Sir, I am writing this email to you with tears in my eyes, a heartbroken man who cannot even fend for his family, a laughing object and a burden to everyone around me.
I am a Federal government sponsored NIMASA NSDP cadet( Please keep me anonymous).
The NIMASA NSDP program was created in 2008, with the view of training indigenous youth of our esteemed nation in maritime studies. This was to boost the maritime manpower of the nation and ensure that Nigeria wasn’t left out in this advancement for the future.
The program was divided into two separate courses, Marine Engineering and Nautical Science and other affiliated courses. Students were drawn from all over the country so as to give equal opportunity to the youths.
We proceeded to India for our first year and then to the United Kingdom for our subsequent studies. This took two years in all. Within the 2 years of study we’ve been able to achieve our Higher National Diploma (HND) with outstanding performances.
Trouble however started for us when the agency couldn’t secure vessels (Ships) for us to go on board for our sea training phase of the program, we were delayed for three years at home without anything to show for it. Some State governments had to step in before the agency decided to send us back to school to further our studies into Degrees. This was in 2017, we successfully completed our degree program respectively and returned to the country in 2018. It once again took the agency between 2-3 years to get us on board different vessels for our sea training.
With sheer determination and will, we managed to complete our sea training phase and then came the final lap. For two and getting to three years now, we’ve been soliciting with the agency to send us back to school for our licensing exams which will solidify and certify us to be officers in the maritime field, which is ultimately, the goal of the program. Unfortunately we’ve been met with stiff resistance using different excuses.
Sir, currently we are facing the huge risk of having our efforts up to this very stage go down the drain, as there’s a regulation by the UK Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) that failure to sit for the exams after the sea training phase, three years after will lead to the invalidation of the said training, which will further lead to retraining again before sitting for the exams. Currently we are getting to the third year as we finished with the sea phase since ending of 2021 and early 2022.
Another thing to consider sir, is that our sea training phase was a practical session meant to prepare us for the exams. Just like in every academic field, prolonged stay at home always has detrimental effects on a student’s performance. We suffered through the previous stages because of all the avoidable prolonged stay we have had to endure through.
Sir, we’ve come a long way and have spent so much of our lives, both in time and resources (Thirteen years to be precise, and still counting) in this program to go back and redo some of our achievements all over again. Sir, you may wish to know that this program was scheduled for just three years which has snowballed into thirteen years.
Sir, we have written countless letters, had several meetings with the management, protested and every other avenue we could try just so as to see that the agency returns us back to school. Each time we meet with the management, they give assurances of sending us at a time frame, when the said time frame comes another different excuse will be meted at us. We have told them the implications of us not returning back to school on time but yet all our efforts seem to fall on deaf ears. And insiders who are not allowed to speak on the matter due to their positions keep telling us that every year budget is been made with our names yet nothing is been done, this is evident because a Senate delegation met us in school in 2018 for a fact finding mission but still nothing was done even after we told them what NIMASA has been doing to us.
Sir, I personally joined this program when I was just 20 years old, I had dreams and aspirations of becoming someone useful to the society and country, I was given this opportunity as a result of my good grades and academic performance which is same for almost every other student in the program, I use to be a thing of pride to people who know me and use me as an example to their wards on hard work and determination, today I(we) have become a laughing object all because NIMASA has chosen to forsake the good cause in our lives.
Sir, I am humbly requesting that, you help us speak or meditate with the DG NIMASA through the office of the Minister for Marine and Blue Economy. A huge amount of the governments resources has been expended on us to have it amount to wastage or loss at this point in time. We as certified seafarers can bring a lot of succor to the nation through the Marine Industry which is evident through the President’s creation of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy. I am begging sir on behalf of my colleagues some of whom are considering dangerous approach to this matter and becoming criminal elements in the society, knowing your track record of rendering assistance to the youthful populace of this country, to help us see our dreams come to fruition.
Over 200-300 or even more cadets have been held stagnant without progression for years.
I have tried over the years to contact relevant people that can assist us but none has ever bothered to look out way, please Sir, we need your help badly.
Sir, all my prayers and hope is with you to step in and assist us in securing our collective futures, being that you’ve always been at the forefront of ensuring the progress of your people.
Sir, I will be open to any enquiry or further information you might need regarding the programme as you render your assistance.
