By Eguono Odjegba

Dr Paul Adalikwu, Secretary General of Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA)  has called for concerted efforts by governments , multi national companies and individuals to support maritime training in the sub region. 

Adalikwu who made this call during a visit to the Regional Maritime University(RMU) Nungua, Ghana, urged stakeholders and investors in the maritime sector of the region to contribute in raising training and certification standards of the university and other maritime academies.

The SG who commended the university’s management for it’s increasing quality in the face of limited resources, described the institution as a critical arm of MOWCA in  human capital development.

He noted that RMU and other maritime academies within MOWCA region deserve support of terminal operators, shipping companies, international oil companies, and others including individuals to develop further.

According to him, such support would amount to multiplier benefits to the trained seafarers, the governments, private companies and the economic growth of the regions.

He described the huge resources spent in training African seafarers by some countries for globally accepted Certificates of Competency as an avoidable capital flight. 

According to him, such funds could be deployed to achieve more if most of the trainings are done within the MOWCA region to save cost and impact on more number of youths.

” At MOWCA, we are aware that some countries in our region have had to spend more foreign exchange from their meager resources to complete the maritime training of their citizens abroad.

” Many students in our region have also had to privately source funding to acquire  certificates in oil, Chemical and Gas tanker officers’ course outside Africa. 

” We are concerned and feel that if specialised courses like dynamic positioning of vessels are done within the MOWCA region, thereby cutting the cost of traveling, more youths would benefit from high quality maritime training at lesser costs

“MOWCA is therefore appealing to foreign and local companies operating in our ports and entire maritime industry to support our maritime university and academies through donation of equipment, financial grants and making them their first choice of location for manpower sourcing.”

Adalikwu said it’s about time member countries synergize in the training of globally accepted Seafarers.

“As a body comprising of 25 countries, we are deliberate in the drive for the development of qualified and competent seafarers to operate modern ships and contribute to global trade through maritime industry.

” I am optimistic things are going to get better for our training institutions even as I look forward to visiting the RMU again soon”, he said.

Acting Vice Chancellor of RMU, Dr Jethro Brooks Jnr while welcoming the SG who was coming to the university for the first time since assumption of office in November 2021, reiterated the institution’s commitment to quality manpower training. 

He said the university upholds the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) training standards without compromising any aspect of Standard of Training Certification and Watch keeping for officers and ratings, otherwise called the Manila Convention.

The Acting VC said the university’s commitment to further improvement is unshaken. Dr. Brooks led the MOWCA SG on a facility tour of the university and brief interaction with top management cadre officers of the institution before he departed for Abidjan.

The Regional Maritime University is one of the specialised organs of MOWCA