MARITIME CAPACITY: ACADEMY, MOWCA PARTNER ON TRAINING TEMPLATES, STANDARDS

Explores Options to Decarbonization,  Alternative Energy, Marine Environment

For Maritime Professionals, Trainers and employers of labour, getting competent manpower for maritime operations has been a challenge which bothers maritime stakeholders in the West African sub region even as certification authentication remain issues affecting competency rating across the region.

 

Leading the charge, the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, under the leadership of Dr. Kevin Okonna, has taken steps to ratify and proffer lasting solution to training disparity, curricula, and issuance od different certificate by Maritime Training Institutions, MTIs, in the West  and Eastern African sub region as the Academy host regional heads of Maritime Education and Training Institutions from the Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer (ARSTM), Côte d’Ivoire and the Regional Maritime University (RMU), Ghana.

 

Under the theme “Advancing Maritime Education and Training Across West and Central Africa” Secretary-General of the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Acting Rector of the Academy Dr. Kevin Okonna, described the meeting as a first-of-its-kind platform linking maritime training institutions under MOWCA for professional efficiency.

“This conference and deliberation aligns with the strategic development plans of the President Tinubu’s led government for Nigerians through the Marine and Blue Economy to develop foreign partnerships and collaborations” Okonna said.

 

On his part, Secretary General of the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, expressed delight on the initiative.

 

“Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the leadership of the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron for the excellent facilities made available for this engagement, the Académie Régionale des Sciences et Techniques de la Mer, Abidjan; and the Regional Maritime University, Ghana, for their commitment to this shared vision. Your presence here demonstrates a collective resolve to move beyond institutional efforts to a more integrated and strategic approach to maritime capacity development in West and Central Africa.”

 

According to Dr Adalikwu ” The maritime sector remains the backbone of our regional economies. Over 90% of our trade is carried by sea, yet our capacity to fully harness the benefits of this vast domain depends largely on the quality of human capital we develop. It is in this regard that your institutions play a pivotal role” Adalikwu said.

 

The MOWCA Boss listed some of the pressing issues to be tackled to include  Digital transformation, emerging maritime technologies, Decarburization, environmental issues,  safety issues in the Gulf of Guinea and  increasing global standards for maritime training and certification.

 

Adalikwu further disclosed that MOWCA intends to foster an inclusive, cohesive regional maritime knowledge ecosystem, develop a skilled maritime workforce, promote safe, secure and efficient shipping by strengthening regional integration by providing the needed capacity for the promotion of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and exploring options on alternative energy sources.

 

The visit by MOWCA, coming on the heels of an earlier visit to the Liberian Maritime Authority and the Liberian Maritime Training Institute by Management and Council members of MAN, signals developmental collaborative strides by the Academy under Dr. Kevin Okonna to take maritime training to greater heights.