official visit to the Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh and the agency’s management.

He was accompanied on the visit by some representatives of the Port of Antwerp, and officials of the Edo State Polytechnic Usen, where GOMIT is domiciled.

GOMIT is a newly established professional training institute at the Edo State Polytechnic aimed at building capacity in the maritime industry and grooming youths for careers in seafaring and transport management. 

“We at GOMIT are committed to attaining internationally acceptable standards in training dockworkers. Government should provide us with the enabling environment to achieve our goal. We will identify a training need assessment for pool workers. We consider certification as a key component of the training loop,” Engr. Ogbeifun said.

He revealed that GOMIT was already in partnership with the Training Center for Blue Collar Port Workers in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation members, for its training programmes.

Director-General, (NIMASA), Dr. Jamoh emphasized the agency’s commitment to the pursuit of capacity domestication, in a bid to save Nigeria’s scarce foreign exchange.

Jamoh agreed on the need for comprehensive training of young Nigerians particularly at home, adding that NIMASA is already working on adopting a reciprocity policy for Recognition of Certificate of Competency and other certificates to facilitate international trade.

The NIMASA boss urged the management of (the GOMIT) Institute to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with reputable international learning Institutes to ensure that the quality of education meets internationally acceptable standards, explaining further that as a new Maritime Institute, the gaps identified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in the latest IMSAS report should be given priority and addressed.